Methods, architectures, apparatuses and systems for leveraging direct links to improve federated learning training process in future wireless

A method, implemented by a first wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

• sending, to a network node, first information indicating a request for at least one other WTRU to serve as a relay WTRU for the first WTRU;
• receiving, from the network node, second information indicating one or more candidate relay WTRUs in proximity of the first WTRU;
• based at least on the second information, selecting at least one of the candidate relay WTRUs to serve as the relay WTRU for the first WTRU;
• performing, according to a discovery mode, a discovery procedure with the at least one selected relay WTRU;
• sending third information indicating a direct communication request to the at least one selected relay WTRU;
• performing a local training round to generate a new local model update;
• and
• sending fourth information, to the at least one selected relay WTRU, indicating at least a portion of the new local model update and an identifier of a federated learning (FL) task associated with the new local model update.

An apparatus, comprising:

• circuitry, including any of a processor, memory, transmitter and receiver, configured to:
• determine to select a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU)-to-network (NW) relay for a federated learning client (FLC);
• send, to a network node, first information indicating a request for proximity information and context information associated with the FLC;
• receive, from the network node, second information indicating:
• (i) the proximity information and context information associated with the FLC, and (ii) one or more WTRUs in proximity of the FLC that support WTRU-to-NW relay services;
• based at least on the second information, select at least one of the WTRUs to serve as a WTRU-to-NW relay for the FLC;
• send, to the at least one of the WTRUs, third information indicating that the at least one of the WTRUs has been selected as the WTRU-to-NW relay for the FLC;
• and
• receive, from the at least one of the WTRUs, a local model update associated with the FLC.