Method and apparatus for cross link establishment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for cross link (XL) establishment and maintenance are disclosed in which the XL enables direct communication between the LTE WTRU and the another LTE WTRU. In the method and apparatus, a XL between a Long Term Evolution (LTE) terminal wireless transmit/receive unit (T-WTRU) and an LTE helper WTRU (H-WTRU) is established and maintained. The T-WTRU is configured to maintain the XL while in an XL-idle substate in which data communication on the XL is disabled. A receiver of the T-WTRU is configured to receive a first keep alive message on the XL in the XL-idle substate, and, on a condition that the first keep alive message is received, at least one processor of the T-WTRU is configured to maintain the XL.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for maintaining a cross link (XL) with another LTE WTRU, the XL enabling direct communication between the LTE WTRU and the another LTE WTRU, the LTE WTRU comprising:
 at least one processor configured to establish the XL with the another LTE WTRU and to maintain the XL while in an XL-idle substate in which data communication on the XL is disabled; and   a receiver configured to receive a first keep alive message on the XL in the XL-idle substate,   wherein, on a condition that the first keep alive message is received, the at least one processor is configured to maintain the XL.   
     
     
         2 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the LTE WTRU is a helper WTRU (H-WTRU) and the another LTE WTRU is a terminal WTRU (T-WTRU). 
     
     
         3 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the LTE WTRU is a terminal WTRU (T-WTRU) and the another LTE WTRU is a helper WTRU (H-WTRU). 
     
     
         4 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein, in the XL-idle state, the receiver is configured to receive a scheduling request from the another LTE WTRU, wherein the scheduling request is a request for a resource allocation for the XL. 
     
     
         5 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to start a keep alive timer in the XL-idle substate and reset the keep alive timer upon receiving the first keep alive message. 
     
     
         6 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor an expiration of the keep alive timer, and, on a condition that the keep alive timer is valid, the at least one processor is configured to maintain the XL and remain in the XL-idle state. 
     
     
         7 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor an expiration of the keep alive timer, and, on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, the at least one processor is configured to perform neighbor discovery. 
     
     
         8 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor an expiration of the keep alive timer, and, on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, the at least one processor is configured to transmit an indication to an LTE eNode B that the XL failed. 
     
     
         9 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor an expiration of the keep alive timer, and, on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, the at least one processor is configured to perform an association process during which the transmitter is configured to transmit an association information message to at least one backup LTE WTRU. 
     
     
         10 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to monitor an expiration of the keep alive timer, and, on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, the at least one processor is configured to exit the XL-idle substate. 
     
     
         11 . The LTE WTRU of  claim 1 , The LTE WTRU of  claim 1 , wherein the LTE WTRU is out of a coverage area of an LTE eNode B that the another LTE WTRU is camped on. 
     
     
         12 . A method of maintaining a cross link (XL) between a first Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and a second LTE WTRU, the XL enabling direct communication between the first LTE WTRU and the second LTE WTRU, the method comprising:
 establishing, by the first LTE WTRU, the XL with the second LTE WTRU;   maintaining, by the first LTE WTRU, the XL while in an XL-idle substate in which data communication on the XL is disabled;   receiving, by the first LTE WTRU, a first keep alive message on the XL in the XL-idle substate; and   maintaining, by the first LTE WTRU on a condition that the first keep alive message is received, the XL.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first LTE WTRU is a helper WTRU (H-WTRU) and the second LTE WTRU is a terminal WTRU (T-WTRU). 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first LTE WTRU is a terminal WTRU (T-WTRU) and the second LTE WTRU is a helper WTRU (H-WTRU). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the first LTE WTRU in the XL-idle state, a scheduling request from the second LTE WTRU, wherein the scheduling request is a request for a resource allocation for the XL.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 starting, by the first LTE WTRU, a keep alive timer in the XL-idle substate; and   resetting, by the first LTE WTRU, the keep alive timer upon receiving the first keep alive message.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the first LTE WTRU, an expiration of the keep alive timer; and   maintaining the XL, by the first LTE WTRU on a condition that the keep alive timer is valid; and   remaining in the XL-idle substate, by the first LTE WTRU, on a condition that the keep alive timer is valid.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the first LTE WTRU, an expiration of the keep alive timer; and   performing, by the first LTE WTRU on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, neighbor discovery.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the first LTE WTRU, an expiration of the keep alive timer; and   transmitting, by the first LTE WTRU on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, an indication to an LTE eNode B that the XL failed.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the first LTE WTRU, an expiration of the keep alive timer; and   performing, by the first LTE WTRU on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, an association process during which the transmitter is configured to transmit an association information message to at least one backup LTE WTRU.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the first LTE WTRU, an expiration of the keep alive timer; and   exiting, by the first LTE WTRU on a condition that the keep alive timer expires, the XL-idle substate.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first LTE WTRU is out of a coverage area of an LTE eNode B that the second LTE WTRU is camped on.