Abstract: A wireless communication device transmits a device beacon in accordance with a system timing of a wireless wide area network (WWAN). For one example, the beacon is transmitted relative to WWAN uplink channels of the time-frequency space of the uplink WWAN channel assignment. In response to the reception of the device beacon by another wireless communication device, a peer to peer communication session is established.

Abstract: An origination device (e.g., a base station) dual encodes a first set of data (1) according to a first set of encoding parameters corresponding to channel conditions associated with a first communication link, and (2) according to a second set of encoding parameters corresponding to channel conditions associated with a second communication link. The dual-encoded first set of data is transmitted to a signal forwarding device. The signal forwarding device decodes the dual-encoded first set of data, using decoding parameters that correspond to the second set of encoding parameters, to generate a single-encoded first set of data that is encoded according to the first set of encoding parameters. The signal forwarding device transmits a “single-encoded forwarded signal” to the destination device. The destination device decodes the single-encoded forwarded signal using decoding parameters that correspond to the first set of encoding parameters, which yields the first set of data.

Abstract: Communication equipment communicates in a licensed frequency band using a licensed band physical channel structure (licensed structure) and communicates in an unlicensed frequency communication band using an unlicensed band physical channel structure (unlicensed structure) where the unlicensed structure includes at least the same symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions as in the licensed structure. The symbol times and subcarriers form a plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements. A set of symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions form a licensed reference subset of communication resource elements that are allocated for reference signal transmission in the licensed structure. The same set of symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions form an unlicensed reference subset of communication resource elements that are allocated for reference signal transmission in the unlicensed structure.

Abstract: The base station includes an encoder that encodes a first set of bits of MTC information with a first coding rate and encodes a second set of MTC information bits with a second coding rate. The first set and second set of bits are modulated using layered modulation and broadcast within the service area of the base station in a first transmission such that the first set of bits can be recovered using the low modulation order and the second set of bits can be recovered using the high modulation order. A relay station receives, demodulates and decodes the first transmission to recover at least the second set of bits. The relay station transmits a second set transmission including at least the second set of bits to at least one MTC device that did not recover the second set of bits from the first transmission.

Abstract: A transmitting user equipment (UE) device selects between a cellular communication link and a device-to-device (D2D) communication link for transmission for data from the transmitting UE device to a receiving UE device. Based on cellular channel characteristic information and D2D channel characteristic information, the UE device selects between the cellular communication link and the D2D communication link. The cellular channel characteristic information is indicative of at least a portion of a cellular communication link through a base station (eNB) and the D2D channel characteristic information is indicative of the D2D communication link between the transmitting UE device and the receiving UE device.

Abstract: A controlling base station sends, to a wireless communication device, control data related to communication between a communication base station and the wireless communication device. The control data is transmitted in accordance with a communication specification and is transmitted to allow reception by the wireless communication device of the control data within a data channel having a frequency and time allocated by the communication specification for the wireless communication device to receive data transmissions from the communication base station.

Abstract: A base station (eNB) determines device-to-device (D2D) transmission parameters for signal transmission over a D2D communication link between a first user equipment (UE) device and a second UE device. The eNB instructs the first UE device to transmit a reference signal that is received by the second UE device. The second UE device reports D2D channel characteristic information indicative of the received reference signal. Based on the D2D channel characteristic information, the base station determines the D2D transmission parameters and provides the parameters to the first UE device.

Abstract: In response to an instruction received from a base station, a signal forwarding device applies a signal forwarding scheme selected from a plurality of signaling forwarding schemes by a scheduler. The signal forwarding scheme may be applied by the signal forwarding device to forward signals from the base station to a user equipment (UE) device and/or from the UE device to the base station. The scheduler selects the signal forwarding scheme based on channel characteristics of the channel between the signal forwarding device and the UE device and/or the channel between the signal forwarding device and the base station. Although at least some of the channel characteristics are determined by the base station, at least some of the channel characteristics can be determined by the signal forwarding device in some situations.

Abstract: An origination device (e.g., a base station) transmits a “received signal” to a signal forwarding device. The “received signal” comprises a first set of data, a first set of control information, and a second set of control information. The first and second sets of control information are both associated with the first set of data. The first set of control information contains instructions pertaining to the signal forwarding device processing the first set of data. The second set of control information contains instructions pertaining to a destination device (e.g. a user equipment (UE) device) processing the first set of data. The signal forwarding device transmits a “forwarded signal” to the destination device. The “forwarded signal” contains forwarded data, based on the first set of data, and forwarded control information, based on the second set of control information.

Abstract: A downlink signal is received at an origination device (e.g., a user equipment (UE) device). In response to receiving the downlink signal, the origination device transmits an uplink signal to a signal forwarding device. The uplink signal received, at the signal forwarding device, from the origination device is a “received signal,” which contains a destination identifier. The signal forwarding device transmits a “forwarded signal” to a destination associated with the destination identifier. The “forwarded signal” is based on the contents of the “received signal” and/or any information that may be ascertained from the “received signal.” The received signal may also contain a downlink channel feedback report and/or an acknowledgment response. Based on the forwarded signal, a signal forwarding scheme may be selected.

