CONFIGURING AN UPLINK AND DOWNLINK SPLITTING PATTERN FOR DEVICE-TO-DEVICE COMMUNICATION UNDER A CELLULAR NETWORK

摘要

Provided are methods, apparatuses and computer program products for configuring an uplink and downlink splitting pattern for the D2D communication under the cellular network. A method comprises receiving, from a base station, mask information regarding which subframes in a frame for cellular communication may be used for device-to-device communication; and configuring, based upon the mask information, an uplink and downlink splitting pattern for the device-to-device communication, which includes one special downlink subframe, X uplink subframes immediately following the special downlink subframe, and (N-1-X) downlink subframes immediately following the X uplink subframes, wherein integer N is a subframe configuration period, and integer X is the number of uplink subframes included in the subframe configuration period. A further method comprises configuring, by a base station, an uplink and downlink splitting pattern for the device-to-device communication. With the present invention, the number of the uplink and downlink splitting patterns and complexity of its implementation will be decreased efficiently.