Control of semi-persistent channel occupation for device-to device (d2d) wireless communications

A method comprising:

• controlling sending, by a first user device via a wireless channel, a channel transfer notification to one or more other user devices of a device-to-device (D2D) or proximity services (ProSe) user group to indicate that a wireless channel is transferrable from the first user device to another user device of the user group before an end of a current channel holding period;
• controlling receiving, by the first user device via the wireless channel from one or more of the other user devices of the user group, a channel transfer request, the channel transfer request comprising information identifying a requesting user device;
• selecting, among the other user devices by the first user device, a second user device to receive a transfer of the channel for a remaining portion of a current channel holding period;
• and
• controlling sending, by the first user device via the wireless channel, a channel transfer response that identifies the selected second user device to which the channel is transferred for a remaining portion of the current channel holding period.

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

• controlling sending, by a first user device via a wireless channel, a channel transfer notification to one or more other user devices of a device-to-device (D2D) or proximity services (ProSe) user group to indicate that a wireless channel is transferrable from the first user device to another user device of the user group before an end of a current channel holding period;
• controlling receiving, by the first user device via the wireless channel from one or more of the other user devices of the user group, a channel transfer request, the channel transfer request comprising information identifying a requesting user device;
• selecting, among the other user devices by the first user device, a second user device to receive a transfer of the channel for a remaining portion of a current channel holding period;
• and
• controlling sending, by the first user device via the wireless channel, a channel transfer response that identifies the selected second user device to which the channel is transferred for a remaining portion of the current channel holding period.

An apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:

• control sending, by a first user device via a wireless channel during a current channel holding period, a channel holding period extension request to one or more other user devices of a device-to-device (D2D) or proximity services (ProSe) user group to request that the first user device continue holding of the wireless channel for a next channel holding period;
• determine if a channel holding period extension response has been received from at least one of the other user devices of the D2D or ProSe user group;
• select, by the first user device, the first user device to hold the wireless channel for the next channel holding period if no channel holding period extension responses have been received;
• otherwise, if one or more channel holding period extension responses have been received from other user devices, then select by the first user device either the first user device or one of the other user devices that sent a channel holding period extension response to hold the wireless channel for the next channel holding period;
• and
• send, by the first user device via the wireless channel, a channel holding period extension confirmation that identifies the selected user device to hold the wireless channel for the next channel holding period.