Short range communication in a wireless communications system

• US 9,474,096 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2012
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Ayadurai, Vicknesan, Prytz, Mikael
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Kimberly A
• Application Number:
  US14/431,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20150245396A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,481 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/061 for key exchange, e.g. in peer-to-peer networks cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key agreement H04L9/0838
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/23 Manipulation of direct-mode connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

There is provided mechanisms for wireless devices to initiate direct-mode or device-to-device communications by exploiting the availability of the existing network coverage. Short range communications in a wireless communications system between a first wireless device and a second wireless device involves exchanging messages between the first wireless device and the second wireless device, first on a first communications link via a network node and then on a second communications link A corresponding method is provided. Also a computer program, a computer program product and a wireless device are provided.

Claims

1. A first wireless device for short range communications in a wireless communications system between the first wireless device and a second wireless device, comprising:

a first communications interface circuit;

a second communications interface circuit;

and a processing circuit operatively connected to the first and second communications interface circuits;

wherein;

the first communications interface circuit is configured to exchange a first set of messages with the second wireless device via a network node in the wireless communications system for establishing a first communications link with the second wireless device via the network node;

the processing circuit is configured to acquire a first channel quality indication (CQI) of the first communications link;

the first communications interface circuit further is configured to exchange a second set of messages with the second wireless device via the network node for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between the first wireless device and the second wireless device on a second communications link;

the second communications interface circuit is configured to exchange a third set of messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions;

the processing circuit is configured to acquire at least one second channel quality indication (CQI) of the second communications link, prior to establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device; and

the processing circuit is configured to trigger the establishing of the short range connection in response to the second CQI being above a first predetermined quality threshold, said first predetermined quality threshold being dependent on said at least one first CQI.

2. A method for short range communications in a wireless communications system between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, the method being performed in the first wireless device, comprising:

exchanging a first set of messages with the second wireless device via a network node in the wireless communications system for establishing a first communications link with the second wireless device via the network node;

acquiring a first channel quality indication (CQI) of the first communications link;

exchanging a second set of messages with the second wireless device via the network node for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between the first wireless device and the second wireless device on a second communications link; and

exchanging a third set of messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions;

wherein the method further comprises acquiring at least one second channel quality indication (CQI) of the second communications link, prior to establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device, and wherein the short range connection is established only in the event that said second CQI is above a first predetermined quality threshold, said first predetermined quality threshold being dependent on said at least one first CQI.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the third set of messages are exchanged as a result of the conditions having been determined to comply with a predetermined criterion.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined criteria is fulfilled if the first wireless device and the second wireless device have at least one wireless transmission capability in common.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the predetermined criteria is fulfilled if the first wireless device and the second wireless device are located at a distance from each other being smaller than a predetermined distance.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein one of the conditions relate to wireless transmission capabilities of at least one of the first wireless device and the second wireless device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the wireless transmission capabilities comprise at least one of wireless local area network, WLAN, transmission, Bluetooth transmission, and infrared data association, IrDA, based transmission.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein each one of the wireless transmission capabilities is associated with a level of priority from at least one set of priority levels.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one set of priority levels relate to one of more of a geographical distance between the first wireless device and the second wireless device, a desired transmission rate for communications over the second communications link, a desired power of the transmission over the second communications link, or a desired encryption for communications over the second communications link.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein one of the conditions relates to a geographical relation between the first wireless device and the second wireless device.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving the geographical location of the second wireless device as a set of global positioning system coordinates from the second wireless device.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining the geographical location from at least one of a cellular network attribute, a wireless local area network attribute, or a Bluetooth attribute.

13. The method of claim 2, further comprising terminating the first communications link upon having established the short range connection.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein the first communications link is a cellular radio link.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein the second communications link is one of a Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) link, a Bluetooth link, and an Infrared Data Association (IrDA)-based communications link.

16. The method of claim 2, further comprising exchanging link addresses with the second wireless device via the network node prior to exchanging messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link, wherein said link addresses enables messages exchanged on the second communications link to be addressed.

17. The method of claim 2, further comprising exchanging encryption keys with the second wireless device via the network node prior to exchanging messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link, wherein said encryption keys enables messages exchanged on the second communications link to be encrypted.

18. The method of claim 2, wherein acquiring at least one second CQI is based on at least one probe signal which is transmitted, on the second communications link, from one of the first wireless device and the second wireless device and received by the other of the first wireless device and the second wireless device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one probe signal comprises pilot symbols known to both the first wireless device and the second wireless device.

20. The method of claim 2, wherein exchanging said second set of messages is triggered by said at least one first CQI being below a second predetermined quality threshold.

21. The method of claim 2, wherein exchanging said second set of messages is triggered by an amount of data to be transmitted from the first wireless device to the second wireless device being larger than a predetermined threshold.

22. The method of claim 2, wherein exchanging said second set of messages is triggered by reception of user input.

23. The method of claim 2, further comprising providing information relating to available wireless transmission capabilities to a user interface for user selection thereof.

24. The method of claim 2, wherein the network node is one of:

a base station, a Node B, and an Evolved Node B.

25. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising, stored thereupon, a computer program for short range communications in a wireless communications system between a first wireless device and a second wireless device, the computer program comprising computer program code that, when run on the first wireless device, causes the first wireless device to:

exchange a first set of messages with the second wireless device via a network node in the wireless communications system for establishing a first communications link with the second wireless device via the network node;

acquire a first channel quality indication (CQI) of the first communications link;

exchange a second set of messages with the second wireless device via the network node for evaluating conditions for setting up a short range connection between the first wireless device and the second wireless device on a second communications link;

exchange a third set of messages with the second wireless device on the second communications link for establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device based on at least one of the conditions;

acquire at least one second channel quality indication (CQI) of the second communications link, prior to establishing the short range connection with the second wireless device;

wherein the computer program is configured so that the short range connection is established only in the event that said second CQI is above a first predetermined quality threshold, said first predetermined quality threshold being dependent on said at least one first CQI.