Local coordinated communications for user equipment devices
A network may include user equipment (UE) devices and a base station that communicates using a control unit (CU) and a data unit (DU). A primary UE may duplicate the DU and a subset of control functions of the CU. When the DU on the primary UE is active, the base station and primary UE may effectuate a split or bearer duplication of the DU at the RLC/PDCP/MAC layer between the primary UE and the base station. Data may be concurrently routed data through the primary UE using inter-UE links and direct cellular telephone links to the base station. When the subset of the control functions of the CU are active on the primary UE, the device may perform RRC functions, MAC control functions, RLC control functions, or other control functions to generate information for use by the base station in updating communications.
1 . An electronic device comprising:
a radio configured to convey first radio signals to communicate with a wireless base station that performs wireless functions characterized by a data unit (DU) and control unit (CU); and
one or more processors configured to duplicate a function of a radio link control (RLC) layer or a media access control (MAC) layer of the DU of the wireless base station that, when activated by the wireless base station, controls the radio to
route a first portion of wireless data between the wireless base station and a user equipment device using the first radio signals and second radio signals, the second radio signals being conveyed between the electronic device and the user equipment device while the user equipment device concurrently conveys a second portion of the wireless data with the wireless base station using third radio signals conveyed between the user equipment device and the wireless base station.
2 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the second radio signals comprise Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, cellular telephone signals, or device-to-device (D2D) signals.
3 . The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the first radio signals and the third radio signals comprise cellular telephone signals.
4 . The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the CU of the wireless base station has a set of associated control functions, the one or more processors being further configured to:
duplicate and perform a subset of the control functions associated with the CU of the wireless base station.
5 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the subset of the control functions comprises a Radio Resource Control (RRC) function.
6 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the RRC function comprises controlling handover, cell selection, or cell reselection of the user equipment device.
7 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the RRC function comprises an RRC state control function.
8 . The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the RRC function comprises relay of system information broadcast by the wireless base station to the user equipment device over the second radio signals.
9 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the subset of the control functions comprises a Media Access Control (MAC) control function.
10 . The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the subset of the control functions comprises using the second radio signals to gather mobility and measurement information associated with the user equipment device and wherein the subset of the control functions comprises performing channel charting.
11 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the second radio signals comprise inter-user equipment signals,
the CU has associated CU functions,
the one or more processors are further configured to perform, based on the inter-user equipment signals, a subset of the CU functions that produces measurement information associated with a channel condition of the user equipment device, and
the radio is further configured to transmit the measurement information to the wireless base station.
12 . The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the second radio signals comprise inter-user equipment signals,
the one or more processors are further configured to perform a channel charting based on the inter-user equipment signals that produces a neighbors map that includes the user equipment device, and
the radio is further configured to transmit the neighbors map to the wireless base station.
13 . The electronic device of claim 12 , the one or more processors being configured to perform the channel charting by:
generating wireless performance metric information associated with a channel condition of the user equipment device, and
logically grouping the user equipment device in a set of additional user equipment devices based on the wireless performance metric information.
14 . Wireless circuitry comprising:
a radio configured to convey first signals to communicate with a wireless base station that performs data unit (DU) functions and control unit (CU) functions; and
one or more processors configured to duplicate at least one of the DU functions that, when activated by the wireless base station, control the radio to
route a first portion of wireless data between the wireless base station and a user equipment device using the first signals and using second signals, the second signals being conveyed between the wireless circuitry and the user equipment device while the user equipment device concurrently conveys a second portion of the wireless data with the wireless base station using third signals conveyed between the user equipment device and the wireless base station, the radio being configured to relay, to the user equipment device over the second signals, system information broadcast by the wireless base station.
15 . The wireless circuitry of claim 14 , wherein:
the second signals comprise Wi-Fi signals, Bluetooth signals, cellular telephone signals, or device-to-device (D2D) signals,
the first and third signals comprise additional cellular telephone signals, and
the at least one of the DU functions comprises a radio link control (RLC) layer function, a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) layer function, or a media access control (MAC) layer function.
16 . The wireless circuitry of claim 14 , the one or more processors being further configured to:
duplicate and perform a subset of the CU functions.
17 . The wireless circuitry of claim 16 , wherein the subset of the CU functions comprises controlling handover, cell selection, or cell reselection of the user equipment device.
18 . The wireless circuitry of claim 16 , wherein the subset of the CU functions comprises:
using the second signals to gather mobility and measurement information associated with the user equipment device, and
performing channel charting based on the mobility and measurement information.
19 . A method of operating wireless circuitry, the method comprising:
conveying, using a radio, first signals to communicate with a wireless base station that performs data unit (DU) functions and control unit (CU) functions,
duplicating, using one or more processors, at least one of the DU functions, wherein the at least one of the DU functions comprises a radio link control (RLC) layer function or a media access control (MAC) layer function; and
after the at least one of the DU functions has been activated by the wireless base station, routing, using the radio, a first portion of wireless data between the wireless base station and a user equipment device using the first signals and second signals, wherein
the second signals are conveyed between the wireless circuitry and the user equipment device while the user equipment device concurrently conveys a second portion of the wireless data with the wireless base station using third radio signals that are conveyed between the user equipment device and the wireless base station.
20 . The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
using the second radio signals to generate mobility and measurement information associated with the user equipment device; and
performing channel charting based on the mobility and measurement information.