LTE-Direct Preemptive Peer Discovery for Seamless D2D Handover
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Solution Overview
Problem
LTE-Direct (LTE-D) communication systems face disruptions due to loss or degradation of sessions, leading to interruptions in device-to-device (D2D) communication, as devices must wait for the next discovery cycle to reestablish connections, which can result in service interruptions and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for LTE-D capable devices to preemptively search and select alternative LTE-D Expressions when a current session experiences loss or degradation, maintaining uninterrupted communication by proactively refreshing and ordering lists of interested Expressions based on user preferences and signal strength, allowing for quick reestablishment of D2D links.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If devices wait for the next discovery cycle to reestablish connections after session loss, then the system maintains simple discovery procedures, but service interruptions occur leading to reduced communication reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having devices proactively search for and identify alternative peer devices before the current session actually fails. The wireless device continuously monitors session quality metrics (signal strength, error rates) and preemptively initiates searches for backup peer devices when degradation is detected, rather than waiting for complete session failure. This advance preparation eliminates service interruptions by ensuring alternative connections are ready to activate immediately.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by maintaining a pre-identified list of alternative peer devices that can serve as backup connections. When the current session shows signs of failure, these pre-vetted alternative peers are already available to immediately take over, cushioning against the impact of session loss. This is achieved by continuously discovering and storing information about potential peer devices during normal operation.
2Reliability
If devices continuously monitor for alternative Expressions to prevent session loss, then communication reliability improves, but power consumption increases due to continuous monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies periodic action by implementing discontinuous reception (DRX) cycles for monitoring alternative Expressions. Instead of continuously monitoring all possible peer devices, the wireless device periodically wakes up to check for new Expressions or session quality changes, then returns to sleep mode. This periodic monitoring maintains session continuity reliability while dramatically reducing average power consumption compared to continuous monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by adapting the monitoring intensity and frequency based on current session conditions. When the active session is strong and stable, monitoring frequency is reduced to save power. When session quality degrades or alternatives are scarce, monitoring intensity increases to ensure rapid detection of better options. This dynamic adjustment optimizes the balance between reliability and power consumption.
Data Source
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AI summary
The disclosure generally relates to preemptively searching and selecting LTE-Direct Expressions to maintain continuity in availing services via LTE-Direct and thereby support uninterrupted device-to-device (D2D) communication when a current LTE-Direct session experiences loss or degradation. For example, in various embodiments, a wireless device may establish a first D2D connection with a peer device to access a service shared at the peer device. The wireless device may further discover at least one alternate peer device sharing the service while the first D2D connection is active such that a second D2D connection with the at least one alternate peer device can be established in response to loss and/or degradation associated with the first D2D connection.