Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100261469 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MODE SELECTION FOR DEVICE-TO-DEVICE COMMUNICATIONS - In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed that comprises measuring a first link quality of a first link based at least in part on a first power value; measuring a second link quality of a second link based at least in part on a second power value; and determining a suitable device-to-device (D2D) mode for a D2D connection based at least in part on the first link quality, the second link quality, and one or more D2D user equipment (UE) constraints. | 10-14-2010 |
20100279672 | Apparatus and Method for Flexible Switching Between Device-to-Device Communication Mode and Cellular Communication Mode - In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed that comprises receiving a control command to switch from a first communication mode to a second communication mode from a coupled controller; reconfiguring a plurality of protocol entities including at least a first protocol buffer and a second protocol buffer; moving remaining data packets in the first protocol buffer into at least the second protocol buffer; communicating a current data packet sequence number; and forwarding data in the second communication mode. | 11-04-2010 |
20110063995 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEVICE-TO-DEVICE COMMUNICATION - In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus comprises transceiver circuitry configured to receive information from a fixed network node, initiate sending information toward the fixed network node and initiate communication with at least one peer node, the peer node being a mobile node. The apparatus further comprises a memory configured to store information received from the fixed network node, and logic circuitry operably connected to the memory, configured to derive internet protocol address information from the information received from the fixed node and to initiate sending the internet protocol address information to the at least one peer node. | 03-17-2011 |
20110098043 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND APPARATUSES FOR FACILITATING DEVICE-TO-DEVICE CONNECTION ESTABLISHMENT - Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for facilitating device-to-device connection establishment. A method may include directing broadcast of an indication of a device-to-device registration area identification in each of one or more cells forming a device-to-device registration area identified by the device-to-device registration area identification. The method may further include directing receipt of a device-to-device registration request originated by a first terminal apparatus in response to the broadcast indication. The first terminal apparatus may be located within the registration area. The method may additionally include registering the first terminal apparatus based at least in part upon the device-to-device registration request. Corresponding apparatuses and systems are also provided. | 04-28-2011 |
20110151887 | Secondary System Usage In Multicarrier Networks - After an evolved Node-B (eNB) has selected primary component carriers and secondary component carriers, the eNB can transmit (for example, by broadcast), the information for secondary usage (such as certain conditions) to devices. The devices can also be machines or the like that are able to operate on cellular system resources, for example, machine-to-machine type communication in a cellular system. The devices can figure out component carrier utilization in the cells they can detect. Furthermore, the devices can estimate the interference caused by themselves based on the eNB's broadcasting conditions as well as upon additional information, in some circumstances. Finally, the devices can then decide whether to establish device-to-device (D2D) or other secondary communication connection themselves by using the secondary component carriers. | 06-23-2011 |
20110182280 | Synchronization for Device-to-Device Communication - Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a method may include synchronizing, by an access node in a wireless network, with a first mobile station, synchronizing with a second mobile station, compiling a device-to-device group, the device-to-device group including at least the first mobile station and the second mobile station, sending a first connection message to the first mobile station, the first connection message including timing advance parameters of both the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and sending a second connection message to the second mobile station. | 07-28-2011 |
20110255425 | Methods and Apparatus for Secondary Bandwidth Detection and Allocation - In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises monitoring a bandwidth allocation of a primary device via monitoring at least one broadcast message sent from an associated base station; determining whether a secondary bandwidth is available based on the monitored bandwidth allocation of the primary device; allocating the secondary bandwidth to a secondary application on a secondary device if the secondary bandwidth becomes available; keeping track of changes in the bandwidth allocation of the primary device; and returning the secondary bandwidth to the primary device when the changes in the bandwidth allocation of the primary device indicates a need for the secondary bandwidth by the primary device. | 10-20-2011 |
20110268004 | ENABLING DEVICE-TO-DEVICE COMMUNICATION IN CELLULAR NETWORKS - According to one general aspect, a method may include communicating, by a first apparatus, with at least a second apparatus via a device-to-device communication link. In various embodiments, the method may also include receiving resource allocations, from a base station. In some embodiments, the method may include determining, based at least partly on the received resource allocations, which resources are allocated to at least the second apparatus for communication with the base station. In various embodiments, the method may include based at least partly upon the resource allocations, determining when to perform direct device-to-device communication, by the first apparatus, with the second apparatus. | 11-03-2011 |
20120015607 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEVICE INITIATED OFFLOADING TO UNLICENSED BANDS - A method comprises communicating, by a first device, with a second device, using a device-to-device communication on licensed band, determining, by the first device, whether unlicensed band resources are available, and if the unlicensed band resources are available, initiating, by the first device, a set up of a device-to-device communication on unlicensed band. | 01-19-2012 |
