Patent ID: 9648487
Date: 2017-05-09
CPC Classifications: H04W

Claim:
1. A method for grouping user equipments (UEs) in proximity services restricted discovery, used in a communications system, comprising: transmitting a first discovery request to a network, wherein the first discovery request includes a group ID; receiving a first discovery response transmitted from the network which transmits the first discovery response according to the first discovery request, wherein the first discovery response includes a first group code; transmitting a second discovery request to the network, wherein the second discovery request includes a group ID; receiving a second discovery response transmitted from the network which transmits the second discovery response according to the second discovery request, wherein the second discovery response includes a second group code; broadcasting, by a first user equipment (UE), a UE discovered signal for being discovered, wherein the UE discovered signal includes the first group code corresponding to the first UE; receiving, by a second UE, the UE discovered signal and comparing the first group code with the second group code corresponding to the second UE; transmitting, by the second UE, a comparing report to the network when the first group code and the second group code are the same; in response to the comparing report, transmitting by the network a comparison acknowledgment, which comparison acknowledgment includes information that confirms the first UE and the second UE are in the same group; and in response to receiving the comparison acknowledgment and the information, instituting direct communications between the first UE and second UE.