Signaling and channel designs for D2D communications

• US 9,451,604 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2013
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Xue, Feng, Li, Qinghua, Niu, Huaning, Fwu, Jong-Kae
• Primary Examiner(s): Shah, Chirag
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pancholi, Rina
• Application Number:
  US14/125,973
• Publication Number:
  US 20150049732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,145 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1854 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1861 Physical mapping arrangements for ACK signaling see also H04L5/0053
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/044 based on the type of the allocated resource
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/21 in the uplink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Described are methods and devices for enabling D2D communications with signal structures that require minimal changes to the current LTE architecture. In the embodiments described, the eNB grants resources to UEs for D2D communication and either initiates or permits a pair of UEs to establish a D2D link. Certain embodiments are designed to minimize changes to the current LTE control signaling structure by having the control signaling always come from the eNB as in a normal cellular link so that the transmitting UE transmits over a data channel (e.g., PUSCH/PDSCH) that the receiving UE is able to decode.

Claims

1. A method for operating an evolved Node B (eNB) in an LTE (Long Term Evolution) network, comprising:

selecting first and second user equipments (UEs) for device-to-device (D2D) communications;

allocating a D2D time-frequency resource for the first UE to transmit to the second UE;

assigning the allocated D2D resource as a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource to the first UE;

assigning the allocated D2D resource as a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource to the second UE;

receiving a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) ACK/NACK (positive or negative acknowledgement) from the second UE over the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in response to data transmitted to the second UE from the first UE over the allocated D2D resources;

receiving and decoding the data transmitted to the second UE from the first UE over the first UE'"'"'s PUSCH;

if the data received from the first UE is decoded correctly by the eNB and an ACK is received from the second UE, sending an ACK to the first UE; and

,

if either the data received from the first UE is decoded incorrectly by the eNB or a NACK is received from the second UE, sending a NACK to the first UE.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the data received from the first UE was decoded incorrectly, transmitting a NACK to the first UE via the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) to indicate to the first UE that the data should be re-transmitted.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising, if the data received from the first UE was decoded correctly, transmitting an ACK to the first UE via the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) with no resource allocation for further transmission to indicate to the first UE that its transmission buffer should not be flushed.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising, if a NACK has been received from the second UE, transmitting a resource allocation in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the first UE for further transmission over the PUSCH with a NewData bit not toggled to indicate that the data should be retransmitted in a subsequent subframe.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising, if an ACK has been received from the second UE and if the first UE has more data to send, transmitting a resource allocation in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the first UE for further transmission over the PUSCH with a NewData bit toggled to indicate that new data should be transmitted in a subsequent subframe.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising forwarding the ACK/NACK received from the second UE to the first UE after a processing delay.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the processing delay is less than 4 milliseconds.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the ACK/NACK is forwarded to the first UE via a physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH).

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting to the second UE information about the first UE'"'"'s scrambling sequence to enable the second UE to decode the first UE'"'"'s transmitted data.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising transmitting the first UE'"'"'s RNTI (radio network temporary identity) to the second UE via a PDCCH (physical downlink control channel) resource.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising allocating D2D resources on a semi-persistent basis to the first and second UEs.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a power level to the first and second UEs to be used for their transmissions.

13. An apparatus for an evolved Node B (eNB), comprising:

a radio transceiver; and

,

processing circuitry to;

selected fist and second user equipments (UEs for device-to-device (D2D) communications;

allocate a D2D time-frequency resource for the first UE to transmit to the second UE;

assign the allocated D2 resources as a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resources to the first UE;

assign the allocated D2D resources as a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource to the second UE;

receive a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) ACK/NACK (positive or negative acknowledgement) from the second UE over the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in response to data transmitted to the second UE from the first UE over the allocated D2D resources;

receive and decode the data transmitted to the second UE from the first UE over the first UE'"'"'s PUSCH;

if the data received from the first UE is decoded correctly by the eNB and an ACK is received from the second UE, send an ACK to the first UE; and

,

if either the data received from the first UE is decoded incorrectly by the eNB or a NACK is received from the second UE, send a NACK to the first UE.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing circuitry is further to, if the data received from the first UE was decoded incorrectly, transmit a NACK to the fist UE via the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) to indicate to the first UE that the data should be re-transmitted.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the processing circuitry is further to, if the data received from the first UE was decoded correctly, transmit an ACK to the first UE via the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) with no resources allocation for further transmission to indicate to the first UE that its transmission buffer should not be flushed.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the processing circuitry is further to, if a NACK has been received form the second UE, transmitting a resource allocation in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the first UE for further transmission over the PUSCH with a NewData bit not toggled to indicate that the data should be transmitted in a subsequent subframe.

17. A non-tansitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions to cause an evolved Node B (eNB), upon execution of the instructions by processing circuitry of the eNB, to:

select first and second user equipments (UEs) for device-to-device (D2D) communications;

allocate a D2D time-frequency resource for the first UE to transmit to the second UE;

assign the allocated D2D resource as a physical uplink shared channel (PUSCH) resource to the first UE;

assign the allocated D2D resource as a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) resource to the second UE;

receive a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) aCK/NACK (positive or negative acknowledgement) from the second UE over the physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in response to data transmitted to the second UE from the first UE over the allocated D2D resource;

receive and decode the data transmitted to the second UE from the first UE over the first UE'"'"'s PUSCH;

if the data received from the fist UE is decoded correctly by the eNB and an ACK is received from the second UE, send an ACK to the first UE; and

,

if either the data received from the first UE is decoded incorrectly by the eNB or a NACK is received from the second UE, send a NACK to the first UE.

18. the medium of claim 17 further comprising instructions to, if the data received from the fist UE was decoded incorrectly, transmit a NACK to the first UE via the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) to indicate to the first UE that the data should be re-transmitted.

19. The medium of claim 17 further comprising instructions to, if the data received from the first UE was decoded correctly, transmit an ACK to the first UE via the physical HARQ indicator channel (PHICH) with no resource allocation for further transmission to indicate to the fist UE that its transmission buffer should not be flushed.

20. The medium of claim 19 further comprising instructions to, if a NACK has been received from the second UE, transmitting a resource allocation in a physical downlink control channel (PDCCH) to the first UE for further transmission over the PUSCH with a NewData bit not toggled to indicate that the data should be retransmitted in a subsequent subframe.