CELL RELAY PROTOCOL

• US 20100103864A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Agashe, Parag A., Ulupinar, Fatih, Tenny, Nathan E., Shi, Yongsheng, Horn, Gavin B.
• Application Number:
  US12/604,215
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103864A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2212/00 Encapsulation of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/50 Address allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/04 Protocols for data compression, e.g. ROHC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate providing a relay protocol to facilitate communicating upper layer protocol data among relay and donor nodes. In particular, a donor node can create a relay protocol packet upon receiving data for a relay node from a core network. Donor node can indicate an assigned relay identifier in the relay protocol packet header to facilitate routing the packet among related downstream relay nodes to arrive at the appropriate relay node, which can process the upper layer protocol data. In addition, a relay node can formulate a relay protocol packet for communication to a donor node through zero or more intermediary upstream relay nodes. Similarly, the relay node can insert the assigned relay identifier in the header to allow the donor node to associate response or related packets from the core network with the relay node.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload;

populating a header of the relay protocol packet with a relay identifier; and

transmitting the relay protocol packet to one or more evolved Node Bs (eNB) in a wireless network.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a downstream relay protocol packet from the one or more eNBs;

determining a type of an upper layer protocol corresponding to a payload of the downstream relay protocol packet; and

processing the payload according to the type of the upper layer protocol.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the processing the payload includes providing the payload to a user equipment (UE) based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the generating the relay protocol packet includes generating the relay protocol packet based on a communication received from the UE.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol is S1-U, S1-MME, X2, or other transport layer or application protocol.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising populating the header of the relay protocol packet with a destination address of a serving gateway (SGW) or a mobility management entity (MME).

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting a protocol type value in the header of the relay protocol packet to a type of the upper layer protocol payload.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the upper layer protocol payload is a compressed or uncompressed general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U/user datagram protocol (UDP)/internet protocol (IP) packet.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the relay identifier in an assignment from a donor eNB.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the relay identifier is a received cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI).

11. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

create a relay protocol packet having an upper layer protocol payload;

insert a relay identifier in a header of the relay protocol packet; and

communicate the relay protocol packet to one or more evolved Node Bs (eNB); and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

12. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a disparate relay protocol packet from the one or more eNBs;

discern a type of an upper layer protocol related to a payload of the disparate relay protocol packet.

13. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to provide the payload to a user equipment (UE) based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol.

14. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 12, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol is S1-U, S1-MME, X2, or other transport or application protocol.

15. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor creates the relay protocol packet based at least in part on a request from a UE.

16. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to insert a destination address of a serving gateway (SGW) or a mobility management entity (MME) in the header.

17. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to initialize a protocol type field in the header to a type of the upper layer protocol payload.

18. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 11, wherein the upper layer protocol payload is a compressed or uncompressed general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U/user datagram protocol (UDP)/internet protocol (IP) packet.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

means for generating a relay protocol packet; and

means for inserting a relay identifier in a header of the relay protocol packet; and

means for communicating the relay protocol packet to one or more evolved Node Bs (eNB) in a wireless network.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for determining a type of an upper layer protocol corresponding to a payload of a disparate relay protocol packet, wherein the means for communicating further receives the disparate relay protocol packet from the one or more eNBs.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for providing the payload of the disparate relay protocol packet to a user equipment (UE) based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol is S1-U, S1-MME, X2, or other transport or application protocol.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for generating the relay protocol packet generates the relay protocol packet based at least in part on a communication received from a UE.

24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for inserting the relay identifier also inserts a destination address of a serving gateway (SGW) or mobility management entity (MME) in the header of the relay protocol packet.

25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the means for inserting the relay identifier also inserts a type of an upper layer protocol payload of the relay protocol packet in the header of the relay protocol packet.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the upper layer protocol payload is a compressed or uncompressed general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U/user datagram protocol (UDP)/internet protocol (IP) packet.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising means for receiving the relay identifier from a donor eNB.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising means for requesting the relay identifier from the donor eNB, wherein the means for receiving the relay identifier receives the relay identifier based at least in part on requesting the relay identifier.

29. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to generate a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload;

code for causing the at least one computer to populate a header of the relay protocol packet with a relay identifier; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the relay protocol packet to one or more evolved Node Bs (eNB) in a wireless network.

30. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to receive a downstream relay protocol packet from the one or more eNBs;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a type of an upper layer protocol corresponding to a payload of the downstream relay protocol packet; and

code for causing the at least one computer to process the payload according to the type of the upper layer protocol.

31. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to process the payload provides the payload to a user equipment (UE) based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol.

32. The computer program product of claim 31, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to generate the relay protocol packet generates the relay protocol packet based on a communication received from the UE.

33. The computer program product of claim 30, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol is S1-U, S1-MME, X2, or other transport or application protocol.

34. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to populate the header of the relay protocol packet with a destination address of a serving gateway (SGW) or a mobility management entity (MME).

35. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to set a protocol type value in the header of the relay protocol packet to a type of the upper layer protocol payload.

36. The computer program product of claim 29, wherein the upper layer protocol payload is a compressed or uncompressed general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U/user datagram protocol (UDP)/internet protocol (IP) packet.

37. An apparatus, comprising:

a relay protocol packet generating component that creates a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload; and

a relay protocol header populating component that inserts a relay identifier in a header of the relay protocol packet; and

a relay protocol communicating component that transmits the relay protocol packet to one or more evolved Node Bs (eNB) in a wireless network.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a relay protocol header reading component that determines a type of an upper layer protocol corresponding to a payload of a disparate relay protocol packet, wherein the relay protocol communicating component further receives the disparate relay protocol packet from the one or more eNBs.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, further comprising a packet routing component that provides the payload of the disparate relay protocol packet to a user equipment (UE) based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol.

40. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol is S1-U, S1-MME, X2, or other transport or application protocol.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the relay protocol packet generating component creates the relay protocol packet based at least in part on a communication received from a UE.

42. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the relay protocol header populating component also inserts a destination address of a serving gateway (SGW) or mobility management entity (MME) in the header of the relay protocol packet.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the relay protocol header populating component also inserts a type of the upper layer protocol payload in the header of the relay protocol packet.

44. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the upper layer protocol payload is a compressed or uncompressed general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U/user datagram protocol (UDP)/internet protocol (IP) packet.

45. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising a relay identifier receiving component that receives the relay identifier from a donor eNB.

46. The apparatus of claim 45, further comprising an identifier requesting component that requests the relay identifier from the donor eNB, wherein the relay identifier receiving component receives the relay identifier based at least in part on requesting the relay identifier.

47. A method, comprising:

receiving a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier;

determining a relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the relay protocol packet based at least in part on the relay identifier; and

transmitting the relay protocol packet to the relay eNB.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the determining the relay eNB to receive the relay protocol packet includes locating the relay identifier in a routing table associating relay identifiers to cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of next hop downstream relay eNBs.

49. The method of claim 47, further comprising:

receiving a disparate relay protocol packet from the relay eNB; and

forwarding the disparate relay protocol packet to an eNB from which the relay protocol packet is received.

50. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain a relay protocol packet including an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier;

select a relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the relay protocol packet based at least in part on the relay identifier; and

forward the relay protocol packet to the relay eNB; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

51. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 50, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to maintain a routing table associating relay identifiers with identifiers of next hop relay eNBs, and the at least one processor selects the relay eNB based at least in part on locating the relay identifier in the routing table along with an associated identifier of the relay eNB.

52. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 50, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

receive a disparate relay protocol packet from the relay eNB; and

forward the disparate relay protocol packet to an eNB from which the relay protocol packet is obtained.

53. An apparatus, comprising:

means for storing a relay identifier along with an identifier of a next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB); and

means for forwarding a relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB based at least in part on locating the relay identifier extracted from the relay protocol packet in the means for storing.

54. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the means for forwarding determines a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the next hop relay eNB associated with the relay identifier in the means for storing and forwards the relay protocol packet based on the C-RNTI.

55. The apparatus of claim 53, wherein the means for forwarding further forwards a disparate relay protocol packet received from the next hop relay eNB to an eNB from which the relay protocol packet is received.

56. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the relay protocol packet based at least in part on the relay identifier; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the relay protocol packet to the relay eNB.

57. The computer program product of claim 56, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the relay eNB to receive the relay protocol packet locates the relay identifier in a routing table associating relay identifiers to cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of next hop downstream relay eNBs.

58. The computer program product of claim 56, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to receive a disparate relay protocol packet from the relay eNB; and

code for causing the at least one computer to forward the disparate relay protocol packet to an eNB from which the relay protocol packet is received.

59. An apparatus, comprising:

a routing table component that stores a relay identifier along with an identifier of a next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB); and

a relay protocol forwarding component that transmits a relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB based at least in part on locating the relay identifier extracted from the relay protocol packet in the routing table component.

60. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the relay protocol forwarding component determines a cell radio network temporary identifier (C-RNTI) of the next hop relay eNB associated with the relay identifier in the routing table component and forwards the relay protocol packet based on the C-RNTI.

61. The apparatus of claim 59, wherein the relay protocol forwarding component further forwards a disparate relay protocol packet received from the next hop relay eNB to an eNB from which the relay protocol packet is received.

62. A method, comprising:

receiving a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier;

determining a type of the upper layer protocol payload; and

communicating the upper layer protocol payload, along with the relay identifier, to a core network component over a disparate transport layer based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol payload.

63. The method of claim 62, further comprising determining a destination internet protocol (IP) address of the core network component from a header of the relay protocol packet, wherein the communicating is further based at least in part on the destination IP address.

64. The method of claim 62, wherein the determining the type of the upper layer protocol payload includes determining the type of the upper layer protocol payload to be S1-U and the communicating includes communicating the upper layer protocol payload to a serving gateway (SGW).

