Multicast-based group communications in ad hoc arrangements of wireless devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10609680-B2
Application number	US-201715691723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2017
Priority date	Mar 1, 2013
Publication date	Mar 31, 2020
Grant date	Mar 31, 2020

Abstract

Wireless communication devices may directly communicate within groups of wireless communication devices using Layer-2 communications to implement “push-to-talk” type applications. In one implementation, a method may include generating a floor request signaling message to take control of a communication channel for a group. After transmitting data relating to the communications, a floor release signaling message may be generated and transmitted a number of times.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device, for User Equipment (UE), for proximity-based direct communications in a communication channel with one or more other UEs of a group, comprising:
one or more processors; and
one or more device-readable media having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the device to:
obtain information related to the group including:
a layer-2 group identifier (ID), and
a group security key;

encrypt user data using the group security key;
generate a first frame having:
a destination layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication, wherein the destination layer-2 address is based on the layer-2 group ID and identifies the one or more other UEs of the group, and
a layer-3 identifier for the group; and

transmit the first frame to UEs on the communication channel, including at least one UE that is not a member of the group; and
generate a second frame having:
the layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication, and
the encrypted user data; and

transmit the second frame to the one or more other UEs affiliated with the layer-2 group ID based on the destination layer-2 address.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first frame further comprises a source layer-2 ID indicating a source layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the layer-2 group ID is a media access control (MAC) value.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the group security key is a symmetric encryption key for the group.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first frame comprises a floor request signaling message to take control of a communication channel from another UE of the group.

6. The device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to:
transmit a third frame comprising a floor release signaling message to release the a communication channel after transmitting the second frame to the one or more other UEs.

7. The device of claim 5 , wherein the instructions further cause the device to:
transmit the floor request signaling message for a plurality of times, based on current quality of the communication channel.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing program instructions for causing one or more processors of a UE to:
obtain information related to proximity-based direct communications in a communication channel with one or more other UEs of a group of UEs, the information including:
a layer-2 group identifier (ID), and
a group security key;

encrypt user data using the group security key;
generate a first frame having:
a destination layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication, wherein the destination layer-2 address is based on the layer-2 group ID and identifies the one or more other UEs of the group, and
a layer-3 identifier for the group; and

transmit the first frame to UEs in the communication channel, including at least one UE that is not a member of the group; and
generate a second frame having:
the destination layer-2 address for the proximity-based communication, and
the encrypted user data; and

transmit the second frame to the one or more other UEs affiliated with the layer-2 group ID based on the destination layer-2 address.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first frame further comprises a source layer-2 ID indicating a source layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the layer-2 group ID is a media access control (MAC) value.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the group security key is a symmetric encryption key for the group.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the first frame comprises transmit a floor request signaling message to take control of a communication channel from another UE of the group.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
transmit a third frame comprising a floor release signaling message to release a communication channel after transmitting the second frame to the one or more other UEs.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to:
transmit the floor request signaling message for a plurality of times, based on current quality of the communication channel.

15. A method, implemented by User Equipment (UE), for proximity-based direct communications in a communication channel with one or more other UEs of a group, comprising:
obtaining information related to the group including:
a layer-2 group identifier (ID), and
a group security key;

encrypting user data using the group security key;
generating a first frame having:
a destination layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication, wherein the destination layer-2 address is based on the layer-2 group ID and identifies the one or more other UEs of the group, and
a layer-3 identifier for the group;

transmitting the first frame to UEs in the communication channel, including at least one UE that is not a member of the group; and
generating a second frame having:
the destination layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication, and
the encrypted user data; and

transmitting the second frame to the one or more other UEs affiliated with the layer-2 group ID based on the destination layer-2 address.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second frames further comprise a source layer-2 ID indicating a source layer-2 address for the proximity-based direct communication.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the layer-2 group ID is a media access control (MAC) value.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the group security key is a symmetric encryption key for the group.

Assignees

• Intel Ip Corp
• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Stojanovski Alexandre
• Venkatachalam Muthaiah
• Bienas Maik
• Luft Achim
• Zong Pingping

Classifications

• H04W4/10

  Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services · CPC title

• H04W48/20

  Selecting an access point · CPC title

• H04W12/02

  Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII] · CPC title

• H04W72/044

  based on the type of the allocated resource · CPC title

• H04W4/06

  Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services · CPC title