Patent ID: 12200750

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG.1depicts an example embodiment of a wireless communication network10that is configured to communicatively couple to a wireless device12, to provide one or more communication services to the wireless device12. By way of example, the wireless communication network10(“network10”) provides Internet or other packet-data connectivity for the wireless device12. More particularly, the network10and the wireless device12operate according to the flexible scheduling bandwidth allocations and power-efficient operations described herein.

According to the simplified depiction given inFIG.1, the network10includes a Radio Access Network (RAN)14and associated network (NW) infrastructure16. The NW infrastructure includes, for example, data processing, switching, and storage functions, along with providing mobility management and routing interfaces into and out of the RAN14. The network infrastructure16may communicatively couple to a cloud execution environment18—e.g., providing one or more Network Functions (NFs) or application services—and may also couple to one or more data centres20. Further, there may be more than one RAN14, and more than one type of Radio Access Technology (RAT) involved.

In some embodiments, the network10comprises a so-called “5G” network, also referred to herein as a “NR” network or system, where “NR” denotes “New Radio.” According to one contemplated implementation, the network10represents an evolution of LTE for existing spectrum in combination with new radio access technologies that primarily target new spectrum. Among its key technology components, the network10in a 5G implementation includes access/backhaul integration, device-to-device communication, flexible duplex, flexible spectrum usage, multi-antenna transmission, ultra-lean design, and user/control data separation. Here, ultra-lean design refers to the minimization of any transmissions not directly related to the delivery of user data, and the RAN14may be configured to rely heavily on beamforming for the delivery of user data via one or more narrow, dynamically allocable antenna beams.

Other points of flexibility and breadth apply to the wireless device12(“device12”). Firstly, the network10may support potentially many devices12, and the various devices12may be of different types and may be engaged in different types of communication services. For example, a device12configured for Mobile BroadBand (MBB) services may be used by a person to access movies, music, and other multi-media content delivered through the network10. On the other hand, a device12configured for embedded operation may not include any user interface, and may engage only in low-power, low-rate Machine Type Communication (MTC) transmissions or receptions. Thus, by way of example rather than limitation, the device12may be a smartphone, a feature phone, a sensor, an actuator, a wireless modem or other wireless network adaptor, a laptop computer, a tablet or other mobile computing device, or essentially any other wireless communication apparatus configured for accessing the network10and operating according to any one or more of the RATs supported by the network10. Still further, the device12may be a mobile device or may be installed or operated in a fixed location.

FIG.2depicts example implementation details for the device12and for a network node30that is configured to support network-side aspects of the teachings herein. The network node30includes communication interface circuitry32, which in turn includes radio frequency transceiver circuitry34—i.e., one or more radio frequency transmitter and receiver circuits—for wireless communicating with one or more devices12, according to one or more RATs. Further, in at least one embodiment, the communication interface circuitry32includes one or more network interfaces—e.g., Ethernet or other intra-node interface—for communication with one or more other nodes in the network10and may not have radio frequency circuitry. In such embodiments, the network node30may communicate indirectly with the device12, e.g., through another node that has radio frequency circuitry.

The network node30also includes processing circuitry36that is operatively associated with the communication circuitry32. The processing circuitry36comprises programmed circuitry or fixed circuitry, or a combination of programmed and fixed circuitry. In an example embodiment, the processing circuitry36comprises one or more microprocessors. Digital Signal Processors (DSPs). Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or other digital processing circuits.

In at least one embodiment, the processing circuitry36is configured at least in part based on its execution of computer instructions included in one or more computer programs40stored in storage38in the network node30. The storage38may also store one or more items of configuration data42associated with operation of the network node30according to the teachings herein. The storage38comprises, for example, one or more types of computer-readable media, such as Solid State Disk (SSD), FLASH, DRAM, SRAM, etc. In one embodiment, the storage38provides for long-term storage of the computer program(s)40, and further provides working memory for operation of the processing circuitry36.

FIG.2also provides example implementation details for the device12. The device12includes communication interface circuitry52, which in turn includes radio frequency transceiver circuitry54—i.e., one or more radio frequency transmitter and receiver circuits—for wireless communicating with the network10, according to one or more RATs.

The device12also includes processing circuitry56that is operatively associated with the communication circuitry52. The processing circuitry56comprises programmed circuitry or fixed circuitry, or a combination of programmed and fixed circuitry. In an example embodiment, the processing circuitry56comprises one or more microprocessors, Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), or other digital processing circuits.

