Wireless device-to-device communication method

1. Method for a wireless terminal of communicating with a base station of a cellular network, the wireless terminal operating in enhanced coverage mode and configured to set up a communication session with the base station by means of at least one of a direct communication link and a sidelink communication link using a second wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a quality of the direct communication link with the base station,

determining a quality of a communication link to the second wireless terminal, the second wireless terminal being capable of communicating with the base station,

initiating a transmission of a link quality message to the base station, the link quality message comprising information relating to said quality of at least one of said communication links,

receiving a response message from the base station indicating that either the direct communication link or the sidelink communication link is to be used, and

requesting for the communication session via the indicated communication link.

2. Method for a wireless terminal according to claim 1 ,

wherein the quality of a communication link relates to at least one of

enhanced coverage level,

signal quality,

power consumption,

quality of service,

jamming probability,

access barring level.

3. Method for a wireless terminal of communicating with a base station according to claim 1 ,

further comprising the step of receiving a session identifier from the base station and wherein the step of initiating said transmission comprises providing said session identifier for transmission with the link quality message.

4. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the second wireless terminal is operating on a different base station than the base station the first wireless terminal is operating on.

5. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in case the response message indicates that direct communication link and sidelink communication link are usable in parallel,

requesting for a communication session both of the direct communication link and the sidelink communication link.

6. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein in case of the wireless terminal operating in a high mobility state the step of initiating a transmission comprises transmitting the link quality message to the second wireless terminal, and the step of receiving comprises receiving the response message from the second wireless terminal comprising an indication of the quality of the communication link between the second wireless terminal and the base station,

the method further comprising the step for the wireless terminal of determining which of the direct communication link or the sidelink communication link is to be used at least based on the determined and received qualities.

7. Wireless terminal for operating in a cellular network in enhanced coverage mode with a base station of the cellular network by means of at least one of a direct communication link and a sidelink communication link using a second wireless terminal, wherein,

for setting up a communication session, the wireless terminal is configured to:

determine a quality level of an enhanced coverage of the direct communication link with the base station,

determine a quality of a communication link to the second wireless terminal, the second wireless terminal being capable of communicating with the base station,

initiate a transmission of a link quality message to the base station, the link quality message comprising information relating to said quality of at least one of said communication links,

receive a response message from the base station indicating that either the direct communication link or the sidelink communication link is to be used,

request for a communication session via the indicated communication link.

8. Wireless terminal according to claim 7 ,

wherein the quality of the communication link relates to at least one of

enhanced coverage level,

signal quality,

power consumption,

quality of service,

jamming probability,

access barring level.

9. Wireless terminal according to claim 7 ,

wherein the wireless terminal is further configured to receive a session identifier from the base station, and

to provide said session identifier for transmission with the link quality message.

10. Wireless terminal according to claim 7 ,

wherein in case the response message indicates that direct communication link and sidelink communication link are usable in parallel,

the wireless terminal is further configured to request for a communication session both of the direct communication link and the sidelink communication link.

11. Method for a base station of a cellular network for communicating with a wireless terminal, the method comprising, upon reception of a link quality message relating to the communication link between a first and a second wireless terminal, the steps of:

determining a quality of a communication link of the direct communication link to the first wireless terminal and the direct communication link to the second wireless terminal,

receiving a quality of the communication link between the first and second wireless terminal according to a sidelink communication link

comparing the determined quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the first wireless terminal with the quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the second wireless terminal, which includes considering the received quality of the communication link relating to the communication link between the first and second wireless terminal according to a sidelink communication link,

sending a response message indicating the direct or sidelink communication link to the first wireless terminal depending on the result of the comparing step.

12. Method according to claim 11 ,

wherein the comparison of communication link is made based on a comparison of at least one of:

coverage enhancement level,

power situation of the first wireless terminal,

overall network resource consumption,

quality of service requirement,

type of requested service.

13. Method according to claim 11 ,

wherein when the link quality message includes a session identifier, the step of comparing comprises contacting another cellular network component with the session identifier, wherein the cellular network component provides an indication relating to the quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the first wireless terminal.

14. Method according to claim 11 ,

wherein in case the base station provides multiple link capability, the response message indicates that direct and sidelink communication link are usable in parallel.

15. Base station of a cellular network for communicating with a wireless terminal, upon reception of a link quality message relating to the communication link between a first and a second wireless terminal, the base station being configured to:

determine the quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the first wireless terminal and the direct communication link to the second wireless terminal,

receive a quality of the communication link between the first and second wireless terminal according to a sidelink communication link

compare the determined quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the first wireless terminal with the quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the second wireless terminal, which includes considering the received quality of the communication link relating to the communication link between the first and second wireless terminal according to a sidelink communication link,

send a response message indicating the direct or sidelink communication link to the first wireless terminal depending on the result of the comparing step.

16. Base station according to claim 15 ,

wherein when the signal quality message includes a session identifier, the base station is further configured to contact another cellular network component with the session identifier, wherein the cellular network component provides an indication relating to the quality of the communication link of the direct communication link to the first wireless terminal.