20120127964 | Method and Apparatus for Timing Advance Estimation - In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus, comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: determine a first timing associated with a first signal; detect a second timing associated with a second signal; and estimate a timing advance value based at least in part on the detected first timing and the second timing, is disclosed. | 05-24-2012 |
20120140714 | IMPLICIT RESOURCE ALLOCATION USING SHIFTED SYNCHRONIZATION SEQUENCE - A method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium are provided that can utilize one or more synchronization signals to perform synchronization and resource allocation. The one or more synchronization signals can be used for synchronization, as well as include a cyclic shift that maps one or more resources for transmission. | 06-07-2012 |
20120213183 | SCHEDULING OF DIRECT TO DIRECT COMMUNICATION - A method, system, apparatus, and computer program can provide scheduling of direct to direct communication by a high speed packet access base station. The method, for example, can include obtaining a direct user equipment communication toggling message ( | 08-23-2012 |
20130089020 | LOCAL SELECTION OF RETRANSMITTING DEVICE IN COOPERATIVE CLUSTER TO ENHANCE CELLULAR MULTICAST - A method for local selection of a retransmitting user equipment within a cluster comprises: selecting first retransmission indication information according to a first pre-defined criterion, in response to receipt of non-acknowledgement information from at least one non-acknowledgement user equipment at which a data packet from a network node is decoded incorrectly; performing a local selection of a retransmitting user equipment within a cluster based at least in part on the first retransmission indication least one non-acknowledgement user equipment, and at least one acknowledgement user equipment at which the data packet is decoded correctly; and determining whether or not to retransmit the data packet to the at least one non-acknowledgement user equipment, based at least in part on the local selection of the retransmitting user equipment. | 04-11-2013 |
20130102314 | HANDOVER OF DIRECT PEER TO PEER COMMUNICATION - Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for D2D handovers. The method may include sending to a target base station a handover request message including a proposed common identifier for a device-to-device pair and a proposed allocation of radio resources for the device-to-device pair; receiving, from the target base station in response to the handover request message, a handover request reply message including a confirmation of the proposed allocation and of the proposed common identifier; sending to a first device of the device-to-device pair a handover command including the proposed allocation and the proposed common identifier; receiving, from a second device of the device-to-device pair, a measurement report representative of the target base station; and determining whether to initiate a handover of the second device to the target base station, wherein when the handover is initiated, the first device of the device-to-device pair and the second device of the device-to-device pair are handed over to the target base station. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described. | 04-25-2013 |
20130273924 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING AND/OR CONTROLLING DEVICE-TO-DEVICE DISCOVERY SIGNALS - A wireless device transmits a device-to-device discovery signal using the same transmission resource that is used for transmitting uplink retransmissions to a base station by a second wireless device. The device-to-device discovery signal is transmitted at a power that is determined in accordance with a control signal received by the wireless device from the base station. In an example, the wireless device transmits the device-to-device discovery signal on an uplink control channel established for use for sending uplink control signals to the base station. | 10-17-2013 |
20130329623 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REFERENCE SYMBOL CONFIGURATION - A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided to provide configurations for transmitting reference symbols in a wireless communication network. In the context of a method, a first set of one or more reference symbols may be caused to be transmitted by a first access point in at least one control channel of a system frame comprising a plurality of control channels and incorporating control channel frequency reuse. The reference symbols of the first set may overlap with at least one reference symbol in a second set of one or more reference symbols transmitted by a second access point. Multiple configurations for the reference symbols may also be provided, including a minimum configuration. | 12-12-2013 |
20140086175 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS FOR CONTROLLING RETRANSMISSIONS OF WIRELESS SIGNALS - A wireless device operates in a wireless cellular network under control of a network control apparatus. The wireless device transmits a signal to the network control apparatus. The wireless device receives from the network control apparatus a negative acknowledgement of receipt of the signal in accordance with an automatic repeat request process, The negative acknowledgement indicates that the signal was not received or was not received correctly by the network control apparatus. The wireless device either does not retransmit the signal to the network control apparatus or delays the retransmission of the signal to the network control apparatus in order to avoid conflict with a device-to-device discovery signal being sent by another wireless device. | 03-27-2014 |
20140092868 | Direct Communication Among Devices - Method, operation of a method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable memory in a mobility management entity which determines whether a source and destination address of certain Internet protocol data flow are within a specific network in an evolved packet system for evaluating and controlling potential opportunities for device to device communication among two or more proximately located user equipment. In response to determining that the target serving gateway is the source gateway, identification information of the source user equipment is sent to a target serving gateway. | 04-03-2014 |