In at least one embodiment, the processing circuitry56is configured at least in part based on its execution of computer instructions included in one or more computer programs60stored in storage58in the device12. The storage58may also store one or more items of configuration data62associated with operation of the device12according to the teachings herein. The storage58comprises, for example, one or more types of computer-readable media, such as Solid State Disk (SSD), FLASH, DRAM, SRAM, etc. In one embodiment, the storage58provides for long-term storage of the computer program(s)60, and further provides working memory for operation of the processing circuitry56.

With the above in mind, the network node30may be configured to send or initiate the sending of signalling indicating or configuring the scheduling bandwidth (BW) for given wireless devices12. The network node30may further be configured to signal changes in the scheduling BW, and to indicate, for example, first and second receiver BWs to be used by a device12for signal reception. As an example, the network node30indicates a first receiver BW to be used by a device12, and then subsequently indicates a second receiver BW to be used by the device12. The indications may be explicit and/or implicit, as will be discussed below. Furthermore, as also will be discussed below, the BW used by the UE for monitoring control signals from the network node is intended to be adapted accordingly to avoid consuming unnecessary power by monitoring a too wide BW.

Still further, the network node30, or another entity in the network, may be configured to determine timer parameters needed for controlling the BW configuration changes at the device12, e.g., for changing from the first receiver BW to the second receiver BW, or from the second receiver BW back to the first receiver BW. Here, the terms “receiver BW” and “scheduling BW” are used. The scheduling BW is set by the NW node and signalled to the wireless device. The wireless device sets its receiver BW based on the scheduling BW, e.g., to the same BW. These BWs may be denoted as a number of resource blocks which the wireless device scans for a control channel. It is also contemplated to configure or otherwise indicate timer parameters to be used for receiver BW configuration changes at the device12when DRX mode is active.

Complementing these aspects of the disclosed teachings, the device12may be configured to use the configuration parameters to reduce receiver power consumption. In particular, the device12reduces its receiver power consumption by only using sufficient receiver BW for reception of data and/or Layer1/Layer2control, based on the current user scenario and device needs. Here, a user scenario may be that one or more communication sessions are ongoing, the nature of communication session(s), etc. The nature of a communication session may comprise size, e.g., whether it comprises only a notification or if it comprises a media stream, latency requirements, differentiation between types of transmitted information, etc. Device needs may for example comprise power consumption, processing power, RF capabilities, battery status, etc.

In one example scenario, the device12operates with a first receiver BW and then reconfigures to a wider, second receiver BW, e.g., responsive to signalling from the network10. The device12may be reconfigured to the second BW to facilitate the transmission of a larger amount of data or higher-rate data to the device12, as compared to what could be supported using the first receiver BW. Advantageously, when operation returns to data traffic according to the first BW after a transmission on the second BW is that some packets, which may arrive slightly later, e.g., due to some media protocol, than the data requiring the second BW, can be handled when transition has been made to operate at the first BW, and thus at lower power or capacity consumption. In particular, these packets may be handled before a DRX timer elapses, wherein the limited capacity when operating with the first BW is proper for that handling. Furthermore, if both high-demand sessions and low-demand sessions are performed simultaneously, transition to operation of the low-demand sessions will be smoother. An advantage is further that resources are saved when transmissions are limited in both BW and time.

Given the general mechanisms of using different BWs and signalling related to that, as demonstrated above, this disclosure will now focus on BW used for monitoring and searching for a control channel. An aim is to be able to do monitoring and search using a smaller BW receiver, and thereby reduce power consumption, when that is feasible in view of required operation. That is, a larger BW reception for the monitoring and search may be used when that is beneficial but is avoided otherwise. To accomplish this, there is a need for an approach of adapting control signalling format.

