Signaling for proximity services and D2D discovery in an LTE network

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores instructions for execution by processing circuitry of user equipment (UE) to configure the UE to perform operations for proximity services (ProSe), the processing circuitry configured by the instructions to:

• cause the UE to transmit radio resource control (RRC) signaling to include UE-to-UE capabilities to an enhanced node B (eNB), the UE-to-UE capabilities to indicate whether the UE supports UE-to-UE discovery;
• cause the UE to receive a system information block (SIB) from the eNB, the SIB comprising discovery resource configuration information for direct UE-to-UE communications, the SIB including:
• an indication of resources of a discovery resource pool for transmission and reception of discovery signals;
• a first indication of first resources of the discovery resource pool that are configured for use by the UE while the UE is in radio resource control (RRC) idle mode;
• and a second indication of second resources of the discovery resource pool that are different from the first resources and are configured for use by the UE while the UE is in RRC connected mode;
• cause the UE to transmit a UE information message to the eNB, the UE information message to indicate that the UE is available for direct D2D communications;
• monitor some of the resources of the discovery resource pool for discovery signals from other UEs;
• cause the UE to transmit data to one of the other UEs on resources indicated for direct D2D data communications, based on a discovery signal received from the one other UE.

An apparatus of a user equipment (UE) configured for proximity services (ProSe), the apparatus comprising:

• memory;
• and processing circuitry, configured to:
• cause the UE to transmit radio resource control (RRC) signaling to include UE-to-UE capabilities to an enhanced node B (eNB), the UE-to-UE capabilities to indicate whether the UE supports UE-to-UE discovery;
• cause the UE to receive a system information block (SIB) from the eNB, the SIB comprising discovery resource configuration information for direct UE-to-UE communications, the SIB including:
• an indication of resources of a discovery resource pool for transmission and reception of discovery signals;
• a first indication of first resources of the discovery resource pool that are configured for use by the UE while the UE is in radio resource control (RRC) idle mode;
• and a second indication of second resources of the discovery resource pool that are different from the resources and are configured for use by the UE while the UE is in RRC connected mode;
• configure the UE to transmit a UE information message to the eNB, the UE information message to indicate that the UE is available for direct UE-to-UE communications;
• monitor some of the resources of the discovery resource pool for discovery signals from other UEs;
• select a resource of the discovery resource pool for transmission of a discovery signal;
• and
• configure the UE to transmit data to one of the other UEs on resources indicated for direct UE-to-UE data communications, based on a discovery signal received from the one other UE.