D2D COMMUNICATION FOR eMTC DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017111780-A1
Application number	US-201615260997-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 9, 2016
Priority date	Oct 19, 2015
Publication date	Apr 20, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide methods for wireless communications by a base station and a user equipment in a network. An exemplary method generally includes performing a discovery procedure to identify one or more devices through which the UE may indirectly communicate with a base station in the network and deciding based on one or more criteria whether to communicate with the base station directly or to communicate with the base station indirectly via a device identified by the discovery procedure. According to certain aspects, when a UE is in communication with a network indirectly, the network might page the UE directly, indirectly, or both.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE) in a network, comprising:
performing a discovery procedure to identify one or more intermediate devices through which the UE may indirectly communicate with a base station in the network; and deciding, based on one or more criteria, whether to communicate with the base station directly via at least one narrowband region of larger system bandwidth or to communicate with the network indirectly via an intermediate device identified by the discovery procedure.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more criteria comprises at least one of:
whether or not the discovery procedure identifies an intermediate device in proximity to the UE; a criterion that involves a signal strength between the UE and the base station; a criterion that involves a signal strength between the UE and an intermediate device; or a criterion that involves a signal strength between the intermediate device and the base station.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving information from the intermediate device that includes a signal strength between the intermediate device and the base station.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more intermediate devices comprise at least one of: a phone, a low power base station, a remote radio head, or a hub device that also communicates with the base station via at least one narrowband region of larger system bandwidth.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the discovery procedure involves at least one of:
searching for synchronization signals from one or more cells; searching for discovery signals from one or more intermediate devices; or searching for predefined discovery signals from one or more intermediate devices.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising negotiating one or more parameters for performing the discovery procedure.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a device to device (D2D) connection setup with an intermediate device if it is decided to communicate with the base station indirectly via an intermediate device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising performing a random access channel (RACH) procedure if deciding to communicate with the base station directly.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein how the discovery procedure is performed depends on whether or not the UE is in coverage of the base station.

10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising changing from communicating directly with a base station of the network to communicating indirectly with the network via an intermediate device.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the change is prompted by at least one of:
a measured link quality between the UE and the intermediate device; a measured link quality between the UE and the base station; or a measured link quality between the intermediate device and the base station.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the discovery is not performed if a link quality between the intermediate device and the base station is below a threshold level.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising altering radio link monitoring procedures based on results of the discovery procedure, wherein the altering of the radio link monitoring comprises declaring a radio link failure depending on the results of the discovery procedure.

14 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising taking action to hand the UE over between intermediate devices identified during the discovery procedure.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a page from the network, wherein the page is received via the intermediate device or directly from the base station.

16 . The method of claim 15 , further comprising, in response to the page received directly from the base station, establishing connection with the intermediate device.

17 . A method for wireless communications by an apparatus in a network, comprising:
determining one or more parameters for a discovery procedure, to allow discovery of the apparatus by a user equipment (UE) of a first type capable of communicating with a base station in the network via at least one narrowband region of larger system bandwidth; and transmitting discovery signals in accordance with the determined one or more parameters.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the determining comprises negotiating with the UE.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more parameters comprise at least one of a predetermined discovery sequence or timing of discovery signal transmission.

20 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
establishing connection with the UE; and serving as an intermediate device, allowing the UE to communicate indirectly with the base station via the apparatus.

21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
measuring an indicator of signal quality from the apparatus to the base station while refraining from transmitting the discovery signals; and at least one of, based on the indicator of signal quality, transmitting the indicator of signal quality in at least one of the discovery signals or refraining from transmitting the discovery signals.

22 . An apparatus for wireless communications by a user equipment (UE), comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
perform a discovery procedure to identify one or more intermediate devices through which the UE may indirectly communicate with a base station of the network; and
decide, based on one or more criteria, whether to communicate with the base station directly via at least one narrowband region of larger system bandwidth or to communicate with the network indirectly via an intermediate device identified by the discovery procedure; and
a memory coupled with the at least one processor.

23 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the one or more criteria comprises at least one of:
whether or not the discovery procedure identifies an intermediate device in proximity to the UE; a criterion that involves a signal strength between the UE and the base station; a criterion that involves a signal strength between the UE and an intermediate device; or a criterion that involves a signal strength between the intermediate device and a base station.

24 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to perform a device to device (D2D) connection setup with an intermediate device if it is decided to communicate with the base station indirectly via an intermediate device.

25 . The apparatus of claim 22 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to change from communicating directly with a base station of the network to communicating indirectly with the network via an intermediate device.

26 . The apparatus of claim 25 , wherein the change is prompted by at least one of:
a measured link quality between the UE and the intermediate device; a measured link quality between the UE and the base station; or a measured link quality between the intermediate device and the base station.

27 . An apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:
at least one processor configured to:
determining one or more parameters for a discovery procedure, to allow discovery of the apparatus by a user equipment (UE) of a first type capable of communicating with a base station network via at least one narrowband reg

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Rico Alvarino Alberto
• Vajapeyam Madhavan Srinivasan
• Chen Wanshi
• Patel Shimman Arvind
• Xu Hao
• Montojo Juan
• Wei Yongbin

Classifications

• H04W72/542

  using measured or perceived quality · CPC title

• H04W8/005 Primary

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

• H04W48/12

  using downlink control channel · CPC title

• H04W40/36

  due to handover · CPC title

• H04W48/16

  Discovering, processing access restriction or access information · CPC title