Mobile communications device and system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10700764-B2
Application number	US-201815878575-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2018
Priority date	Feb 3, 2012
Publication date	Jun 30, 2020
Grant date	Jun 30, 2020

Abstract

A mobile device ( 7 ) configured to provide relay capabilities in a communications system ( 1 ) by communicating network-level mobile device relaying capabilities and radio-level mobile device relaying capabilities from the mobile device ( 7 ) to a communications node ( 3 ) of the communications system ( 1 ) so that the mobile device ( 7 ) can relay communications between the communications node ( 3 ) and another mobile device ( 2 ). User subscription information related to relaying is also disclosed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A user equipment (UE) for use in a wireless communication system, the UE comprising:
a controller configured to:
include a first relay capability information as part of UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, wherein the first relay capability information indicates the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and

a transceiver configured to:
provide a relay communication for another UE, and
transmit the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

2. The UE according to the claim 1 ,
wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

3. The UE according to claim 1 ,
wherein the UE capability information further includes second relay capability information which indicates a relay capability between the UE and the another UE.

4. The UE according to claim 1 ,
wherein the UE capability information is transmitted to a Mobile Management Entity (MME) via a base station.

5. The UE according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to: control the transceiver to transmit the UE capability information in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

6. The UE according to claim 1 ,
wherein the controller is further configured to: control the transceiver to transmit the second capability information in a NAS message.

7. A base station for use in a wireless communication system, the base station comprising:
a transceiver;
a controller configured to:
control the transceiver to receive, from a user equipment (UE), a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and
control the transceiver to forward, to a Mobile Management Entity (MME), the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

8. The base station according to the claim 7 ,
wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE the network relay.

9. The base station according to claim 7 ,
wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

10. A Mobile Management Entity (MME) for use in a wireless communication system, the MME comprising:
a receiver configured to receive a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and
a controller configured to control the MME to store the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

11. The MME according to the claim 10 ,
wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

12. The MME according to claim 10 ,
wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

13. A method for a user equipment (UE) to use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
including a first relay capability information as part of UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE in a Non-Access Stratum (NAS) message, wherein the first relay capability information indicates the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and
providing a relay communication for another UE, and
transmitting the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

14. The method according to the claim 13 ,
wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

15. The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the UE capability information further includes second relay capability information which indicates a relay capability between the UE and the another UE.

16. The method according to claim 13 ,
wherein the UE capability information is transmitted to a Mobile Management Entity (MME) via a base station.

17. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting the UE capability information in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

18. The method according to claim 13 , further comprising:
transmitting the second capability information in a NAS message.

19. A method for a base station to use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a user equipment (UE), a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and
forwarding, to a Mobile Management Entity (MME), the NAS message including the UE capability information regarding the capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

20. The method according to the claim 19 ,
wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

21. The method according to claim 19 ,
wherein the UE capability information is transmitted in an attach request message or in a Tracking Area Update Request message.

22. A method for a Mobile Management Entity (MME) to use in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving a NAS message including UE capability information regarding a capability of the UE, wherein the UE capability information includes first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as a Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to a network relay, and
store in the MME the first relay capability information indicating the capability of the UE to act as the Proximity-based Services (ProSe) UE to the network relay.

23. The method according to the claim 22 ,
wherein the first relay capability information comprises a bit indicating the capability of the UE to act as the

Assignees

• Nec Corp

Inventors

• Rakotoharison Lanto
• Panaitopol Dorin
• Delsol Thomas
• Jactat Caroline

Classifications

• H04W8/24

  Transfer of terminal data · CPC title

• H04L41/0894

  Policy-based network configuration management · CPC title

• H04W88/04

  adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user · CPC title

• H04W12/06 Primary

  Authentication · CPC title

• H04B7/15 Primary

  Active relay systems · CPC title