Abstract: An origination device transmits a “received data signal” to a signal forwarding device. The “received data signal” comprises a first set of data. The origination device also transmits at least one “received control signal” to the signal forwarding device and to a destination device. The at least one “received control signal” comprises a first set of control information and a second set of control information. The first and second sets of control information are both associated with the first set of data. The first set of control information contains instructions pertaining to the signal forwarding device processing the first set of data. The second set of control information contains instructions pertaining to the destination device processing the first set of data. The signal forwarding device transmits a “forwarded signal” to the destination device. The “forwarded signal” contains forwarded data, based on the first set of data.

Abstract: A base station (eNB) determines device-to-device (D2D) transmission parameters for signal transmission over a D2D communication link between a first user equipment (UE) device and a second UE device. The eNB instructs the first UE device to transmit a reference signal that is received by the second UE device. The second UE device reports D2D channel characteristic information indicative of the received reference signal. Based on the D2D channel characteristic information, the base station determines the D2D transmission parameters and provides the parameters to the first UE device.

Abstract: An origination device (e.g., a base station) combines and encodes first user data and second user data, having similar QoS requirements, to generate a multiuser packet. In some cases, the origination device dual-encodes the multiuser packet. The multiuser packet is transmitted to one or more signal forwarding devices that each serve at least one of the users associated with the data contained in the multiuser packet. The signal forwarding device decodes the multiuser packet to obtain the first and second user data. The signal forwarding device transmits at least one portion of the multiuser packet, as single-encoded signals, to one or more appropriate destination devices (e.g., UE devices).

Abstract: An origination device (e.g., a base station) encodes first and second data packets according to a first set of encoding parameters corresponding to channel conditions associated with a first communication link between a signal forwarding device and a destination device. The resulting first and second single-encoded data packets contain the same data. The origination device combines the first and second single-encoded data packets to generate a single-encoded data block. The origination device encodes the single-encoded data block, according to a second set of encoding parameters corresponding to channel conditions associated with a second communication link between the origination device and the signal forwarding device, to generate a dual-encoded data block. The dual-encoded data block is transmitted to the signal forwarding device.

Abstract: A base station (eNB) selects between a cellular communication link and a device-to-device (D2D) communication link for communication between a first user equipment (UE) device and a second UE device. The eNB instructs each UE device to transmit a reference signal that is received by the other UE device and the eNB. Each UE device reports D2D channel characteristic information indicative of the received reference signal. The eNB determines first cellular channel characteristic information of a first portion of a cellular communication link between the first UE device and the eNB and determines second cellular channel characteristic information of a second portion of the cellular communication link between the second UE device and the eNB.

Abstract: A first wireless communication device receives device-to-device (D2D) control information from a base station in a cellular communication system and sends second device D2D control data to a second wireless communication device. The second device control data is used for D2D communication over a D2D communication link between the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device. The second device D2D control data is at least partially based on the D2D control information.

Abstract: Communication equipment communicates in a licensed frequency band using a licensed band physical channel structure (licensed structure) and communicates in an unlicensed frequency communication band using an unlicensed band physical channel structure (unlicensed structure) where the unlicensed structure includes at least the same symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions as in the licensed structure. The symbol times and subcarriers form a plurality of time-frequency communication resource elements. A set of symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions form a licensed reference subset of communication resource elements that are allocated for reference signal transmission in the licensed structure. The same set of symbol times and subcarrier frequency divisions form an unlicensed reference subset of communication resource elements that are allocated for reference signal transmission in the unlicensed structure.

Abstract: Macrocell communication resources are assigned for device-to-device (D2D) communication between two wireless communication user equipment (UE) devices. A scheduler in a communication system schedules (assigns) scheduled downlink communication resources for downlink transmission of signals from a base station, schedules (assigns) scheduled uplink communication resources for uplink communication from wireless communication (UE) devices to base stations, and schedules (assigns) (D2D) communication resources for (D2D) communication between wireless communication (UE) devices. The (D2D) communication resources are selected from either defined downlink communication resources or defined uplink communication resources that are defined by communication specification.

Abstract: A signal forwarding device forwards signals between a user equipment (UE) device and a base station using a partial decode and forward (PDF) signal forwarding scheme where an incoming signal is demodulated and forwarded to a destination as a forwarded signal without decoding the incoming signal. The signal forwarding device transmits, to the base station, channel information regarding the UE-SFD channel between the UE device and the signal forwarding device. A base station (BS) scheduler determines the coding rate to be used by the UE device at least partially based on the channel information. The base station transmits coding rate information indicative of the coding rate to the signal forwarding device. A signal forwarding device (SFD) scheduler schedules communication resources for use by the UE device at least partially based on the coding rate information.

Abstract: The timing used by communication equipment in a licensed frequency band by is used by the communication equipment for communication in an unlicensed frequency band. Time divisions, such as frames, subframes, timeslots, and symbol times, defined for use in the licensed frequency band are used by the communication equipment to communicate in the unlicensed frequency band. Before a transmitting device transmits within the unlicensed frequency band, the unlicensed frequency band is monitored for radio frequency energy to determine if the spectrum is currently being used. If no energy is detected, or the level is below a threshold, it is determined that the unlicensed band can be used by the transmitter.