Abstract: Embodiments are provided herein for determining a synchronizing master for device-to-device (D2D) communication in a cellular network environment. In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) receives a discovery signal comprising a timing reference, and determines a transmitter of the discovery signal. In accordance with the determination of the transmitter of the discovery signal, the UE performs one of synchronizing to the timing reference in the discovery signal and transmitting a second discovery signal. The UE performs the synchronizing to the timing reference if the transmitter of the discovery is a cellular network. Alternatively, the UE transmits the second discovery signal upon determining that the transmitter of the discovery signal is a second UE that is out of coverage of a cellular network.

Abstract: Methods and devices for reducing traffic over a wireless link through the compression or suppression of high layer packets carrying predictable background data prior to transportation over a wireless link. The methods include intercepting application layer protocol packets carrying the predictable background data. In embodiments where the background data is periodic in nature, the high layer packets may be compressed into low-layer signaling indicators for communication over a low-layer control channel (e.g., an on off keying (OOK) channel). Alternatively, the high layer packets may be suppressed entirely (not transported over the wireless link) when a receiver side daemon is configured to autonomously replicate the periodic background nature according to a projected interval. In other embodiments, compression techniques may be used to reduce overhead attributable to non-periodic background data that is predictable in context.

Abstract: An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller for a group of user equipments engaged in a DMC link in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a set of subframes in one periodic group of subframes to the group of UEs for the DMC link, signal the set of allocated subframes to the group of UEs, and transmit parameters related to a group of HARQ processes of the DMC link. In an embodiment, the communication controller uses HARQ processes for cellular UE transmission that are determined independently from HARQ processes of the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link, and the parameters are configured to enable the group of UEs to manage the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link.

Abstract: When at least one of device-to-device UEs in connections of a group of D2D UEs is outside of the coverage area of mobile network of an access point, an information exchange mechanism established directly between the D2D UEs, without involving a third party, is provided. A resource allocation method for a device-to-device (D2D) communication link between two or more D2D user equipments (UEs) in a mobile communication network is provided according to an example.

Abstract: System and method embodiments for auxiliary content delivery are disclosed. In an embodiment, a method in a transmission point (TP) for auxiliary content delivery includes determining a mobile wireless device capable of auxiliary content delivery to an end device according to predicted movement of the mobile wireless device with respect to the end device. The method also includes encoding content data into a plurality of content data packets such that the content data is recoverable by the end device from a subset of the plurality of content data packets. The method also includes transmitting control data and one or more of the plurality of content data packets to the mobile wireless device when the mobile wireless device is within a first proximity of the TP. The control data provides to the wireless device scheduling information for the retransmission of the content data packets to the end device.

Abstract: It is possible to reduce latency and/or overhead when performing a platoon handover by using the leading vehicle in the platoon to communicate handover requests and/or initial resource requests (e.g., random access transmissions) on behalf of trailing vehicles in the platoon. In one example, a leading vehicle in a platoon communicates a handover request to a source AP to request handover of the entire platoon from the source AP to a target AP. In such an example, the source AP then communicates handover commands to each vehicle in the platoon without receiving separate handover requests from the trailing vehicles, thereby reducing overhead in the access network. The handover commands notify the trailing vehicles of the handover, and may be sequentially communicated to the trailing vehicles based on their order in the platoon.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method of wireless communication in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving, from a communications controller, a device-to-device (D2D) subframe configuration to communicate with one or more second wireless devices, the subframe configuration indicating one or more subframes in which to transmit a D2D signal or receive one or more D2D signals. The method also includes receiving, from the communications controller, scheduling information to transmit a first signal to the communications controller on a subframe indicated by the D2D subframe configuration. The method further includes prioritizing the transmission of the first signal over a transmission of the D2D signal or a reception of the one or more D2D signals, and transmitting the first signal.

Abstract: A system and method for D2D discovery is provided. In an embodiment the method includes sending, by a base station, first parameters to a first User Equipment (UE) indicating a set of discovery resources in a discovery cycle, wherein the discovery cycle comprises a plurality of subframes; and sending, by the base station, second parameters to the first UE indicating a first probability for transmitting a first discovery signal to a second UE on a subframe of the plurality of subframes so that the first UE is capable of transmitting the first discovery signal to a second UE in the discovery cycle according to the first parameters when a random number between 0 and 1, selected by the first UE, is equal or larger than the first probability.

Abstract: A method for operating a user equipment (UE) in a UE group including at least two UEs includes receiving, from a communications controller, network resources information about an allocation of a first set of network resources to the UE group and a transmission indication, where the transmission indication indicates that the UE is selected to transmit in a second set of network resources that is a subset of the first set of network resources. The method further includes transmitting, to other UEs in the UE group utilizing a direct mobile communications (DMC) link associated with the communications controller, a first message including a control indicator in a first subset of the second set of network resources, the control indicator indicating scheduling information for a second subset of the second set of network resources.

Abstract: An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller and a user equipment in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a first set of subframes to a group of UEs for a DMC link, allocate a second set of subframes to a particular UE in the group of UEs, transmit a first message including information about the first set of subframes to the group of UE, and transmit a second message including information about the second set of subframes to the particular UE. The second set of subframes is a subset of the first set of subframes, and information about the second set includes subframes in which the particular UE may transmit to other UEs in the group of UEs. Subframes in the first set not in the second set are allocated for reception by the particular UE.