Consider a UE (device, smartphone, IoT/MTC device, modem, laptop, tablet computer, etc.) is operating in a mode where the UE can be configured with at least a first narrowband downlink (DL) monitoring BW and a second wideband DL monitoring BW. In the configured BW, the UE monitors for reception of control and data information, and within a control channel a Downlink Control indicator (DCI) may be transmitted to the UE, where the DCI includes information relevant for further DL processing of data, such as resource block (RB) allocation in Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH), Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MIMO) state, hybrid-ARQ (Automatic Repeat reQuest) parameters, modulation and coding scheme (MCS), etc., as well as uplink (UL) transmission of data, such as RB allocation, MIMO state, hybrid-ARQ parameters, MCS, etc. An applied DCI format is one of a set of allowed DCI formats, indicating payload size, content, usage, etc., which set may be different depending on the configured DL monitoring BW, and may be defined by a standard associated to the applied communication, i.e., related to the used Radio Access Technology, for instance the NR standard. From these limitations, an implicit signalling from a network node to a UE may provide a very slim approach of signalling due to the very limited overhead. That is, a network node of an access network, where the network node is serving the UE, configures a DL scheduling (or monitoring) BW to be used. This may for example be made based on service to be provided, on amount of data present in transmit data buffer, on traffic history, on data type, etc. Based on the configured DL BW, the network node determines a set of DCI formats which is feasible to use. When data is to be sent to the UE, the network node transmits control information to the UE using one of the DCI formats of the determined set such that the UE then can receive/transmit data according to the DCI setting. Ways of accomplishing these approaches for the UE and the network node will be demonstrated with reference toFIGS.3and4below.

FIG.3is a flow chart schematically illustrating a method of a wireless device. The method comprises determining300a bandwidth for monitoring a downlink control signal. The determining300of the bandwidth for monitoring may be based on a previous or anterior used DCI. For example, the previous or anterior DCI may comprise explicit information about bandwidth to be used in consecutive transmission, wherein the wireless device will know which bandwidth to apply. Another example is that the determining of the bandwidth may be implicitly assumed, when no other information is available indicating the contrary, to be a bandwidth associated with the previous or anterior DCI, i.e., a bandwidth suitable or used therewith. The determining of the bandwidth may also include resetting a timer when a resource allocation reaches an allocation threshold, wherein the allocation threshold may be that a certain time has passed without indications on use of the wider BW. Thus, a timer may be set at each indication that the wider BW is applied, and when the timer elapses the resource allocation is considered to go below the allocation threshold, and the UE returns to monitoring a narrower BW. Here, for the sake of brevity, the terms BW and bandwidth are used for downlink (DL) monitoring BW unless otherwise specified. The DL monitoring BW is a bandwidth for monitoring a downlink control signal.

The method further comprises determining302a set of possible downlink control information, DCI, formats. Here, possible DCI formats are DCI formats compatible with the determined bandwidth. The set of DCI formats can for example be acquired from a table based on the determined bandwidth, i.e., the table comprises feasible mappings between DCI formats and bandwidths. For example, a first set of DCI formats for a first bandwidth may comprise DCI formats holding a first amount of information, and a second set of DCI formats for a second bandwidth may comprise DCI formats holding a second amount of information. The second bandwidth is here considered to be wider than the first bandwidth, and the second amount of information comprises information which is not a part of the first amount of information. Thus, the wider bandwidth may demand DCI formats holding more information. More information in this sense may for example be any of, or any combination of, a number of multiple-input-multiple-output, MIMO, layers above a first threshold, a modulation and coding scheme above a second threshold, a code rate above a third threshold, a resource block allocation pointing to resource blocks outside the first bandwidth, etc.

The method further comprises receiving304a transmission from a network node. Here, the reception may comprise control information which the wireless device desires to acquire. Thus, the method includes searching for control information in the transmission by decoding306using at least one of the DCI formats of the set. For example, the decoding may include attempting to decode control information using one of the DCIs, wherein the one of the DCIs may be selected using one or another method, e.g., based on historical information, likelihood calculations, randomly, in a fixed order, etc. An approach is to determine information about a number of possible Control Channel Elements, CCEs, which are usable for respective DCI format of the set, wherein the information about the number of possible CCEs is used for the decoding. It is then checked307if the decoding was successful. If decoding fails, the procedure continues with selecting309another DCI from the set and return to attempting to decode the control information. If decoding is successful, the method proceeds as demonstrated below.

When successful decoding of the control information has been accomplished, the method may include mapping308bits of payload of the transmission to the successfully used DCI format, and the method proceeds with performing310at least one task associated with the control information. That is, the wireless device has now acquired the desired control information and can act thereon.

When successful decoding has been accomplished, the wireless device is able to gain information from the control information. As discussed above, one part of the information may be about coming bandwidth configuration. Therefore, the method may include checking312whether bandwidth to be monitored is indicated to be changed. If no change in bandwidth is in forecast, the wireless device may proceed with receiving304a next transmission using the same parameters again. However, if a change in bandwidth is indicated, the procedure starts all over again with determining300operation bandwidth for the monitoring.

