Abstract: There is provided a solution for improving the quality of service of end-to-end communication between at least two user terminals. The solution includes applying uplink signaling in which information related to the traffic status of a direct device-to-device communication link is transmitted.

Abstract: First and second level discovery messages for device-to-device discovery are determined to be going to be transmitted, resource(s) are requested for transmission of at least the second level discovery message, and allocated resource(s) of a second type are received. The first level discovery message is transmitted on either a selected resource of the first type or a selected one of the allocated resource(s). The second level discovery message is transmitted on a selected one of the more allocated resource(s) of the second type, A first level discovery message is received on a resource of either a first type or a second type. It is determined whether the received message is of interest or not and if the message is of interest, then it is determined whether a second level discovery message is available and if so, the second level discovery message is received on a resource of the second type.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handling in-band signaling messages in radio access networks is provided. The method and apparatus may setup a logical channel, where the logical channel provides packet data control protocol in-band signaling for radio bearers, provide a unique logical channel identifier for the logical channel, receive a packet with a logical channel identifier tag and identify a packet data unit of the packet as a signaling packet data unit.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for communication are provided. An example solution may include determining a need for requesting channel resources from other user terminals of a group of user terminals for proximity-based communications within the group of user terminals; transmitting a channel resource request to at least one user terminal of the group of user terminals; receiving one or more responses to the request, the one or more responses coming from other user terminals of the group and including information on available channel resources; selecting the channel resources to utilise and starting transmission utilising the selected channel resources.

Abstract: Various example implementations are provided to improve wireless resource usage in a device-to-device (D2D) wireless network. According to one example implementation, a first user device may transfer a wireless channel to another user device of the D2D user group before an end of a current channel holding period. The first user device may control sending a channel transfer notification. One or more other user devices may request transfer of the channel for a remaining portion of the current channel holding period by controlling sending a channel transfer request to the first user device. According to another example implementation, the first user device may control sending a channel holding period extension request to one or more other user devices of a device-to-device (D2D) user group to request that the first user device continue holding the wireless channel for a next channel holding period.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for fair resource sharing among user(s) or user groups in broadcast based D2D communications are provided. One method includes monitoring, by a cluster head, at least one user group sharing physical channel resources. The at least one user group may include at least one D2D user equipment. The method may further include calculating a current share of the physical channel resources for the at least one user group based on pre-configured fair sharing rules, determining when a maximum fair share of the physical channel resources are allocated to one of the at least one user group, determining whether remaining physical resources are sufficient. When the remaining physical resources are sufficient, the method may include issuing an indication to the one of the at least one user group. When the remaining physical resources are not sufficient, the method may include issuing a warning to the one of the at least one user group.

Abstract: This document discloses transmission of a radio link failure control message in a situation where a control plane connection is established directly between a first access point of a cellular communication system and a terminal device of the cellular communication system and, additionally, a user plane connection is established between the first access point and the terminal device through a second access point. The radio link failure control message is transferred over the user plane connection during the radio link failure or proactively in an attempt to prevent the radio link failure.

Abstract: In a network controlled device to device service a reference radio bearer that would provide an adequate service in a cellular access mode is determined. Information of semi-static resource allocation is then determined for the reference radio bearer and signalled to at least one device for use in configuring the at least one device for device to device communications. The at least one device can use the information as guidance when configuring for device to device communications.

Abstract: Various communication systems may benefit from a high quality of service (QoS). For example, fifth generation (5G) wireless communication systems may benefit from differentiated service flows in the user plane that may impact a core network. According to certain embodiments, a method can include determining at a serving radio access network whether a modification of a service flow will impact at least one of a core network service monitoring, controlling, and configuring, and initiating, based on the determination, the modification of the service flow directly with a user equipment or through a controlling network entity located in the core network.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for communication are provided. The solution includes obtaining information of handovers to be performed regarding more than one user equipment connected to the apparatus; requesting the user equipment to form one or more device-to-device clusters; and controlling handovers to be performed utilising information on the formed device-to-device clusters.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for communication are provided. The solution may include determining the possibility of releasing at least part of the dedicated channel resources used for direct device-to-device communication with a group of user terminals; selecting, from the group, at least one user terminal to which the at least part of the channel resources are transferred; and controlling the transmission of a transfer message to the group of user terminals, the message indicating the at least one user terminal the at least part of the dedicated channel resources are transferred to.

