Master Terminal Relay for Out-of-Coverage D2D Communication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional communication systems fail to enable terminals beyond network coverage to communicate with network-side devices, leading to communication service failures and misidentification of communication processes.

Innovation Solution

A communication method and system where a master terminal within network coverage establishes a connection with a network-side device and facilitates indirect communication for a slave terminal beyond coverage by synchronizing static resources and using device-to-device (D2D) identifiers, allowing the network-side device to recognize and manage the communication process as originating from the slave terminal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a terminal is located beyond network coverage, then the terminal cannot establish direct communication with the network-side device, but the terminal still needs to perform communication services

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication service availabilityVSAvoidcommunication establishment capability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a master terminal within network coverage as an intermediary to enable communication for the slave terminal beyond coverage. The master terminal receives data from the slave terminal via D2D connection and forwards it to the network-side device, thus mediating the communication between the isolated slave terminal and the network.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The communication path is segmented into two parts: a D2D connection between master and slave terminals for local data exchange, and a traditional network connection between the master terminal and network-side device for network access. This segmentation allows the slave terminal to communicate indirectly through the master terminal without requiring direct network coverage.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If the network-side device cannot identify communication with terminals beyond coverage, then communication processes cannot be properly managed, but communication identification and management are necessary

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication process identificationVSAvoidcommunication origin information
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The master terminal acts as an intermediary that carries identification information. It includes the slave terminal's identity and communication context in the data forwarded to the network-side device, enabling the network to identify and manage the slave terminal's communication processes even though the slave terminal itself is not directly connected.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The network-side device receives feedback information about the slave terminal's communication status through the master terminal. This feedback mechanism allows the network to track and manage communication processes of terminals beyond coverage by receiving status updates and control responses via the intermediary master terminal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3054726B1Communication methods and communication systems
Publication Date: 2019.05.29 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP3054726B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3054726B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3054726B1 patent drawingFigure 3(a)

AI summary

According to a communication method, a network-side device, and a communications system, a D2D connection is established between a master terminal located within network coverage and a slave terminal located beyond the network coverage, and a common communication connection is established between the master terminal and a network-side device, so that indirect communication can be implemented between the slave terminal located beyond the network coverage and the network-side device by using the master terminal. In addition, when the connection is established between the master terminal and the network-side device, service type information reflecting a data packet reported by the slave terminal (or a data packet delivered by the network-side device and received by the slave terminal) is sent to the network-side device, so that the network-side device can learn that a current communication process is not a process of common communication with the master terminal, but is a process of indirect communication with the slave terminal located beyond the network coverage, which avoids a problem of a communication failure caused by that the network-side device performs communication according to a common communication process.