Power control for transmission of a discovery signal for a specific communication mode

Power control for transmission of a discovery signal in a communication network (Figure 1), in particular for a D2D (Device-to-Device) discovery signal. A network control element, such as an enodeB (10, Figure 1), configures transmission power parameters usable for determining a transmission power to be set by a communication device, such as a UE (20, Figure 1), for transmitting a discovery signal for a specific communication mode. The configured transmission power parameters are sent from the enodeB to the UE by means of an information element, such as a dedicated system information block (SIB) S30. In the UE, the transmission power parameters are used to set the transmission power for transmitting the discovery signal in the specific communication mode S50. In a further embodiment the discovery signal may itself comprise a power information element indicating whether or not, and possibly how, the transmission power used for transmitting the discovery signal differs from a common transmission ...

Associating a location identifier with a discovery signal of a mobile device

A method to establish communications regardless of the radio resource control (RRC) state of the device that issues the discovery signal. In regards to a method, a cell identification and/or tracking area code is associated with a discovery signal. Thereafter, the method causes a discovery signal to be transmitted to discover another device with which to establish communications. The method also receives a paging signal in response to the discovery signal and causes communications to be established in response to the paging signal. By associating a cell identification and/or a tracking area code with at least part of the discovery signal, the paging signals may be focused in the cell and/or tracking area in which the device that issued the discovery signal is located, even when the device is in an RRC Idle state. The cyclic redundancy code (CRC) may be masked with the cell ID or tracking area code.

Device-to-device discovery resource allocation for multiple cells in a device-to-device discovery area

Implementing a device-to-device, D2D, discovery resource allocation by a network for D2D discovery by User Equipments, UEs , belonging to multiple cells in a D2D discovery area, in Long Term Evolution, LTE, wireless systems. A network such as LTE may determine an allocation of one or more resources (uplink, UL, and/or downlink, DL) for a device-to-device discovery among a plurality of UEs located in multiple cells of the network in a D2D discovery area. The allocation of the one or more resources is then provided by the network to the plurality of UEs for performing, using these one or more resources, the D2D discovery between any two UEs of the plurality of UEs located in the multiple cells in the D2D discovery area. Allocation of the one or more resources to the plurality of UEs may be provided by eNodeBs of the multiple cells using synchronous subframes on a multicast channel, wherein synchronous sub-frames are Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service Single Frequency Network, MBSFN, subframes ...

Method and apparatus for establishing communications

Method, apparatus and computer program for controlling a user equipment

A user equipment (UE) has established a first radio link 302 with a serving network node and a second device-to-device (D2D) radio link 304 directly with another user equipment UE, (402, figure 4). In response to having D2D data to send to the other UE over the D2D radio link, the UE sends to the serving network node on the first link 302 a request for radio resources for a layer 1 (L1) control channel (404); and in response to an assignment of D2D resources by the serving network node in reply to that request, the UE sends on the assigned D2D resources to the other UE the D2D data and the L1 control channel (406). In one example the request includes an indication of the UE's link adaptation for the L1 control channel such as format for a PDCCH or ePDCCH and/or aggregation level. The request may be sent via medium access control (MAC) signaling, wherein the request comprises a buffer status report for the D2D data to be sent on the D2D radio link to the other UE.

Transmitting a message comprising information related to device to device communication from a User Equipment to a Network Entity

A request for a counting communication message is transmitted from a Network Entity (e.g. a Base Station, Access Point, eNB etc) to at least one device (e.g. User Equipment). The Network Entity receives the counting communication message from at least one device wherein the counting communication message comprises information related to device to device communications. Aspects of the invention include allocating discovery resources related to device to device communications based at least in part on the received information. Aspects of the invention further include at least one of the devices are in an RRC idle state. Thus, the network entity (AP, NB, BS, eNB etc) polls communication devices in both RRC connected and RRC Idle states regarding their interest in D2D communications, the services they provide, and the services they desire. Further aspects include the information may comprise an indication that the device is a discovery receiver, an indication that the device is a discovery ...

