System and method for device to device (D2D) communication

• US 9,532,395 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2013
• Issued: 12/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Company Limited (China Information Communication Technology Group Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: China Academy of Telecom Technology (China Information Communication Technology Group Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Wang, Ying, Jiao, Bin, Liu, Aijuan
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisner, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US14/419,801
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/400, 370/406
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/14 Direct-mode setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/36 for reassigning the resources associated with the released connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/24 Transfer of terminal data
• 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

Disclosed are a terminal control method and device, used for implementing control on a user equipment (UE) with a proximity perception capability when a D2D communication mechanism for mutual discovery even direct communication between mobile devices is introduced to a network. The method is: an MME receiving a D2D request message of a UE that is sent by a base station, determining requested D2D characteristics according to the D2D request message, determining an acceptable D2D characteristic in the requested D2D characteristics, and sending the accepted D2D characteristic to the base station; and after receiving the accepted D2D characteristic returned by the MME, the base station determining whether to accept the D2D request of the UE, and if yes, the base station performing resource configuration and instructing the UE to perform the accepted D2D characteristic; otherwise, the base station rejecting the D2D request of the UE. Also disclosed are another terminal control method and device, and further disclosed is a terminal control system.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a User Equipment (UE), the method comprising:

receiving, by a Mobility Management Entity (MME), a Device to Device (D2D) request message of a UE transmitted by an evolved Node B (eNB), determining, according to the D2D request message, requested D2D features, determining acceptable one of the requested D2D features and transmitting an accepted D2D feature to the eNB; and

upon reception of the accepted D2D feature transmitted by the MME, judging, by the eNB, whether to accept the D2D request of the UE, and if the eNB determines to accept the D2D request, then configuring by the eNB, resource and instructing the UE to perform configuration of the accepted D2D feature;

if the eNB determines not to accept the D2D request, rejecting, by the eNB, the D2D request of the UE.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein determining, by the MME, the requested D2D features according to the D2D request message comprises:

determining, by the MME, the D2D features requested by the UE according to D2D feature-related information carried in the D2D request message.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the requested D2D features comprise any one of:

being capable of discovering another UE but incapable of being discovered by another UE;

being capable of being discovered by another UE but incapable of discovering another UE; and

being capable of discovering another UE and capable of being discovered by another UE.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the D2D feature-related information comprises any one of:

indication information for indicating the D2D features;

types of services for determining the D2D features; and

D2D features.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein determining, by the MME, the acceptable one of the requested D2D features comprises:

determining, by the MME, a set of D2D features capable of serving the UE according to subscription data of the UE and a network policy; and

determining, by the MME, one of the D2D features requested by the UE, which belongs to the set is the acceptable D2D feature.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein transmitting, by the MME, the accepted D2D feature to the eNB comprises:

transmitting, by the MME, the accepted D2D feature to the eNB by carrying it in an Initial Context Create message;

or

transmitting, by the MME, the accepted D2D feature to the eNB by carrying it in an S1 interface application protocol layer (S 1-AP) message.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein judging, by the eNB, whether to accept the D2D request of the UE comprises:

judging, by the eNB, according to a current use condition of radio resources and interference strength whether to accept the D2D request of the UE.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein configuring, by the eNB, the resource comprises:

allocating, by the eNB, resource to be occupied for performing the D2D feature accepted by the MME or releasing resource occupied by the D2D feature accepted by the MME.

9. A network-side device, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a Device to Device (D2D) request message of a User Equipment (UE) transmitted by an evolved Node B (eNB);

a processor configured to determine, according to the D2D request message, requested D2D features and to determine acceptable one of the requested D2D features; and

a transmitter configured to transmit an accepted D2D feature to the eNB;

wherein the processor is configured to determine, according to subscription data of the UE and a network policy, a set of D2D features capable of serving the UE; and

to determine one of the D2D features requested by the UE, which belongs to the set is the acceptable one of the requested D2D features.

10. The network-side device according to claim 9, wherein the processor is configured to determine the D2D features requested by the UE according to D2D feature-related information carried in the D2D request message.

11. A network-side device, comprising:

a transceiver configured to receive a Device to Device (D2D) request message of a User Equipment (UE), to transmit the D2D request message to a Mobility Management Entity (MME) and to receive an accepted D2D feature returned by the MME, wherein the MME determines, according to subscription data of the UE and a network policy, a set of D2D features capable of serving the UE, and determines one of D2D features requested by the UE, which belongs to the set is the accepted D2D feature; and

a processor configured to judge, after the communicating component receives the accepted D2D feature, whether to accept the D2D request of the UE, and if the processor determines to accept the D2D request of the UE, to configure resource and instruct the UE to perform configuration of the accepted D2D feature;

if the processor determines not to accept the D2D request of the UE, to reject the D2D request of the UE.

12. The network-side device according to claim 11, wherein the processor is configured to judge according to a current use condition of radio resources and interference strength whether to accept the request of the UE.

13. The network-side device according to claim 12, wherein the processor is configured, if the D2D request of the UE is accepted, to allocate resource to be occupied for performing the D2D feature accepted by the MME or to release resource occupied by the D2D feature accepted by the MME.