Abstract: There is provided an improved solution for performing beacon broadcasting in a device-to-device communication network. The solution comprises selecting, by a node capable of entering a device-to-device communication network, a channel for broadcasting wherein the selection is based on at least one of the following: the characteristics of the node and the state of the node; and causing a broadcast of information related to at least part of the properties of the node on the selected channel.

Abstract: Structure of a multi-carrier flexible spectrum wireless cell is determined from received synchronization or broadcast channels of detected individual carriers. The determined structure is used to select an intended carrier for initial access or cell reselection to the flexible spectrum wireless cell. The structure may have carriers compatible with an earlier version (LTE/Release 8) of a communication standard and with a later version (LTE-A/Release 9). The received synchronization channels can inform of: relative positions of the individual carriers in a spectrum band of the multi-carrier structure; relative timing alignments of the received synchronization channels; contents of the received synchronization channels; and/or layer 1 cell-carrier identifiers. The synchronization channels may have a different structure as between the earlier and later versions, and the different structure is used to select the carrier that is compatible with the user equipment making the selection.

Abstract: A network entity interlaces with at least one other apparatus. The network entity receives a plurality of reports from respective terminals, each report being indicative of a detection of at least one particular apparatus of a specific type by the respective terminal, and analyzes the plurality of reports. The network entity determines that terminals, the reporis of which are indicative of the samo particular apparatus of the specific type, are in proximity to each other, and causes transmission of a corresponding proximity indication to each terminal for which a proximity to one or more other terminals was determined. Similarly, corresponding proximity discovery agent entities, i.e. apparatus of the specie type, corresponding terminal apparatuses and related methods as well as computer program products are envisaged.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus including: at least one processor and at least one memory including a computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to: select and configure a commercial user device to operate as a mobile relay agent for public safety usage and/or a public safety device to operate as a mobile relay and/or a mobile gateway for public safety usage, allocate a public safety specific spectrum to device-to-device communications for the public safety usage, and provide mobile backhaul services by using commercial resources.

Abstract: A method includes providing a broadband public safety network PSN that includes at least a first MS1 and a second MS2 mobile device and a first coverage area; and providing a broadband mobile communication network CN including a second coverage area 104. The method includes detecting the MS1 and MS2 mobile devices are residing out of the first coverage area and residing in the second coverage area 104. Then the MS1 and MS2 mobile devices are starting to operate in a Device to Device mode 204. The method further includes defining a group including the MS1 and MS2 mobile devices that are communicating in the Device to Device mode. The method includes determining, by using a selection mechanism including one or several timers, which of the MS1 and MS2 mobile devices acts as a controlling mobile device for the group 202.

Abstract: The invention is related to an apparatus, comprising: at least one processor and at least one memory including computer code for one or more programs, the at least one memory and the computer code configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus at least to: receive a signal from a first user device, the signal being transmitted using at least one resource of one group of a plurality of resource groups, the one of the plurality of resource groups being associated with a first range class; and determine the first range class based on the one of the plurality of resource groups.

Abstract: Methods, corresponding apparatuses, and non-transitory computer readable mediums for a Proximity-based Service are provided. A method comprises receiving, from at least one user equipment, a resource utilization indication that indicates resources used by at least one user equipment for a ProSe device-to-device discovery procedure. The method also comprises determining, based on the received resource utilization indication, resources for the at least one user equipment to perform a subsequent ProSe device-to-device discovery procedure. The method additionally comprises signaling the determined resource to the at least one user equipment. With the claimed inventions, utilization efficiency of the radio resources may be improved and the complexity and overhead in allocating the resource for ProSe D2D discovery procedure may be lowered.

Abstract: One of the embodiments of the present invention relates to a method for controlling a D2D discovery process at a discovering user equipment. The method comprises determining by the discovering user equipment whether discovery information in a discovering message received from a discovered user equipment is sufficient for performing the D2D discovery process or not. In response to a positive result of the determination, the user equipment continues the discovery procedure without involvement of network node, at least by using the discovery information in the discovering message; in response to a negative result of the determination, the user equipment sends a request to a network node for assistance on further discovery information for performing the D2D discovery process, and then receives the further discovery information from the network node. Embodiments of the present invention also provide methods, apparatuses and computer program products.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising at least one processor, and at least one memory for storing instructions to be executed by the processor, wherein the at least one memory and the instructions are configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least: to receive and process a data transmission related to a communication channel allocated to a device-to-device broadcast communication, to determine an occupation state related to the received data transmission, to prepare an occupation indication related to the determined occupation state, and to conduct a processing for transmitting the occupation indication.