Device coordination of device-centric sidelink resource allocations

Abstract

A first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and a second device (303, 401) that both operate in a communications network (101) communicate with one another via sidelink communication (105), with sidelink communication resources (111) being allocated by the communications network (101) and communicated to at least one of the first (103, 115, 301, 401) and second devices (303, 401). The first device (103, 115, 301, 401) communicates (205, 315, 501) sidelink context information to an application server (113, 305), wherein the sidelink context information pertains to the sidelink communication (105). The first device (103, 115, 301, 401) receives (317, 503), from the application server (113, 305), a communication that includes information identifying one or more communication resources within the at least one set of communication resources (111) allocated by the network to be used during the sidelink communication (105) with the second device (303, 401). The first device (103, 115, 301, 401) performs one or both of a first action (505) and a second action (507), wherein the first action (505) includes configuring (509) a transceiver of the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to use the communication resources identified by the communication received from the application server (113, 305); and using (511) the configured transceiver when communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401). The second action (507) includes communicating (513) information about the identified communication resources to the second device (303, 401) for use when performing the sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401).

Description

[0001] DEVICE COORDINATION OF DEVICE-CENTRIC SIDELINK RESOURCE ALLOCATIONS

[0002] BACKGROUND

[0003] The present invention relates to sidelink communications between devices such as user equipments in a communications network, and more particularly to allocation of spectral resources for use in sidelink communications between devices in a communications network.

[0004] Some or all of the following abbreviations are used in this specification:

[0005] Abbreviation Explanation

[0006] 3 GPP 3rd Generation Partnership Project

[0007] AR Augmented Reality

[0008] D2D Device-to-Device

[0009] DNS Domain Name Server

[0010] FR1 Frequency Range 1

[0011] FR2 Frequency Range 2

[0012] HW Hardware

[0013] IUC Inter-UE-coordination

[0014] ID Identity / Identification

[0015] NR New Radio

[0016] NW Network

[0017] OTT Over-The-Top

[0018] RRC Radio Resource Control

[0019] SL-U SideLink Unlicensed carrier

[0020] SW Software

[0021] TXR Transceiver

[0022] UE User Equipment

[0023] VR Virtual Reality

[0024] XR Extended Reality In the 3 GPP, work has been done to specify a device to device communication protocol, referred to as sidelink communication or sometimes in 3GPP references as a PC5 interface for use between UEs. For an overall description see section 16.9 in TS 38.300.

[0025] In order to perform wireless communication such as sidelink communication, the network needs to have frequency resources available for usage. In many instances, such resource indication to a network is static (e.g., based on an operator spectrum allocation from a regional spectrum regulator). Dynamic spectrum allocation methods also exist, based on database approaches in which a wireless network node receives information about available spectrum from the database. Several solutions exist in literature and in practice in which various external database methods are used to derive spectrum restrictions on which parts of a spectrum the network node is allowed to allocate to one or more wireless devices for sidelink transmissions. See, for example, W02019 / 081001 Al; WO2021 / 134775 Al; and RP-221798, 3GPP NR sidelink evolution Rel 18 WID.

[0026] In some solutions, such databases interact only with network nodes. In some other solutions, such databases may also receive information from wireless devices directly that guide selection of communication resources, such as experienced congestion or interference levels.

[0027] After a network node has been configured with spectrum that it is permitted to use for its communication, it can allocate portions of that spectrum to specific devices for transmissions. Within the concept of sidelink communication, there are two main types of resource allocation modes for providing communication resources (time and frequency) (also referred to herein as “transmission resources”) to devices using the sidelink. One of these, scheduled resource allocation, is a network scheduled mode in which each transmission is scheduled by the network base station. This method is sometimes referred to as “mode 1”. The other mode, UE autonomous resource selection (sometimes referred to as “mode 2” or “UE centric”), is a UE scheduled mode in which the network base station (e.g., gNB in NR technology) allocates one or more resource pools for sidelink communication. The UEs communicating over sidelink select sideline communication resources from the resource pool(s). Information about the resource pools can be provided to the UEs in system information or with dedicated control signaling.

[0028] UE autonomous resource selection operation can be used when the UEs are not in RRC connected state towards the network, such as when they are out of coverage. But this mode can also be used when the network determines that the resource scheduling is better handled without direct gNB control. One example when a UE autonomous resource selection is reasonable is when a gNB allocates resource pools on frequency bands that are less utilized by the gNB for its own direct communication with a UE, since the gNB may consider that there is less benefit to be gained by engaging in detailed scheduling of resources that are not much utilized by itself. In addition, the UE autonomous resource selection operation could be reasonable from a network perspective if a set of UEs communicate over sidelink in areas in which interference to other UEs in the system can be assumed to be low. In 3GPP Release 18 work item description on sidelink enhancements (see, RP -221798, 3GPP NR sidelink evolution Rel 18 WID, mentioned above), the addition of high frequency usage denoted as frequency range 2 (FR2) operation is included. Also, work on defining sidelink operation on unlicensed carriers (SL-U) is being defined within the same WID. A network mainly operating in the lower frequency (FR1) band could possibly find allocating FR2 resources with UE autonomous resource selection operation useful, considering FR2 resources will not significantly interfere with others frequency resources. Further, a network allocating unlicensed bands, which in any case cannot be fully controlled by a network, could also find UE autonomous resource selection operation to be the most suitable way of selecting communication resources for sidelink communications. Other examples of usage for UE autonomous resource selection are also contemplated within the scope of the invention.

[0029] As described above, multiple solutions for direct network based resource scheduling and frequency allocation exist, and this can be executed by a network node in a self-contained solution or alternatively with spectrum allocation support provided via an external data base.

[0030] However, even after a network has been allocated a frequency range for communication and indicated to a set of UEs which part of the allocated spectrum is allowed for sidelink communication, there are needs for inter-UE coordination of communication resource utilization. One example is the UE autonomous resource selection based on resource pools, as specified in 3GPP.

[0031] In other words, when multiple UEs are engaged in UE autonomous resource selection based sidelink communication (and are thereby sharing a resource pool) while the data communication use case requires good sidelink performance in terms of data rates and / or latency, there is a need for the UEs to coordinate their usage over their allocated resource pool.

[0032] Scenarios can be envisioned in which a set of devices, forming a cluster of devices, are engaged in sidelink communication with one another. Efficient methods for defining beneficial resource allocations both within such cluster and between two or more clusters of devices would be needed.

