Long-term evolution device-to-device discovery using control channel

• US 9,924,432 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2013
• Issued: 03/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Fwu, Jong-Kae, Han, Seunghee, He, Hong, Vuong, Minh-Anh, Li, Qinghua, Papathanassiou, Apostolos
• Primary Examiner(s): Rivas, Salvador E
• Application Number:
  US14/126,998
• Publication Number:
  US 20150043438A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0417 Feedback systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0452 Multi-user MIMO systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0626 Channel coefficients, e.g. channel state information [CSI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/00 Orthogonal multiplex systems, e.g. using WALSH codesH04J13/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 11/0023 Interference mitigation or co-ordination direct sequence spread spectrum [DSSS] systems H04B1/7097; frequency hopping H04B1/713; allocation criteria for ingress interference avoidance H04L5/0062; frequency allocation criteria for requirements on out-of-channel emissions H04L5/0066; arrangements for removing intersymbol interference or baseband equalisers H04L25/03006; peak power aspects in multicarrier modulation H04L27/2614; power management H04W52/00; traffic scheduling H04W72/54, H04W72/541
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0614 the synchronising signal being characterised by the amplitude, duration or polarity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0027 Scheduling of signalling, e.g. occurrence thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2101/375 Access point names [APN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0046 Determination of how many bits are transmitted on different sub-channels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/006 Quality of the received signal, e.g. BER, SNR, water filling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/3005 Mechanisms for avoiding name conflicts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/104 Peer-to-peer [P2P] networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/20 for indoor coverage or short range network deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/24 Cell structures
• 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 24/04 Arrangements for maintaining operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/08 Testing, supervising or monitoring using real traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 : using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 : Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/24 : Negotiating SLA [Service Level Agreement]; Negotiating QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/20 : for optimising the interference level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 : Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0216 : using a pre-established activity schedule, e.g. traffic indication frame
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0235 : where the received signal is a power saving command
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/04 : using triggered events
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 : locating network equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 : Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• 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 72/54 : based on quality criteria
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 : using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 : of the wireless resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0858 : collision detection
• 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 76/28 : Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 : Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 : Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/16 : Gateway arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 : in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Device-to-device (D2D) communications between user equipment (UE) allows two UEs in a long-term evolution (LTE) network to communicate directly with each other without the need to first send their communications to a network (such as via an evolved node B). In order to communicate in a D2D mode, the UEs first need to discover each other. One method of allowing the UEs to discover each other involves the use of a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH). After a network determines that certain UEs would benefit from D2D communication, the UEs can be set up to send and receive discovery signals using the PUCCH.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating the establishment of a device-to-device (D2D) connection in a long term evolution (LTE) network comprising:

detecting, by an evolved NodeB (eNB) a possibility to offload communications to D2D communications between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE based at least in part on a proximity of the first UE to the second UE being within a threshold range;

scheduling, by the eNB, the first UE to transmit a D2D discovery signal via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) during a D2D grant from the eNB;

informing a second UE of the D2D discovery signal, wherein the informing comprises configuring a measurement period of the PUCCH;

determining if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal; and

if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal, then establishing a D2D connection between the first UE and the second UE.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the D2D discovery signal is transmitted using PUCCH format 1.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal comprises receiving a report from the second UE, the report comprising information regarding the ability of the second UE to detect the D2D discovery signal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the report further comprises channel quality information between the first UE and the second UE.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal further comprises comparing the channel quality information to a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the second UE is a member of a group of UEs.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining if there are other UEs in the group of UEs that are able to detect the D2D discovery signal sent via PUCCH; and

establishing a D2D connection between the first UE and any UE of the group of UEs that is able to detect the D2D discovery signal.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein informing a second UE of the D2D discovery signal further comprises

providing information regarding which signal is to be used in the PUCCH;

wherein the signal to be used is chosen from scheduling request (SR) resource, SR configuration index, cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), and D2D radio network temporary identifier (D-RNTI).

