| 摘要 |
A content delivery method employing opportunistic device-to-device D2D links among User Equipments UEs, in a two-stage process. In a first stage, content (such as news, weather, movie trailers) is delivered from a content delivery node 40 to a first tier of target UEs 10, 12, 14, 16 through the core network 30 and conventional cellular communication via a base station or access point 20. In the second stage, the target UEs act as relays for other, second tier UEs 11, 13, 15 which wish to receive the content, by delivering the content over opportunistic D2D links. The process is controlled by a service anchor 50 of an operator providing the content delivery service, wherein the service anchor is arranged to select at least one first tier terminal base on: device capability, relative locations of terminals to base stations and each other, batter status of each terminal. A base station 20 broadcasts a content delivery indication to UEs in range, where in response UEs can transmit acknowledgements indicating an interest in receiving content, including an identifier identifying one of: the UE; a group of UEs subscribed to the content delivery service; other UEs which have been detected. |