Controlling resource usage in a wireless communication network and autonomous denials between a user equipment and a network entity

An apparatus for controlling resource usage in a wireless communications network and controlling autonomous denials between a user equipment and a network entity is disclosed. A system frame number associated with the network entity is used as the basis for generating an indicator for the start of a time period. The indicator is then transmitted to the user equipment, which is adapted to respond to receipt of the indicator by configuring the user equipment to perform no more than a predetermined number of autonomous denials during the time period. The number of unsuccessful transmissions during the time period is then monitored by the network entity, and resource usage within the wireless communications network is selectively adapted on the basis of the monitoring.

Allocating unique sensing periods to terminal devices during which it senses an uplink time-frequency resource for a conflicting transmission

The same uplink time-frequency resource is scheduled 202 to at least two terminal devices and sensing periods of unequal lengths are allocated 204 to the terminal devices. A sensing period defines a duration for which a terminal device senses the uplink time-frequency resource for a conflicting transmission before transmitting in the uplink time-frequency resource. Additionally, the same uplink reference signal sequence may be allocated to the terminal devices. The lengths of the sensing periods may be multiples of an uplink symbol duration. Preferably, a shorter sensing period is allocated to a terminal having higher transmission priority and a longer sensing period is allocated to a terminal having lower transmission priority. A sensing period may be allocated dynamically together with a scheduling message delivering to the terminal device an indication of the scheduled uplink time-frequency resource. Sensing periods may be allocated only to terminal devices operating on an unlicensed ...

Configuring random access preambles by dividing them into groups based on a number of ABSs within a RA response window

Systems and techniques group random access preambles to be used by devices (108,110) to request access to a base station (104) in a wireless communication network (102). The base station (104) configures random access preambles by dividing the preambles into groups based on characteristics of a random access response window defined by the base station (104) for responding to random access requests. The random access response window suitably comprises a plurality of almost blank subframes, and the random access preambles may be divided into groups in ways corresponding to the apportionment of almost blank subframes in the random response window.

Avoiding collisions between devices using a shared channel by using variable numbers of frame time slots per device to listen for interference on the channel

Devices communicating on a shared communication channel using a frame structure are allocated a certain number of time slots at the start of each frame to listen for interference from other devices using the channel. Each device then makes a decision on whether to transmit using the remaining frame symbols based on any detected interference. The allocation may be made by a NodeB or other control device depending on the network used. The number of time slots is preferably different for each device or cell, so that devices spend different amounts of time listening for interference and the chance of collisions is therefore reduced. The number of time slots may change for successive sub-frames of a frame, or for transmission in the uplink and downlink directions.

Mapping a feedback (ACK/NACK) radio resource

A feedback radio resource (310-0) in a license-exempt frequency band maps from a data radio resource (306-0) to at least one frequency sub-band which the data resource (306-0) excludes. The feedback resource (310-0) is also spaced in time from the data resource (306-0) by a predetermined interval (308). Feedback (ACK/NACK) for data received in the data resource (306-0) is then sent in the feedback resource (310-0). In various embodiments the sub-band is one or more edges of the data resource channel, or of a license-exempt component carrier. The predetermined interval (308) may be a function of how much of the data resource is occupied by data. The data transmitting device delays sending its data by a time offset from the end of a previous transmission on that channel, or, if it does not know the end time it delays, until the predetermined interval plus the length of the feedback resource have lapsed. Various synchronization aspects are also disclosed.

Radio communications

Enabling communication between a first and second communication mode

A communication apparatus comprises a communication module configured to communicate with another apparatus in a first mode, which involves at least one network device in order to establish end-to-end communication between the apparatus and a communication counterpart, or in a second mode, which establishes direct communication between the apparatus and a communication counterpart, for example, a device-to-device (D2D) mode. The communication is based on allocating resources in the time and frequency domains based on a resource grid. A control module is configured to control the communication module to communicate in the first mode based on a first resource grid pattern or to communicate in the second mode based on a second resource grid pattern. The control module may receive the appropriate resource grid pattern from a network base station, regardless of operating mode. A slot duration in the first mode may comprise a multiple of slot durations of the second mode.

