Patent ID: 9313607
Filing Date: 2016-04-12
CPC Classification: H04W

Claim Text:
1. A method of operation of a base station in a cellular communications network, comprising: receiving device-to-device information for a plurality of wireless devices, the device-to-device information comprising information related to availability of the plurality of wireless devices for device-to-device communication; transmitting device-to-device configuration information to a first wireless device, the device-to-device configuration information comprising information obtained from the device-to-device information for the plurality of wireless devices; receiving a device-to-device request from the first wireless device in a cell served by the base station to establish device-to-device communication, the device-to-device request being received at the base station subsequent to transmitting the device-to-device configuration information to the first wireless device; selecting a second wireless device for device-to-device communication with the first wireless device from the plurality of wireless devices that are available for device-to-device communication based on the device-to-device request and information regarding the plurality of wireless devices that are available for device-to-device communication; transmitting a device-to-device request acknowledgement to the first wireless device, the device-to-device request acknowledgement comprising information that enables the first wireless device to establish device-to-device communication with the second wireless device; and effecting transmission of a device-to-device reconfiguration message to the second wireless device, the device-to-device reconfiguration message comprising information that informs the second wireless device that the first wireless device has requested establishment of device-to-device communication.