Determining proximity of user equipment for device-to-device communication

Abstract

Embodiments of apparatus, packages, computer-implemented methods, systems, devices, and computer-readable media (transitory and non-transitory) are described herein for ascertaining, e.g., by a traffic detection function (“TDF”), that a first user equipment (“UE”) and a second UE are, potentially, sufficiently proximate to each other to wirelessly exchange data directly. In various embodiments, an evolved serving mobile location center (“E-SMLC”) may be instructed, e.g., by the TDF, to obtain location change data associated with the first and second UEs. In various embodiments, a determination may be made, e.g., by the TDF, based on the location change data, whether the first and second UEs are sufficiently proximate to exchange data directly, and whether the first and second UEs are likely to remain proximate for at least a predetermined time interval. In various embodiments, the first and second UEs may be caused to commence device-to-device (“D2D”) communication based on the determination.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus to be included in a network entity, the apparatus comprising:
 receiver circuitry to receive location change data that is indicative of a location change over time of at least one of a first user equipment (“UE”) or a second UE; 
 processing circuitry, coupled with the receiver circuitry, to determine the location change over time of the at least one of the first UE or the second UE based on the location change data and to further determine that the first UE and the second UE are to be proximate with one another for a predetermined period of time based on the determined location change over time; and 
 transmitter circuitry, coupled with the processing circuitry, to transmit, based on the determination that the first UE and the second UE are to be proximate with one another for the predetermined period of time, an instruction to cause the first UE and the second UE to establish a direct wireless connection with one another. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the location change data comprises at least one of a velocity of the first or second UE, an acceleration of the first or second UE, or a rate of change of relative locations of the first and second UEs. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver circuitry is to receive a first location associated with the first UE and a second location associated with the second UE, and further wherein the determination, by the processing circuitry, that the first UE and the second UE are to be proximate with one another is based on the first and second locations. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter circuitry is to transmit an instruction to an evolved serving mobile location center (“E-SMLC”) to obtain the location change data. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the instruction to the E-SMLC indicates use of one of radio resource control (“RRC”) or non-access stratum (“NAS”) signaling over a control plane of a radio access network (“RAN”). 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the transmitter circuitry is to transmit the instruction to a mobility management entity (“MME”). 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the receiver circuitry is to receive a request associated with the first UE or the second UE, and further wherein the determination, by the processing circuitry, that the first UE and the second UE are to be proximate with one another is based on the request. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the request comprises a request for location services from an evolved Node B (“eNB”) that is to serve at least one of the first or the second UEs. 
     
     
       9. One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause a device to:
 instruct an evolved serving mobile location center (“E-SMLC”) to obtain location change data that is indicative of a location change over time of at least one of a first user equipment (“UE”) or a second UE; 
 determine, based on the location change over time, that the first UE and the second UE are to be proximate with one another for a predetermined period of time; and 
 transmit an instruction that is to cause the first and second UEs to establish a direct wireless connection based on said determination. 
 
     
     
       10. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the location change data comprises at least one of a velocity of the first or second UE, an acceleration of the first or second UE, or a rate of change of relative locations of the first and second UEs. 
     
     
       11. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the instruction to obtain the location change data includes an indication of whether to use radio resource control (“RRC”) or non-access stratum (“NAS”) signaling over a control plane of a radio access network (“RAN”). 
     
     
       12. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:
 instruct a mobility management entity (“MME”) to cause the first and second UEs to establish the direct wireless connection. 
 
     
     
       13. The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of  claim 9 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the device to:
 process a request associated with the first UE or the second UE; and 
 determine that the first UE and the second UE are to be proximate with one another based on the request. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the request comprises a request for location services from an evolved Node B (“eNB”) that is to serve at least one of the first or the second UEs. 
     
     
       15. Evolved Node B (“eNB”) circuitry comprising:
 receiver circuitry to receive, from an evolved mobile location center (“E-SMLC”), a first request for location change data that is indicative of a location change over time of a first user equipment (“UE”) and to receive the location change data from the first UE based on a second request; 
 transmitter circuitry to transmit the second request to the first UE using radio resource control (“RRC”) or non-access stratum (“NAS”) signaling and to transmit the location change data to the E-SMLC based on the first request; and 
 processing circuitry, coupled with the receiver circuitry and the transmitter circuitry, to serve the first UE and to determine the location change over time based on the location change data received from the first UE. 
 
     
     
       16. The eNB circuitry of  claim 15 , wherein the location change data comprises at least one of a velocity of the first UE, an acceleration of the first UE, or a rate of change of relative locations of the first UE to a second UE that is also served by the eNB circuitry. 
     
     
       17. The eNB circuitry of  claim 15 , wherein the request for the location change data is received directly from the E-SMLC and not from a mobility management entity (“MME”). 
     
     
       18. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that, in response to execution of the instructions by a user equipment (“UE”), enable the UE to: 
       process a request, received via radio resource control (“RRC”) or non-access stratum (“NAS”) signaling, for location change data that is indicative of a location change over time of the UE; and
 transmit, via the RRC or the NAS signaling, the location change data to an eNB that is to serve the UE based on the request. 
 
     
     
       19. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 18 , wherein the instructions further enable the UE to:
 establish a direct wireless connection with another UE. 
 
     
     
       20. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions further enable the UE to:
 process an instruction, received from a traffic detection function (“TDF”), to establish the direct wireless connection with the other UE.