Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless networks, such as relay networks or multi-hop networks, and also relating to control signaling techniques for wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a method or technique may include transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in a downlink direction and control frames in an uplink direction during a first phase, and transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in an uplink direction and control frames in a downlink direction during a second phase.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program is provided which allows an access point that is operating in multiple bands to be able to have a conflict-free cell identity when hopping to different bands. A first message is received, at an access point, indicating that a reassignment of cell identities has been triggered in a first band. A second message is transmitted, at the access point, indicating if the access point will participate in the reassignment.

Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed relating wireless networks and relating to context transfers and multi-band operation in wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a multi-band scheduler may be provided for use in a wireless node. The multi-band scheduler may be configured to: receive one or more data units of a flow; assign each received data unit of the flow to a first frequency band of a plurality of frequency bands; determine a band transfer condition for the flow; and perform a context transfer from the first frequency band to a second frequency band for the flow based on the determined band transfer condition.

Abstract: There is provided a method including obtaining, by a database entity, a-priori channel occupancy rate information of at least one channel from at least one of an entity of a primary system and an entity of a secondary system, wherein a database of the database entity includes information on white space channels, and availing the channel occupancy rate information to the secondary users in order to assist the secondary user to select a channel from the database.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for offloading data to D2D communication links. The method may include processing information indicating at least one or more data locations representing at least one or more candidate locations where data is stored; determining at least one or more device locations representing one or more devices accessible by a wireless device-to-device communication link; determining, based on the one or more data locations and the one or more device locations, a local device from which to access the data; and accessing the data at the determined local device. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising detecting, by a relay node in a wireless network, an inner automatic repeat request (ARQ) error on a local link of the wireless network, and sending, in response to the detecting, an outer ARQ status report identifying one or more packets that were not successfully received, the outer ARQ status report including an originating node ID identifying the relay node as an originator of the outer ARQ status report.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method comprising using a first frequency for communication in a first direction with an infrastructure node and a second frequency for communication in a second direction with the infrastructure node during a normal operation phase in a wireless network. The method may further comprise reversing the frequencies used for the communication in the first and second directions with the infrastructure node during a link reversal phase.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method for a communication network that includes a mobile device, a target device, and a connection settings server. The mobile device is configured to transmit a request for device-to-device connection settings data to the connection settings server, the connection settings server is configured to receive the request, determine appropriate device-to-device connection settings data, and transmit the appropriate device-to-device connection settings data to the mobile device, the mobile device is further configured to receive the appropriate device-to-device connection settings data and establish a device-to-device connection with the target device, wherein the establishing of the device-to-device connection is facilitated by the device-to-device connection settings data.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for providing distributed capacity based channel assignment in a radio frequency base station servicing a local area. A method can include determining that an additional channel is needed, receiving reports from user equipment connected to the base station over the air interface indicating the gain in capacity due to the added channel, adding the new channel, receiving loss reports from one or more neighboring base stations indicating the loss in capacity and the interference caused to user equipments serviced by the neighboring base stations due to the use of the new channel. The method can also include comparing the gain in capacity to the loss of capacity by the worst user connected to the neighboring base stations due to the added channel and determining whether to continue to add the channel to increase capacity.

Abstract: First, second and third apparatuses, methods and computer programs are provided. The first apparatus (10) controls a transmitter to transmit, to the third apparatus (30), service information relating to at least one service. The first apparatus (10) also controls the transmitter to transmit, to the third apparatus (30), at least one access control parameter that defines how to control access to the service information. The second apparatus (20) controls a transmitter to transmit a request, to the third apparatus (30) via data link layer signaling, requesting access to service information. The request comprises at least one access request parameter. The third apparatus (30) determines, from at least one access control parameter provided by the first apparatus (10), how to control access to service information provided by the first apparatus (10).

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing access to a local area network for user equipment operable in a wide area network such as a long term evolution cellular network. In one embodiment, the apparatus (1020) for use with a user equipment includes a resource allocator (1031) configured to generate a message for the long term evolution cellular network requesting at least one characteristic of a local area network. The apparatus (1020) also includes an accumulator (1032) configured to receive the at least one characteristic of the local area network to enable the user equipment to access the local area network.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for providing access to a local area network for a mobile station operable in a wide area network such as a Global System for Mobile Communications (“GSM”) network. In one embodiment, the apparatus (820) for use with a mobile station includes a resource allocator (831) configured to generate a message for the GSM network requesting at least one characteristic of a local area network. The apparatus (820) also includes an accumulator (832) configured to receive the at least one characteristic of the local area network to enable the mobile station to access the local area network.

Abstract: Inter-cell interference coordination of multiple transmission ranks can be accomplished by various methods and apparatuses. For example, a method can include defining indexing of resources for which a base station will restrict a maximum rank for transmission. The method can also include informing a neighboring base station of the first base station about the resources for which the base station will restrict the maximum rank of transmission.

Abstract: A provided apparatus is caused to direct establishment of a connection of the apparatus with a core network via a wide area radio access network (RAN), where the core network is coupled to an external network. The apparatus is also caused to select or receive selection of a local area network that is coupled to the same or different external network via one or more local gateways (L-GWs). The apparatus is caused to request selection of a L-GW of the one or more L-GWs from the core network via the wide area RAN, and in response, receive an identity of a selected L-GW. Further, the apparatus is caused to direct contact with the selected L-GW based on the identity, and establishment of a connection of the apparatus with the selected L-GW. The apparatus may thereby be connected to the external network via the local area network and selected L-GW.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for integration of a wireless local area network and a wide area cellular network. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include the support node receiving, from a first node, a message including a request for information representative of a configuration of a wireless local area network accessible by the first node. The method may also include providing, in response to the received message, the information representative of the configuration of the wireless local area network. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Abstract: A system for indicating the relative direction of a target object or location as determined from the current position of a wireless communication device. The system employs Direction of Arrival determination using an antenna array for indicating the direction of a target device and includes facilities to activate a location-indicating transmission in a target device, the ability to request that a location-indicating transmission be activated in a remote target device, relevant information reception from a target device and the display of all potential target devices within effective transmission range of the wireless communication device.

Abstract: A method including calculating a parameter for controlling a main lobe of a radiation pattern of an antenna array, the calculation using a direction of a location relative to the antenna array, the direction determined from information including a position of the location; determining a parameter for controlling the main lobe of the radiation pattern of the antenna array from a signal received at the antenna array from the location; and determining an offset using the parameter calculated from the determined direction and the parameter determined from the received signal.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a user equipment configured to receive local network connectivity information over a first wireless interface, determine a scanning strategy based at least in part on the received information, and discover a local network over a second wireless interface using at least in part the determined scanning strategy.

Abstract: Various example embodiments are disclosed relating to wireless networks, such as relay networks or multi-hop networks, and also relating to control signaling techniques for wireless networks. In an example embodiment, a method or technique may include transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in a downlink direction and control frames in an uplink direction during a first phase, and transmitting (e.g., data or control) frames in an uplink direction and control frames in a downlink direction during a second phase.

Abstract: A wireless node, such as a relay node, has different operating modes for unicast and broadcast/multicast subchannels. For unicast services the phase offsets of those relay nodes engaged in a cooperative transmission are optimized for the subchannels used for unicast services. Alternatively, when no feedback is available and an open loop MIMO or MIMO-type scheme is in use, retransmissions are performed in such a way that a destination (e.g., user terminal) receives effectively a distributed space-time block code. For the broadcast/multicast services time varying random phase offsets may be employed for the subchannels used for broadcast services. For reliable high data rate broadcast transmissions a cooperative retransmission scheme that effectively forms distributed space-time block codes may be used.