[0033] For such purposes a signaling protocol for Inter-UE-coordination (IUC) has been defined in 3GPP. See, for example, TS 38.300, NR and NG-RAN overall description; and TS 38.331, RRC protocol specification. The protocol allows, for example, a first UE to indicate preferred or non-preferred resources to a second UE over the sidelink. Signaling may be aperiodic explicit trigger for the transmission of inter-UE coordination message, periodic transmission of coordination message, or event-triggered. The specification found in TS 38.300, NR and NG- RAN mentions that “IUC can be triggered by an explicit request from UE-B, or by a condition at UE-A.” But functionality and methods defining how to utilize the signaling upon a condition in the UE is unspecified, left for UE implementation. It is unclear how a UE determines what is preferred and non-preferred resources, and it is unclear what conditions in a UE that may cause the triggering of such transmission. Also, in section 6.3.5 of TS 38.331, RRC protocol specification, the “SL-InterUE-CoordinationSchemel” field includes elements to indicate that the IUC signaling originates from a condition in the UE, and the resource set is determined by UE implementation.

[0034] These methods are specifically targeted scenarios in which the network is not involved in the scheduling of resources for each wireless device. The network merely allocates the resource pool, and any coordination within the pool is then up to device implementation, meaning agnostic to the network node and signaling within the network.

[0035] In view of at least the above situation, there is therefore a need for technology that allows UEs to efficiently determine which of the resources within resource pool(s) should be indicated in such IUC signaling in order to achieve a good usage of the available resources in sidelink communications. There is also a need for technology that solves problems related to such sidelink communication resource determination.

[0036] SUMMARY It should be emphasized that the terms “comprises” and “comprising”, when used in this specification, are taken to specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps or components; but the use of these terms does not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, components or groups thereof.

[0037] Moreover, reference letters may be provided in some instances (e.g., in the claims and summary) to facilitate identification of various steps and / or elements. However, the use of reference letters is not intended to impute or suggest that the so-referenced steps and / or elements are to be performed or operated in any particular order.

[0038] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, the foregoing and other objects are achieved in technology (e.g., methods, apparatuses, nontransitory computer readable storage media, program means) for performing a multi-device radar sensing.

[0039] Some aspects of the inventive technology relate to actions performed by a first device in connection with sidelink communication between the first device and a second device that both operate in a communications network, wherein at least one set of resources to be used for the sidelink communication is allocated by the communications network and communicated to at least one of the first and second devices. Actions performed by the first device include communicating sidelink context information to an application server, wherein the sidelink context information pertains to the sidelink communication. The first device receives, from the application server, a communication that includes information identifying one or more communication resources within the at least one set of resources allocated by the network to be used during the sidelink communication with the second device. The first device performs one or both of a first action and a second action, wherein the first action comprises configuring a transceiver of the first device to use the communication resources identified by the communication received from the application server; and using the configured transceiver when communicating via sidelink with the second device, the second action comprises communicating information about the identified communication resources to the second device for use when performing the sidelink communication between the first device and the second device.

[0040] In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the context information includes one or more of a latency requirement of the sidelink communication; a bandwidth requirement of the sidelink communication; a quality of service requirement of an application using the sidelink communication; a device identity using the sidelink communication; a service type of an application using the sidelink communication; and an application identity using the sidelink communication.

[0041] In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the second action is performed.

[0042] In still another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the information about the identified communication resources is communicated to the second device using a first beam-formed signal.

[0043] In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device performs, prior to communicating the sidelink context information to the application server, initiating a sidelink communication session with the second device.

[0044] In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device communicates, to the application server, information about the at least one set of resources to be used for the sidelink communication.

[0045] In still another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device receives the information about the at least one set of resources to be used for the sidelink communication from a node in the communications network. In some but not necessarily all of such embodiments, the first device sends a request for sidelink communication resources to the node in the communications network, wherein the information about the pool of communication resources is received from the node in response to the sent request for sidelink communication resources.

[0046] In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device sends, to the application server, information identifying spatial characteristics of the sidelink communication.

[0047] In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, communications between the first device and the application server take place via the communications network.

[0048] In still another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, communications between the first device and the application take place via a local area network. In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device communicates, to the second device, spatial domain information to be used by the second when communicating via sidelink with the first device.

[0049] In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device transmits information informing devices other than the second device about communication resources to be avoided while the first device is communicating via sidelink with the second device. In some but not necessarily all of such embodiments, the information informing devices other than the second device about communication resources to be avoided while the first device is communicating via sidelink with the second device is communicated to the devices other than the second device via a second beam -formed signal.

[0050] In still another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device responds to a triggering event by reporting to the application server about a change affecting an ongoing sidelink communication; and receiving an updated resource allocation from the application server in response to said reporting. In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all such embodiments, the triggering event is a change to a cluster of devices that are involved in the sidelink communication with the first device.

[0051] In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first device identifies the application server by using an Internet Protocol -based Domain Name Server lookup functionality.

[0052] Some aspects of the inventive technology relate to actions performed by an application server for coordinating sidelink communication resources used by plural communication devices including a first device and a second device that both operate in a communications network. In an aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the application server establishes a connection with the first device and receives, from the first device, information about a pool of communication resources that are available for use when performing sidelink communications with the second device. The application server also receives, from the first device, sidelink context information, wherein the sidelink context information pertains to a sidelink communication between the first device and the second device. The application server selects, from the pool of communication resources received from the first device, one or more communication resources to be used by the first device and the second device during the sidelink communication between the first device and the second device, wherein the selecting is based at least in part on the received sidelink context information. The application server informs the first device about the selected one or more communication resources.

[0053] In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, selecting the one or more communication resources is further based, at least in part, on avoiding selection of one or more communication resources that the application server has allocated for use by a third device and a fourth device during sidelink communication between the third device and the fourth device, wherein the plural communication devices includes the third device and the fourth device.

[0054] In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention the sidelink communication between the first device and the second device is a first sidelink communication activity, and the sidelink communication between the third device and the fourth device is a second sidelink activity. Also, avoiding selection of one or more communication resources that the application server has allocated for use by the third device and the fourth device during sidelink communication between the third device and the fourth device is performed based on an assessment of potential interference between the first sidelink activity and the second sidelink activity. In another aspect of some but not necessarily all of such embodiments, the application server receives: a first location of the first device; a second location of the second device; a third location of the third device; and a fourth location of the fourth device. The application server produces the assessment of potential interference between the first sidelink activity and the second sidelink activity based, at least in part, on the first location, the second location, the third location, and the fourth location.

[0055] In still another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the application server receives, from the first device, a report about a change affecting an ongoing sidelink communication involving the first device; determines an updated resource allocation in response to said report; and communicates the updated resource allocation to the first device. In an aspect of some but not necessarily all of such embodiments, the change affecting the ongoing sidelink communication involving the first device is a change to a cluster of devices that are involved in the sidelink communication with the first device.