Modifying cell reselection parameters in response to observing a device-to-device discovery signal

The present invention provides measures for enabling an inter-cell device discovery in device-to-device, D2D, communication. Such measures comprise observing, at a mobile device, UE #2, residing in a cell, eNB #1, representing a serving cell of said device, a device-to-device discovery signal from another device, UE #1, residing in another cell, eNB #2, representing a non-serving cell of said device, and modifying at least one of one or more cell reselection parameters referring to the serving cell of said device and one or more cell selection parameters referring to the non-serving cell of said device on the basis of the observed device-to-device discovery signal. The invention enable that the two devices UE #1 and UE #2 are served by the same base station, e.g. from the radio resource control (RRC) point of view, in terms of setting up a D2D communication link. This may be achieved by way of a modification of cell re-/selection parameters according to the observed D2D discovery signal ...

Apparatuses and methods for a communication system

Enabling Proximity Service (ProSe) discovery via one or more signal range classes, in one embodiment comprises, determining a signal range class to be associated with one or more applications based at least on one or more signal range classes that are authorized by a network entity, wherein the signal range class is assigned a logical channel. Two or more service data units received from the one or more applications are multiplexed into a protocol data unit (PDU) based on the signal range class associated with the one or more applications, wherein, the protocol data unit is processed via the logical channel associated with the signal range class and the signal range class for the protocol data unit is determined based on one or more service requirements. A mobile terminal may receive an indication of one or more signal range classes that are authorized by the network entity and an indication of the logical channel that is to be associated with a signal range class of the one or more signal ...

Direct device-to-device communication in a mobile communication system

Direct device-to-device (D2D) communication is enabled in a mobile communication system. A mobile node receives at least one synchronization signal from a base station 400 and determines timing based on the signal 402. The mobile node then sends to the base station a D2D communication set-up request including a remote party identifier 404 and an uplink radio resource reservation request 406. An assignment of a radio resource dedicated for radio transmission to a remote node associated with the remote party identifier is received at the mobile node 408, the radio resource being within a band having a transmission power upper limit. The mobile node transmits a signal to the remote node on the radio resource based on the determined timing 410. The radio resource may be within a television white space band (TVWS). At least one test signal may be transmitted between the nodes to determine whether they are within a range providing sufficient radio quality.

Monitoring for discovery signals of device-to-device (D2D) devices in LTE systems

A method, apparatus and software related product (e.g. a computer readable memory) are disclosed for discovery of D2D devices in wireless communications, e.g. LTE systems, by relating beacon/discovery resources to paging frames, so that the UE (user equipment) may save power by being active (e.g. in the wake-up state) only during paging frames. The user equipment may receive (44) during a paging receiving time a paging signal from the wireless network and at least one discovery signal from at least one user equipment operating in the wireless network, wherein a discovery cycle period of the at least one discovery signal is different from the paging cycle period and is determined using the paging cycle period based on a predefined rule.

Determining if source and target user equipment are device to device communication compatible and authenticated for device to device communication

A mobility management entity (MME) identifies, evaluates and controls potential opportunities for device to device (D2D) communication among two or more proximately located user equipment (UE). A target MME determines 610 context of a source UE and a target UE, e.g. the source UE and target UE might both employ the same serving MME. Alternatively, if the source UE and target UE are not employing the same serving MME, the target MME may query information about a source MME in a home subscriber server (HSS). Then, either the source MME or the target MME determines 620 if the source UE and target UE are D2D communication compatible and determines 630 if the source UE and target UE are authenticated for employing D2D communications.

Method, apparatus and computer program for communicating

Method, apparatus and computer program for scheduling device-to-device signals

A method of operating a network control apparatus (250) in which the network control apparatus (250) is wirelessly connected to at least one wireless device (210). In the method, the network control apparatus (250) (for example an eNodeB) indicates a device-to-device (D2D) timing advance value to said wireless device (210). The device-to-device timing advance value is for use by the wireless device (210) in scheduling the transmission of a device-to-device signal to a second wireless device (220). A plurality of devices may form a group which have a common timing advance value. Using a timing advance value to schedule direct communication between devices over long distances counteracts the propagation delay.

