Patent Description:
<FIG> illustrates a network architecture for Proximity Services (ProSe). As shown in <FIG>, ProSe refers to a service that supports a data transfer path enabling two user equipments (UEs) to directly exchange data without use of the infrastructure of a mobile communication network. In other words, ProSe enables proximate UEs to exchange data through a direct data path without help of the backhaul of a mobile communication network.

To implement a ProSe application utilizing a direct data path as shown in <FIG>, it is necessary to discover a device to communicate and identify the need for communication with the device. For example, when a user wishes to take a proximate taxi for Seoul by use of a ProSe based taxi finding application, it is necessary to find or identify a device or UE running the taxi finding application with interest information "not taken by a passenger and can go to Seoul".

In addition, it is necessary for UEs being allowed to run specific applications to exchange messages. According to <CIT>, a network coordinator can assign an association identifier (AID) and/or a group identifier (GID) to identify a client station to which a packet is to be transmitted and to enable the client station to determine whether to receive an incoming packet. The network coordinator can randomly generate a base AID that is representative of the network coordinator and can assign at least one AID to client stations to minimize the probability of client stations associated with proximate network coordinators being assigned the same AIDs. The network coordinator can also randomly assign at least one GID to a group of client stations to minimize the probability of groups of client stations associated with the proximate network coordinators being assigned the same GID. The client station can analyze indications of a received AID and/or received GID to determine whether to receive the packet or whether to switch to an inactive power state.

An apparatus for an idle mode terminal according to <CIT> is configured to perform a method for operating the idle mode terminal in a Machine to Machine (M2M) communication system. A paging message is received from the base station during a paging listening interval. The apparatus determines whether an indicator indicating receipt of multicast group data is included in the paging message. When the indicator indicating the receiving of multicast group data is included, data transmitted via a downlink resource that uses an identifier mask of a multicast group to which a terminal belongs is received. Thereafter, a paging non-listening interval is entered.

Accordingly, an aspect of the present invention is to provide a method and terminal that enable efficient group communication.

In accordance with an aspect, which is not part of the present invention, there is provided a method of communication for a user equipment (UE). The method may include: receiving first resource information indicating a first resource region and second resource information indicating a second resource region from an evolved Node B (eNB); receiving a first message from a second UE via the first resource region; checking whether the contents of the first message match the UE; and sending, when the contents of the first message match the UE, a second message associated with the first message to the second UE via the second resource region. In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a user equipment (UE). The user equipment may include: a communication unit configured to receive first resource information indicating a first resource region and second resource information indicating a second resource region from an evolved Node B (eNB), and receive a first message from a second UE via the first resource region; and a control unit configured to check whether the contents of the first message match the UE. When the contents of the first message match the UE, the communication unit may send a second message associated with the first message to the second UE via the second resource region.

In accordance with another aspect, which is not part of the present invention, there is provided a method of communication for a user equipment (UE). The method may include: receiving first resource information indicating a first resource region and second resource information indicating a second resource region from an evolved Node B (eNB); sending a first message via the first resource region; and receiving a second message associated with the first message from a second UE via the second resource region.

In accordance with another aspect, which is not part of the present invention, there is provided a user equipment (UE). The user equipment may include a communication unit that is configured to receive first resource information indicating a first resource region and second resource information indicating a second resource region from an evolved Node B (eNB), send a first message via the first resource region, and receive a second message associated with the first message from a second UE via the second resource region.

In accordance with another aspect, which is not part of the present invention, there is provided a base station (eNB). The base station may include: a control unit configured to generate first resource information indicating a first resource region used to transceive a first message containing contents for interest matching with user equipments, and generate second resource information indicating a second resource region used to transceive additional information associated with the first message; and a communication unit configured to send the first resource information and the second resource information.