[0056] In another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the application server transmits information informing devices other than the first and second devices about communication resources to be avoided while the first device is communicating via sidelink with the second device. In yet another aspect of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention, the first and second devices are two of at least two devices that operate in the communications network, and the application server is one of the at least two devices that operate in the communications network.

[0057] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0058] The objects and advantages of the invention will be understood by reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings in which:

[0059] Figure 1 illustrates a wireless communication system having a wireless network that supports telecommunication services for devices.

[0060] Figure 2 is, in one respect, a flowchart of actions performed by a system for coordinating sidelink communication resources among communication devices that are configured to operate in a wireless communication system and also to communicate among themselves directly via a sidelink.

[0061] Figure 3 is a signaling diagram of an exemplary arrangement in which a first device engages in D2D communication with a second device.

[0062] Figure 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary wireless device configured to operate in accordance with at least some aspects of the invention.

[0063] Figure 5 is, in one respect, a flowchart of actions performed by a first device in accordance with some but not necessarily all inventive embodiments

[0064] Figure 6 is, in one respect, a flowchart of actions performed by an application server in accordance with some but not necessarily all inventive embodiments.

[0065] Figure 7 shows an exemplary controller that may be included in a wireless device or in an application server to cause any and / or all of the herein-described and illustrated actions associated with that device to be performed.

[0066] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0067] The various features of the invention will now be described with reference to the figures, in which like parts are identified with the same reference characters.

[0068] The various aspects of the invention will now be described in greater detail in connection with a number of exemplary embodiments. To facilitate an understanding of the invention, many aspects of the invention are described in terms of sequences of actions to be performed by elements of a computer system or other hardware capable of executing programmed instructions. It will be recognized that in each of the embodiments, the various actions could be performed by specialized circuits (e.g., analog and / or discrete logic gates interconnected to perform a specialized function), by one or more processors programmed with a suitable set of instructions, or by a combination of both. The term “circuitry configured to” perform one or more described actions is used herein to refer to any such embodiment (i.e., one or more specialized circuits alone, one or more programmed processors, or any combination of these). Moreover, the invention can additionally be considered to be embodied entirely within any form of non- transitory computer readable carrier, such as solid-state memory, magnetic disk, or optical disk containing an appropriate set of computer instructions that would cause a processor to carry out the techniques described herein. Thus, the various aspects of the invention may be embodied in many different forms, and all such forms are contemplated to be within the scope of the invention. For each of the various aspects of the invention, any such form of embodiments as described above may be referred to herein as “logic configured to” perform a described action, or alternatively as “logic that” performs a described action.

[0069] Embodiments consistent with the invention address problems related to efficient determination, by one or more UEs, of which of the resources within resource pool(s) should be used for sidelink communication and / or indicated to UEs engaged in sidelink communications, in IUC signaling in order to achieve a good usage of the available resources in sidelink communications.

[0070] In one aspect of some inventive embodiments, a first device is to perform sidelink communication with a second device, with both devices configured for operation in a communications network. At least one set of resources to be used for the sidelink communication is allocated by the communications network and communicated to at least one of the first and second devices.

[0071] An aspect of embodiments consistent with the invention involves inter-device resource coordination signaling in sidelink protocol.

[0072] Another aspect of some embodiments consistent with the invention involves a device, when activated for sidelink communication being granted, by the network, one or more communication resource pools for use with sidelink communication. The device transmits information indicative of a device utilization context (e.g., an application identity, sidelink quality of service (QoS), device type / capability, mobility and location) to an application server. In another aspect of some embodiments consistent with the invention, the application server also receives information about the communication resource pool, either from the device or from another source (e.g., another device engaging in the sidelink communication).

[0073] In another aspect of some embodiments consistent with the invention, the application server may also receive other information about the resources granted by the network. In one or more examples, such information may be transmitted as a metric indicating total amount of available resources.

[0074] In another aspect of some embodiments consistent with the invention, the application server may process information received from multiple sidelink-engaged wireless devices and transmit resource coordination information to one or more of the wireless devices.

[0075] In another aspect of some embodiments consistent with the invention, the wireless device thereafter uses the resource coordination information as a trigger to transmit inter-UE coordination signaling via sidelink communication to at least one of the multiple devices, based on the received coordination information from the application server.

[0076] It can be noted that a device may communicate with the application server with or without explicit network resources available to that device. In some examples a device may participate in sidelink communication even without explicit network resources being available, and can benefit from interacting with the application server by providing information to the application server and possibly also receiving information about resource coordination information associated with devices in proximity. In other words, such device may also be triggered to transmit IUC signaling for coordination among sidelink UEs.

[0077] As an exemplary overview of the system, Figure 1 illustrates a wireless communication system having a wireless network 101 that supports telecommunication services for devices (e.g., UE 103). In this example, multiple devices are communicating with one another over a sidelink (e.g., sidelink 105). In this example it is assumed that the network 101 uses the UE autonomous scheduling method for sidelink communications, meaning that the communication is to be scheduled by the devices themselves communicating over the sidelink 103.

[0078] The wireless network 101 itself has communication resources (which include frequency and time resources) available for its use, and from these it selects a pool of sidelink communication resources which can be used to support sidelink communications among a number of devices. The wireless network 101 informs one or more of the devices about the communication resource pool 111. The sidelink communication protocol allows for standardized signaling for inter-device coordination of the allocated communication resource pools. A benefit of this standardized control signaling is that all compliant devices can decode such signals. In an aspect of inventive embodiments, the technology provides a way of obtaining relevant information to transmit on this coordination control signaling, and for enabling multiple devices to be coordinated with one another. Any number of devices may be incorporated into the coordination. Examples of practical scenarios may be that coordination may be performed in-between devices running the same operating system, applications from the same application provider, from the same device manufacturer or similar.

[0079] Further aspects of at least some inventive embodiments will now be described with reference to Figure 2 which, in one respect, is a flowchart of actions performed by a system for coordinating sidelink communication resources among communication devices that are configured to operate in a wireless communication system and also to communicate among themselves directly via a sidelink. In other respects, the blocks depicted in Figure 2 can also be considered to represent means 200 (e.g., hardwired or programmable circuitry or other processing means) for carrying out the described actions.

[0080] At a high level, aspects of sidelink communication resource coordination include:

[0081] - A set of initializing steps including the initialization of a sidelink connection with device- autonomous resource allocation. Further, the application server determination is advantageously performed within the initializing steps.

