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: 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: 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: 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.

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: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for D2D handovers.

Abstract: A method for local selection of a retransmitting user equipment within a cluster comprises: selecting first retransmission indication information according to a first pre-defined criterion, in response to receipt of non-acknowledgement information from at least one non-acknowledgement user equipment at which a data packet from a network node is decoded incorrectly; performing a local selection of a retransmitting user equipment within a cluster based at least in part on the first retransmission indication least one non-acknowledgement user equipment, and at least one acknowledgement user equipment at which the data packet is decoded correctly; and determining whether or not to retransmit the data packet to the at least one non-acknowledgement user equipment, based at least in part on the local selection of the retransmitting user equipment.

Abstract: A method, system, apparatus, and computer program can provide scheduling of direct to direct communication by a high speed packet access base station. The method, for example, can include obtaining a direct user equipment communication toggling message (120). The method can also include interpreting physical layer signaling on a first frequency of a first radio system based on the toggling message (220). The method can further include scheduling a direct user equipment pair on a second frequency of a second system based on the interpreting (230). The toggling message can include a triggering message to initiate direct user equipment communication or an exit message to terminate direct user equipment communication.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method is disclosed that comprises receiving a control command to switch from a first communication mode to a second communication mode from a coupled controller; reconfiguring a plurality of protocol entities including at least a first protocol buffer and a second protocol buffer; moving remaining data packets in the first protocol buffer into at least the second protocol buffer; communicating a current data packet sequence number; and forwarding data in the second communication mode.

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: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus, comprising at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform at least the following: determine a first timing associated with a first signal; detect a second timing associated with a second signal; and estimate a timing advance value based at least in part on the detected first timing and the second timing, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method comprises communicating, by a first device, with a second device, using a device-to-device communication on licensed band, determining, by the first device, whether unlicensed band resources are available, and if the unlicensed band resources are available, initiating, by the first device, a set up of a device-to-device communication on unlicensed band.

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.