In accordance with another aspect, which is not part of the present invention, there is provided a method of communication for a base station (eNB). The method may include: generating first resource information indicating a first resource region used to transceive a first message containing contents for interest matching with user equipments, and generating second resource information indicating a second resource region used to transceive additional information associated with the first message; and sending the first resource information and the second resource information.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of communication for a user equipment (UE). The method may include: sending, by the UE wishing to send a group message, a group ID to be sent to a resource usage indication region before group message transmission, and sending, when resource usage indication is successful, a group message to the group indicated by the group ID. The method may further include: monitoring, by the UE wishing to receive a group message, the resource usage indication region for group message transmission; checking whether the UE is a member of the group indicated by a group ID received from the resource usage indication region; receiving, when the UE is a member of the group, a group message region to which a message destined for the group is sent; and sending, when the UE is not a member of the group, the resource usage indication region only without monitoring or receiving the group message region to which a message destined for the group is sent so as to save power.

In a feature of the present invention, a method and apparatus are provided that enable efficient group communication.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention are described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Detailed descriptions of well-known functions and structures incorporated herein may be omitted to avoid obscuring the subject matter of the present invention. Descriptions of well-known constructions may also be omitted for clarity and conciseness.

In the drawings, some elements are exaggerated or only outlined in brief, and thus may be not drawn to scale. The same or similar reference symbols are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

<FIG> depicts a network configuration of the communication system according to an embodiment, which is not part of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, in one embodiment, the communication system includes an eNodeB (eNB) <NUM> and user equipment <NUM> (UE <NUM>) <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>). The eNodeB may be referred to as a base station. The user equipment (UE) may be referred to as a terminal. In <FIG>, the coverages of the eNB <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) are indicated by reference symbols <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively.

In <FIG>, it is assumed that UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) are placed at a short distance within the coverage of the eNB <NUM> so that a discover message sent by one of them may be received by each of the other ones.

<FIG> depicts a network configuration of the communication system according to another embodiment, which is not part of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, in another embodiment, the communication system includes eNB A (<NUM>), eNB B (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>). The coverages of eNB A (<NUM>), eNB B (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) are indicated by reference symbols <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM>, respectively. <FIG> is similar to <FIG>, but eNB B (<NUM>) is newly added.

In <FIG>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) are all within the coverage <NUM> of eNB A (<NUM>). UE <NUM> (<NUM>) belongs also to the coverage <NUM> of eNB B (<NUM>). Here, although UE <NUM> (<NUM>) is assumed to belong to the coverage <NUM> of eNB A (<NUM>), the same procedure described later may be applied if UE <NUM> (<NUM>) does not belong to the coverage <NUM> of eNB A (<NUM>). It is assumed that UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) are placed at a short distance so that a discover message sent by one of them may be received by each of the other ones.

It is also assumed that when UEs (UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>)) belonging to the coverages <NUM> and <NUM> of different eNBs (eNB A (<NUM>), eNB B (<NUM>)) broadcast signals, the eNBs broadcast the same system information with respect to ProSe discovery.

In arrangement shown in <FIG> or <FIG>, a UE wishing to be discovered may continuously send an announce message containing information on the UE. A receiving UE may receive the announce message for discovery, examine the sender information contained in the announce message, and send a communication request to the UE having sent the announce message if the sender information matches the receiver interest.

Here, the phrase "the sender information matches (corresponds to) the receiver interest" indicates that the information of the receiver or application of the receiver satisfies the condition contained in a message sent by the sender. This may also be represented by similar phrases such as "the sender interest matches the receiver interest", "the requirements of the received message correspond to the attribute or state information of the receiver", and "the received message matches the receiver". Matching or correspondence is determined on the basis of the condition described in a received message and state information of the receiver.

Meanwhile, the receiver may have to verify whether the announcement of the sender is true. In addition, when the interests match, the receiver may have to obtain additional information necessary for communication with the sender. To this end, such additional information may have to be contained in the announce message sent by the sender.