[0082] Server communication comprising an information providing step and a configuration reception step. Here, at least one of the devices is supplied with resource coordination information pertaining to the sidelink communication resources.

[0083] - An inter-device coordination step, wherein the device communicates resource coordination information with one or more other devices over the sidelink protocol.

[0084] These actions are now described in greater detail in the following:

[0085] Initialization Steps

[0086] Initialization steps include the setup of sidelink communication between a set of devices in the wireless network (step 201). To illustrate this point with reference to a 3 GPP-compliant system, this can include a 3GPP network and a UE communicating over the Uu interface and a sidelink connection being activated, where the network signals the usage of UE autonomous resource allocation. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, a set of UEs, while in idle mode or out of coverage mode from a 3GPP perspective, initiates sidelink connections. In this latter instance, UE autonomous resource allocation for sidelinks is used by default. It can be noted that a wireless device may be out of coverage or in idle mode with respect to a 3 GPP network and still be connected to the Internet via a non-3GPP connection.

[0087] In addition to the sidelink initiation, the connection with an application server for potential future resource coordination support is initiated (step 203). Multiple alternative methods for identification of a suitable application server are possible. In one example an IP based DNS lookup functionality may be used, wherein a known domain name for sidelink coordination is used by devices requesting resource coordination. To illustrate this point, a domain name having the form, “www. [domain name for sidelink coordination], com” can be used. Of course, any other domain that the device application can be aware of can be used. In one class of such embodiments, a wireless communication network directs the requests to such domain towards an internal function and thereby hosts the addressable server. In an alternative class of embodiments, an external server outside of the wireless communication network can be utilized. This second class of alternatives is illustrated in Figure 1, which shows a cloud-based application server 113 that is independent of the wireless network 101. In this manner, any coordination provider can host the coordination function, and any device is able to reach it.

[0088] In yet another class of alternatives, a more application-specific server is provided, wherein an IP address or similar connection information is provided to a wireless device via an over-the-top application communication. In such embodiments, a wireless device may receive a suitable IP address for sidelink resource coordination via information provided by an application or operating system that is running within the device, wherein the application / operating system entity in turn is connected to one or more controlling servers on the Internet. With this arrangement, all devices running the same application or the same operating system could be provided with relevant coordination server addresses for their respective services.

[0089] Server Communication

[0090] Following the initialization steps, the device communicates with the application server. A server communication may include one or more authentication and authorization steps, wherein a wireless device may provide information such as a UE identity and / or application identity or similar to be authorized for sidelink coordination. Further, the server communication includes providing context information related to the sidelink communication to the application server (step 205). The application server processes the indicated context information and uses it as a basis for determining suitable resource allocation strategies. In non-limiting examples, the sidelink usage context includes one or more of: an application identity and a device identity, a device type, mobility and / or location information. It is advantageous for sidelink information to be provided, such as the available resources for the sidelink. Further in some embodiments, sidelink information may be provided such as sidelink cluster information, meaning one or more devices within proximity that the device is connected to. To illustrate this point and with reference to Figure 1, the device 103 may have within its proximity a number of other devices, enabling these devices to form a first cluster 107. Also as illustrated, other devices, such as those within proximity of a second device 115, may form a second cluster 109.

[0091] Sidelink information may, in some further non-limiting embodiments, also include sidelink radio quality information.

[0092] One principle involved in the illustrated examples is that the application server 113 receives information from multiple devices 103, 115 as described above, and therefore is capable of coordinating resources among the devices more efficiently compared to the in-device evaluations that would otherwise be required without the server function. Hence, in the illustrated embodiments, an application server 113 processes the information received from multiple connected devices 103, 115 and responds to one or more of the connected devices 103, 115 to provide recommendations about sidelink communication resource coordination. The sidelink communication resource coordination information transmitted from the application server 113 to a wireless device 103, 115 may include time and frequency information to be used by the device 103, 115, or possibly communication resources (e.g., time and / or frequency) that are not to be used by the device 103, 115 (i.e., so that the device will not cause disruptive interference with sidelink communications taking place between other nearby devices).

[0093] The communications 117, 119 to and from the application server (illustrated by dashed lines in Figure 1) can be made at the IP level (e.g., based on HTTP protocol data communication to the IP address given in the initiation step). The signaling to the devices 103, 115 can be provided in a repeated fashion, meaning that, as one non-limiting example, updated resource coordination information can be provided repeatedly to a device until the device indicates a sidelink communication is ended. Such information can be utilized in the wireless device to perform a periodic inter-device coordination signaling, and the periodicity of the IUC signaling on the sidelink can be coordinated with the update frequency of the device — server communication.

[0094] In some non-limiting embodiments, event- or trigger-based reporting on the interface to the server 113 is also provided. Different triggers can be defined within the device-server communication 117, 119 determining, for example, when a wireless device 103, 115 will update its information to the server 113 or when the server 113 will provide updated resource allocation recommendations. For example, when one or more conditions of a sidelink cluster 107, 109 change (e.g., when a new device is activated and joins the sidelink cluster or a sidelink connected device is inactivated / removed from the sidelink cluster), the cluster head device (e.g., the device 103 or the device 115) reports the change to the server 113. In response, the server 113, provides the updated resource allocation recommendations accordingly. Such communication can be utilized in the wireless device 103, 115 to perform a condition-based inter-device coordination signaling, where the coordination information received by the device 103, 115 from the server 113 is the condition that triggers the IUC signaling.

[0095] Inter-device coordination

[0096] As one aspect following the resource recommendation from the application server 113, the exemplary embodiments include the step of providing inter-device coordination to one or more devices within proximity of the wireless device 103, 115 (e.g., devices that, along with the device 103, form the first cluster 107; and / or devices that, along with the device 115, form the second cluster 109). This could as one non-limiting example, be provided with the 3GPP defined Inter-UE coordination signaling as described in 3 GPP Specifications. As outlined earlier, the 3 GPP specifications teach that the inter-UE coordination can include information about preferred or non-preferred resources to be used by a second UE, and that one cause of such transmission can be a condition determined in the UE. In accordance with some exemplary embodiments consistent with the invention, one such condition in the UE is that the above described server communication being executed and the UE consequently receiving information about suitable resources indicated as either preferred or non-preferred by other UEs. Accordingly, as illustrated in Figure 2, the device monitors to detect whether communication resource coordination information has been received from the application server 113 (decision block 207), and if it has (“Yes” path out of decision block 207), information indicative of the resource allocation is transmitted to one or more other devices (step 209) over the sidelink via, in some non-limiting embodiments, the 3 GPP specified Inter-UE coordination signaling.