9. The method of claim 1 wherein scheduling a first user equipment (UE) to transmit a D2D discovery signal using a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) comprises scheduling the first UE to transmit the D2D discovery signal at every potential scheduling request (SR) subframe at a predetermined SR resource and SR configuration index.

10. An evolved node B (eNB) arranged to facilitate the establishment of a device-to-device (D2D) connection in a long term evolution (LTE) network comprising:

a processor;

an antenna assembly; and

a transceiver coupled to the processor, wherein the transceiver is arranged to transmit and receive signals via the antenna assembly;

wherein the processor is arranged to;

detect a possibility to offload communications to D2D communications between a first user equipment (UE) and a second UE based at least in part on a proximity of the first UE to the second UE being within a threshold range;

schedule the first UE to transmit a D2D discovery signal via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) during a D2D grant from the eNB, wherein scheduling the first UE is accomplished by transmitting a signal to the first UE via the transceiver;

inform a second UE of the D2D discovery signal sent via the PUCCH, wherein informing the second UE is accomplished by transmitting a signal to the second UE via the transceiver, and wherein the informing comprises configuring a measurement period of the PUCCH;

determine if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal;

if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal, then establish a D2D connection between the first UE and the second UE; and

if the second UE is not able to detect the D2D discovery signal, serving the first UE and the second UE via LTE couplings from the eNB to the first UE and to the second UE.

11. The eNB of claim 10 wherein determining if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal comprises receiving a report from the second UE, the report comprising information regarding the ability of the second UE to detect the D2D discovery signal.

12. The eNB of claim 11 wherein the report further comprises channel quality information between the first UE and the second UE.

13. The eNB of claim 12 wherein determining if the second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal further comprises comparing the channel quality information to a predetermined threshold.

14. The eNB of claim 10 wherein the second UE is a member of a group of UEs.

15. The eNB of claim 14 wherein the processor is further arranged to:

determine if there are other UEs in the group of UEs that are able to detect the D2D discovery signal on the PUCCH, and

establish a D2D connection between the first UE and any UE of the group of UEs that is able to detect the D2D discovery signal.

16. The eNB of claim 10 wherein informing a second UE of the D2D discovery signal via PUCCH further comprises

providing information regarding which signal is to be used in the PUCCH, wherein the signal to be used is chosen from scheduling request (SR) resource, SR configuration index, cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RINTI), and D2D radio network temporary identifier (D-RNTI).

17. The eNB of claim 10 wherein scheduling a first user equipment (UE) to transmit a D2D discovery signal via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) comprises scheduling the first UE to transmit the D2D discovery signal at every potential scheduling request (SR) subframe at a predetermined SR resource and SR configuration index.

18. The eNB of claim 10 wherein the D2D discovery signal is scheduled to be sent via PUCCH using

PUCCH format 1.

19. A method performed by a user equipment (UE) for facilitating the establishment of a device-to-device (D2D) connection in a long term evolution (LTE) network comprising:

providing positioning information to a network;

responsive to providing the positioning information, receiving instructions from the network to transmit a D2D discovery signal;

transmitting a D2D discovery signal via a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) during a D2D grant from the network; and

if a second UE is able to detect the D2D discovery signal, establishing a D2D connection with the second UE, wherein the second UE is informed, by an evolved node B (eNB), of the D2D discovery signal sent via the PUCCH, and wherein the informing comprises configuring a measurement period of the PUCCH.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the instructions comprise:

a predetermined scheduling request (SR) resource and SR configuration index.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein transmitting a D2D discovery signal comprises:

transmitting the D2D discovery signal at every potential SR subframe at the predetermined SR resource and SR configuration index.

22. The method of claim 19 wherein the D2D discovery signal is chosen from a scheduling request (SR) resource, SR configuration index, cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI), and D2D radio network temporary identifier (D-RNTI).

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the D2D discovery signal sent via PUCCH is sent using PUCCH format 1.