Short range communications method, device, and system

• US 9,839,062 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Issued: 12/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Guo, Xiaolong, Li, Yue, Yang, Fei
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Simon
• Application Number:
  US15/408,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20170196039A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 455 412- 413
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• 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 76/16 Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer
• 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

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide a short range communications method, device, and system, and relate to the field of communications, so that a UE can distinguish, on a short range link, a radio bearer corresponding to transmission of data information. The method includes: establishing, by a benefited UE, a mapping between a short range bearer and a first radio bearer, where a mapping is performed between the short range bearer and a second radio bearer on a supporting UE side, and a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer on a base station side; and performing, by the benefited UE, data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer.

Claims

1. A short range communications method, comprising:

sending, by a base station, a second reconfiguration message to a supporting UE for establishing a mapping between a short range bearer and a second radio bearer according to the second reconfiguration message;

performing data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the second radio bearer and the short range bearer, wherein the second radio bearer is a radio bearer set up for the supporting UE to assist a first radio bearer, the short range bearer is a bearer set up to assist the supporting UE in communication with a benefited UE, the first radio bearer is a benefited radio bearer of the benefited UE, a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer on a benefited UE side, and a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer on a base station side; and

performing, by the base station, data sending or receiving by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

sending, by the base station, a first reconfiguration message to the benefited UE for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the first radio bearer according to the first reconfiguration message, and performing data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein:

sending, by the base station, a first reconfiguration message to the benefited UE comprises;

sending, by the base station, first short range bearer configuration information to the benefited UE for setting up the short range bearer according to the first short range bearer configuration information;

or

sending, by a base station, a second reconfiguration message to a supporting UE comprises;

sending, by the base station, second short range bearer configuration information to the supporting UE for setting up the short range bearer according to the second short range bearer configuration information.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

configuring, by the base station, a first short range bearer identifier and a first radio bearer identifier, and sending them to the benefited UE, wherein the first short range bearer identifier corresponds to the short range bearer, and the first radio bearer identifier corresponds to the first radio bearer for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the first radio bearer according to the first short range bearer identifier and the first radio bearer identifier; and

configuring, by the base station, a second short range bearer identifier and a second radio bearer identifier, and sending them to the supporting UE for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the second radio bearer according to the second short range bearer identifier and the second radio bearer identifier, wherein the second short range bearer identifier corresponds to the short range bearer, and the second radio bearer identifier corresponds to the second radio bearer.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein before sending, by a base station, a second reconfiguration message to a supporting UE, the method further comprises:

receiving, by the base station, a first connection request message sent by the supporting UE, and correspondingly configuring the second radio bearer according to first benefited bearer information in the first connection request message, wherein the first benefited bearer information comprises;

an identifier of the benefited UE, the first radio bearer identifier, and the first short range bearer identifier and/or the second short range bearer identifier;

or

receiving, by the base station, a second connection request message sent by the benefited UE, and correspondingly configuring the second radio bearer according to second benefited bearer information in the second connection request message, wherein the second benefited bearer information comprises;

an identifier of the supporting UE, the first radio bearer identifier, and the first short range bearer identifier and/or the second short range bearer identifier.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the first short range bearer identifier is comprised in;

an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the benefited UE, or

a protocol layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the benefited UE, or

a protocol layer that is indicated by a field of a network layer or a transport layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the benefited UE; and

the second short range bearer identifier is comprised in;

an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the supporting UE, or

a protocol layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the supporting UE, or

a protocol layer that is indicated by a field of a network layer or a transport layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the supporting UE.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein sending, by the base station, a first reconfiguration message to the benefited UE for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the first radio bearer according to the first reconfiguration message comprises:

sending, by the base station, the first reconfiguration message to the benefited UE for establishing a mapping between the short range bearer and a first radio sub-bearer according to the first reconfiguration message, wherein the first radio sub-bearer is a bearer in a one-to-one correspondence to the second radio bearer in the first radio bearer.

8. A short range communications method, comprising:

sending, by a base station, a first reconfiguration message to a benefited UE for establishing a mapping between a short range bearer and a first radio bearer according to the first reconfiguration message;

performing data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer, wherein the first radio bearer is a benefited radio bearer of the benefited UE, the short range bearer is a bearer set up to assist a supporting UE in communication with the benefited UE, a mapping is performed between the short range bearer and a second radio bearer on a supporting UE side, the second radio bearer is a radio bearer set up for the supporting UE to assist the first radio bearer, and a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer on a base station side; and

performing, by the base station, data sending or receiving by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer.