[0097] It can be noted that other methods of transmitting the information to devices in proximity are also contemplated within alternative embodiments for different methods of enablement outside of the suggested Inter-UE coordination signaling. For example, the information can be signaled over a different communication protocol and technology, such as Bluetooth or WiFi.

[0098] The devices 103, 115 also monitor to detect whether a sidelink session has ended (decision block 211). If not (“No” path out of decision block 211), resource coordination steps 207, 209 are repeated. Otherwise (“Yes” path out of decision block 211), no further steps are taken.

[0099] Further aspects of embodiments consistent with the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 3, which is a signaling diagram of an exemplary arrangement in which a first device 301 engages in D2D communication with a second device 303. In an aspect of inventive embodiments, an application server 305 provides support for coordinating communication resources for the D2D communication.

[0100] In this non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the D2D signaling is assumed to use the legacy 3GPP “PC5” sidelink protocol. The PC5 interface is a lower layer radio access protocol control signaling.

[0101] The Device-to-Application server signaling illustrated in Figure 3 is assumed to use IPbased application communication, such as an HTTP protocol using a provided IP address to the application server. In the assumed protocol, IP based application / payload data is exchanged over a logical connection that is set up between the device and the application server.

[0102] It is emphasized that these assumptions (i.e., the use of PC5 and HTTP protocols) are only for purposes of example, and that other protocols could be used in alternative embodiments.

[0103] The signaling diagram of Figure 3 illustrates the main principles of signaling flow. The illustration begins with the first device 301 and second device 303 initiating 307 sidelink communications with one another.

[0104] One of the devices (in this non-limiting example, the first device 301) then sends a connection request 309 to the application server 305. In return, the application server 305 sends a connection response 311 to the first device 301.

[0105] Once the device-application connection is established, the first device 301 sends sidelink context information 315 to the application server 305. The application server 305 assesses the context information 315 alone or possibly in combination with other sidelink context information 313 that it may have received from other devices in the same or a different cluster of devices. In this aspect, the application server has a high level view of sidelink communications taking place among a number of devices and is in a good position to make suggestions and / or decisions about how best to coordinate the use of sidelink communication resources (e.g., time and frequency resources) among the various devices. Based on the assessment, the application server 305 sends resource coordination information 317 to the first device 301. The first device 301 then shares 319 this information with the second device 303, and both devices use the coordination information to make decisions about sidelink communication resource utilization.

[0106] As mentioned, the actions depicted in Figure 3 are shown at a high level. In practice, each such action might require performance of a number of sub-steps with multiple signaling messages being communicated in different directions. Further, communication with other nodes and functionalities are very likely to occur as well, such as a device communication with a network base station for the sidelink initiation procedure and a device communication with a DNS server which may be required for purposes of identifying the IP address of the application server 305.

[0107] Further aspects of some but not necessarily all embodiments consistent with the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 4, which is a block diagram of a wireless device 401 configured to operate in accordance with the invention. The exemplary embodiment is nonlimiting and for purposes of illustration only because the herein-described functionality can be implemented within a device in multiple ways, very much dependent on the device architecture implementation. In the example of Figure 4, the wireless device 401 includes an application entity 403 and at least one modem entity 405. The application entity 403 includes processing capability (e.g., hardware and / or software) for running an operating system for the application entity software architecture, wherein one or more applications 407, 409 may be active. The applications 407, 409 may perform functions such as handling input and output to sensors and displays, or to process application data. The modem entity 405 performs communication over wireless communication protocols such as, for example, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 3GPP protocols.

[0108] In one exemplary embodiment, information as is typically available in the modem entity 405 is shared with the application server, meaning that information such as the sidelink resource pool information as transmitted from a communication network node (e.g., gNB) and received by the modem entity 405 in the device 401 will be further forwarded to the application server. In this type of example, communication resource coordination functionality can be implemented in the modem entity 405 of the wireless device 401, wherein the modem entity 405 may include a sidelink resource coordination function that is responsible for connecting to a designated application server.

[0109] In an alternative class of exemplary embodiments, the information as is typically available in both the modem entity 405 and the application entity 403 of the wireless device 401 is shared with one another. This allows the herein-described functionality to be implemented either in the modem entity 405 or the application entity 403. The wireless device 401 typically includes a set of interfaces 411 for exchanging information and / or signals between the application entity 403 and modem entity 405 wherein both payload data as well as control information pertaining to the management of interaction between the two entities are transferred. As one example in which the device coordination functionality is implemented in the application entity 403, information about assigned radio resources to be used for sidelink communications are transferred from the modem entity 405 to the application entity 403 upon sidelink activation. The application entity, such as a functionality within one of the running applications 407, 409 may thereafter combine such information with context information available in the application entity 403 and communicate this information to the application server for sidelink resource coordination. Further, information about the received coordination information from the application server can be transmitted from the application entity 403 to the modem entity 405 in order for the modem 405 to transmit relevant inter-device coordination over the sidelink.

[0110] In some examples, the sidelink communication may be performed on frequencies in which the wireless device 401 has a capability to perform a beamforming or other spatial domain control of the transmitted signals. As one example this can be enabled for so-called mmWave communication (e.g., on the 3 GPP frequency range 2 spectrum, meaning above 6GHz carrier frequencies). This can be utilized in combination with other aspects of inventive embodiments disclosed herein, wherein the inter-device coordination signaling is transmitted with specific properties in the spatial domain. The wireless device can determine (e.g., based on the spatial characteristics of the sidelink data communication) the suitable spatial domain of the IUC coordination signaling to be used. In one example, a first inter-device coordination signal is transmitted with beamforming targeted to communicate with a first device, informing about a suitable resource usage for the first device. In addition for this example, a second inter-device coordination signal is transmitted with a beamforming targeted to also communicate with devices other than the first device, informing them about resources that they should avoid using. The determination of the beamforming to be applied by the device for the inter-device coordination may, in another exemplary embodiment, be assisted by the application server, wherein the wireless device reports spatial characteristics of the sidelink communication as part of the reporting to the application server. The application server may use the information and, in the server response, provide recommendations regarding the spatial domain handling of the device transmissions of inter-device coordination.

[0111] Further aspects of inventive embodiments are now described with respect to an exemplary use case: device grouping for gaming. In particular, consider an outdoor online multiplayer game involving wireless devices that, as part of game play, interact with the environment and require considerable data transfer due to, for example, an XR-based (e.g., AR-based or VR- based) user interface.

