Device to device (D2D) communication mechanisms

• US 9,877,139 B2
• Filed: 05/17/2012
• Issued: 01/23/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daedalus Prime LLC (Daedalus Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatachalam, Muthaiah, Jain, Puneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Andrew C
• Application Number:
  US13/997,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20150036495A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,077 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0215 based on user or device properties, e.g. MTC-capable devices services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC] H04W4/70; wireless resource selection or allocation plan definition based on terminal or device properties H04W72/51
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0289 Congestion control load shedding arrangements in network planning H04W16/08; performing reselection for handling the traffic H04W36/22; wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/06 based on traffic conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 Gateway arrangements

Abstract

Technology for enabling device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless network is disclosed. One method comprises receiving a traffic flow optimization message at a first transmission node in the wireless network from a detection function (DF) module. A D2D setup message can be transmitted from the first transmission node to establish a D2D link, wherein the D2D link bypasses a serving gateway for the wireless network and provides communication between a first wireless device and a second wireless device.

Claims

1. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for enabling device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless network, the instructions when executed on a machine to cause the machine to:

receive a traffic flow optimization message at a first transmission node in the wireless network from a detection function (DF) module operating in an evolved packet core (EPC), wherein the DF module is stored in a digital memory device or is implemented in a hardware circuit; and

establish a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D communication includes the backhaul link; and

transmit a D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish a D2D link to provides communication between a first wireless device and a second wireless device via the backhaul link between the first transmission node and the second transmission node, thereby bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node.

2. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, with further instructions to:

receive a bearer release message at the first transmission node from the SGW, wherein the bearer release message instructs the first transmission node to cease use of a network link via the SGW for the D2D communication.

3. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, with further instructions to:

detect a D2D traffic flow at the DF module in communication with the first transmission node prior to the instruction to receive the traffic flow optimization message;

detect a proximity between a first wireless device location and a second wireless device location at the DF module;

obtain a policy authorization for the D2D traffic flow at the detection function module from a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) module;

transmit a traffic flow optimization message from the DF module to a mobility management entity (MME) node; and

transmit the traffic flow optimization message from the MME node to the first transmission node and the second transmission node.

4. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 3, wherein the instruction to detect the proximity between the first wireless device location and the second wireless device location further includes an instruction to determine the first wireless device location and the second wireless device location via a global positioning system (GPS), an uplink time difference of arrival (UTDOA), a cell identification (ID) number, or combinations thereof.

5. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the instruction to transmit the D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish the D2D link further includes instructions to establish the D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device over at least one of a licensed band and an unlicensed band.

6. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein:

the instruction to receive a traffic flow optimization message further includes an instruction to receive a direct mode S1-application protocol (S1-AP) trigger message; and

the instruction to transmit the D2D setup message from the first transmission node to establish the D2D link further includes an instruction to transmit a direct mode radio resource control (RRC) trigger message from the first transmission node to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode RRC trigger message instructs the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) and the first transmission node for the D2D communication.

7. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, with further instructions to:

receive a proximity detection message at the first transmission node from the first wireless device including the second wireless device location relative to a first wireless device location.

8. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 6, with further instructions to:

detect a D2D traffic flow at a detection function (DF) module in communication with the first transmission node prior to the instruction to receive the traffic flow optimization message;

obtain a policy authorization for the D2D traffic flow at the detection function module from a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) module;

receive proximity detection message at the first transmission node from the first wireless device including the second wireless device location relative to a first wireless device location; and

transmit a traffic flow optimization message from the detection function module to a mobility management entity (MME) node.

9. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the policy authorization includes an inter-device routing policy (IDRP) selected from a group consisting of a policy selecting a standard for D2D communication, a policy selecting D2D communication based on wireless device subscription, a policy selecting D2D communication based on an application type, a policy selecting D2D communication based on a radio frequency (RF) signal strength, and combinations thereof.

10. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the instruction to detect the D2D traffic flow further includes at least one of the following instructions to:

deep packet inspect an application type for the D2D traffic flow;

compare a cell identification (ID) number for the first wireless device and a cell ID number for the second wireless device;

compare a mobile operator network subnet of a destination address for the first wireless device and a mobile operator network subnet of a destination address for the second wireless device; and

compare a radio access network (RAN) and a core network (CN) for the first wireless device and a RAN and a CN for the second wireless device.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8, wherein the proximity detection message is generated after physical scanning by the first wireless device or the second wireless device.

12. At least one non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon for enabling device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless network, the instructions when executed on a machine to cause the machine to:

receive a traffic flow optimization message at a mobility management entity (MME) node from a detection function (DF) module, wherein the DF module is stored in a digital memory device or is implemented in a hardware circuit; and

transmit the traffic flow optimization message from the MME node to a first transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the traffic flow optimization message initiates a setup of a D2D link between a first wireless device and a second wireless device bypassing a serving gateway (SGW) for the D2D communication.

13. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the traffic flow optimization message instructs the first transmission node to:

establish a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D link includes the backhaul link; and

communicate directly between the first transmission node and a second transmission node via the backhaul link bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node.

14. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, with further instructions to:

transmit a direct mode non-access stratum (NAS) message from the MME node to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode NAS message provides an initialization message for a D2D link to the first wireless device through the NAS layer;

wherein the instruction to transmit the traffic flow optimization message further includes an instruction to transmit a direct mode S1-application protocol (S1-AP) trigger message, wherein the direct mode S1-AP message provides an initialization message to the first transmission node to setup a D2D link via an S1 interface;

wherein the direct mode NAS message and the direct mode S1-AP message instruct the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device, thereby bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) and the transmission nodes for the D2D communication.

15. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, with further instructions to:

detect a D2D traffic flow at the detection function module in communication with the MME node prior to the instruction to receive the traffic flow optimization message;

detect a proximity between a first wireless device location and a second wireless device location at the detection function module; and

obtain policy authorization for the D2D traffic flow at the detection function module from a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) module.

16. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instruction to detect the proximity between the first wireless device location and the second wireless device location further includes an instruction to determine the first wireless device location and the second wireless device location via a global positioning system (GPS), an uplink time difference of arrival (UTDOA), a cell identification (ID) number, or combinations thereof.

17. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, with further instructions to:

detect a D2D traffic flow at the detection function module in communication with the MME node prior to the instruction to receive the traffic flow optimization message;

obtain policy authorization for the D2D traffic flow at the detection function module from a policy and charging rules function (PCRF) module; and

receive proximity detection message at the first transmission node from the first wireless device including the second wireless device location relative to a first wireless device location.

18. The at least one non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 12, with further instructions to:

receive a bearer release message at the MME node from the SGW, wherein the bearer release message instructs the MME node to cease use of a network link via the SGW for the D2D communication.

19. A transmission node for enabling device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless network configured to:

receive a traffic flow optimization message from a mobility management entity (MME) node;

establish a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D communication includes the backhaul link; and

transmit a D2D setup message to establish a D2D link to provide communication between a first wireless device and a second wireless device via the backhaul link between the first transmission node and the second transmission node, thereby bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node.

20. The transmission node of claim 19, wherein:

the transmission node configured to receive the traffic flow optimization message is further configured to receive a direct mode S1-application protocol (S1-AP) trigger message, wherein the traffic flow optimization message includes the direct mode S1-AP trigger message; and

the transmission node configured transmit the D2D setup message to establish the D2D link is further configured to transmit a direct mode radio resource control (RRC) trigger message to the first wireless device, wherein the D2D setup message includes the direct mode radio RRC trigger message, the direct mode RRC trigger message instructs the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device, thereby bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) and the transmission node for the D2D communication.

21. The transmission node of claim 19, further configured to:

receive a bearer release message from the SGW, wherein the bearer release message instructs the transmission node to cease use of a network link via the SGW for the D2D communication.

22. The transmission node of claim 19, wherein the transmission node is selected from a group consisting of an evolved Node B (eNodeB), a base station (BS), a base band unit (BBU), a wireless access point (WAP), and combinations thereof.

23. The transmission node of claim 19, wherein the D2D setup message to establish the D2D link further includes instructions to establish the D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device over at least one of a licensed band and an unlicensed band.

24. The transmission node of claim 19, wherein the wireless network is selected from the group consisting of an operator network, a licensed band network, an unlicensed band network, a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and combinations thereof.

25. The transmission node of claim 19, wherein the first wireless device and the second wireless device are selected from the group consisting of a user equipment (UE) and a mobile station (MS), wherein the wireless devices are configured to connect to an operator network, a licensed band network, an unlicensed band network, a wireless wide area network (WWAN), a wireless local area network (WLAN), or a wireless personal area network (WPAN), and wherein the wireless devices includes an antenna, a touch sensitive display screen, a speaker, a microphone, a graphics processor, an application processor, internal memory, a non-volatile memory port, or combinations thereof.

26. A mobility management entity (MME) node for enabling device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless network configured to:

receive a traffic flow optimization message from a detection function (DF) module, wherein the DF module is stored in a digital memory device or is implemented in a hardware circuit;

establish a backhaul link between the first transmission node and a second transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the D2D communication includes the backhaul link; and

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transmit the traffic flow optimization message to a first transmission node in the wireless network, wherein the traffic flow optimization message initiates a setup of a D2D link between a first wireless device and a second wireless device via the backhaul link between the first transmission node and the second transmission node, thereby bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) for the D2D communication, wherein the first wireless device is in communication with the first transmission node, and the second wireless device is in communication with the second transmission node.

27. The MME node of claim 26, further configured to:

transmit a direct mode non-access stratum (NAS) message to the first wireless device, wherein the direct mode NAS message provides an initialization message for a D2D link to the first wireless device through the direct mode NAS layer; and

transmit a direct mode S1-application protocol (S1-AP) trigger message, wherein the traffic flow optimization message includes the direct mode S1-AP message, and the direct mode S1-AP message provides an initialization message to the first transmission node to setup a D2D link via an S1 interface;

wherein the direct mode NAS message and the direct mode S1-AP message instruct the first wireless device to establish a direct D2D link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device, thereby bypassing the serving gateway (SGW) and the transmission nodes for the D2D communication.