However, when not only information needed to examine interest matching but also additional information is contained in the announce message, the size of the announce message increases. In addition, when the announce message is received by receivers without matching interests, the additional information except for the information needed to examine interest matching is useless for the receivers. That is, when the additional information is large in volume and the number of receiving UEs having matching interests is small, the possibility of wasting radio resources to transmit unused information becomes high.

Accordingly, the present specification discloses a discovery procedure in which a category <NUM> message is used to deliver the information needed to examine interest matching only and a category <NUM> message is used to deliver additional information needed for verification or communication establishment only when an interest match is found based on the category <NUM> message. Thereby, it is possible to reduce waste of radio resources due to reception of announce messages with a low interest matching probability.

According to one embodiment of the present specification, a category <NUM> message and a category <NUM> message may be separated according to the message size and type. The category <NUM> message is used to contain information needed to examine interest matching only and is smaller in size than the category <NUM> message. The category <NUM> message is used to deliver additional information needed for verification or communication establishment after an interest match is found and is larger in size than the category <NUM> message. Here, for the purpose of naming, differently named messages (e.g. type <NUM> message and type <NUM> message) may be utilized for the category <NUM> message and category <NUM> message.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram of a procedure for message transmission according to a first embodiment, which is not part of the present invention. The embodiment of <FIG> may be applied to various communication network configurations including ones shown in <FIG> or <FIG>.

At step <NUM>, the eNB <NUM> broadcasts system information regarding category <NUM> and category <NUM> messages. The system information may include radio resource information (e.g. radio resource locations) for the category <NUM> and category <NUM> messages. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM>. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM>. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM>. ProSe enabled UEs such as UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) may receive system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM> and obtain information on radio resources used for transmitting a category <NUM> message and category <NUM> message.

Among the ProSe enabled UEs, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) identifies radio resource blocks to be used for category <NUM> message transmission on the basis of the radio resource information for a category <NUM> message received from the eNB <NUM>. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) broadcasts a category <NUM> message by use of one or more of the identified radio resource blocks. When a collision is detected after broadcasting, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) applies preset back-off first and then re-broadcasts the category <NUM> message via an unused radio resource block. This rebroadcasting may be repeated up to k times. If k attempts all fail, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) may wait for the duration corresponding to k times the back-off value and then attempt to broadcast.

<FIG> illustrates the format of a category <NUM> message according to the first embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the format of the category <NUM> message sent by UE <NUM> (<NUM>) at step <NUM> may include a UE ID field, sequence number field, and contents field. The message contents may contain, for example, the identifier of an application running on UE <NUM> (<NUM>) for message transmission. When two or more types of category <NUM> messages are defined, the format of the category <NUM> message may further include a type field to identify the category <NUM> message type. The UE ID field may be set to the identifier of UE <NUM> (<NUM>). The sequence number may be assigned according to the sequence of messages sent by the UE <NUM> (<NUM>). The UE ID field and the sequence number field are used to identify the message itself and may be replaced with a different identifier field for message identification.

After sending the category <NUM> message, at step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) starts timer T1. Until expiration of timer T1, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) waits for an additional information request message sent by a UE having an interest matching the category <NUM> message.

To receive a category <NUM> message after step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) monitors the radio resource assigned to category <NUM> message transmission. Similarly, to receive a category <NUM> message after step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) monitors the radio resource assigned to category <NUM> message transmission. Upon reception of the category <NUM> message broadcast at step <NUM>, at step <NUM> [at step <NUM>], UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] forwards the category <NUM> message to the corresponding ProSe application to check interest matching. Then, when an interest match is found, the ProSe application requests the communication unit of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] to send a category <NUM> message request message.

Further at step <NUM> [at step <NUM>], UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] generates a random value r1_UE2 [r1_UE3] ranging between T1-a and <NUM>, and waits for the time duration corresponding to the random value r1_UE2 [r1_UE3] before sending the category <NUM> message request message. Thereafter, for the time duration corresponding to the random value r1_UE2 [r1_UE3], UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] monitors reception of a category <NUM> message containing additional information for the category <NUM> message.

As UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) generate random values r1_UE2 and r1_UE3 respectively, waiting times may differ from each other. Here, it is assumed that the random value r1_UE2 is smaller than r1_UE3 (the waiting time of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) is shorter than that of UE <NUM> (<NUM>)). At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) sends an additional information request message. Although the additional information request message is destined for UE <NUM> (<NUM>), it may also be delivered to another UE (e.g. UE <NUM> (<NUM>)).

<FIG> illustrates the format of an additional information request message according to the first embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the format of the additional information request message may include a message type field, UE ID field, sequence number field, and contents field. The message type field is used to identify whether the category <NUM> message is a request message, additional information message or other type message. For an additional information request message, the message type field may contain an indication indicating the additional information request message. The UE ID field and sequence number field may contain information indicating the preceding message associated with the additional information request message. For example, the additional information request message at step <NUM> may contain the UE ID (ID of UE <NUM>) and sequence number contained in the category <NUM> message at step <NUM>. In other words, an additional information request message contains information identifying the preceding message associated with additional information. The UE ID field and the sequence number field may be replaced with a different identifier field for message identification. The contents field may contain an indication indicating the requested additional information.

The request message at step <NUM> may be sent by use of category <NUM> message resources. Similarly to the category <NUM> message at step <NUM>, a collision detection and retransmission procedure may be applied to the request message at step <NUM>. The message contents may contain the request issued by the application running on UE <NUM> (<NUM>) having examined interest matching. For example, the message contents may contain a request for information needed to verify the application ID of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and/or to perform communication establishment.

After sending the additional information request message, at step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) starts timer T2-UE2.

Meanwhile, upon interest matching after reception of the category <NUM> message, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) waits for expiration of time r1_UE3 before sending an additional information request message. Before expiration of r1_UE3, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) may detect reception of the additional information request message sent by another UE (i.e. UE <NUM> (<NUM>)). Upon reception of the additional information request message, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) examines the contents thereof to check whether the contents contain all information to be requested by UE <NUM> (<NUM>). If the contents contain all information to be requested, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) does not issue an additional information request message.

For example, the communication unit of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) may detect an additional information request message destined for UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and containing the UE <NUM> sequence number and forward the message to the corresponding application having requested additional information. The corresponding application may examine the contents of the forwarded message and notify the communication unit or control unit that there is no need to send an additional information request message. Accordingly, at step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) starts timer T2_UE3 without sending an additional information request message. Until expiration of timer T2_UE3, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) continues to monitor reception of a category <NUM> message.

The procedure for requesting additional information may be summarized as follows.

A receiving UE having received a category <NUM> message from a sending UE starts a timer set to a random value (waiting time) if an interest match is found. When an additional information request message associated with the category <NUM> message is not received from another receiving UE before expiration of the timer, the receiving UE sends an additional information request message upon expiration of the timer. When an additional information request message associated with the category <NUM> message is received from another receiving UE before expiration of the timer, if the receiving UE needs further information in addition to the information contained in the received additional information request message, the receiving UE sends an additional information request message upon expiration of the timer. When an additional information request message associated with the category <NUM> message is received from another receiving UE before expiration of the timer, if the receiving UE does not need further information in addition to the information contained in the received additional information request message, the receiving UE waits for reception of an additional information message without sending an additional information request message. When multiple additional information request messages are received before expiration of the timer, the receiving UE sends an additional information request message upon expiration of the timer only if the receiving UE needs further information in addition to the information contained in the multiple received additional information request messages.

At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the additional information request message sent at step <NUM> before expiration of timer T1. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) sends a category <NUM> message containing requested additional information as a response to the additional information request message. For example, in UE <NUM> (<NUM>), the contents of the additional information request message may be forwarded to the application having triggered the category <NUM> message and the application may provide an answer to the requirements indicated by the message contents. The category <NUM> message at step <NUM> contains information answering the requirements.

