Communications device and methods

A communications device comprising

• a transmitter circuitry configured to transmit signals to one or more other communications devices via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications,
• a receiver circuitry configured to receive signals from the one or more other communications devices via the wireless access interface, and
• a controller circuitry for controlling the transmitter and the receiver to transmit or to receive the signals via the wireless access interface to transmit or to receive data represented by the signals in accordance with a device to device communications, wherein the controller circuitry is provided with at least one of
• an indication of one or more first communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be allocated on request to the communications device by a mobile communications network for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with the first mode of operation, when the communications device is within a coverage area provided by the mobile communications network, and
• an indication of one or more second communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be used by the communications device for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with a second mode of operation using device to device communications protocol, when the communications device is within the coverage area provided by the mobile communications network, and the controller circuitry is configured in combination with the transmitter circuitry and the receiver circuitry
• to receive, from the mobile communications network, an indication of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation, and
• depending on the indication provided by the mobile communications network and the configuration of the one or more of the first communications resources,
• to transmit signals to the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources allocated by the mobile communications network in accordance with a first mode of operation or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources, or
• depending on the indication provided by the mobile communications network and the configuration of the one or more of the second communications resources, to transmit signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol, wherein
• the indication received by the communications device of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation, and the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation is dependent upon one of a plurality of predetermined access classes of communications devices associated with the communications device, and
• the controller is configured in combination with the receiver to receive, periodically, from the mobile communications network, information identifying at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface.

A communications method performed by a communications device, the method comprising:

• transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices via a wireless access interface to perform device-to-device communications,
• receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the wireless access interface, and
• receiving
• an indication of one or more first communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be allocated on request to the communications device by a mobile communications network for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with the first mode of operation, when the communications device is within a coverage area provided by the mobile communications network;
• an indication of one or more second communications resources of the wireless access interface which can be used by the communications device for transmitting signals to one or more other communications devices or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices in accordance with a second mode of operation using device to device communications protocol, when the communications device is within the coverage area provided by the mobile communications network;
• from the mobile communications network, an indication of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation;
• and
• depending on the indication provided by the mobile communications network and the configuration of the one or more of the first communications resources, transmitting signals to the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources allocated by the mobile communications network in accordance with a first mode of operation or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the first communications resources, or
• depending on the indication provided by the mobile communications network and the configuration of the one or more of the second communications resources, transmitting signals to the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources or receiving signals from the one or more other communications devices via the second communications resources in accordance with the second mode of operation using the device to device communications protocol, wherein
• the indication received by the communications device of whether the communications device can use at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device-to-device communications in accordance with the first mode of operation, and the second communications resources of the wireless access interface for performing device to device communications in accordance with the second mode of operation is dependent upon one of a plurality of predetermined access classes of communications devices associated with the communications device, and
• the method comprises receiving, periodically, from the mobile communications network, information identifying at least one of the first communications resources of the wireless access interface or the second communications resources of the wireless access interface.