Techniques for device-to-device communications

• US 9,608,710 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2014
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel IP Corporation (Intel Corporation)
• Inventors: Fwu, Jong-Kae, Chatterjee, Debdeep, Khoryaev, Alexey, Xiong, Gang
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Brenda H
• Application Number:
  US14/454,639
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043398A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310.2, 370/328, 370/338, 370/349, 370/330
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E04G 23/0218 Increasing or restoring the load-bearing capacity of building construction elements E04G23/0203 and E04G23/0266 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 9/025 Structures with concrete columns
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0639 Using selective indices, e.g. of a codebook, e.g. pre-distortion matrix index [PMI] or for beam selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2602 Signal structure
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0053 Allocation of signaling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0058 Allocation criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0062 Avoidance of ingress interference, e.g. ham radio channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/14 Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/1469 using time-sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0069 in case of dual connectivity, e.g. decoupled uplink/downlink
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/142 over the same radio air interface technology
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/326 : by proximity to another entity
• 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 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/12 : using downlink control channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 : Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0206 : in access points, e.g. base stations access point devices per se H04W88/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0209 : in terminal devices terminal devices per se H04W88/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0219 : where the power saving management affects multiple terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0005 : synchronizing of arrival of multiple uplinks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/006 : with additional information processing, e.g. for direction or speed determination
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/20 : Control channels or signalling for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/541 : using the level of interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 : Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 : Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 : Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/27 : Transitions between radio resource control [RRC] states
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/02 : Processing of mobility data, e.g. registration information at HLR [Home Location Register] or VLR [Visitor Location Register]; Transfer of mobility data, e.g. between HLR, VLR or external networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 : adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Examples may include techniques to enable user equipment (UE) to establish a device-to-device (D2D) communication link for D2D communications with another UE. In some examples, the D2D communications may occur when either both or at least one UE is within a coverage area for a wireless wide area network (WWAN). In some other examples, both UEs may be outside of the coverage area and may utilize a third UE to provide or relay information for use to establish the D2D communication link.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a processor circuit for a first user equipment (UE) capable of operating in compliance with one or more 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards including LTE-Advanced (LTE-A);

an access component for execution by the processor circuit to receive system information that indicates a device-to-device (D2D) region comprising a plurality of D2D region subframes, the D2D region defined using a set of type 2 frame structure subframes, the system information to indicate a plurality of D2D operational zones of the D2D region, each of the plurality of D2D operational zones to comprise a respective subset of the D2D region subframes, each of the plurality of D2D operational zones to include at least one D2D region subframe allocated for synchronization, channel quality measurements and feedback, proximity sensing of other UEs, transmission of control information, device discovery, or data transmission;

a synchronization component for execution by the processor circuit to receive a synchronization signal from a synchronization source to obtain time and frequency synchronization for use of the D2D region to communicate with a second UE;

a proximity sensing or device discovery component for execution by the processor circuit to receive or transmit a beacon transmission or discovery signal via use of a first D2D operational zone including a D2D region subframe allocated for proximity sensing or device discovery, the beacon transmission or discovery signal capable of indicating to the proximity sensing or device discovery component that the second UE is in proximity of the first UE;

an establish component for execution by the processor circuit to establish a communication link with the second UE based on exchanged discovery packets via allocated D2D region subframes; and

a communication component for execution by the processor circuit to receive a D2D data communication from the second UE based on use of the D2D region, the communication component to use a third D2D operational zone including D2D region subframes allocated for data transmission to receive the D2D data communication from the second UE.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, the D2D region defined based on a given uplink-downlink configuration from among uplink-downlink configurations as defined by LTE-A for time-division duplex (TDD), with D2D signals received from the second UE during a D2D subframe comprising an uplink subframe according to the given uplink-downlink configuration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, the D2D region defined based on an uplink-downlink configuration that modifies at least some uplink or downlink subframes for one or more uplink-downlink configurations as defined by LTE-A for time-division duplex (TDD), with D2D signals received from the second UE during a D2D region subframe comprising a downlink subframe according to the given uplink-downlink configuration.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, the at least some uplink or downlink subframes to be modified responsive to a load balancing condition between at least the first and second UEs or responsive to interference management between at least the first and second UEs.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, the D2D data communication associated with one of a unicast session, a broadcast session or a groupcast session with the second UE over the communication link.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a digital display coupled to the processor circuit to present a user interface view.