Abstract: A method for initiating a random access includes generating a first downlink control information (DCI) including random access parameters and selecting a control channel from a first downlink control channel in common search space of a first subframe and a second downlink control channel in a data region of the first subframe. The method also includes mapping the first DCI to the control channel and transmitting, by a communications controller to a UE, symbols of the first subframe including the first DCI in the control channel. Additionally, the method includes receiving, by the communications controller from the UE, a random access waveform in accordance with the random access parameters and transmitting, by the communications controller to the UE, after receiving the random access waveform, a second subframe including a second DCI in a control channel of the second subframe, where the second DCI includes scheduling information for a random access response.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method of wireless communication in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving, from a communications controller, a device-to-device (D2D) subframe configuration to communicate with one or more second wireless devices, the subframe configuration indicating one or more subframes in which to transmit a D2D signal or receive one or more D2D signals. The method also includes receiving, from the communications controller, scheduling information to transmit a first signal to the communications controller on a subframe indicated by the D2D subframe configuration. The method further includes prioritizing the transmission of the first signal over a transmission of the D2D signal or a reception of the one or more D2D signals, and transmitting the first signal.

Abstract: The present invention provides a wireless communication method supporting hybrid automatic repeat request. The method includes: sending first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) process quantity indication information to a user equipment UE; and if second HARQ process quantity indication information is further sent to the UE, determining a second HARQ process quantity according to the second HARQ process quantity indication information, and performing data transmission with the UE according to the determined second HARQ process quantity. Correspondingly, the present invention further provides a base station and the user equipment. In the present invention, the base station and the user equipment can perform data communication with the UE based on different HARQ timing relationships and HARQ process quantities, thereby being capable of better supporting UEs adopting different functional characteristics.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided herein for determining a synchronizing master for device-to-device (D2D) communication in a cellular network environment. In an embodiment, a user equipment (UE) receives a discovery signal comprising a timing reference, and determines a transmitter of the discovery signal. In accordance with the determination of the transmitter of the discovery signal, the UE performs one of synchronizing to the timing reference in the discovery signal and transmitting a second discovery signal. The UE performs the synchronizing to the timing reference if the transmitter of the discovery is a cellular network. Alternatively, the UE transmits the second discovery signal upon determining that the transmitter of the discovery signal is a second UE that is out of coverage of a cellular network.

Abstract: A method for transmitting control information to a wireless node includes determining, by a communications controller, a first resource assignment parameter according to a pseudo-random sequence derived from an identifier, and mapping, by the communications controller, using the first resource assignment parameter, a demodulation reference signal associated with the wireless node onto a first resource located in a data region of a subframe. The method also includes mapping, by the communications controller, modulated control information associated with the wireless node onto a second resource located in the data region of the subframe, and transmitting, by the communications controller, the subframe to the wireless node.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method of device-to-device (D2D) communication in a wireless communication network in accordance with a Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard. The method includes entering an RRC-Idle state or an RRC-Connected state. The method also includes transmitting, in the RRC-Idle state or RRC-Connected state, a D2D discovery signal for receipt by at least one second device in the network. The method further includes receiving, in the RRC-Idle state or RRC-Connected state, at least one D2D discovery signal from the at least one second device in the network.

Abstract: A device is configured to perform a method of wireless communication in a wireless communication network. The method includes receiving, from a communications controller, a device-to-device (D2D) subframe configuration to communicate with one or more second wireless devices, the subframe configuration indicating one or more subframes in which to transmit a D2D signal or receive one or more D2D signals. The method also includes receiving, from the communications controller, scheduling information to transmit a first signal to the communications controller on a subframe indicated by the D2D subframe configuration. The method further includes prioritizing the transmission of the first signal over a transmission of the D2D signal or a reception of the one or more D2D signals, and transmitting the first signal.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided to implement a time/power/frequency hopping scheme for device-to-device (D2D) discovery. The embodiments improve the UE detection of D2D discovery signals from neighboring UEs and account for large number of UEs' discovery signals. This is achieved by having neighboring UEs transmitting at different time instances and at different power levels. Further, neighboring UEs can be configured to transmit on different frequencies. This is achieved by assigning different time/power/frequency sequences to different UEs. An embodiment method includes transmitting, to a UE, parameters a hopping pattern of a first sequence of resources for transmitting a discovery signal by the UE and of a second sequence of resources for receiving a second discovery signal by the UE. The first sequence of resources comprises at least one of a sequence of time instances and a sequence of power levels. The second sequence of resources comprises time instances.

Abstract: A method for operating a communications controller includes selecting a search space configuration out of a set of candidate search space configurations for a user equipment served by the communications controller, wherein the search space configuration specifies one or more search spaces to be monitored out of a set of search spaces, and signaling the selected search space configuration to the user equipment.

Abstract: An embodiment of a system for operating a communications controller for a group of user equipments engaged in a DMC link in a wireless communications system is provided. The communications controller is configured to allocate a set of subframes in one periodic group of subframes to the group of UEs for the DMC link, signal the set of allocated subframes to the group of UEs, and transmit parameters related to a group of HARQ processes of the DMC link. In an embodiment, the communication controller uses HARQ processes for cellular UE transmission that are determined independently from HARQ processes of the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link, and the parameters are configured to enable the group of UEs to manage the group of HARQ processes for the DMC link.