Method and apparatus for establishing a device-to-device connection

Abstract

A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided to facilitate the establishment of device-to-device communications, such as non-cellular communications or cellular communications in a licensed exempt band. A method and apparatus receive cellular signals including one or more beacon transmission parameters, such as a beacon transmission interval and an identifier, and a beacon transmission status flag. The method and apparatus may also determine that the beacon transmission status flag is set to authorize beacon transmissions and then cause non-cellular beacon signals to be repeatedly transmitted in accordance with the one or more beacon transmission parameters. The method and apparatus may also cause a device-to-device connection to be established following transmission of the beacon signals. The device-to-device connection may be either a non-cellular device-to-device connection or a cellular device-to-device connection.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An method, comprising:
 transmitting one or more beacon transmission parameters and a beacon transmission status flag to a first terminal;   transmitting one or more beacon transmission parameters and a beacon measurement status flag to a second terminal;   receiving a signal regarding at least one of a power level or a link quality of beacon signals transmitted between the first terminal and the second terminal; and   providing an instruction on whether to establish a device-to-device connection between the first terminal and the second terminal according to the at least one of the power level or the link quality of the beacon signals.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the one or more beacon transmission parameters and the beacon transmission status flag comprises transmitting, by a base station, cellular signals comprising the one or more beacon transmission parameters and the beacon transmission status flag. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the device-to-device connection comprises either a non-cellular device-to-device connection or a cellular device-to-device connection. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first terminal comprises a machine type communication (MTC) gateway or a non-cellular access point, and the second terminal comprises a machine type communication (MTC) device or a non-cellular device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting one or more beacon transmission parameters to the first terminal comprises transmitting a beacon transmission interval and an identifier of the first terminal to the first terminal, and wherein transmitting one or more beacon transmission parameters to the second terminal comprises transmitting a beacon transmission interval and an identifier of the first terminal to the second terminal. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 introducing a predefined delay between transmitting the beacon transmission status flag to the first terminal and transmitting the beacon measurement status flag to the second terminal;   sending a request for the signal according to the at least one of the power level or the link quality of the beacon signals from the second terminal; and   introducing a predefined delay between transmitting the beacon measurement status flag to the second terminal and sending the request for the signal.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus, comprising processing circuitry configured to:
 receive cellular signals including one or more beacon transmission parameters and a beacon transmission status flag;   determine that the beacon transmission status flag is set to authorize beacon transmissions;   transmit non-cellular beacon signals in accordance with the one or more beacon transmission parameters and in response to determining that the beacon transmission status flag is set to authorize beacon transmissions; and   establish a device-to-device connection following transmission of the beacon signals.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the cellular signals including the one or more beacon transmission parameters and the beacon transmission status flag from a base station. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection as a cellular or a non-cellular device-to-device connection. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to transmit the non-cellular beacon signals in a license exempt band. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection with a non-cellular or a machine type communication (MTC) device. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection as a machine-to-machine connection between a machine type communication (MTC) gateway and a MTC device. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection as a device-to-device connection between an access point and a non-cellular device. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus, comprising processing circuitry configured to:
 receive cellular signals including one or more beacon transmission parameters and a beacon measurement status flag;   determine that the beacon measurement status flag is set to authorize beacon measurements;   receive one or more non-cellular beacon signals;   provide a signal regarding at least one of a power level or a link quality of the one or more non-cellular beacon signals; and   establish a device-to-device connection following provision of the signal regarding the at least one of the power level or the link quality of the beacon signals.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the provided signal regarding the at least one of the power level or the link quality of the one or more non-cellular beacon signals comprises a cellular signal provided to a base station. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to receive the cellular signals from a base station. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection as a cellular or a non-cellular device-to-device connection. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection with a non-cellular access point or a machine type communication (MTC) gateway. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection as a device-to-device connection between a machine type communication (MTC) gateway and a MTC device. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the processing circuitry is configured to establish the device-to-device connection as a device-to-device connection between an access point and a non-cellular device.