[0112] In a conventional setup, and assuming a 3 GPP-compliant communication system, each of the players’ devices would be connected to a mobile NW via the Uu air interface, meaning from each UE to the network base stations (gNBs). The local data from a first player’s camera and sensors, reflecting the environment, would be uploaded to the game server via OTT data transfer. The processed data, accounting for game actions and other modifications by the game server would be downloaded, again via the Uu, to a second player’s device.

[0113] The just-described arrangement can be significantly improved by applying inventive aspects described herein. For example, data transfer volumes via the Uu interface may be decreased dramatically and the data transfer from the first player to the second player may be performed locally via a sidelink connection, as described in the following, possibly enabling a higher-performance game mode.

[0114] In one embodiment, the mobile device of the first player (that may serve as the cluster head) is connected to the cellular NW via an FR1 connection. It requests and is consequently granted sidelink resources, for example, FR2 resources with a minimum bandwidth of 100 MHz, from the cellular NW. The decision to engage in the game and the availability of the sidelink resources can be considered as a trigger condition for sidelink cooperation management via an application server. The first player thus registers on the application server, which may be associated with or implemented in the game server, including game parameters and its approximate location (e.g., a physical location or a cell ID fingerprint). The first player’s device also provides information about its granted SL resources (i.e., granted by the NW) to the application server. This may be done OTT via FR1.

[0115] The second players’ device, engaged in the same game, is also registered with the application server and similarly provides its game context and location. Based on the received information, the application server can identify that the devices may be in SL range and that at least one of them has obtained SL resources. The application server may also verify that the resources (low-latency, high-BW if in FR2) are sufficient for the required data transmission according to a certain (e.g., higher-performance) operational mode and it can determine if there are more devices such as other gaming clusters within proximity also using overlapping resource allocations from the network. Based on this, the application server can identify which of the available SL communication resources should be used by the first and second devices to coordinate resource usage not only among these two devices but potentially also taking the needs of others into account.

[0116] The application server then signals to one or more of the first and second player devices information indicating which of the available SL communication resources are recommended for use by the two devices. In this way, the usage of the SL resources made available by the NW can be shared among a number of devices. The signaling includes information that can ensure the two players use enough of the allocated resources for their communication needs but also ensuring that they avoid interfering with other devices within proximity. In other words, the coordination by the application server is useful to ensure suitable resource allocations both within a cluster and between two or more clusters of devices (e.g., the first and second clusters 107, 109 illustrated in Figure 1). Once the SL connection is coordinated using the inter-device coordination signaling, the data (e.g., VR / AR / XR scene data) that need not be processed in the game server can be transferred directly between the first and second player devices using conventional SL protocols. The two players can play the game at the high quality level enabled by the FR2 SL resources.

[0117] Still further aspects of some but not necessarily all inventive embodiments will now be described with reference to Figure 5, which in one respect is a flowchart of actions performed by a first device in accordance with some but not necessarily all inventive embodiments. In other respects, the blocks depicted in Figure 5 can also be considered to represent means 500 (e.g., hardwired or programmable circuitry or other processing means) for carrying out the described actions. The first device is in an arrangement comprising the first device and a second device that both operate in a communications network, wherein at least one set of resources to be used for sidelink communication between the first and second devices is allocated by the communications network and communicated to at least one of the first and second devices.

[0118] As shown beginning in Figure 5, the process includes the first device communicating (step 501) sidelink context information to an application server, wherein the sidelink context information pertains to the sidelink communication. The first device receives (step 503), from the application server, a communication that includes information identifying one or more communication resources within the at least one set of resources allocated by the network to be used during the sidelink communication with the second device. The first device then performs one or both of a first action (step 505) and a second action (step 507), wherein the first action (step 505) comprises configuring (step 509) a transceiver of the first device to use the communication resources identified by the communication received from the application server; and using (step 511) the configured transceiver when communicating via sidelink with the second device.

[0119] The second action (step 507) comprises communicating (step 513) information about the identified communication resources to the second device for use when performing the sidelink communication between the first device and the second device.

[0120] Still further aspects of some but not necessarily all inventive embodiments will now be described with reference to Figure 6, which in one respect is a flowchart of actions performed by an application server in accordance with some but not necessarily all inventive embodiments. In other respects, the blocks depicted in Figure 6 can also be considered to represent means 600 (e.g., hardwired or programmable circuitry or other processing means) for carrying out the described actions.

[0121] The application server is for coordinating sidelink communication resources used by plural communication devices including a first device and a second device that both operate in a communications network. As shown beginning in Figure 6, the process includes establishing a connection with the first device (step 601); receiving (603), from the first device, information about a pool of communication resources that are available for use when performing sidelink communications with the second device; and receiving (step 605), from the first device, sidelink context information, wherein the sidelink context information pertains to a sidelink communication between the first device and the second device. The application server selects (step 607), from the pool of communication resources received from the first device, one or more communication resources to be used by the first device and the second device during the sidelink communication between the first device and the second device, wherein the selecting is based at least in part on the received sidelink context information. The application server then informs the first device about the selected one or more communication resources.

[0122] Further aspects of embodiments consistent with the invention will now be described with reference to Figure 7, which shows an exemplary controller 701 that may be included in a sensing device or in an illuminating device to cause any and / or all of the herein-described and illustrated actions associated with that device to be performed. In particular, the controller 701 includes circuitry configured to carry out any one or any combination of the various functions described herein. Such circuitry could, for example, be entirely hard-wired circuitry (e.g., one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits - “ASICs”). Depicted in the exemplary embodiment of Figure 7, however, is programmable circuitry, comprising a processor 703 coupled to one or more memory devices 705 (e.g., Random Access Memory, Magnetic Disc Drives, Optical Disk Drives, Read Only Memory, etc.) and to an interface 707 that enables bidirectional communication with other elements of a device as described above. A complete list of possible other elements is beyond the scope of this description.

[0123] The memory device(s) 705 store program means 709 (e.g., a set of processor instructions) configured to cause the processor 703 to control other device elements so as to carry out any of the aspects described herein. The memory device(s) 705 may also store data (not shown) representing various constant and variable parameters as may be needed by the processor 703 and / or as may be generated when carrying out its functions such as those specified by the program means 709.

[0124] Embodiments consistent with aspects of the invention provide a number of advantages over conventional technology. One of these advantages is that, even when the network has decided that the sidelink resource allocation is based on resource pools, the usage of which is left to the devices (e.g., UEs), (mode 2 operation) without network specific scheduling, the multiple devices can still get external server support to coordinate and thereby improve in their resource utilization for high quality sidelink communications in an efficient manner.

