ProSe Direct Discovery Signaling for Emergency Alert Relaying

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Solution Overview

Problem

Public Safety UE devices at the cell edge or in disaster-hit areas often experience poor or no radio signal quality, leading to failure in receiving critical alerts and notifications, such as Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA), due to weak signal strength from the E-UTRAN network.

Innovation Solution

Implementing ProSe direct discovery signaling to relay alert messages by transmitting a ProSe direct discovery message containing the alert information, allowing devices outside network coverage to receive critical alerts through direct communication between nearby UE devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional E-UTRAN network signaling is used to distribute Wireless Emergency Alerts, then alerts can be delivered to devices within network coverage, but devices at cell edge or in disaster areas with poor radio signal quality cannot receive critical alerts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealert delivery reliabilityVSAvoidpoor radio signal quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces ProSe direct discovery signaling as an intermediary mechanism that enables devices to exchange alert information directly without relying on network infrastructure. When traditional network signaling fails due to poor radio conditions, devices use direct peer-to-peer communication to relay emergency alerts, thus resolving the contradiction between maintaining reliable alert delivery and operating in environments with harmful signal quality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The alert distribution system is segmented into two complementary paths: network-based signaling for devices with good coverage and direct device-to-device signaling for devices at cell edge or in disaster areas. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different signal conditions and ensure alert delivery reliability across diverse environments

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If ProSe direct discovery signaling is implemented to relay alert messages between devices, then devices outside network coverage can receive alerts, but additional device complexity is introduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidcommunication mechanism

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The ProSe direct discovery signaling mechanism is designed to be universally applicable across different device types and network conditions. The same direct communication protocol serves both devices at cell edge and completely out-of-coverage devices, providing adaptability without requiring multiple specialized systems. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by achieving broad coverage while maintaining relatively simple, standardized device operations

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11477848B2Disseminating alerts or other notifications using ProSe direct discovery signaling

Publication Date: 2022.10.18 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, detecting, by a wireless communication device, a transmission, by a radio access network node, of an alert message, identifying contents of the alert message, determining that the wireless communication device is authorized to relay the contents of the alert message, generating alert information comprising the contents of the alert message, and transmitting a ProSe direct discovery message comprising the alert information. Other embodiments are disclosed.