Abstract: Systems and techniques for managing collisions in discovery of device to device communication capable devices. Depending on whether collision probability is high or low, collision avoidance, or collision detection, may be performed. In collision avoidance, a user device broadcasting a discovery signal includes a cell identifier with the signal. In collision detection, a user device is allocated with an identifying sequence unique to a serving cell. A discovering user device's base station sends a report including a sequence associated with a discovered device to a core network element, which has information relating to sequences and cells of each user device. The network element examines information for neighboring cells of the discovering user device's serving cell and determines if the same identifying sequence associated with the discovered user device is associated with one or more user devices served by neighbor cells to the serving cell of the discovering user device.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatuses, and computer program products for handling user equipment (UE) context for dual connectivity in, for example, enhanced small cell networks are provided. One method includes associating small cell identifiers that are assigned by an anchor evolved node B (eNB) with a unique cell identifier related to the anchor eNB, and reporting user equipment (UE) history information in dual connectivity mode to a target evolved node B (eNB). The UE history information comprises at least the unique cell identifier of the anchor eNB.

Abstract: A method and apparatus can be configured to determine a redundancy rate. The method can also include mirroring an amount of data from a first node to a second node based upon the determined redundancy rate. The method can also include transmitting a last-data-unit index or a next-data-unit index.

Abstract: Methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for ProSe communication are provided. A method comprises sending, from a first base station, a first configuration message to at least one of two user equipments which are performing ProSe communication over a first locally routed path via the first base station such that the two user equipments perform the ProSe communication over a second locally routed path via a second base station. The method also comprises sending, from the first base station, a second configuration message to the second base station such that the second base station is configured to support the two user equipments to perform the ProSe communication over the second locally routed path via the second base station.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods are described, which perform control in relation to a connection for proximity service between at least two devices, perform lawful interception in relation to the proximity service with respect to at least one device to be intercepted of the at least two devices, and configure at least one radio access network control element to perform the lawful interception in relation to the proximity service.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for controlling state transition of a user equipment UE in proximity wireless communication. A method can comprise: learning about an associated agent's context of a connected UE and said UE's capability; deciding to put the connected UE into virtual associated state; sending to said UE a message with indication of putting said UE into said virtual associated state as well as the UE's context; and maintaining said associated agent's context of the UE.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure provide methods and apparatuses for handover in a heterogeneous network. According to the method, a candidate radio connectivity mode for use after handover from a source BS to a first target BS and/or a second target BS is determined; a first handover related message which comprises the candidate radio connectivity mode is sent to the source BS; and in response to receiving a second handover related message, the first target BS and/or the second target BS may be accessed, wherein the source BS is not associated with the first target BS, and wherein the first target BS is a LPN and is associated with the second target BS.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus, comprising at least one processing core configured to determine an opportunity for device-to-device, D2D, communication, and at least one transmitter configured to cause transmitting of a D2D communication request, wherein the D2D communication request at least one of comprises a radio resource control signaling message and comprises an indication of a type of D2D communication that is requested. The indicated type may comprise D2D communication with no fallback to cellular connectivity, wherein such a D2D communication can be established without involving a core network, CN.

Abstract: A method and related user equipment for radio resource control connection recovery are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, the method comprises: detecting a RLF of a radio link between a first user equipment and a radio access node; informing a second user equipment which communicates with the radio access node via the first user equipment to suspend a radio resource control connection state; executing a radio resource control connection reestablishment procedure with the radio access node; and informing the second user equipment to resume the radio resource control connection state if the radio resource control connection reestablishment is successful. In addition, a method and related user equipment used with radio resource control connection recovery are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for path switch in the D2D communication are provided. The method comprises receiving, from a network element, a path switch command which is generated when a pair of user equipments in device-to-device communication over a default data path is served by the same base station. The method further comprises switching, based at least in part upon the path switch command, a data path of the pair of user equipments in the device-to-device communication from the default data path to an optimized data path. With the claimed inventions, smooth switching could be realized without degradation to the user experience.