<FIG> illustrates the format of an additional information message according to the first embodiment.

Referring to <FIG>, the format of the additional information message may include a message type field, sequence number field, UE ID field, and contents field. The additional information message is a category <NUM> message. The message type field may be set to an indication indicating a message containing additional information. The sequence number field may be set to a sequence number different from that of the message used at step <NUM> or step <NUM>. The UE ID field may be set to the identifier of a UE (UE <NUM>) sending the additional information message. The UE ID field and sequence number field are used to identify the message itself and may be replaced with a different identifier field for message identification. The contents field may contain additional information requested by the message used at step <NUM>. For example, if the message used at step <NUM> is a message requesting verification information, the contents field may contain verification information. If the message used at step <NUM> is a message requesting a sender phone number, the contents field may contain a phone number.

The category <NUM> message sent at step <NUM> reaches UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) monitoring the category <NUM> message radio resource. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) examines whether the additional information message is sent by UE <NUM> (<NUM>), and forwards the contents of the additional information message to the application having requested additional information if the additional information message is a desired one. The application on UE <NUM> (<NUM>) obtains desired additional information from the message contents. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) performs actions similar to those of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) at step <NUM> and the corresponding application on UE <NUM> (<NUM>) obtains desired additional information. When only a portion of the contents in the additional information message is needed, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) may obtain the needed portion only and discard the remaining portion of the contents.

According to the embodiment described in <FIG>, it is possible to utilize radio resources in an efficient manner by blocking unnecessary transmission and reception of additional information.

A flow of announce/additional information request/announce is used in the embodiment described in <FIG>. Discovery is performed in a flow of discover/announce in the following embodiment described in <FIG>.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram of a procedure for message transmission according to a second embodiment, which is not part of the present invention.

When discovery is performed in the form of discover/announce in communication network configurations shown in <FIG> or <FIG>, as shown in <FIG>, a UE wishing to perform discovery sends a category <NUM> discover message, and a receiving UE having received the discover message performs interest matching by checking whether the target information in the contents of the discover message matches the receiving UE and sends a category <NUM> message if an interest match is found.

The embodiment of <FIG> may be applied to various communication network configurations including ones shown in <FIG> or <FIG>. The eNB <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) correspond respectively to the eNB <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) in <FIG>. As the embodiments shown in <FIG> and <FIG> are similar in overall structure but are different in specific operation, different reference symbols are used.

At step <NUM>, the eNB <NUM> broadcasts system information regarding category <NUM> and category <NUM> messages. The system information may include radio resource information (e.g. radio resource locations) for the category <NUM> and category <NUM> messages. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM>. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM>. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) receives the system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM>. As steps <NUM> to <NUM> are identical respectively to steps <NUM> to <NUM> of <FIG>, a description thereof is omitted.

In <FIG>, ProSe enabled UEs such as UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) may receive system information broadcast by the eNB <NUM> and obtain information on radio resources used for transmitting a category <NUM> message and category <NUM> message.

Among the ProSe enabled UEs, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) wishing to send a category <NUM> message identifies radio resource blocks to be used for category <NUM> message transmission on the basis of the category <NUM> message radio resource information received from the eNB <NUM>. At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) broadcasts a category <NUM> message by use of one or more of the identified radio resource blocks. Collision detection and retransmission may be performed in a manner described in relation to step <NUM> of <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates the format of a discover message according to the second embodiment.

The discover message sent at step <NUM> is a category <NUM> message. Referring to <FIG>, the format of a discover message may include a message type field, sequence number field, UE ID field, and contents field. The message type field may contain an indication indicating a discover message. The UE ID field may be set to the identifier of a UE (UE <NUM>) sending the message. Sequence numbers may be assigned in sequence according to the messages sent by UE <NUM> (<NUM>). The contents field may contain information on a target to be discovered. For example, the contents field may contain an identifier of an application to be discovered or attribute information of an application running on a UE to be discovered (e.g. UE <NUM> (<NUM>)).

