Methods and arrangements in a cellular communication network

• US 9,888,488 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Fodor, Gabor, Hedberg, Tomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, PRENELL P
• Application Number:
  US14/920,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20160044700A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/14 Spectrum sharing arrangements between different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/566 of the information or information source or recipient
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/15 Setup of multiple wireless link connections
• 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

The present invention relates to methods and arrangements for resolving radio resource conflicts occurring in radio networks supporting both local ad-hoc communication and cellular communication. The conflicts are resolved by informing the cellular network about radio resource management restrictions due to the local ad-hoc communication needs and resources that are reserved for local ad-hoc communications.

Claims

1. A method in a User Equipment, UE, comprising at least one radio access communication interface supporting cellular and local ad-hoc communication, the method comprising:

establishing a local communication to an ad-hoc network; and

sending via a cellular connection, to a node of a cellular network, information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions for cellular communication due to the local ad-hoc communication, wherein the local ad-hoc communication is prioritized over the cellular communication;

wherein sending the information comprises sending, from the UE to the node of the cellular network, a request that identifies resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication, wherein the request triggers the cellular network to avoid conflicts with the resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the UE comprises at least a first communication interface for a first cellular network configured according to a first radio access technology, RAT, and a second communication interface for a second cellular network configured according to a second RAT, the method further comprising operating only one of the first and second communication interfaces at any time.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions for cellular communication due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises recommendations that the UE should not be handed over to certain radio access technologies.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions for cellular communication due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises at least one of type of local communication, intensity level, quality of service parameters and priority.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending the information comprises:

sending the information to a core network node in the cellular network to update a UE profile stored at the core network node.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending the information comprises:

sending the information to a radio access network node in the cellular network.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein sending the information comprises:

sending a local communication request that at least contains parameters for characteristics of the local communication to the radio access network node.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method comprises:

receiving a local communication grant or a local communication reject in response to the local communication request,

wherein the local communication grant comprises information elements indicating which resources the UE should use for the local communication.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein sending the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions for cellular communication due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises sending, from the UE to the node of the cellular network, an indication that the local ad-hoc communication has a higher priority level than the cellular communication.

10. A method in a network node controlling cellular radio resources of User Equipments, UEs, in a cellular network at least configured to operate according to one radio access technology supporting local ad-hoc communication, the method comprising:

receiving information from a UE about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions due to a local communication which the UE intends to be involved in; and

controlling the cellular radio resources based on the received information, wherein the local communication is prioritized over cellular communication;

wherein receiving the information comprises receiving, from the UE, a request that identifies resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication, wherein the request triggers the cellular network to avoid conflicts with the resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the cellular network is configured to operate according to multiple radio access technologies.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the information comprises recommendations that the UE should not be handed over to certain radio access technologies.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises at least one of type of local communication, intensity level, quality of service parameters and priority.

14. The method according to claim 10,

wherein the network node is a core network node;

and

wherein the core network node stores at least one profile comprising the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions associated with possible UE local ad-hoc configurations.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the core network node is a home location register or a visitor location register.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein receiving the information comprises:

receiving a profile update command; and

sending a RAB modification message to a radio access network, RAN, serving the UE so that the RAN radio resource algorithms can be made aware of the ongoing local ad-hoc UE communication.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the network node is a radio access network node.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein receiving the information comprises:

receiving a local communication request comprising the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions associated with possible UE local ad-hoc configurations;

responding with a local communication grant or a local communication reject; and

when the local communication is granted, informing the CN about the local communication.

19. A User Equipment, UE, comprising:

at least one radio access communication interface supporting cellular and local ad-hoc communication, said at least one radio access communication interface is configured to establish a local communication to an ad-hoc network; and

a processor configured to send via a cellular connection, to a node of a cellular network, information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions for cellular communication due to the local ad-hoc communication, wherein the local ad-hoc communication is prioritized over the cellular communication;

wherein the processor is further configured to send, from the UE to the node of the cellular network, a request that identifies resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication, wherein the request triggers the cellular network to avoid conflicts with the resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication.

20. The UE according to claim 19, wherein the UE comprises:

at least a first communication interface for a first cellular network configured according to a first radio access technology, RAT; and

a second communication interface for a second cellular network configured according to a second RAT,

wherein only one of the first and second communication interfaces can be used at any time.

21. The UE according to claim 20, wherein the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises recommendations that the UE should not be handed over to certain radio access technologies.

22. The UE according to claim 19, wherein the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises at least one of type of local communication, intensity level, quality of service parameters and priority.

23. The UE according to claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to send the information to a core network node in the cellular network.

24. The UE according to claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to update a UE profile stored at the core network node with information associated with the established local communication.

25. The UE according to claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to send the information to a radio access network node in the cellular network.

26. The UE according to claim 25, wherein the processor is configured to send a local communication request that at least contains parameters for characteristics of the local communication to the radio access network node.

27. A network node controlling cellular radio resources of User Equipments, UEs, in a cellular network that is at least configured to operate according to one radio access technology supporting local ad-hoc communication, the network node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive information from a UE about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions due to a local communication which the UE intends to be involved in; and

a processor configured to control the cellular radio resources based on the received information, wherein the local communication is prioritized over cellular communication;

wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the UE, a request that identifies resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication, wherein the request triggers the cellular network to avoid conflicts with the resources that are reserved for the local ad-hoc communication.

28. The network node according to claim 27, wherein the receiver is configured to operate according to multiple radio access technologies.

29. The network node according to claim 28, wherein the information comprises recommendations that the UE should not be handed over to certain radio access technologies.

30. The network node according to claim 27, wherein the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions due to the local ad-hoc communication comprises at least one of type of local communication, intensity level, quality of service parameters and priority.

31. The network node according to claim 27,

wherein the network node is a core network node, and

wherein the core network node comprises a profile storage storing at least one profile comprising the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions associated with possible UE local ad-hoc configurations.

32. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the core network node is a home location register or a visitor location register.

33. The network node according to claim 31, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a profile update command, and the network node further comprises a transmitter configured to send a RAB modification message to a radio access network, RAN, serving the UE so that the RAN radio resource algorithms can be made aware of the ongoing local ad-hoc UE communication.

34. The network node according to claim 27, wherein the network node is a radio access network node.

35. The network node according to claim 34,

wherein the receiver is configured to receive a local communication request, comprising the information about radio resource utilization resulting in resource restrictions associated with possible UE local ad-hoc configurations, from the UE, and

wherein the network node further comprises a transmitter configured to respond with a local communication grant or a local communication reject to the UE, and to inform the core network about the local communication.