Grouped machine-to-machine communications

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe methods, computer-readable media and system configurations for organizing wireless devices such as user equipment (“UE”) into groups and allocating wireless network resources to those groups. In an example method, a radio access network (“RAN”) node may organize a first machine-to-machine (“M2M”) wireless device and a second M2M wireless device into a group of M2M wireless devices. The RAN Node may then allocate a wireless network resource to the group of M2M wireless devices. Other embodiments may be described and/or claimed.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A computer-implemented method, comprising:
 organizing, by a radio access network node, a first machine-to-machine device and a second machine-to-machine device into a group of machine-to-machine devices;   allocating, by the radio access network node, a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices; and   transmitting, by the radio access network node to at least one of the first or second machine-to-machine devices, an indication of the allocation of the wireless network resource, wherein the indication includes a group identifier to identify the group.   
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , wherein organizing a first machine-to-machine device and a second machine-to-machine device into a group includes organizing, by the radio access network node, the first machine-to-machine device and the second machine-to-machine device into the group based on at least one of a distance of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine devices from the radio access network node and a direction of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine devices from the radio access network node. 
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , wherein organizing a first machine-to-machine device and a second machine-to-machine device into a group includes organizing, by the radio access network node, the first machine-to-machine device and the second machine-to-machine device into the group based at least in part on a distance of the first and second machine-to-machine devices from each other. 
     
     
         33 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , further comprising assigning, by the radio access network node, the group identifier associated with the group of machine-to-machine devices to the first and second devices. 
     
     
         34 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , wherein allocating a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices includes allocating, by the radio access network node, a time interval and frequency range that the devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices may use to transmit or receive data. 
     
     
         35 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , wherein allocating a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices includes allocating, by the radio access network node, a dedicated channel to which machine-to-machine devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access. 
     
     
         36 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , wherein allocating a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine devices includes allocating, by the radio access network node, a time interval during which machine-to-machine devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access to a channel. 
     
     
         37 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , further comprising receiving, from an machine-to-machine device of the group of machine-to-machine devices, a channel request on behalf of the group of machine-to-machine devices. 
     
     
         38 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , further comprising providing, by the radio access network node to devices of the group of machine-to-machine devices, access to the wireless network resource in a predefined order. 
     
     
         39 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 38 , further comprising providing, by the radio access network node to the devices of the group of machine-to-machine devices, sequential access to the wireless network resource. 
     
     
         40 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 30 , further comprising communicating with individual machine-to-machine devices of the group of machine-to-machine devices using a common set of physical layer parameters. 
     
     
         41 . A machine-to-machine device, comprising:
 a processor;   a memory coupled to the processor; and   a control module configured to:   determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in a group of machine-to-machine devices;   receive an indication of a wireless network resource being allocated to the group by a radio access network node; and   utilize the wireless network resource allocated to the group of machine-to-machine devices to facilitate transmission of a wireless signal.   
     
     
         42 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a group identifier received from the radio access network node. 
     
     
         43 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a group identifier received from another device of the group of machine-to-machine devices. 
     
     
         44 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the machine-to-machine device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on an indication, stored in memory of the device, that the device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices. 
     
     
         45 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the wireless network resource is a time interval and frequency range that devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices may use to transmit or receive data. 
     
     
         46 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the wireless network resource is a dedicated channel to which devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access. 
     
     
         47 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the wireless network resource is a time interval during which devices from the group of machine-to-machine devices have access to a channel. 
     
     
         48 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to transmit, to the radio access network node, over a wireless communication interface, a channel request on behalf of the group of machine-to-machine devices. 
     
     
         49 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to determine that the device belongs in the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a determination that it meets a criterion. 
     
     
         50 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 49 , wherein the criterion in based at least in part on a distance or a direction of the device from the radio access network node. 
     
     
         51 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 a global positioning system module;   wherein the control module is further configured to:   receive, from the global positioning system module, geographic coordinates of the device; and   transmit, to the radio access network node over the wireless communication interface, the global positioning system coordinates.   
     
     
         52 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to share the wireless network resource with another device of the group of machine-to-machine devices based on a predefined order defined by the radio access network node. 
     
     
         53 . The machine-to-machine device of  claim 41 , wherein the control module is further configured to share one or more physical layer parameters with another device of the group of machine-to-machine devices to communicate with the radio access network node. 
     
     
         54 . A computer system, comprising:
 one or more processors; and   a control module configured to be operated by a processor of the one or more processors to:
 receive operating parameters for a plurality of machine-to-machine wireless devices; 
 organize a first machine-to-machine wireless device and a second machine-to-machine wireless device into a group of machine-to-machine wireless devices based on the received operating parameters; and 
 allocate a wireless network resource to the group of machine-to-machine wireless devices. 
   
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the operating parameters includes a distance of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine wireless devices from the system. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 54 , wherein the operating parameters includes a direction of at least one of the first and second machine-to-machine wireless devices from the system. 
     
     
         57 . A machine-to-machine system, comprising:
 one or more processors;   a wireless communication interface;   a sensor; and   a control module configured to be operated by a processor of the one or more processors to:
 determine that the machine-to-machine system belongs in a group of machine-to-machine systems; 
 receive an indication of a wireless network resource being allocated to the group by a radio access network node; 
 utilize the wireless network resource allocated to the group of machine-to-machine systems to transmit a signal via the wireless communication interface; and 
 periodically communicate, via the wireless communication interface, to an application server, information obtained by the sensor. 
   
     
     
         58 . The machine-to-machine system of  claim 57 , further comprising a global positioning system module, wherein the control module is further configured to:
 receive, from the global positioning system module, geographic coordinates of the machine-to-machine system; and   transmit, to the radio access network node over the wireless communication interface, the global positioning system coordinates.