Operating user equipments in a wireless communication network

1. A method for operating a first user equipment in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

assigning the first user equipment to a second user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, wherein the assignment is stored in the wireless communication network, and

upon assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, setting the first user equipment into a reduced communication operation mode, wherein in the reduced communication operation mode the first user equipment stops listening to a predefined set of messages sent from the wireless communication network and starts listening to a predefined message sent from the second user equipment.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment comprises:

detecting, at the first user equipment, a presence of the second user equipment within the wireless device-to-device communication range,

transmitting from the first user equipment to the wireless communication network a request for assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, and

receiving at the first user equipment a confirmation from the wireless communication network confirming the assignment of the first user equipment to the second user equipment.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment comprises:

receiving at the first user equipment an indication from the wireless communication network indicating the assignment of the first user equipment to the second user equipment, wherein the assignment of the first user equipment to the second user equipment is determined in the wireless communication network based on an information indicating that the first user equipment and the second user equipment are arranged within a direct wireless device-to-device communication range.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the reduced communication operation mode the first user equipment stops sending location update information to the wireless communication network.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the predefined set of messages comprises at least one of a group comprising:

a broadcast message from the wireless communication network,

a paging message from the wireless communication network, and

a timing synchronization signal from the wireless communication network.

6. A method for operating a second user equipment in a wireless communication network, wherein a first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is assigned to the second user equipment and the assignment is stored in the wireless communication network and communicated by the wireless communication network to the second user equipment, wherein upon assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, the first user equipment is set into a reduced communication operation mode, wherein in the reduced communication operation mode the first user equipment stops listening to a predefined set of messages sent from the wireless communication network and starts listening to a predefined message sent from the second user equipment, the method comprising:

generating a beacon message in the second user equipment, the beacon message comprising at least one message of a predefined set of messages from the wireless communication network, and

broadcasting the beacon message via a transceiver unit of the second user equipment.

7. The method according to claim 6 , further comprising:

receiving, at the second user equipment, an encapsulated message from the wireless communication network, the encapsulated message comprising an identifier of the first user equipment and a message of the predefined set of messages,

generating a beacon message in the second user equipment, the beacon message comprising the identifier of the first user equipment and the message of the predefined set of messages of the encapsulated message, and

broadcasting the beacon message via the transceiver unit of the second user equipment.

8. A method for operating a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

assigning a first user equipment operated in the wireless communication network to a second user equipment operated in the wireless communication network, wherein the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, and upon assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, setting the first user equipment into a reduced communication operation mode, wherein in the reduced communication operation mode the first user equipment stops listening to a predefined set of messages sent from the wireless communication network and starts listening to a predefined message sent from the second user equipment,

storing the assignment in a storage unit of the wireless communication network, and

communicating, by the wireless communication network to the second user equipment, the stored assignment.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment comprises:

determining, in the wireless communication network, a distance between the first user equipment and the second user equipment,

assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment depending on the determined distance, and

transmitting from the wireless communication network to the first user equipment an indication indicating the assignment of the first user equipment to the second user equipment.

10. The method according to claim 8 , wherein assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment comprises:

receiving at the wireless communication network from the first user equipment a request for assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, and

transmitting from the wireless communication network to the first user equipment a confirmation confirming the assignment of the first user equipment to the second user equipment.

11. The method according to claim 8 , further comprising:

creating in the wireless communication network an encapsulated message for the first user equipment, the encapsulated message comprising an identifier of the first user equipment and a message of a predefined set of messages, and

sending the encapsulated message to the second user equipment.

12. A first user equipment, comprising:

a transceiver unit for communicating with a wireless communication network and for communicating directly via a device-to-device communication with a second user equipment, and

a processing unit, configured to assign the first user equipment to the second user equipment, when the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, wherein the assignment is stored in the wireless communication network, and to set the first user equipment into a reduced communication operation mode upon assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, wherein, in the reduced communication operation mode, the processing unit stops listening to a predefined set of messages sent from the wireless communication network and starts listening to a predefined message sent from the second user equipment.

13. The first user equipment according to claim 12 , wherein the first user equipment comprises at least one device of a group comprising a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile music player, a mobile computer, a mobile navigation system, a temperature sensor, a heating system, a camera system, a moving sensor, a watering sensor, and a rain sensor.

14. A second user equipment, comprising:

a transceiver unit for communicating with a wireless communication network and for communicating directly via a device-to-device communication with a first user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is assigned to the second user equipment and the assignment is stored in the wireless communication network and communicated by the wireless communication network to the second user equipment, wherein upon the first user equipment being assigned to the second user equipment the first user equipment is set into a reduced communication operation mode, wherein in the reduced communication operation mode the first user equipment stops listening to a predefined set of messages sent from the wireless communication network and starts listening to a predefined message sent from the second user equipment, and

a processing unit, configured to generate a beacon message, the beacon message comprising at least one message of a predefined set of messages from the wireless communication network, and to broadcasting the beacon message via the transceiver unit.

15. A server of a wireless communication network, the server comprising:

a transceiver unit for communicating with a first user equipment and a second user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment,

a storage unit, and

a processing unit configured to assign the first user equipment to the second user equipment, and to store the assignment in the storage unit, wherein upon the first user equipment being assigned to the second user equipment, the first user equipment is set into a reduced communication operation mode, wherein in the reduced communication operation mode the first user equipment stops listening to a predefined set of messages sent from the wireless communication network and starts listening to a predefined message sent from the second user equipment.

16. A wireless communication system comprising:

a server according to claim 15 ;

a first user equipment and;

a second user equipment

wherein the first user equipment includes

a first transceiver unit for communicating with a wireless communication network and for communicating directly via a device-to-device communication with the second user equipment, and

a first processing unit, configured to assign the first user equipment to the second user equipment, when the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, wherein the assignment is stored in the wireless communication network, and to set the first user equipment into a reduced communication operation mode upon assigning the first user equipment to the second user equipment, and

wherein the second user equipment comprises

a second transceiver unit for communicating with the wireless communication network and for communicating directly via a device-to-device communication with the first user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is located within a wireless device-to-device communication range of the second user equipment, wherein the first user equipment is assigned to the second user equipment and the assignment is stored in the wireless communication network, and

a second processing unit, configured to generate a beacon message, the beacon message comprising at least one message of a predefined set of messages from the wireless communication network, and to broadcasting the beacon message via the transceiver unit.