Patent ID: 10045391

Abstract:
Methods, corresponding apparatuses, and computer program products for ProSe communication are provided. A method comprises sending, from a first base station, a first configuration message to at least one of two user equipments which are performing ProSe communication over a first locally routed path via the first base station such that the two user equipments perform the ProSe communication over a second locally routed path via a second base station. The method also comprises sending, from the first base station, a second configuration message to the second base station such that the second base station is configured to support the two user equipments to perform the ProSe communication over the second locally routed path via the second base station. In the method, ciphering and deciphering of ProSe communication traffic at a specific protocol layer by the first base station is skipped such that the ciphering and deciphering are performed by the two user equipments or by the second base station and the two user equipments. With the claimed invention, the back-and-forth routing between the first base station and second base station resulting in heavy traffic load can be alleviated.