Proximity signaling and procedure for LTE

1. A method for communication in a wireless telecommunications system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first user equipment (UE), a proximity beacon transmitted by a second UE according to at least one parameter applicable to the proximity beacon, wherein the proximity beacon is transmitted in a medium access control (MAC) message over a physical layer (PHY) channel;

transmitting, by the first UE to a network node, a report indicating that the proximity beacon was received and a transmission opportunity during which the proximity beacon was received; and

receiving, by the first UE and from the network node, an identity associated with the second UE according to contents of the proximity beacon and in response to transmitting the report to the network node,

wherein the proximity beacon is received in a detection opportunity that occurs as a portion of a pattern of detection opportunities,

wherein the at least one parameter comprises the pattern and a transmission window defining a period including the transmission opportunity during which the proximity beacon is received, the pattern indicating a set of subframes in which the proximity beacon is to be transmitted during the transmission window, and

wherein the first UE soft combines multiple transmissions of the proximity beacon based on the pattern of the detection opportunities.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first UE transmits another proximity beacon that has a second at least one parameter that is the same as the at least one parameter of the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE, wherein the transmission of the other beacon occurs in the transmission opportunity at a different time and in a different subframe than the detection opportunity in which the first UE receives the proximity beacon from the second UE.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the transmission opportunity and the detection opportunity occur as a portion of a pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities, and wherein the pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is configured such that the first UE has at least one transmission opportunity to each other UE in a plurality of UEs that includes the first UE and has at least one detection opportunity from each other UE.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is configured such that a total amount of time for transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is minimized.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the report to the network node includes an identifier associated with at least one of the transmission opportunity and the parameter of the proximity beacon received by the first UE.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first UE is provided with an indication of an action the first UE is to take for detection in cases where beacon transmission or reception is configured to occur when the first UE is in a discontinuous reception (DRX) OFF state, the indication of the action specifying that the first UE shall remain in the DRX OFF state for only transmission or reception of proximity beacons, but not both.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first UE tracks the second UE by at least one of:

not attempting to detect proximity beacons from any UEs other than the second UE; or

attempting to detect proximity beacons from the second UE more frequently than attempting to detect proximity beacons from UEs other than the second UE.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first UE attempts to detect at least one of:

all proximity beacons available to the first UE; or

a subset of all proximity beacons available to the first UE, wherein the subset is specified by the network node.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one proximity beacon for the first UE to detect is indicated by specifying resources, in at least one of: a system information block (SIB) message or a radio resource control message (RRC), where the proximity beacons are transmitted, and wherein the first UE attempts to detect all proximity beacons in the resources.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the report provides at least one of:

an indication that the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE was detected; or

an indication of the strength of the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE.

11. A non-transitory computer medium storing computer readable instructions executable by a processor to implement a method for communication in a wireless telecommunications system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a first user equipment (UE), a proximity beacon transmitted by a second UE according to at least one parameter applicable to the proximity beacon, wherein the proximity beacon is transmitted in a medium access control (MAC) message over a physical layer (PHY) channel;

transmitting, by the first UE to a network node, a report indicating that the proximity beacon was received and a transmission opportunity during which the proximity beacon was received; and

receiving, by the first UE and from the network node, an identity associated with the second UE according to contents of the proximity beacon and in response to transmitting the report to the network node,

wherein the proximity beacon is received in a detection opportunity that occurs as a portion of a pattern of detection opportunities,

wherein the at least one parameter comprises the pattern and a transmission window defining a period including the transmission opportunity during which the proximity beacon is received, the pattern indicating a set of subframes in which the proximity beacon is to be transmitted during the transmission window, and

wherein the first UE soft combines multiple transmissions of the proximity beacon based on the pattern of the detection opportunities.

12. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 11 , wherein the first UE transmits another proximity beacon that has a second at least one parameter that is the same as the at least one parameter of the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE, wherein the transmission of the other beacon occurs in the transmission opportunity at a different time and in a different subframe than the detection opportunity in which the first UE receives the proximity beacon from the second UE.

13. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 12 , wherein the transmission opportunity and the detection opportunity occur as a portion of a pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities, and wherein the pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is configured such that the first UE has at least one transmission opportunity to each other UE in a plurality of UEs that includes the first UE and has at least one detection opportunity from each other UE.

14. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 13 , wherein the pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is configured such that a total amount of time for transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is minimized.

15. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 12 , wherein the report to the network node includes an identifier associated with at least one of the transmission opportunity and the parameter of the proximity beacon received by the first UE.

16. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 11 , wherein the first UE is provided with an indication of an action the first UE is to take for detection in cases where beacon transmission or reception is configured to occur when the first UE is in a discontinuous reception (DRX) OFF state, the indication of the action specifying that the first UE shall remain in the DRX OFF state for only transmission or reception of proximity beacons, but not both.

17. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 11 , wherein the first UE tracks the second UE by at least one of:

not attempting to detect proximity beacons from any UEs other than the second UE; or

attempting to detect proximity beacons from the second UE more frequently than attempting to detect proximity beacons from UEs other than the second UE.

18. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 11 , wherein the first UE attempts to detect at least one of:

all proximity beacons available to the first UE; or

a subset of all proximity beacons available to the first UE, wherein the subset is specified by the network node.

19. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 11 , wherein at least one proximity beacon for the first UE to detect is indicated by specifying resources, in at least one of: a system information block (SIB) message or a radio resource control message (RRC), where the proximity beacons are transmitted, and wherein the first UE attempts to detect all proximity beacons in the resources.

20. The non-transitory computer medium of claim 11 , wherein the report provides at least one of:

an indication that the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE was detected; or

an indication of the strength of the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE.

21. A user equipment (UE), the UE comprising:

a storage device; and

a processor configured to execute instructions stored on the storage device such that when executed, cause the UE to:

receive a proximity beacon transmitted by a second UE according to at least one parameter applicable to the proximity beacon, wherein the proximity beacon is transmitted in a medium access control (MAC) message over a physical layer (PHY) channel;

transmit, to a network node, a report indicating that the proximity beacon was received and a transmission opportunity during which the proximity beacon was received; and

receive, from the network node, an identity associated with the second UE according to contents of the proximity beacon and in response to transmitting the report to the network node,

wherein the proximity beacon is received in a detection opportunity that occurs as a portion of a pattern of detection opportunities,

wherein the at least one parameter comprises the pattern and a transmission window defining a period including the transmission opportunity during which the proximity beacon is received, the pattern indicating a set of subframes in which the proximity beacon is to be transmitted during the transmission window, and

wherein the UE soft combines multiple transmissions of the proximity beacon based on the pattern of the detection opportunities.

22. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the UE transmits another proximity beacon that has a second at least one parameter that is the same as the at least one parameter of the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE, wherein the transmission of the other beacon occurs in the transmission opportunity at a different time and in a different subframe than the detection opportunity in which the UE receives the proximity beacon from the second UE.

23. The UE of claim 22 , wherein the transmission opportunity and the detection opportunity occur as a portion of a pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities, and wherein the pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is configured such that the UE has at least one transmission opportunity to each other UE in a plurality of UEs that includes the UE and has at least one detection opportunity from each other UE.

24. The UE of claim 23 , wherein the pattern of transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is configured such that a total amount of time for transmission opportunities and detection opportunities is minimized.

25. The UE of claim 22 , wherein the report to the network node includes an identifier associated with at least one of the transmission opportunity and the parameter of the proximity beacon received by the UE.

26. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the UE is provided with an indication of an action the UE is to take for detection in cases where beacon transmission or reception is configured to occur when the UE is in a discontinuous reception (DRX) OFF state, the indication of the action specifying that the UE shall remain in the DRX OFF state for only transmission or reception of proximity beacons, but not both.

27. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the UE tracks the second UE by at least one of:

not attempting to detect proximity beacons from any UEs other than the second UE; or

attempting to detect proximity beacons from the second UE more frequently than attempting to detect proximity beacons from UEs other than the second UE.

28. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the UE attempts to detect at least one of:

all proximity beacons available to the UE; or

a subset of all proximity beacons available to the UE, wherein the subset is specified by the network node.

29. The UE of claim 21 , wherein at least one proximity beacon for the UE to detect is indicated by specifying resources, in at least one of: a system information block (SIB) message or a radio resource control message (RRC), where the proximity beacons are transmitted, and wherein the UE attempts to detect all proximity beacons in the resources.

30. The UE of claim 21 , wherein the report provides at least one of:

an indication that the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE was detected; or

an indication of the strength of the proximity beacon transmitted by the second UE.