Patent ID: 8914054

Claim:
A network node configured to select resources for a direct device to device communication link between a first wireless device and a second wireless device in a cellular communication network, comprising: a transceiver sub-system configured to enable wireless communication; and a processing sub-system associated with the transceiver sub-system configured to: select a downlink resource of the cellular communication network as a resource for the direct device to device communication link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device if at least one of a radio distance between the first wireless device and a base station in the cellular communication network that is closest to the first wireless device and a radio distance between the second wireless device and a base station in the cellular communication network that is closest to the second wireless device is less than a predefined threshold radio distance; and select an uplink resource of the cellular communication network as the resource for the direct device to device communication link between the first wireless device and the second wireless device if the radio distance between the first wireless device and the base station in the cellular communication network that is closest to the first wireless device and the radio distance between the second wireless device and the base station in the cellular communication network that is closest to the second wireless device are greater than the predefined threshold radio distance.