Abstract: Methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for mobility control in a heterogeneous network are provided. The method comprises sending, by a source local area base station (e.g., a source access point), a handover request for handing over a user equipment to a target local area base station (e.g., a target access point), wherein the source and target local area base stations are connected with a same wide area base station and the user equipment is connected with the same wide area base station via the source local area base station. The method also comprises handing over, based on a handover request acknowledgement from the target local area base station, the user equipment to the target local area base station for continuing with at least one of an ongoing local area service and an ongoing wide area service without changing security keys of the same wide area base station.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for a switch from a first communication path between a first device and a second device to a second communication path to be established between the first device and the second device. A method can comprise: in response to the initiation of the switch, sending a notification of the initiation of the switch to a base station for setting up an intermediate communication path between the first device and the second device, wherein the intermediate communication path is relayed by the base station and does not pass a core network; and delivering traffics between the first device and the second device via the intermediate communication path until the second communication path is established.

Abstract: According to an example embodiment of this application, a method may include determining a distance from a network element; and assigning at least one of a downlink resource or an uplink resource to the network element based at least in part on the determined distance, wherein the assigned resource is used for both a downlink and an uplink communication of the network element.

Abstract: The long term evolution (LTE) of the third generation partnership project may benefit from a long term evolution local area network (LTE-LAN) system, such as a portable LTE-LAN system. Moreover, an LTE-LAN system may benefit from inter-cell interference (ICI) detection for inter portable LTE-LAN interference. A method can include measuring, with a first local access point, a first power of a first uplink sequence and a second power of a second uplink sequence from at least one user equipment. The method can also include determining that the first local access point and a second local access point are interfering with one another based on a comparison of the first power and the second power.

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: provide access to a network and needed bearers locally, and obtain offload bearer traffic from an umbrella node under control of the umbrella node in such a manner that a core network sees the offload bearer traffic as internal umbrella node traffic.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, including supporting, in a communication apparatus (UE), a stand-alone operation mode for using, without a core network (EPC) involvement, bearer services provided by a local network (LTE-LAN). The method further includes supporting, in the communication apparatus (UE), flexible single radio/dual radio modes for offloading resources of a macro network (LTE) in order to use bearer services provided by the macro network (LTE) either in the single radio mode or in the dual radio mode, wherein said offloading is controlled by an associated macro network apparatus (eNB).

Abstract: Provided are methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for triggering WLAN discovery and handover procedures in coexisted LTE and WLAN networks. A method comprises receiving, from a first base station, information that has been exchanged 5 between the first evolve Node B and a second base station and that relates to at least one wireless local area network access point connected or co-located with the first base station or the second base station; and performing a wireless local area network discovery procedure with the at least one wireless local area network access point based upon the received information. With the claimed inventions, signaling cost and power consumption by those unnecessary WLAN 10 discovery procedures could be avoided, acquiring a longer battery life for a user equipment.

Abstract: In accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention, a method comprises configuring an autonomous mode for traffic offloading; and indicating the autonomous mode towards at least one terminal, wherein said autonomous mode supports local area radio access connectivity by internet protocols to reduce control from a core network. Related apparatus and computer program product are also described.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to support traffic offloading in a manner that relies upon,a wireless access point having a co-located local gateway (L-GW), but that does not require each access point to have a co-located L-GW. In the context of a method, the traffic offloading capabilities of at least one other access point is initially determined. The method may also cause a tunnel to be established with another access point with a co-located L-GW having traffic offloading capabilities. Further, the method cause communications with a network to be conducted via the tunnel established with the another access point so as to utilize the traffic offloading capabilities of the another access point.

Abstract: A fast-accessing method may comprise: establishing a first security connection between a first network node and a user equipment; obtaining first information from a second network node, wherein the first information comprises at least one of system information of the second network node and an identifier of a security algorithm selected by the second network node for the user equipment; providing second information to the second network node, in response to an indication of the second network node from the user equipment, wherein the second information comprises security information related to the user equipment; and sending the first information to the user equipment for establishing a second security connection between the user equipment and the second network node.