Optimized user equipment supporting relay communication, and related method

• US 10,616,931 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2017
• Issued: 04/07/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Jactat, Caroline, Lecroart, Benoit, Delsol, Thomas, Rakotoharison, Lanto
• Primary Examiner(s): Shivers, Ashley
• Application Number:
  US15/488,013
• Publication Number:
  US 20170303321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,089 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15 Active relay systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2865 Logical combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0094 Indication of how sub-channels of the path are allocated
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for relaying a communication in a network, wherein a user equipment (UER) relays a communication between a network node entity (eNB) and a target entity (UET), the method including the steps, generating a logical channel at least between the user equipment relay (UER) and the target entity (UET), and assigning at least one identifier (LC_ID_R) to said logical channel, and upon reception from the network node entity (eNB), at the user equipment relay (UER), of data received with said identifier (LC_ID_R), the user equipment relay (UER) forwards the received data to the target entity (UET).

Claims

1. A method, performed by a first user equipment configured to support relay communication between a network node entity and a second user equipment, the method comprising:

receiving, from the network node entity, information which comprises a first Layer 2 identifier to identify a connection between the network node and the first user equipment which supports relay communication;

mapping the first Layer 2 identity to a second Layer 2 identity, wherein the second Layer 2 identity identifies a direct link between the first user equipment which supports relay communication and the second user equipment; and

communicating with the second user equipment based on the second Layer 2 identity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first Layer 2 identity is a source Layer 2 ID that identifies a sender of data in communication via the direct link.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second Layer 2 identity is a destination Layer 2 ID that identifies a destination of data sent in communication via the direct link.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user equipment, configured to perform relay communication, also is configured to provide end-to-end service between the first user equipment and a core network.

5. A first user equipment configured to support relay communication between a network node entity and a second user equipment, the first user equipment comprising:

a transceiver circuit configured to receive, from the network node entity, information which comprises a first Layer 2 identity to identify a connection between the network node and the first user equipment which supports relay communication; and

a processor to map the first Layer 2 identity to a second Layer 2 identity, wherein the second Layer 2 identity identifies a direct link between the first user equipment which supports relay communication and the second user equipment,

wherein the transceiver circuit is further configured to communicate with the second user equipment based on the second Layer 2 identity.

6. The first user equipment which supports relay communication of claim 5, wherein the first Layer 2 identity corresponds to a source Layer 2 ID that identifies a sender of data in communication via the direct link.

7. The first user equipment which supports relay communication of claim 5, wherein the second Layer 2 identity corresponds to a destination Layer 2 ID that identifies a destination of data sent in communication via the direct link.

8. The user equipment configured to support relay communication of claim 5, wherein the first user equipment, configured to perform relay communication, also is configured to provide end-to-end service between the first user equipment and a core network.