Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a method may include synchronizing, by an access node in a wireless network, with a first mobile station, synchronizing with a second mobile station, compiling a device-to-device group, the device-to-device group including at least the first mobile station and the second mobile station, sending a first connection message to the first mobile station, the first connection message including timing advance parameters of both the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and sending a second connection message to the second mobile station.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for providing scaled coverage. An example method for use in an access point or station may comprise causing operation in a reduced coverage mode, generating a beacon comprising an indication of a reduced coverage mode in a capability field and one or more coverage scaling parameters (CSP) in an information element, and causing the beacon to be provided to one or more stations (STAs).

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for providing a frame based access (FBA). An example method for use in an access point or station may comprise causing capture of a header, for example PLCP or PHY header from an attempted packet transfer and causing transmission of a negative acknowledgement (NACK) frame in response to a transmitter comprising the decoded address in the header, the NACK configured to indicate a failure to receive or decode data from the attempted packet transfer.

Abstract: A set of allowed discovery cycles is stored in a radio network access node, the set consisting of a minimum discovery cycle and integer multiples thereof and each discovery cycle defining only one interval for discovery. The access node transmits in a cell an indication of a specific discovery cycle selected from the set. The access node configures at least one user equipment in the cell with a measurement gap chosen to overlap a subframe for discovery within the one interval for discovery of a different discovery cycle of the set that is in use in a neighbour cell.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program facilitate the assignment of stations to slots of a restricted access window (RAW) to support communications between the stations and an access point. In a method for use in an access point, a broadcast message is caused to be provided to the station(s). The broadcast message includes an indication of a type of stations to access the RAW and one or more of a duration of the slot(s) in the RAW allocated to a first type of station, a duration of the RAW allocated to the first type of station, a duration of the slot(s) in the RAW allocated to a second type of station or a duration of the RAW allocated to the second type of station. The method also provides for access for one or more stations of the type that was indicated within the slots of the RAW.

Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed. According to one example embodiment, a method may include synchronizing, by an access node in a wireless network, with a first mobile station, synchronizing with a second mobile station, compiling a device-to-device group, the device-to-device group including at least the first mobile station and the second mobile station, sending a first connection message to the first mobile station, the first connection message including timing advance parameters of both the first mobile station and the second mobile station, and sending a second connection message to the second mobile station.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium are provided that can utilize one or more synchronization signals to perform synchronization and resource allocation. The one or more synchronization signals can be used for synchronization, as well as include a cyclic shift that maps one or more resources for transmission.

Abstract: Method, operation of a method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable memory in a mobility management entity which identify, evaluate and control potential opportunities for device to device communication among two or more proximately located user equipment. The method or execution of computer instructions include, determining a context of a source user equipment and a context of a target user equipment, determining if the source and target user equipment are device to device communication compatible and determining if the source and target user equipment are authenticated for employing device to device communications. An alternative embodiment includes functionality in a base station.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided herein for enabling ProSe discovery via one or more signal range classes. In some example embodiments, a method is provided that comprises determining a signal range class to be associated with one or more applications based at least on one or more signal range classes that are authorized by a network entity. In some example embodiments, the signal range class is assigned a logical channel. The method of this embodiment may also include causing two or more service data units received from the one or more applications to be multiplexed into a protocol data unit based on the signal range class associated with the one or more applications. The method of this embodiment may also include causing the protocol data unit to be processed via the logical channel associated with the signal range class.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses and a computer program product for small cell and user equipment discovery. The present invention includes obtaining information regarding small cell discovery on macro layer, obtaining information regarding user equipment discovery, determining whether the information regarding user equipment discovery depends on the information regarding small cell discovery, if it is determined that the information regarding user equipment discovery depends on the information regarding small cell discovery, building parameters for user equipment discovery based on parameters for small cell discovery included in the information regarding small cell discovery, and starting small cell discovery and user equipment discovery based on the parameters.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for designating an acknowledgment of data. A method and apparatus may designate a mode of operation, in a signal, for acknowledging receipt of data. The method and apparatus may assign an aggregation period, to the signal, including a time period in which one or more stations are designated to communicate one or more items of data to an intermediate node. The method and apparatus may also transmit the signal to enable the stations to detect the designated mode of operation and the time period of the assigned aggregation period in which to communicate the items of data to the intermediate node.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for enhancing data exchange between an access point (AP) and station (STA) in a wireless network when the exchange must be interrupted for the AP to perform other services while data remains buffered for later exchange. AP downlinks an indicator that more data remains for exchange together with a request for the STA to enter sleep mode for a duration scheduled by the AP. Sleep duration may be sent in the medium access control (MAC) header of a data frame, with the indicator of more data and the indicator of the sleep mode request being contained in the frame control (FC) segment of the MAC header. The STA may uplink an acknowledgement (ACK) of the sleep mode. Alternatively, the AP may downlink an ACK of the STA's indication of more data confirmation together with sleep mode indication and duration.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure solve problems of throughput reduction due to collisions, busy medium, and deferred transmission due to overlapping wireless networks (e.g. 802.11 OBSS) by allowing devices suffering from overlapping interference to have sufficient chances to transmit and/or receive successfully. Embodiments include methods for a first device (e.g. 802.11 AP) to communicate data via a medium shared with other devices (e.g. 802.11 APs and/or STAs) located in an overlapping service area but not under common control with the first device. Embodiments also include methods for a first device (e.g. 802.11 AP) to negotiate reservation of a shared medium requested by a second device (e.g. 802.11 AP), the two devices being in overlapping service areas but not under common control. Embodiments include wireless communication devices (e.g. 802.11 APs) and computer programs or computer-readable media embodying one or more of the methods.