20140094183 | RESOURCE ALLOCATION FOR D2D COMMUNICATION - There is provided a mechanism for allocating communication resources of a cellular communication network to a D2D communication. After an eNB has configured a number of resource pools indicating a set of resources usable in the D2D communication, D2D clusters which share a same resource pool are enabled to obtain resources for their respective D2D communication. By detecting the current resource utilization state in the allocated resource pool by measurement on the UE side, it is decided whether suitable resources are available or not. An overload situation is signalled to the eNB if no suitable resource can be detected. | 04-03-2014 |
20140098763 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR USE IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM - Apparatuses and method for communication includes controlling one or more local area base stations and allocating resources of a common random access channel between the local area base stations, the resources including preambles and informing the local area base stations and user equipment within a given area about the allocation. | 04-10-2014 |
20140112175 | Methods of Operating a Wireless Device, and Apparatus and Computer Programs Therefor - Embodiments of the present disclosure solve problems of throughput reduction due to collisions, busy medium, and deferred transmission due to overlapping wireless networks (e.g. 802.11 OBSS) by allowing devices suffering from overlapping interference to have sufficient chances to transmit and/or receive successfully. Embodiments include methods for a first device (e.g. 802.11 AP) to communicate data via a medium shared with other devices (e.g. 802.11 APs and/or STAs) located in an overlapping service area but not under common control with the first device. Embodiments also include methods for a first device (e.g. 802.11 AP) to negotiate reservation of a shared medium requested by a second device (e.g. 802.11 AP), the two devices being in overlapping service areas but not under common control. Embodiments include wireless communication devices (e.g. 802.11 APs) and computer programs or computer-readable media embodying one or more of the methods. | 04-24-2014 |
20140153512 | FLEXIBLE DATA FRAME DELIVERY - A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for enhancing data exchange between an access point (AP) and station (STA) in a wireless network when the exchange must be interrupted for the AP to perform other services while data remains buffered for later exchange. AP downlinks an indicator that more data remains for exchange together with a request for the STA to enter sleep mode for a duration scheduled by the AP. Sleep duration may be sent in the medium access control (MAC) header of a data frame, with the indicator of more data and the indicator of the sleep mode request being contained in the frame control (FC) segment of the MAC header. The STA may uplink an acknowledgement (ACK) of the sleep mode. Alternatively, the AP may downlink an ACK of the STA's indication of more data confirmation together with sleep mode indication and duration. | 06-05-2014 |
20140192716 | Methods and Apparatuses for Managing Acknowledgements - A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for designating an acknowledgment of data. A method and apparatus may designate a mode of operation, in a signal, for acknowledging receipt of data. The method and apparatus may assign an aggregation period, to the signal, including a time period in which one or more stations are designated to communicate one or more items of data to an intermediate node. The method and apparatus may also transmit the signal to enable the stations to detect the designated mode of operation and the time period of the assigned aggregation period in which to communicate the items of data to the intermediate node. | 07-10-2014 |
20140199999 | Discovery - Methods, apparatuses and a computer program product for small cell and user equipment discovery. The present invention includes obtaining information regarding small cell discovery on macro layer, obtaining information regarding user equipment discovery, determining whether the information regarding user equipment discovery depends on the information regarding small cell discovery, if it is determined that the information regarding user equipment discovery depends on the information regarding small cell discovery, building parameters for user equipment discovery based on parameters for small cell discovery included in the information regarding small cell discovery, and starting small cell discovery and user equipment discovery based on the parameters. | 07-17-2014 |
20140211702 | Apparatuses and Methods for a Communication System - A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided herein for enabling ProSe discovery via one or more signal range classes. In some example embodiments, a method is provided that 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. In some example embodiments, the signal range class is assigned a logical channel. The method of this embodiment may also include causing two or more service data units received from the one or more applications to be multiplexed into a protocol data unit based on the signal range class associated with the one or more applications. The method of this embodiment may also include causing the protocol data unit to be processed via the logical channel associated with the signal range class. | 07-31-2014 |
20140220936 | Direct Communication Among Devices - Method, operation of a method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable memory in a mobility management entity which identify, evaluate and control potential opportunities for device to device communication among two or more proximately located user equipment. The method or execution of computer instructions include, determining a context of a source user equipment and a context of a target user equipment, determining if the source and target user equipment are device to device communication compatible and determining if the source and target user equipment are authenticated for employing device to device communications. An alternative embodiment includes functionality in a base station. | 08-07-2014 |