In some embodiments, a blind decoding search is performed where the wireless device blindly tries to decode the control channel, e.g., PDCCH, by assuming the set of possible DCI formats allowed for the DL monitoring BW, possible in combination with possible code rates to be used for respective DCI format. In some embodiments, this is related to the number of possible CCEs that can be combined, i.e., aggregation levels, allowed which in LTE may be 1, 2, 4 or 8. If a successful decoding is not determined the UE changes the DCI format hypothesis/aggregation level/start position of the decoding and make a new try until all hypotheses are tried. In some embodiments, the UE searches until it finds a valid DCI, or all possibilities have been exhausted, i.e., at most one valid DCI can be found. In another embodiment, the wireless device trying all hypotheses and may find more than one valid DCI, e.g., one DL assignment and one UL grant. If successful coding is accomplished, the wireless device then maps the bits in payload to the determined DCI format/DCI formats, e.g., look up-table which may be based on specifications for the radio access technology used, and can interpret the bits and hence perform the task associated to the determined. The wireless device then continues to monitor the DL CCHs for information, and once information, which may be implicit or explicit as discussed above, indicates a need for change of the DL monitoring BW, the UE replaces the set of allowed DCI formats to the DCI formats allowed by the new configured DL monitoring BW. Optionally, the UE may also change DL monitoring BW so that the wide BW is applied all the time. In another embodiment, other triggers for changing the monitoring BW are possible, e.g., a separate channel or maybe some periodic timer indicating when the UE should change the DL monitoring BW. One example is that the change indication from narrowband to wideband DL monitoring BW could be an explicit bit, while the falling back to the narrowband DL monitoring bandwidth could be done via timers.

The set of DCI formats for the wide BW case does not necessarily imply a large DCI size. One could in some embodiment envision the same DCI size both for narrow and wide BW but in case of wide BW the RB allocation is based on larger groups of RBs than in the former case, i.e. for narrow BW each bit in a resource bitmap corresponds to a certain amount of RBs, in the wideband case each bit corresponds to a larger amount of RBs, and similarly for other ways of signalling RB allocations. That is, trading resolution for BW may be performed when entering a wideband mode.

In the discussion above, for the sake of easier understanding, the explanation has been based on that there is a narrower BW and a wider BW. However, the principle is applicable to three or more different BWs using the same approach as demonstrated above. Thus, the wireless device will then determine which of the BWs to use for monitoring a control channel. The determination may for example be based on a bit pattern.

FIG.4is a flow chart schematically illustrating a method of a network node of a radio access network. The method comprises configuring400a downlink bandwidth to be used at downlink transmissions and determining402a DCI format based on the downlink bandwidth. Here, the appropriate DCI format is as discussed above. Thus, a first set of DCI formats for a first bandwidth may comprise DCI formats holding a first amount of information, and a second set of DCI formats for a second bandwidth may comprise DCI formats holding a second amount of information. The second bandwidth is here wider than the first bandwidth, and the second amount of information then comprises information which is not a part of the first amount of information. The information which is part of the second amount of information but not part of the first amount of information can for example comprises any of a number of multiple-input-multiple-output, MIMO, layers above a first threshold, a modulation and coding scheme above a second threshold, a code rate above a third threshold, a resource block allocation pointing to resource blocks outside the first bandwidth, etc.

A check404on whether there is data to transmit may be performed before transmitting406control information using a DCI with the determined DCI format. The check404may as well be performed before the configuration400of the bandwidth, wherein the amount, type, etc. of data may be taken into account when determining the appropriate bandwidth.

As control information has been transmitted406, a proper connection is assumed to be up and running, wherein the method may proceed with transmitting408data.

The network (NW) node, e.g., gNodeB, is serving a UE, the UE having capability to be configured with at least a first narrowband DL monitoring BW and a wideband DL monitoring BW, as has been described in detail above. The NW node starts to configure the DL monitoring BW according to the current need, which may be signalled from the UE or based on for example the amount of data waiting in the buffers for said UE, the past traffic history of said UE, the type of data, e.g., latency-critical or not, to be transmitted to said UE, etc. Based on the configured DL monitoring BW the NW node determines the set of DCI formats that can be used. For instance, in case a wideband DL monitoring BW is configured, the NW node needs to be able to point to a larger number of possible RBs the data can be scheduled on, for example a larger bit map implies a larger DCI payload, similarly also for other schemes such as signalling starting point and length of the allocation, compared to when a narrowband DL monitoring BW is used. Furthermore, since narrowband DL monitoring BW is mainly for power saving purposes, fewer MIMO-layers/antenna ports may be allowed, meaning fewer number of bits needed in the DCI to point out the currently used MIMO configuration compared to if the high throughput wideband DL monitoring BW is used, etc.