[0125] Another advantage is that this can be achieved even if the devices belong to different clusters of sidelink communicating devices. In other words, the trigger condition and the collected information used for initiating inter-device coordination signaling can be based on additional information involving multiple devices compared to basing utilization only on the transmission intentions that an individual device is aware of.

[0126] Yet another advantage is that the actions related to the herein-disclosed technology can be performed without explicit wireless network involvement, meaning that the device signaling to the application server described herein is performed on an application layer.

[0127] The invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments. However, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that it is possible to embody the invention in specific forms other than those of the embodiment described above. For example, the above-described exemplary embodiments assume that the application server is an entity that is completely separate from the wireless devices (e.g., UEs) operating in the communications network. However, in some alternative classes of embodiments, a user device (e.g., one of the devices engaging in SL communications) can take on the role of application server, performing the functionality described herein. Thus, the described embodiments are merely illustrative and should not be considered restrictive in any way. The scope of the invention is further illustrated by the appended claims, rather than only by the preceding description, and all variations and equivalents which fall within the range of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of sidelink communication (105) between a first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and a second device (303, 401) that both operate in a communications network (101), wherein at least one set of communication resources (111) to be used for the sidelink communication (105) is allocated by the communications network (101) and communicated to at least one of the first (103, 115, 301, 401) and second devices (303, 401), the method being performed by the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and comprising: communicating (205, 315, 501) sidelink context information to an application server (113, 305), wherein the sidelink context information pertains to the sidelink communication (105); receiving (317, 503), from the application server (113, 305), a communication that includes information identifying one or more communication resources within the at least one set of communication resources (111) allocated by the network to be used during the sidelink communication (105) with the second device (303, 401); and performing one or both of a first action (505) and a second action (507), wherein the first action (505) comprises: configuring (509) a transceiver of the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to use the communication resources identified by the communication received from the application server (113, 305); and using (511) the configured transceiver when communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401); and wherein the second action (507) comprises: communicating (513) information about the identified communication resources to the second device (303, 401) for use when performing the sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the context information includes one or more of: a latency requirement of the sidelink communication (105); a bandwidth requirement of the sidelink communication (105); a quality of service requirement of an application using the sidelink communication (105); a device identity using the sidelink communication (105); a service type of an application using the sidelink communication (105); andan application identity using the sidelink communication (105).

3. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising the second action (507).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the information about the identified communication resources is communicated to the second device (303, 401) using a first beam-formed signal.

5. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising: prior to communicating the sidelink context information to the application server (113, 305), initiating (203, 309) a sidelink communication session with the second device (303, 401).

6. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising: communicating, to the application server (113, 305), information about the at least one set of communication resources (111) to be used for the sidelink communication (105).

7. The method of claim 6, comprising: receiving the information about the at least one set of communication resources (111) to be used for the sidelink communication (105) from a node in the communications network (101).

8. The method of claim 7, comprising: sending a request for sidelink communication resources to the node in the communications network (101), wherein the information about the at least one set of communication resources (111) is received from the node in response to the sent request for sidelink communication resources.

9. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising: sending, to the application server (113, 305), information identifying spatial characteristics of the sidelink communication (105).

10. The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein communications (117, 119) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the application server (113, 305) take place via the communications network (101).

11. The method of any of claims 1 through 9, wherein communications (117, 119) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the application (113, 305) server take place via a local area network.

12. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising: communicating, to the second device (303, 401), spatial domain information to be used by the second when communicating via sidelink with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

13. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising: transmitting, from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), information informing devices other than the second device (303, 401) about communication resources to be avoided while the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the information informing devices other than the second device (303, 401) about communication resources to be avoided while the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401) is communicated to the devices other than the second device (303, 401) via a second beam -formed signal.

15. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising: in response to a triggering event, reporting to the application server (113, 305) about a change affecting an ongoing sidelink communication (105); and receiving an updated resource allocation from the application server (113, 305) in response to said reporting.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the triggering event is a change to a cluster (107, 109) of devices that are involved in the sidelink communication (105) with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

17. The method of any one of the previous claims, comprising:identifying the application server (113, 305) by using an Internet Protocol -based Domain Name Server lookup functionality.

18. The method of any one of the previous claims, wherein: the first and second devices are two of at least two devices that operate in the communications network; and the application server is one of the at least two devices that operate in the communications network.

19. A computer program (709) comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor (703), causes the at least one processor (703) to carry out the method according to any one of the previous claims.

20. A carrier comprising the computer program (1509) of claim 19, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (705).

21. A method performed by an application server (113, 305) for coordinating sidelink communication resources used by plural communication devices including a first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and a second device (303, 401) that both operate in a communications network (101), the method comprising: establishing a connection (311, 601) with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401); receiving (603), from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), information about a pool of communication resources (111) that are available for use when performing sidelink communications with the second device (303, 401); receiving (315, 605), from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), sidelink context information, wherein the sidelink context information pertains to a sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401); selecting (607), from the pool of communication resources received from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), one or more communication resources to be used by the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401) during the sidelink communication (105)between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401), wherein the selecting (607) is based at least in part on the received sidelink context information; informing (609) the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) about the selected one or more communication resources.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein selecting (607) the one or more communication resources is further based, at least in part, on avoiding selection of one or more communication resources that the application server (113, 305) has allocated for use by a third device and a fourth device during sidelink communication (105) between the third device and the fourth device, wherein the plural communication devices includes the third device and the fourth device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein: the sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401) is a first sidelink communication activity, and the sidelink communication (105) between the third device and the fourth device is a second sidelink activity; and avoiding selection of one or more communication resources that the application server (113, 305) has allocated for use by the third device and the fourth device during sidelink communication (105) between the third device and the fourth device is performed based on an assessment of potential interference between the first sidelink activity and the second sidelink activity.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising: receiving a first location of the first device (103, 115, 301, 401); receiving a second location of the second device (303, 401); receiving a third location of the third device; receiving a fourth location of the fourth device; and producing the assessment of potential interference between the first sidelink activity and the second sidelink activity based, at least in part, on the first location, the second location, the third location, and the fourth location.

25. The method of any one of claims 21 through 24, comprising: receiving, from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), a report about a change affecting an ongoing sidelink communication (105) involving the first device (103, 115, 301, 401); determining an updated resource allocation in response to said report; and communicating the updated resource allocation to the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the change affecting the ongoing sidelink communication (105) involving the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is a change to a cluster (107, 109) of devices that are involved in the sidelink communication (105) with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

27. The method of any one of claims 21 through 26, comprising: transmitting information informing devices other than the first (103, 115, 301, 401) and second (303, 401) devices about communication resources to be avoided while the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is communicating via sidelink with the second device.