7. A method comprising:

receiving, at a first user equipment (UE) capable of operating in compliance with one or more 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards including LTE-Advanced (LTE-A), system information that indicates a device-to-device (D2D) region comprising a plurality of D2D region subframes, the D2D region defined using a set of type 2 frame structure subframes, the system information to indicate a plurality of D2D operational zones of the D2D region, each of the plurality of D2D operational zones to comprise a respective subset of the D2D region subframes;

receiving a synchronization signal from a synchronization source to obtain time and frequency synchronization for use of the D2D region to communicate with a second UE, the first and second UEs located outside a coverage area of a wireless wide area network (WWAN) capable of operating in compliance with one or more 3GPP LTE standards including LTE-A, the synchronization source including a third UE located within the coverage area, the third UE capable of transmitting the synchronization signal to the first and second UEs, the third UE also capable of relaying the system information to the first and second UEs; and

receiving a D2D data communication from the second UE based on use of the D2D region.

8. The method of claim 7, the D2D region defined based on a given uplink-downlink configuration from among uplink-downlink configurations as defined by LTE-A for time-division duplex (TDD), with D2D signals received from the second UE during a D2D region subframe comprising an uplink subframe according to the given uplink-downlink configuration.

9. The method of claim 7, the D2D region defined based on an uplink-downlink configuration that modifies at least some uplink or downlink subframes for one or more uplink-downlink configurations as defined by LTE-A for time-division duplex (TDD), with D2D signals received from the second UE during a D2D region subframe comprising a downlink subframe according to the given uplink-downlink configuration.

10. The method of claim 7, each of the plurality of D2D operational zones to include at least one D2D region subframe allocated for synchronization, channel quality measurements and feedback, proximity sensing of other UEs, transmission of control information, device discovery or data transmission.

11. The method of claim 10, comprising:

receiving a beacon transmission or discovery signal via use of a first D2D operational zone including a D2D region subframe allocated for proximity sensing or device discovery, the beacon transmission or discovery signal capable of indicating that the second UE is in proximity of the first UE; and

establishing a communication link with the second UE based on exchanged discovery packets and using a third D2D operational zone including D2D region subframes allocated for data transmission to receive the D2D data communication from the second UE.

12. The method of claim 7, the first and second UEs capable of communicating using a dedicated public safety spectrum, the synchronization source including the second UE, the system information received from the second UE.

13. At least one non-transitory machine readable medium comprising a plurality of instructions that in response to being executed on a system for a first user equipment (UE) capable of operating in compliance with one or more or more 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards including LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) causes the system to:

receive system information that indicates a device-to-device (D2D) region comprising a plurality of D2D region subframes, the D2D region defined using a set of type 2 frame structure subframes, the system information to indicate a plurality of D2D operational zones of the D2D region, each of the plurality of D2D operational zones to comprise a respective subset of the D2D region subframes;

receive a synchronization signal from a synchronization source to obtain time and frequency synchronization for use of the D2D region to communicate with a second UE, the first and second UEs located outside a coverage area of a wireless wide area network (WWAN) capable of operating in compliance with one or more 3GPP LTE standards including LTE-A, the first UE capable of communicating using a dedicated public safety spectrum, the synchronization source including a third UE located outside the coverage area and capable of communicating using the dedicated public safety spectrum, the system information received from the third UE via the dedicated public safety spectrum; and

send a D2D data communication to the second UE based on use of the D2D region.

14. The at least one non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, the D2D region defined based on a given uplink-downlink configuration from among uplink-downlink configurations as defined by LTE-A for time-division duplex (TDD), with D2D signals received from the second UE during a D2D region subframe comprising an uplink subframe according to the given uplink-downlink configuration.

15. The at least one non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, the D2D region defined based on an uplink-downlink configuration that modifies at least some uplink or downlink subframes for one or more uplink-downlink configurations as defined by LTE-A for time-division duplex (TDD), with D2D signals sent to the second UE during a D2D region subframe comprising a downlink subframe according to the given uplink-downlink configuration.

16. The at least one non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 13, each of the plurality of D2D operational zones to include at least one D2D region subframe allocated for synchronization, channel quality measurements and feedback, proximity sensing of other UEs, transmission of control information, device discovery or data transmission.

17. The at least one non-transitory machine readable medium of claim 16, the instructions to further cause the system to:

receive a beacon transmission or discovery signal via use of a first D2D operational zone including a D2D region subframe allocated for proximity sensing or device discovery, the beacon transmission or discovery signal capable of indicating to the second UE that the first UE is in proximity of the second UE; and

establish a communication link with the second UE based on the exchanged discovery packets and use a third D2D operational zone including D2D region subframes allocated for data transmission to send the D2D data communication from the second UE.