In other embodiments, also number of possible modulation schemes, code rate, etc. (MCS) to use may be different and hence also number of bits for representing the chosen MCS. In other embodiments, one could have different possibilities in terms of cross-slot scheduling, both for DL and UL, depending on narrowband/wideband PDCCH. In yet another embodiment different number of bits to indicate the monitoring BW in the future, for instance narrow BW needs a bit to switch to wide BW, but maybe no bit for switching back is needed in a timer embodiment as described above. The scheduler then monitors if there is any data to be scheduled to the UE, and if so, the NW node determines data allocation in the PDSCH, MIMO scheme to use etc. and configures the needed DCI and transmit control information according to the determined need.

The methods according to the present invention are suitable for implementation with aid of processing means, such as computers and/or processors, especially for the case where the processing elements36and56demonstrated above comprises a processor40,60handling and/or controlling actions of the respective methods. Therefore, there are provided computer programs, comprising instructions arranged to cause the processing means, processor, or computer to perform the steps of any of the methods according to any of the embodiments described with reference toFIGS.3and4, respectively. The computer programs preferably comprise program code which is stored on a computer readable medium500, as illustrated inFIG.5, which can be loaded and executed by a processing means, processor, or computer502to cause it to perform the methods, respectively, according to embodiments of the present invention, preferably as any of the embodiments described with reference toFIGS.3and4. The computer502and computer program product500can be arranged to execute the program code sequentially where actions of the any of the methods are performed stepwise, or be arranged to perform the actions on a real-time basis. The processing means, processor, or computer502is preferably what normally is referred to as an embedded system. Thus, the depicted computer readable medium500and computer502inFIG.5should be construed to be for illustrative purposes only to provide understanding of the principle, and not to be construed as any direct illustration of the elements.

FIG.6illustrates a wireless network comprising a more detailed view of a network node200and a communication device210, in accordance with an embodiment. For simplicity,FIG.6only depicts network220, network nodes200and200a, and communication device210. Network node200comprises processor202, storage203, interface201, and antenna201a. Similarly, the communication device210comprises processor212, storage213, interface211and antenna211a. These components may work together in order to provide network node and/or wireless device functionality. In different embodiments, the wireless network may comprise any number of wired or wireless networks, network nodes, base stations, controllers, wireless devices, relay stations, and/or any other components that may facilitate or participate in the communication of data and/or signals whether via wired or wireless connections.

Network220may comprise one or more IP networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), packet data networks, optical networks, wide area networks (WANs), local area networks (LANs), wireless local area networks (WLANs), wired networks, wireless networks, metropolitan area networks, and other networks to enable communication between devices.

Network node200comprises processor202, storage203, interface201, and antenna201a. These components are depicted as single boxes located within a single larger box. In practice however, a network node may comprise multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., interface201may comprise terminals for coupling wires for a wired connection and a radio transceiver for a wireless connection). Similarly, network node200may be composed of multiple physically separate components (e.g., a NodeB component and a RNC component, a BTS component and a BSC component, etc.), which may each have their own respective processor, storage, and interface components. In certain scenarios in which network node200comprises multiple separate components (e.g., BTS and BSC components), one or more of the separate components may be shared among several network nodes. For example, a single RNC may control multiple NodeBs. In such a scenario, each unique NodeB and BSC pair, may be a separate network node. In some embodiments, network node200may be configured to support multiple radio access technologies (RATs). In such embodiments, some components may be duplicated (e.g., separate storage203for the different RATs) and some components may be reused (e.g., the same antenna201amay be shared by the RATs).

Processor202may be a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in conjunction with other network node200components, such as storage203, network node200functionality. For example, processor202may execute instructions stored in storage203. Such functionality may include providing various wireless features discussed herein to a wireless device, such as WD210, including any of the features or benefits disclosed herein.

Storage203may comprise any form of volatile or non-volatile computer readable memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), removable media, or any other suitable local or remote memory component. Storage203may store any suitable instructions, data, or information, including software and encoded logic, utilized by network node200. Storage203may be used to store any calculations made by processor202and/or any data received via interface201.

