Efficient proximity service discovery resource report and allocation

Abstract

Effective proximity service discovery resource reporting and allocation. Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for enhancing proximity service (ProSe) device to device discovery resource allocation, the method comprising: allocating, by a network processing device, network resources to a plurality of user devices including at least one user device in a connected mode and at least one user device in an idle mode, the allocating comprising: restricting network resources allocated to the user device in the idle mode for proximity service discovery compared to the network resources allocated to the user device in the connected mode for proximity service discovery, such that the network resources maintain reliable discovery services for the user device in the connected mode as well as provide acceptable discovery services for the user device in the idle mode.

1 . A method for enhancing proximity service (ProSe) device to device discovery resource allocation, the method comprising:
 allocating, by a network processing device, network resources to a plurality of user devices including at least one user device in a connected mode and at least one user device in an idle mode, the allocating comprising:
 restricting network resources allocated to the user device in the idle mode for proximity service discovery compared to the network resources allocated to the user device in the connected mode for proximity service discovery, such that the network resources maintain reliable discovery services for the user device in the connected mode as well as provide acceptable discovery services for the user device in the idle mode. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the restricting comprises:
 allocating a first amount of network resources to the user device in the connected mode; and   allocating a second amount of network resources to the user device in the idle mode, wherein the first amount of network resources is greater than the second amount of network resources.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 the first amount of network resources comprises a specific portion used only for the user device in the connected mode and a shared portion, and the second amount of network resources also comprises the shared portion, such that the shared portion is shared between the user device in the connected mode and the user device in the idle mode.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein
 a first time slot corresponding to the first amount of network resources is greater than a second time slot corresponding to the second amount of network resources.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving a discovery resource status report from a user device;   wherein the restricting further comprises adjusting, based on the received discovery resource status report, network resources allocated to the user device in the connected mode for proximity service discovery and network resources allocated to the user device in the idle mode for proximity service discovery, such that the network resources maintain reliable discovery services for the user device in the connected mode as well as provide acceptable discovery services for the user device in the idle mode.   
     
     
         6 . A method for proximity service (ProSe) device to device discovery reporting, comprising:
 determining, by a processing device of a user device, that a predefined condition has occurred;   generating, by the processing device of the user device, a discovery resource status report comprising information indicating that the predefined condition has occurred; and   submitting, using the processing device of the user device, the discovery resource status report to a network.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 monitoring, by the processing device of the user device, a network discovery transmission for discovery activity; and   the generating further comprises generating by the processing device of the user device, based on the monitoring result, a discovery resource status report comprising at least one of information describing monitored and utilized network resources and information describing a number of monitored discovery sessions,   wherein the processing device of the user device executes the generating and/or the submitting periodically or when it has been determined in the determining that the predefined condition has occurred based on the monitoring result that the predefined congestion condition has occurred on a network discovery transmission.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the generating periodically generates the discovery resource status report, and the submitting periodically submits the discovery resource status report to the network. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the determining determines that network congestion has occurred for a predetermined time period; and wherein the method further comprises switching, by the user device, voluntarily from the idle mode to the connected mode in response to the determined result that the network congestion has occurred for the predetermined time period. 
     
     
         10 . A network apparatus for proximity service (ProSe) device to device discovery resource allocation, comprising:
 an allocation module, for allocating network resources to a plurality of user devices including at least one user device in a connected mode and at least one user device in an idle mode, the allocating module comprising:
 a restricting unit, for restricting network resources allocated to the user device in the idle mode for proximity service discovery compared to the network resources allocated to the user device in the connected mode for proximity service discovery, such that the network resources maintain reliable discovery services for the user device in the connected mode as well as provide acceptable discovery services for the user device in the idle mode. 
   
     
     
         11 . The network apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the restricting unit comprises:
 a first providing subunit, for provisioning a first amount of network resources to the user device in the connected mode; and   a second providing subunit, for provisioning a second amount of network resources to the user device in the idle mode;   wherein the first amount of network resources is greater than the second amount of network resources.   
     
     
         12 . The network apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein
 the first amount of network resources comprises a specific portion used only for the user device in the connected mode and a shared portion, and the second amount of network resources also comprises the shared portion, such that the shared portion is shared between the user device in the connected mode and the user device in the idle mode.   
     
     
         13 . The network apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein
 a first time slot corresponding to the first amount of network resources is greater than a second time slot corresponding to the second amount of network resources.   
     
     
         14 . The network apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a receiving module, for receiving a discovery resource status report from the user device;   wherein the restricting unit further comprises an adjusting portion for adjusting, based on the received discovery resource status report, network resources allocated to the user device in the connected mode for proximity service discovery and network resources allocated to the user device in the idle mode for proximity service discovery, such that the network resources maintain reliable discovery services for the user device in the connected mode as well as provide acceptable discovery services for the user device in the idle mode.   
     
     
         15 . A user device for proximity service (ProSe) device to device discovery reporting, comprising:
 a determining module, for determining that a predefined condition has occurred;   a generating module, for generating a discovery resource status report comprising information indicating that the predefined condition has occurred; and   a submitting module, for submitting the discovery resource status report to a network.   
     
     
         16 . The user device of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a monitoring module, for monitoring a network discovery transmission for discovery activity,   wherein the generating module generates, based on the monitoring result, a discovery resource status report comprising at least one of information describing utilized network resources and information describing a number of monitored discovery sessions, and   wherein the submitting module submits the discovery resource status report to the network periodically or in the case the determining module has determined that the predefined condition has occurred based on the monitoring result that a predefined congestion condition has occurred on a network discovery transmission.   
     
     
         17 . The user device of  claim 15 , wherein
 the generating module periodically generates the discovery resource status report, and   the submitting module periodically reports the discovery resource status report to the network.   
     
     
         18 . The user device of  claim 15 , further comprising a switching module for voluntarily switching the user device from an idle mode to a connected mode,
 wherein the determining module determines whether network congestion has occurred for a predetermined time period, and the switching module voluntarily switches the user device from the idle mode to the connected mode in response to the determined result that the network congestion has occurred for the predetermined time period.