Patent ID: 8855645

Claim:
A user equipment (UE), comprising: a cellular wide area radio communication technology circuit configured to provide a communication according to a cellular wide area radio communication technology; an interface circuit to provide direct device-to-device (D2D) communications between the UE and another UE; and a message generator configured to generate a first message indicating a request for a handover preparation by a radio base station if a signal quality associated with the direct D2D communication falls below a first threshold; wherein the message generator is further configured to generate a second message indicating a request for a handover from an established D2D communication connection with a second UE to a cellular wide area radio communication connection with the second UE if a signal quality associated with the direct D2D communication falls below a second threshold; wherein the UE maintains an active radio resource control (RRC) connection with the radio base station during the direct D2D communication with the second UE.