9. A base station, comprising:

a transceiver, configured to;

send a second reconfiguration message to a supporting UE for establishing a mapping between a short range bearer and a second radio bearer according to the second reconfiguration message;

perform data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the second radio bearer and the short range bearer, wherein the second radio bearer is a radio bearer set up for the supporting UE to assist a first radio bearer, the short range bearer is a bearer set up to assist the supporting UE in communication with a benefited UE, the first radio bearer is a benefited radio bearer of the benefited UE, a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer on a benefited UE side, and a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer on a base station side; and

perform data sending or receiving by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer.

10. The base station according to claim 9, wherein the transceiver is configured to:

send a first reconfiguration message to the benefited UE for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the first radio bearer according to the first reconfiguration message; and

perform data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer.

11. The base station according to claim 10, wherein the transceiver is configured to:

send first short range bearer configuration information to the benefited UE for setting up the short range bearer according to the first short range bearer configuration information; and

send second short range bearer configuration information to the supporting UE for setting up the short range bearer according to the second short range bearer configuration information.

12. The base station according to claim 11, wherein the base station further comprises:

a processor, configured to;

configure a first short range bearer identifier and a first radio bearer identifier, wherein the first short range bearer identifier corresponds to the short range bearer, and the first radio bearer identifier corresponds to the first radio bearer, wherein the transceiver is configured to send the first short range bearer identifier and the first radio bearer identifier that are configured by the processor to the benefited UE for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the first radio bearer according to the first short range bearer identifier and the first radio bearer identifier; and

configure a second short range bearer identifier and a second radio bearer identifier, wherein the second short range bearer identifier corresponds to the short range bearer, and the second radio bearer identifier corresponds to the second radio bearer, wherein the transceiver is configured to send the second short range bearer identifier and the second radio bearer identifier that are configured by the processor to the supporting UE for establishing the mapping between the short range bearer and the second radio bearer according to the second short range bearer identifier and the second radio bearer identifier.

13. The base station according to claim 12, wherein:

the transceiver is further configured to;

before sending the second reconfiguration message to the supporting UE, receive a first connection request message sent by the supporting UE;

the processor is configured to correspondingly configure the second radio bearer according to first benefited bearer information in the first connection request message received by the transceiver, wherein the first benefited bearer information comprises;

an identifier of the benefited UE, the first radio bearer identifier, and the first short range bearer identifier and/or the second short range bearer identifier;

the transceiver is configured to;

before sending the second reconfiguration message to the supporting UE, receive a second connection request message sent by the benefited UE; and

the processor is configured to correspondingly configure the second radio bearer according to second benefited bearer information in the second connection request message received by the transceiver, wherein the second benefited bearer information comprises;

an identifier of the supporting UE, the first radio bearer identifier, and the first short range bearer identifier and/or the second short range bearer identifier.

14. The base station according to claim 12, wherein:

the first short range bearer identifier is comprised in;

an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the benefited UE, or

a protocol layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the benefited UE, or

a protocol layer that is indicated by a field of a network layer or a transport layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the benefited UE; and

the second short range bearer identifier is comprised in;

an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the supporting UE, or

a protocol layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the supporting UE, or

a protocol layer that is indicated by a field of a network layer or a transport layer indicated by an Ether type field of a MAC layer or an LLC layer of the supporting UE.

15. The base station according to claim 10, wherein the transceiver is configured to send the first reconfiguration message to the benefited UE for establishing a mapping between the short range bearer and a first radio sub-bearer according to the first reconfiguration message, wherein the first radio sub-bearer is a bearer in a one-to-one correspondence to the second radio bearer in the first radio bearer.

16. A base station, comprising:

a transceiver, configured to;

send a first reconfiguration message to a benefited UE for establishing a mapping between a short range bearer and a first radio bearer according to the first reconfiguration message;

perform data receiving and sending by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the short range bearer, wherein the first radio bearer is a benefited radio bearer of the benefited UE, the short range bearer is a bearer set up to assist a supporting UE in communication with the benefited UE, a mapping is performed between the short range bearer and a second radio bearer on a supporting UE side, the second radio bearer is a radio bearer set up for the supporting UE to assist the first radio bearer, and a mapping is performed between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer on a base station side; and

perform data sending or receiving by using the mapping between the first radio bearer and the second radio bearer.