28. The method of any one of claims 21 through 27, wherein: the first and second devices are two of at least two devices that operate in the communications network; and the application server is one of the at least two devices that operate in the communications network.

29. A computer program (709) comprising instructions that, when executed by at least one processor (703), causes the at least one processor (703) to carry out the method according to any one of claims 21 through 28.

30. A carrier comprising the computer program (1509) of claim 28, wherein the carrier is one of an electronic signal, an optical signal, a radio signal, and a non-transitory computer readable storage medium (705).

31. An apparatus for sidelink communication (105) between a first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and a second device (303, 401) that both operate in a communications network (101), wherein at least one set of communication resources (111) to be used for the sidelinkcommunication (105) is allocated by the communications network (101) and communicated to at least one of the first (103, 115, 301, 401) and second devices (303, 401), wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: communicating (205, 315, 501) sidelink context information to an application server (113, 305), wherein the sidelink context information pertains to the sidelink communication (105); receiving (317, 503), from the application server (113, 305), a communication that includes information identifying one or more communication resources within the at least one set of communication resources (111) allocated by the network to be used during the sidelink communication (105) with the second device (303, 401); and performing one or both of a first action (505) and a second action (507), wherein the first action (505) comprises: configuring (509) a transceiver of the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to use the communication resources identified by the communication received from the application server (113, 305); and using (511) the configured transceiver when communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401); and wherein the second action (507) comprises: communicating (513) information about the identified communication resources to the second device (303, 401) for use when performing the sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401).

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the context information includes one or more of: a latency requirement of the sidelink communication (105); a bandwidth requirement of the sidelink communication (105); a quality of service requirement of an application using the sidelink communication (105); a device identity using the sidelink communication (105); a service type of an application using the sidelink communication (105); and an application identity using the sidelink communication (105).

33. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 32, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform the second action (507).

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to use a first beam-formed signal to communicate the information about the identified communication resources to the second device (303, 401).

35. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 34, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: prior to communicating the sidelink context information to the application server (113, 305), initiating (203, 309) a sidelink communication session with the second device (303, 401).

36. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 35, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: communicating, to the application server (113, 305), information about the at least one set of communication resources (111) to be used for the sidelink communication (105).

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: receiving the information about the at least one set of communication resources (111) to be used for the sidelink communication (105) from a node in the communications network (101).

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: sending a request for sidelink communication resources to the node in the communications network (101), wherein the information about the at least one set of communication resources (111) is received from the node in response to the sent request for sidelink communication resources.

39. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 38, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: sending, to the application server (113, 305), information identifying spatial characteristics of the sidelink communication (105).

40. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 39, wherein communications (117, 119) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the application server (113, 305) take place via the communications network (101).

41. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 39, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to communicate (117, 119) with the application server (113, 305) via a local area network.

42. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 41, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: communicating, to the second device (303, 401), spatial domain information to be used by the second when communicating via sidelink with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

43. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 42, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: transmitting, from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), information informing devices other than the second device (303, 401) about communication resources to be avoided while the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401).

44. The apparatus of claim 43, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to communicate, via a second beam-formed signal, the information informing devices other than the second device (303, 401) about communication resources to be avoided while the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is communicating via sidelink with the second device (303, 401).

45. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 44, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: in response to a triggering event, reporting to the application server (113, 305) about a change affecting an ongoing sidelink communication (105); and receiving an updated resource allocation from the application server (113, 305) in response to said reporting.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, wherein the triggering event is a change to a cluster (107, 109) of devices that are involved in the sidelink communication (105) with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

47. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 46, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) to perform: identifying the application server (113, 305) by using an Internet Protocol -based Domain Name Server lookup functionality.

48. The apparatus of any one of claims 31 through 47, wherein: the first and second devices are two of at least two devices that operate in the communications network; and the application server is one of the at least two devices that operate in the communications network.

49. An apparatus for causing an application server (113, 305) to coordinate sidelink communication resources used by plural communication devices including a first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and a second device (303, 401) that both operate in a communications network (101), wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the application server (113, 305) to perform: establishing a connection (311, 601) with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401); receiving (603), from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), information about a pool of communication resources (111) that are available for use when performing sidelink communications with the second device (303, 401); receiving (315, 605), from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), sidelink context information, wherein the sidelink context information pertains to a sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401); selecting (607), from the pool of communication resources received from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), one or more communication resources to be used by the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401) during the sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401), wherein the selecting (607) is based at least in part on the received sidelink context information;informing (609) the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) about the selected one or more communication resources.

50. The apparatus of claim 49, wherein selecting (607) the one or more communication resources is further based, at least in part, on avoiding selection of one or more communication resources that the application server (113, 305) has allocated for use by a third device and a fourth device during sidelink communication (105) between the third device and the fourth device, wherein the plural communication devices includes the third device and the fourth device.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein: the sidelink communication (105) between the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) and the second device (303, 401) is a first sidelink communication activity, and the sidelink communication (105) between the third device and the fourth device is a second sidelink activity; and avoiding selection of one or more communication resources that the application server (113, 305) has allocated for use by the third device and the fourth device during sidelink communication (105) between the third device and the fourth device is performed based on an assessment of potential interference between the first sidelink activity and the second sidelink activity.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the application server (113, 305) to perform: receiving a first location of the first device (103, 115, 301, 401); receiving a second location of the second device (303, 401); receiving a third location of the third device; receiving a fourth location of the fourth device; and producing the assessment of potential interference between the first sidelink activity and the second sidelink activity based, at least in part, on the first location, the second location, the third location, and the fourth location.

53. The apparatus of any one of claims 49 through 52, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the application server (113, 305) to perform: receiving, from the first device (103, 115, 301, 401), a report about a change affecting an ongoing sidelink communication (105) involving the first device (103, 115, 301, 401); determining an updated resource allocation in response to said report; and communicating the updated resource allocation to the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the change affecting the ongoing sidelink communication (105) involving the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is a change to a cluster (107, 109) of devices that are involved in the sidelink communication (105) with the first device (103, 115, 301, 401).

55. The apparatus of any one of claims 49 through 54, wherein the apparatus is configured to cause the application server (113, 305) to transmit information informing devices other than the first (103, 115, 301, 401) and second (303, 401) devices about communication resources to be avoided while the first device (103, 115, 301, 401) is communicating via sidelink with the second device.

56. The apparatus of any one of claims 49 through 55, wherein: the first and second devices are two of at least two devices that operate in the communications network; and the application server is one of the at least two devices that operate in the communications network.

Images