Device-to-Device Discovery Resource Allocation in Communications

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016242152-A1
Application number	US-201315027017-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 1, 2013
Priority date	Nov 1, 2013
Publication date	Aug 18, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for device-to-device communication includes receiving, in a D2D-capable user terminal from a network apparatus, measurement configuration information regarding a D2D discovery resource usage status. The user terminal performs, based on the received measurement configuration information, a corresponding measurement to determine the usage status of D2D discovery resources. The user terminal transmits, to the network apparatus, a report on the measurement performed in the user terminal, the report indicating the usage status of D2D discovery resources, in order the network apparatus to be able to adjust D2D discovery resource allocation based on the report.

First claim

1 . A method for D2D communication in a communications system, the method comprising
transmitting, from a network apparatus to a D2D capable user terminal, measurement configuration information regarding a D2D discovery resource usage status; receiving, in the network apparatus from the D2D capable user terminal, a report on a corresponding measurement performed in the user terminal, the report indicating a usage status of D2D discovery resources; adjusting D2D discovery resource allocation based on the received report.

2 . A method for D2D communication in a communications system, the method comprising
receiving, in a D2D capable user terminal from a network apparatus, measurement configuration information regarding a D2D discovery resource usage status; performing, based on the received measurement configuration information, a corresponding measurement in the user terminal to determine a usage status of D2D discovery resources; transmitting, to the network apparatus from the user terminal, a report on said measurement performed in the user terminal, the report indicating the usage status of D2D discovery resources, in order the network apparatus to be able to adjust D2D discovery resource allocation based on the report.

3 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the measurement configuration information regarding the D2D discovery resource usage status is transmitted by using common control signalling or broadcasted system information.

4 . A method according to claim 2 , characterized in that a report on under-utilization or over-utilization of D2D discovery resources is sent from the user terminal to the network apparatus.

5 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that a measurement configuration includes a D2D discovery resource under-utilized report triggering, wherein the method comprises
defining a threshold value for the number of free discovery resources versus a total number of D2D discovery resources, above which an under-utilized D2D discovery resources report is triggered; and/or defining a threshold value for a total number of allocated D2D discovery resources under which the under-utilized report is not triggered.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that a measurement configuration includes a D2D discovery resource over-utilized report triggering, wherein the method comprises
defining a threshold value for the number of occupied D2D discovery resources versus a total number of allocated D2D discovery resources above which an overutilized D2D discovery resources report is triggered; defining a threshold value for a detected collision rate above which an overutilized D2D discovery resources report is triggered; and/or defining a threshold value for a total number of allocated D2D discovery resources above which the over-utilized D2D discovery resources report is not triggered.

7 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the allocated D2D discovery resources comprise resource pools and configured parameters, wherein the total number of allocated D2D discovery resources per each configured individual resource pool corresponds to the capacity of the pool.

8 . A method according to claim 2 , characterized in that the method comprises indicating resource pool information in the report transmitted from the user terminal, in case more than one pool is configured for the user terminal.

9 . A method according to claim 2 , characterized in that a report on under-utilized status or over-utilized status includes an exact measured value of the number of free or occupied resources or the collision rate, or an indication of the under-utilized status or over-utilized status.

10 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that a measurement configuration includes a D2D discovery resource under-utilized and/or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report timing, wherein the method comprises defining a number of sub-frames before next D2D discovery message transmission within which an under-utilized and/or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report can be sent to a network, respectively.

11 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that a measurement configuration includes a D2D discovery resource under-utilized report interval or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report interval, wherein the method comprises
defining a minimum time period between two identical reports transmitted from the user terminal in the coverage area of the network apparatus if system information regarding a D2D discovery resource pool is not updated.

12 . A method according to claim 2 , characterized in that for an over-utilized D2D discovery resources report, an allocated D2D discovery resource pool or a subset thereof, in which over-use has been identified, is also reported to the network apparatus, wherein the over-use is either in the form of an occupied resource or a detected collision.

13 . A method according to claim 2 , characterized in that to avoid unnecessary duplicated reports from multiple D2D capable user terminals in the proximity of the network apparatus, only an under-utilized or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report within a configured number of subframes is sent from the user terminal before next D2D discovery message transmission, wherein a report sending indication is included in D2D discovery messages to inform other user terminals that said under-utilised or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report has been sent to the network apparatus.

14 . A method according to claim 13 , characterized in that other D2D capable user terminals, upon detecting the report sending indication in a first user terminal's D2D discovery message, refrain from sending the under-utilised or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report within the D2D discovery resources re-port interval configured by the network apparatus, even if a respective configured triggering condition is met, unless broadcasted system information regarding a D2D discovery resource pool has changed.

15 . A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the method comprises using dedicated signalling to configure selected connected-mode user terminals to perform the measurement and provide a corresponding report.

16 . An apparatus comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory including a computer program code, characterized in that the at least one memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:
transmitting, from a network apparatus to a D2D capable user terminal, measurement configuration information regarding a D2D discovery resource usage status; receiving, in the network apparatus from the D2D capable user terminal, a report on a corresponding measurement performed in the user terminal, the report indicating a usage status of D2D discovery resources; and adjusting D2D discovery resource allocation based on the received report.

17 . A computer program product comprising program instructions which, when run on a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to perform a method according to claim 1 .

18 . A computer program product comprising program instructions which, when run on a computing apparatus, causes the computing apparatus to perform a method according to claim 2 .

19 . An apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein a measurement configuration includes a D2D discovery resource under-utilized and/or over-utilized D2D discovery resources report timing, wher

Assignees

• Nokia Solutions & Networks Oy

Inventors

• Yu Ling
• Van Phan Vinh
• Horneman Kari Veikko

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W72/23 Primary

  in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal · CPC title

• H04W4/005

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H04W8/005 Primary

  Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals · CPC title

• H04W24/02

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title