Network-Assisted D2D Discovery for P2P Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Device-to-device (D2D) communication discovery processes are resource-intensive and time-consuming due to the lack of proximity detection services in core network infrastructure, leading to inefficient resource utilization and potential overload of control planes as the number of devices increases.
Innovation Solution
Implementing network-assisted device discovery and proximity detection using the user plane, where a D2D server registers devices, requests location updates from a location service, and alerts devices when they are within proximity for direct connection, thereby reducing unnecessary discovery attempts and channel resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If devices perform traditional D2D discovery by broadcasting and listening for discovery signals, then devices can establish direct connections, but the discovery process consumes excessive time and channel resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a network entity (e.g., base station or discovery coordination entity) as an intermediary that maintains a discovery information database containing location and service information of devices. Instead of devices continuously broadcasting discovery signals, the network intermediary provides discovery information on demand, significantly reducing channel resource consumption while accelerating discovery speed.
Solution Approach 2:
The network entity pre-collects and stores discovery information including device locations, services, and capabilities in a database before actual D2D connection is needed. This preliminary action eliminates the need for real-time discovery signal exchanges, reducing both time and resource consumption during the actual discovery process.
2Measurement precision
If devices continuously monitor for discovery signals to find specific peer devices, then discovery accuracy is maintained, but the control plane becomes overloaded as device density increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the discovery information management function from the device-to-device interaction and relocates it to the network entity. The network entity maintains the discovery information database and handles all discovery information provisioning, freeing the control plane from the burden of managing discovery signals between numerous devices, thus reducing control plane load while maintaining discovery accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The network entity acts as an intermediary that centralizes discovery information management. Instead of devices directly interacting through discovery signals (which overloads the control plane), the network intermediary provides filtered and organized discovery information, maintaining accuracy while reducing control plane complexity and load.
3Reliability
If devices perform exhaustive discovery searches to locate specific peer devices, then complete device discovery is achieved, but the time required for discovery increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity pre-populates a discovery information database with comprehensive device information including locations, services, and capabilities before discovery is needed. When a device needs to discover a peer, it queries the database which returns targeted information, achieving complete discovery without exhaustive searches, thus maintaining reliability while dramatically reducing discovery time.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where devices update their location and service information to the network entity, which maintains an up-to-date discovery database. This feedback loop ensures discovery completeness without requiring devices to perform time-consuming exhaustive searches, as the network entity provides current information on demand.
Data Source
AI summary
The techniques introduced here provide for network assisted device-to-device communication for peer-to-peer applications. The techniques include registering a user's peer-to-peer application identifier with a peer-to-peer application server, registering a user's peer-to-peer application ID with a device-to-device server, sending a peer-to-peer service request to the peer-to-peer application server, and receiving network assistance in discovering a peer with the desired P2P content/service and establishing a device-to-device communication arrangement for exchange of peer-to-peer services. The network assistance is provided over the user plane.