Network node200also comprises interface201which may be used in the wired or wireless communication of signalling and/or data between network node200, network220, and/or WD210. For example, interface201may perform any formatting, coding, or translating that may be needed to allow network node200to send and receive data from network220over a wired connection. Interface201may also include a radio transmitter and/or receiver that may be coupled to or a part of antenna201a. The radio may receive digital data that is to be sent out to other network nodes or WDs via a wireless connection. The radio may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna201ato the appropriate recipient (e.g., WD210).

Antenna201amay be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna201amay comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between, for example, 2 GHz and 66 GHz. An omni-directional antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals in any direction, a sector antenna may be used to transmit/receive radio signals from devices within a particular area, a panel antenna may be a line of sight antenna used to transmit/receive radio signals in a relatively straight line, and an array of antenna elements may be used for providing a beamforming transmission and/or reception pattern.

WD210may be any type of communication device, wireless device, UE, D2D device or ProSe UE, but may in general be any device, sensor, actuator, smart phone, modem, laptop. Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), tablet, mobile terminal, smart phone, laptop embedded equipped (LEE), laptop mounted equipment (LME), Universal Serial Bus (USB) dongles, machine type UE, U E capable of machine to machine (M2M) communication, etc., which is able to wirelessly send and receive data and/or signals to and from a network node, such as network node200and/or other WDs. WD210comprises processor212, storage213, interface211, and antenna211a. Like network node200, the components of WD210are depicted as single boxes located within a single larger box, however in practice a wireless device may comprises multiple different physical components that make up a single illustrated component (e.g., storage213may comprise multiple discrete microchips, each microchip representing a portion of the total storage capacity).

Processor212may be a combination of one or more of a microprocessor, controller, microcontroller, central processing unit, digital signal processor, application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array, or any other suitable computing device, resource, or combination of hardware, software and/or encoded logic operable to provide, either alone or in combination with other WD210components, such as storage213, WD210functionality. Such functionality may include providing various wireless features discussed herein, including any of the features or benefits disclosed herein.

Storage213may be any form of volatile or non-volatile memory including, without limitation, persistent storage, solid state memory, remotely mounted memory, magnetic media, optical media, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), removable media, or any other suitable local or remote memory component. Storage213may store any suitable data, instructions, or information, including software and encoded logic, utilized by WD210. Storage213may be used to store any calculations made by processor212and/or any data received via interface211.

Interface211may be used in the wireless communication of signalling and/or data between WD210and network node200. For example, interface211may perform any formatting, coding, or translating that may be needed to allow WD210to send and receive data from network node200over a wireless connection. Interface211may also include a radio transmitter and/or receiver that may be coupled to or a part of antenna211a. The radio may receive digital data that is to be sent out to network node200via a wireless connection. The radio may convert the digital data into a radio signal having the appropriate channel and bandwidth parameters. The radio signal may then be transmitted via antenna211ato network node200.

Antenna211amay be any type of antenna capable of transmitting and receiving data and/or signals wirelessly. In some embodiments, antenna211amay comprise one or more omni-directional, sector or panel antennas operable to transmit/receive radio signals between 2 GHz and 66 GHz. For simplicity, antenna211amay be considered a part of interface211to the extent that a wireless signal is being used.

In some embodiments, the components described above may be used to implement one or more functional modules used in D2D communication. The functional modules may comprise software, computer programs, sub-routines, libraries, source code, or any other form of executable instructions that are run by, for example, a processor. In general terms, each functional module may be implemented in hardware and/or in software. Preferably, one or more or all functional modules may be implemented by processors212and/or202, possibly in cooperation with storage213and/or203. Processors212and/or202and storage213and/or203may thus be arranged to allow processors212and/or202to fetch instructions from storage213and/or203and execute the fetched instructions to allow the respective functional module to perform any features or functions disclosed herein. The modules may further be configured to perform other functions or steps not explicitly described herein but which would be within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art.

Certain aspects of the inventive concept have mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, embodiments other than the ones disclosed above are equally possible and within the scope of the inventive concept. Similarly, while a number of different combinations have been discussed, all possible combinations have not been disclosed. One skilled in the art would appreciate that other combinations exist and are within the scope of the inventive concept. Moreover, as is understood by the skilled person, the herein disclosed embodiments are as such applicable also to other standards and communication systems and any feature from a particular figure disclosed in connection with other features may be applicable to any other figure and or combined with different features.