| 摘要 |
A network node method, a network node, a user equipment method, user equipment and computer program products are disclosed. The network node method of supporting device-to-device communication, comprises: detecting that a user equipment configured to communicate using a first cellular radio access technology supported by the network node is operable to support device-to-device communication with another user equipment using a second cellular radio access technology; and instructing the user equipment to reconfigure to communicate using the second cellular radio access technology even when no cellular coverage is available to the user equipment using the second cellular radio access technology. In this way, when a user equipment wishes to perform device-to-device communication then the network is able to reconfigure the user equipment to communicate using the second radio access technology to enable device-to-device communication with other user equipment regardless of whether the user equipment is within a cellular coverage area for that radio access technology. It will be appreciated that it would normally not be desirable for a network to reconfigure the user equipment when no cellular coverage would be provided as a consequence of that reconfiguration. However, such reconfiguration may be necessary in order to enable the user equipment to perform device-to-device communications. |
