Abstract: According to one general aspect, a method may include communicating, by a first apparatus, with at least a second apparatus via a device-to-device communication link. In various embodiments, the method may also include receiving resource allocations, from a base station. In some embodiments, the method may include determining, based at least partly on the received resource allocations, which resources are allocated to at least the second apparatus for communication with the base station. In various embodiments, the method may include based at least partly upon the resource allocations, determining when to perform direct device-to-device communication, by the first apparatus, with the second apparatus.

Abstract: Channel reservation in time division duplex for devices in systems involving, for example user devices and access points, may be accomplished using channel reservation request messages, such as request-to-send (RTS) messages and channel reservation grant messages, such as clear-to-send (CTS) messages. A method for channel reservation may include preparing a frame including at least one channel reservation request message and at least one channel reservation grant message. The preparing may include multiplexing the at least one channel reservation request message and the at least one channel reservation grant message at least by frequency-division multiplexing. The method may also include transmitting the frame from a first node to a second node, wherein the channel reservation request message and the channel reservation grant message relate to communications between the first node and the second node.

Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method, apparatus, and computer readable medium can provide an efficient mechanism to improve data rates of nodes suffering high interference without sacrificing performance of nodes that do not need interference-free channels to communicate. A node can receive two or more RTS packets and identify the RTS packet corresponding to its own cell, as well as RTS packets belonging to interferers. Based on the interference level estimated from the RTS packets, the node can decide if the channel needs to be interference-free for the intended transmission or if the current level of interference is acceptable. According to the embodiment, there can be two or more different types of CTS packets. A node can decide which type of CTS packet to transmit based on the information, signal level, interference level, or a combination therein, of at least two RTS channels, and based on measurements performed on these RTS channels, or other channels.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises determining at a base station an activity level, and selecting an availability mode based at least in part on the activity level, wherein the availability mode is one of a full-availability mode, a semi-availability mode and a minimum-availability mode. The method also comprises configuring radio resources for at least the minimum-availability mode and switching to the selected availability mode.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed that comprises measuring a first link quality of a first link based at least in part on a first power value; measuring a second link quality of a second link based at least in part on a second power value; and determining a suitable device-to-device (D2D) mode for a D2D connection based at least in part on the first link quality, the second link quality, and one or more D2D user equipment (UE) constraints.

Abstract: Disclosed are apparatus, methods and computer programs to establish device-to-device communications in a wireless network. A method includes sending an initiation message from a first device to initiate device-to-device communication with a second device; receiving a message indicating a request for setting up radio resources for device-to-device communication; sending a message to the second device, the message including a request to set up resources for device-to-device communication and, in response to establishing device-to-device communication with the second device using the resources, sending an acknowledgment that device-to-device communication is established.

Abstract: A network determines that a first radio node communicating on a radio resource with a second radio node is interfering with a third radio node communicating on the radio resource with the network. The network manages the interference by controlling transmit power of at least one of the first radio node and the third radio node. It may be by sending a command that indicates an amount by which the first or second radio node is to decrease its transmit power; and/or that indicates an amount by which the third radio node is to boost its transmit power. The network can measure a sounding signal it triggers from the first radio node, measure and compare to a threshold that guarantees a QoS for the third radio node, and compute appropriate backoff or boost values. The first and second radio nodes may be using device-to-device communications or a femto network.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a modulator configured to modulate a plurality of data sequences, where individual ones of the plurality of data sequences correspond to individual ones of a plurality of user equipment; a transmitter configured for operation with a plurality of antennas and further configured to simultaneously transmit the modulated data sequences to the plurality of user equipment; and a receiver configured to receive one of an acknowledgment or a non-acknowledgment indication from individual ones of the plurality of user equipment indicating success or failure, respectively, of an individual one of the user equipment correctly receiving a corresponding transmitted data sequence.