After sending the category <NUM> message, at step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) starts timer T1. Until expiration of timer T1, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) waits for an additional information request message sent by a UE having an interest matching the category <NUM> message sent at step <NUM>.

The category <NUM> message sent at step <NUM> is delivered to UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>). Upon reception of the category <NUM> message, at step <NUM> [at step <NUM>], UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] forwards the contents of the category <NUM> message to the corresponding ProSe application to check interest matching. Then, when an interest match is found (discover message contents match the interest of UE <NUM> [UE <NUM>] or application interest), the ProSe application generates contents including target information on UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] and requests the communication unit of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] to send the generated contents in the form of announcement. At step <NUM> [at step <NUM>], UE <NUM> (<NUM>) [UE <NUM> (<NUM>)] sends a category <NUM> message containing the generated contents.

<FIG> illustrates the format of a response message according to the second embodiment. Referring to <FIG>, the format of a response message may include a message type field, sequence number field, UE ID field, and contents field. The message sent at step <NUM> is a category <NUM> message. The message type field may be set to an indication indicating a response message. The sequence number field may be set to the sequence number of the discover message received at step <NUM>. The UE ID field may be set to the UE ID of the discover message received at step <NUM>. The contents field may contain target information generated by a corresponding application.

At step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) collects announce messages of category <NUM> until expiration of timer T1. When a category <NUM> announce message (sent at step <NUM> or step <NUM>) is received, if the UE ID of the received message is identical to the ID of UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and the sequence number thereof is identical to that of the discover message sent at step <NUM>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) forwards the contents of the received message to the application having triggered the discover message at step <NUM>, enabling the application to receive a response for discovery.

In the embodiments described in <FIG>, applications are depicted as generating message contents. However, message contents may also be generated by the control units or operating systems of UEs.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a user equipment (UE) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the UE may include a communication unit <NUM> and a control unit <NUM>.

The communication unit <NUM> sends and receives radio signals to perform communication in accordance with one or more of the embodiments described above. For example, the communication unit <NUM> may receive system information broadcast by the eNB. The communication unit <NUM> may send and receive one or more of the messages described in relation to <FIG> or <FIG> and <FIG>. The control unit <NUM> controls components of the UE so as to perform an operation in accordance with one or more of the embodiments described above. For example, the control unit <NUM> may control a process of analyzing a message received through the communication unit <NUM>, generating a message to be sent accordingly, and sending the generated message through the communication unit <NUM>.

<FIG> is a block diagram of a base station (eNB) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, the eNB may include a communication unit <NUM> and a control unit <NUM>. The control unit <NUM> may generate resource information for category <NUM> and category <NUM> messages and generate system information. The control unit <NUM> may control the communication unit <NUM> to send the resource information and the system information.

<FIG> depicts a network configuration of the communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In <FIG>, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) are UEs capable of group communication, and communication ranges thereof overlap with each other. UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) belong to the same group, have the same group ID, and share a channel for group communication. To send and receive a group message through the shared channel, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) belonging to the same group perform synchronization by use of pulse-coupled oscillators.