Abstract: Apparatuses and method for communication includes controlling one or more local area base stations and allocating resources of a common random access channel between the local area base stations, the resources including preambles and informing the local area base stations and user equipment within a given area about the allocation.

Abstract: Method, operation of a method, and a result of execution of computer program instructions embodied on a non-transitory computer readable memory in a mobility management entity which determines whether a source and destination address of certain Internet protocol data flow are within a specific network in an evolved packet system for evaluating and controlling potential opportunities for device to device communication among two or more proximately located user equipment. In response to determining that the target serving gateway is the source gateway, identification information of the source user equipment is sent to a target serving gateway.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for allocating communication resources of a cellular communication network to a D2D communication. After an eNB has configured a number of resource pools indicating a set of resources usable in the D2D communication, D2D clusters which share a same resource pool are enabled to obtain resources for their respective D2D communication. By detecting the current resource utilization state in the allocated resource pool by measurement on the UE side, it is decided whether suitable resources are available or not. An overload situation is signalled to the eNB if no suitable resource can be detected.

Abstract: A wireless device operates in a wireless cellular network under control of a network control apparatus. The wireless device transmits a signal to the network control apparatus. The wireless device receives from the network control apparatus a negative acknowledgement of receipt of the signal in accordance with an automatic repeat request process, The negative acknowledgement indicates that the signal was not received or was not received correctly by the network control apparatus. The wireless device either does not retransmit the signal to the network control apparatus or delays the retransmission of the signal to the network control apparatus in order to avoid conflict with a device-to-device discovery signal being sent by another wireless device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are provided for facilitating device-to-device connection establishment. A method may include directing broadcast of an indication of a device-to-device registration area identification in each of one or more cells forming a device-to-device registration area identified by the device-to-device registration area identification. The method may further include directing receipt of a device-to-device registration request originated by a first terminal apparatus in response to the broadcast indication. The first terminal apparatus may be located within the registration area. The method may additionally include registering the first terminal apparatus based at least in part upon the device-to-device registration request. Corresponding apparatuses and systems are also provided.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are provided to provide configurations for transmitting reference symbols in a wireless communication network. In the context of a method, a first set of one or more reference symbols may be caused to be transmitted by a first access point in at least one control channel of a system frame comprising a plurality of control channels and incorporating control channel frequency reuse. The reference symbols of the first set may overlap with at least one reference symbol in a second set of one or more reference symbols transmitted by a second access point. Multiple configurations for the reference symbols may also be provided, including a minimum configuration.

Abstract: A wireless device transmits a device-to-device discovery signal using the same transmission resource that is used for transmitting uplink retransmissions to a base station by a second wireless device. The device-to-device discovery signal is transmitted at a power that is determined in accordance with a control signal received by the wireless device from the base station. In an example, the wireless device transmits the device-to-device discovery signal on an uplink control channel established for use for sending uplink control signals to the base station.