20140254361 | ALLOCATION - A method, apparatus and computer program facilitate the assignment of stations to slots of a restricted access window (RAW) to support communications between the stations and an access point. In a method for use in an access point, a broadcast message is caused to be provided to the station(s). The broadcast message includes an indication of a type of stations to access the RAW and one or more of a duration of the slot(s) in the RAW allocated to a first type of station, a duration of the RAW allocated to the first type of station, a duration of the slot(s) in the RAW allocated to a second type of station or a duration of the RAW allocated to the second type of station. The method also provides for access for one or more stations of the type that was indicated within the slots of the RAW. | 09-11-2014 |
20140293868 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING FEEDBACK - A method, apparatus and computer program for providing a frame based access (FBA). An example method for use in an access point or station may comprise causing capture of a header, for example PLCP or PHY header from an attempted packet transfer and causing transmission of a negative acknowledgement (NACK) frame in response to a transmitter comprising the decoded address in the header, the NACK configured to indicate a failure to receive or decode data from the attempted packet transfer. | 10-02-2014 |
20140295829 | Method, Apparatus and Computer Program for Configuring Device Communications - A set of allowed discovery cycles is stored in a radio network access node, the set consisting of a minimum discovery cycle and integer multiples thereof and each discovery cycle defining only one interval for discovery. The access node transmits in a cell an indication of a specific discovery cycle selected from the set. The access node configures at least one user equipment in the cell with a measurement gap chosen to overlap a subframe for discovery within the one interval for discovery of a different discovery cycle of the set that is in use in a neighbour cell. | 10-02-2014 |
20140341128 | Method and Apparatus for Scaling Coverage - A method, apparatus and computer program for providing scaled coverage. An example method for use in an access point or station may comprise causing operation in a reduced coverage mode, generating a beacon comprising an indication of a reduced coverage mode in a capability field and one or more coverage scaling parameters (CSP) in an information element, and causing the beacon to be provided to one or more stations (STAs). | 11-20-2014 |
20140341208 | SYNCHRONIZATION FOR DEVICE-TO-DEVICE COMMUNICATION - Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a method may include synchronizing, by an access node in a wireless network, with a first mobile station, synchronizing with a second mobile station, compiling a device-to-device group, the device-to-device group including at least the first mobile station and the second mobile station, sending a first connection message to the first mobile station, the first connection message including timing advance parameters of both the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and sending a second connection message to the second mobile station. | 11-20-2014 |
20140348079 | Method, Apparatus and Computer Program for Controlling a User Equipment - A user equipment (UE) has established a first radio link with a serving network node and a second device-to-device (D2D) radio link directly with another user equipment (UE). 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 a request for radio resources for a layer 1 (L1) control channel; 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. 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. | 11-27-2014 |
20140355444 | Method and Apparatus for Providing Routing - A method, apparatus and computer program for providing an indication of network capability or providing data routing. An example method for use in a user equipment may comprise receiving an indication comprising a cell identification (ID) list that includes one or more cell IDs with which a local routing path is capable of being established, determining, with a processor, whether a cell ID of a second UE is on the cell ID list, a cell of the second STA having been identified, and in an instance in which the cell ID of the second STA is on the cell ID list, causing an indication for establishment of the local routing path for communication, the local routing path being between a first cell, the first cell serving the UE, and a second cell, the second cell serving the second UE, and communication being between the UE and the second UE. | 12-04-2014 |
20140355574 | Method, Apparatus and Computer Program for Scheduling Device-to-Device Signals - A method of operating a network control apparatus in which the network control apparatus is wirelessly connected to at least one wireless device. In the method, the network control apparatus indicates a device-to-device timing advance value to said wireless device. The device-to-device timing advance value is for use by the wireless device in scheduling the transmission of a device-to-device signal to a second wireless device. | 12-04-2014 |
20150043488 | Method and Apparatus for a User Equipment - The present invention addresses a method, apparatus and computer program product for enabling concurrent Proximity Services and infrastructure based communication. An ability for Proximity Services application is determined, a resource of a scheduled uplink transmission, scheduled by a network, in the transmission time interval following a transmission time interval during which a discovery message for Proximity Services application has been transmitted or received is modified, wherein the resource is shortened in time, and transmission of the shortened scheduled uplink transmission is caused. | 02-12-2015 |
20150087297 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SUPPORTING PROXIMITY-BASED SERVICES - A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate ProSe operation. In the context of a method, a mobile terminal is camped on to a second cell that does not proximity-based services (ProSe), while in a state in which context information not stored by a network. The method also determines whether signals are received from a first cell that does support ProSe and that satisfy a predefined condition, such as a predefined strength of the signals from the first cell, a predefined reliability metric, an allowed transmit power or a time for which one or more parameters will remain effective. In an instance in which the predefined condition is satisfied, the method also includes receiving discovery messages from a mobile terminal camped in the first cell, while being camped in the second cell. | 03-26-2015 |