<FIG> illustrates procedures and message formats usable for the embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to <FIG>, to send group data after synchronization, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) generates a random value ranging between <NUM> and t1 and waits for the time corresponding to the random value. After expiration of the waiting time, in a state wherein message transmission is allowed, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) sends an alert message <NUM> containing a group ID for the target group and message size information (step <NUM>). The message size information in the alert message indicates the size or transmission time of a group message to be sent later, and may be omitted when the size of the group message is fixed for all UEs. After time t2 from successful transmission of the alert message, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) sends a group message <NUM> (step <NUM>). The group message <NUM> may contain a group ID and group data. To send group data after synchronization using a pulse-coupled oscillator, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) generates a random value ranging between <NUM> and t1 and waits for the time corresponding to the random value. After expiration of the waiting time, in a state wherein message transmission is not allowed because the group communication channel is already used, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) monitors the group communication channel (step <NUM>). Except for UE <NUM> (<NUM>) sending a group message, UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) monitor the group communication channel to receive the group message (step <NUM>). Upon reception of the alert message <NUM> having a group ID and message size information (step <NUM>), each of UE <NUM> (<NUM>), UE <NUM> (<NUM>) and UE <NUM> (<NUM>) checks whether it is a member of the group indicated by the group ID in the alert message. UE <NUM> (<NUM>) being a member of the indicated group waits for reception of a group message containing a group ID (step <NUM>) and receives the group message sent by UE <NUM> (<NUM>). After reception of the group message, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) having a group message to be sent generates a random value ranging between <NUM> and t1 and waits for the time corresponding to the random value (waiting for sending an alert message). UE <NUM> (<NUM>) not having a group message to be sent starts monitoring to receive an alert message (step <NUM>). Upon reception of the alert message, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) being a non-member of the indicated group does not monitor the group communication channel for the group message transmission time by use of the message size information contained in the alert message (step <NUM>). Upon expiration of the group message transmission time, UE <NUM> (<NUM>) starts monitoring to receive an alert message (step <NUM>).

Meanwhile, it is known to those skilled in the art that blocks of a flowchart (or sequence diagram) and a combination of flowcharts may be represented and executed by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be loaded on a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer or programmable data processing equipment. When the loaded program instructions are executed by the processor, they create a means for carrying out functions described in the flowchart. As the computer program instructions may be stored in a computer readable memory that is usable in a specialized computer or a programmable data processing equipment, it is also possible to create articles of manufacture that carry out functions described in the flowchart. As the computer program instructions may be loaded on a computer or a programmable data processing equipment, when executed as processes, they may carry out steps of functions described in the flowchart.

A block of a flowchart may correspond to a module, a segment or a code containing one or more executable instructions implementing one or more logical functions, or to a part thereof. In some cases, functions described by blocks may be executed in an order different from the listed order. For example, two blocks listed in sequence may be executed at the same time or executed in reverse order.

In the description, the word "unit", "module" or the like may refer to a software component or hardware component such as an FPGA or ASIC capable of carrying out a function or an operation. However, "unit" or the like is not limited to hardware or software. A unit or the like may be configured so as to reside in an addressable storage medium or to drive one or more processors. Units or the like may refer to software components, object-oriented software components, class components, task components, processes, functions, attributes, procedures, subroutines, program code segments, drivers, firmware, microcode, circuits, data, databases, data structures, tables, arrays or variables. A function provided by a component and unit may be a combination of smaller components and units, and may be combined with others to compose large components and units. Components and units may be configured to drive a device or one or more processors in a secure multimedia card.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the discovery apparatus may be a portable electronic device such as a mobile terminal, personal digital assistant (PDA), navigation aid, digital broadcast receiver, or portable multimedia player (PMP).

Hereinabove, various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described for the purpose of illustration without limiting the subject matter of the present invention. The description of the various embodiments is to be construed as exemplary only and does not describe every possible instance of the invention. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that many variations and modifications of the method and apparatus described herein will still fall within the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claim 1:
A method performed by a first terminal (<NUM>) belonging to a group in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:
receiving, from a second terminal (<NUM>), an alert message (<NUM>) based on monitoring (<NUM>) a group communication channel to receive the alert message,
wherein the alert message includes a group identifier, ID, for a target group and information indicating a group message transmission time; identifying whether the first terminal is a member of the target group indicated by the group ID in the alert message; and
in case that the first terminal is the member of the target group, receiving (<NUM>), from the second terminal, a group message (<NUM>) on the group communication channel