Device discovery signalling

At a radio link control (RLC) layer (520) only device discovery information (522) is compiled into a first protocol data unit PDU (532) associated with a first radio bearer that is established for device discovery, and service discovery information (526) is compiled into at least a second PDU (536) associated with a second radio bearer. At a medium access control MAC layer (530) the first PDU (532) is prioritised over the second PDU (536). In one embodiment the MAC layer (530) sets priority of the first bearer to infinity before giving the available resources to the RLC layer (520) to ensure that the device discovery gets resources allocated in the RLC layer (520). Prioritising device discovery information in the RLC layer reduces signal processing effort required and so preserves device battery power. The invention has particular benefit in ad-hoc device-to-device (D2D) communications networks (such as machine-to-machine (M2M)).

Handling of device-to-device data units during handover to a cellular bearer

Handling device-to-device (D2D) data units during handover of a mobile terminal from device-to-device communications to cellular communications, comprising: causing a cellular bearer logical channel identification to be associated with a cellular bearer, reconfiguring an internet protocol flow to correspond to the cellular bearer logical channel identification and causing one or more device-to-device service data units that are scheduled to be transmitted or received via a device-to-device bearer to be transmitted or received via the cellular bearer.

Controlling communications

Configuring random access channels based on an ABS pattern within the vicinity of an apparatus

Systems and techniques for managing access to a random access channel. A base station (104) is informed of almost blank subframe patterns used by devices (108,110) in its vicinity, and configures its random access channels so that, for every almost blank subframe pattern in the vicinity of the base station (104), a subframe in a specified position of a random access response window of at least one random access channel will correspond to an almost blank subframe of the almost blank subframe pattern.

Method of determining proximity of two UEs in a Packet Network, to enable direct device to device mode setup.

Method or establishing whether a source and destination IP address of certain Internet protocol data flows are within a specific network (or the devices to which the IP addresses are allocated, 510, 590) are in proximity in an evolved packet system for evaluating and controlling potential opportunities for device to device communication among two or more proximately located user equipments. In response to determining that the target serving gateway is the same as the source serving gateway, identification information of the source user equipment is sent to the target serving gateway to enable direct device-to-device (D2D, P2P) mode of operation. Subsequently, the identification of the target UE 590 and the source UE 510 may be sent to a target Mobility Management Entity 556 (MME).

Method, apparatus and computer program for configuring device communications

A method is disclosed in which a set of allowed discovery cycles is stored in an access node, the set consisting of a minimum discovery cycle and integer multiples thereof. Each discovery cycle defines only one interval for discovery, preferably spanning only one radio frame. The access node transmits in a cell an indication of a specific discovery cycle selected from the set. This selection may be in co-ordination with a device-to-device server or a proximity services server. The access node configures user equipment (UE) in the cell with a measurement gap which overlaps a subframe for discovery within the interval for discovery of a different cycle of the set, in use in a neighbour cell. Assistance information may be provided by the UE to the access node. This information may include the UEs required or suggested measurement gap cycle, or a range class perhaps defined by discovery signal transmission power, the modulation and coding scheme, or geographical distance. The transmitted indication ...

Method and apparatus for providing routing

A base station broadcasts a list of cell IDs with which it can establish a local routing path, which may be directly between neighbouring base stations without support of the core network. A first user equipment UE which has discovered a second UE in a neighbouring cell determines whether a cell ID of the second UE is on the cell ID list. When the cell ID of the second UE is on the cell ID list, the first UE sends to the base station an indication for establishment of the local routing path for communication, the local routing path being between the first cell serving the first UE and the second cell serving the second UE. The first UE may discover the second UE by means of direct radio signals between them. The second UE may convey its cell ID in its discovery signal.