Direct Link Mode for Small Cells of Cellular Wireless Communication Networks
AssigneeTranspacific IP Management Group Ltd.
InventorsYung-Lan Tseng, Ching-Yao Huang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
This disclosure generally relates to facilitation of a small cell device to detect direct link opportunities to establish a direct link mode connection to a user equipment based upon monitoring uplink communications from the user equipment to a macro base station, and cooperating with the macro base station to establish a direct link with the user equipment.
Claims36
A method, comprising:
- identifying, by a small cell device, an opportunity to connect with a user equipment using a direct link mode by monitoring uplink radio frames from the user equipment to a macro base station device;
- and
- in response to identifying the opportunity to connect with the user equipment using the direct link mode,
- notifying, by the small cell device, the macro base station device of the opportunity to connect with the user equipment using the direct link mode;
- receiving, by the small cell device, direct link information for the user equipment from the macro base station device;
- and
- participating in, by the small cell device, establishment of a direct link with the user equipment based on the direct link information.
A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored thereon that, in response to execution, cause a small cell device including a processor to perform operations comprising:
- identifying an opportunity to connect with a user equipment using a direct link mode by monitoring uplink radio frames from the user equipment to a macro base station device;
- and
- in response to identifying the opportunity to connect with the user equipment using the direct link mode:
- notifying the macro base station device of the opportunity to connect with the user equipment using the direct link mode;
- receiving direct link information for the user equipment from the macro base station device;
- and
- participating in establishment of a direct link with the user equipment based on direct link information.
A small cell device, comprising:
- a listening component configured to identify a direct link mode opportunity with a user equipment by monitoring uplink radio frames from the user equipment to a macro base station device;
- and
- a direct link mode component configured to, in response to identification of the direct link mode opportunity with the user equipment,
- notify the macro base station device of the direct link mode opportunity with the user equipment,
- receive direct link information for the user equipment from the macro base station device, and
- participate in establishment of a direct link with the user equipment based on the direct link information.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a macro base station device from a small cell device, notification of a direct link mode opportunity to form a direct connection with a user equipment;
- and
- transmitting, by the macro base station device to the small cell device, direct link information that assists the user equipment and small cell device to identify each other and establish the direct connection.
A method, comprising:
- receiving, by a user equipment, a request to form a direct connection with a small cell device, wherein the user equipment is operating within a same macro cell coverage area associated with a macro base station device as the small cell device;
- and
- participating in, by the user equipment, establishment of a direct connection with the small cell device.
A user equipment, comprising:
- a processor configured to:
- receive a request to form a direct connection with a small cell device, wherein the user equipment is operating within a same macro cell coverage area associated with a macro base station device as the small cell device;
- and
- participate in establishment of a direct connection with the small cell device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.