65. The method of claim 62, wherein the determining the type of the upper layer protocol payload includes determining the type of the upper layer protocol payload to be S1-MME and the communicating includes communicating the upper layer protocol payload to a mobility management entity (MME).

66. The method of claim 62, further comprising:

receiving a communication from the core network component comprising the relay identifier;

generating a disparate relay protocol packet including the communication as a payload thereof;

determining an next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the disparate relay protocol packet; and

transmitting the disparate relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB.

67. The method of claim 66, further comprising populating a header of the disparate relay protocol packet with the relay identifier.

68. The method of claim 66, wherein the determining the next hop relay eNB includes locating an association between an identifier of the next hop relay eNB and the relay identifier in a routing table of such identifier associations.

69. A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:

at least one processor configured to;

obtain a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier;

discern a type of the upper layer protocol payload; and

transmit the upper layer protocol payload along with the relay identifier over a disparate transport layer to an upstream network component; and

a memory coupled to the at least one processor.

70. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 69, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine the upstream network component based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol payload.

71. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 70, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol payload is S1-U and the upstream network component is a serving gateway (SGW).

72. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 70, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol payload is S1-MME and the upstream network component is a mobility management entity (MME).

73. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 69, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine a destination internet protocol (IP) address of the upstream network component from a header of the relay protocol packet, and the at least one processor transmits the upper layer protocol payload to the upstream network component based on the destination IP address.

74. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 69, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:

obtain a communication from the upstream network component comprising the relay identifier;

create a disparate relay protocol packet having the communication as a payload;

select a next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the disparate relay protocol packet; and

transmit the relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB.

75. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 74, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to populate a header of the disparate relay protocol packet with the relay identifier.

76. The wireless communications apparatus of claim 74, wherein the at least one processor selects the next hop relay eNB based at least in part on locating an association between the relay identifier and an identifier of the next hop relay eNB in a routing table.

77. An apparatus, comprising:

means for receiving a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier; and

means for determining a type of the upper layer protocol payload; and

means for communicating the upper layer protocol payload along with the relay identifier to a core network component over a disparate transport layer.

78. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the means for communicating selects the core network component based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol payload.

79. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol payload is S1-U and the core network component is a serving gateway (SGW).

80. The apparatus of claim 78, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol payload is S1-MME and the core network component is a mobility management entity (MME).

81. The apparatus of claim 77, wherein the means for determining the type of the upper layer protocol payload further extracts a destination internet protocol (IP) address of the core network component from a header of the relay protocol packet, and the means for communicating selects the core network component based on the destination IP address.

82. The apparatus of claim 77, further comprising:

means for generating a disparate relay protocol packet including a communication as a payload thereof; and

means for determining a next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the disparate relay protocol packet, wherein the means for communicating receives the communication from the core network component, and the means for receiving transmits the disparate relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB.

83. The apparatus of claim 82, further comprising means for inserting the relay identifier in a header of the disparate relay protocol packet.

84. The apparatus of claim 82, wherein the means for determining the next hop relay eNB determines the next hop relay eNB based at least in part on locating the relay identifier in a routing table.

85. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for causing at least one computer to receive a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine a type of the upper layer protocol payload; and

code for causing the at least one computer to communicate the upper layer protocol payload, along with the relay identifier, to a core network component over a disparate transport layer based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol payload.

86. The computer program product of claim 85, further comprising code for causing the at least one computer to determine a destination internet protocol (IP) address of the core network component from a header of the relay protocol packet, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to communicate communicates the upper layer protocol payload further based at least in part on the destination IP address.

87. The computer program product of claim 85, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the type of the upper layer protocol payload determines the type of the upper layer protocol payload to be S1-U and the code for causing the at least one computer to communicate communicates the upper layer protocol payload to a serving gateway (SGW).

88. The computer program product of claim 85, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the type of the upper layer protocol payload determines the type of the upper layer protocol payload to be S1-MME and the code for causing the at least one computer to communicate communicates the upper layer protocol payload to a mobility management entity (MME).

89. The computer program product of claim 85, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises:

code for causing the at least one computer to receive a communication from the core network component comprising the relay identifier;

code for causing the at least one computer to generate a disparate relay protocol packet including the communication as a payload thereof;

code for causing the at least one computer to determine an next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the disparate relay protocol packet; and

code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the disparate relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB.

90. The computer program product of claim 89, wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to populate a header of the disparate relay protocol packet with the relay identifier.

91. The computer program product of claim 89, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the next hop relay eNB locates an association between an identifier of the next hop relay eNB and the relay identifier in a routing table of such identifier associations.

92. An apparatus, comprising:

a relay protocol component that receives a relay protocol packet comprising an upper layer protocol payload and a relay identifier; and

a relay protocol header reading component that determines a type of the upper layer protocol payload; and

a backhaul link component that communicates the upper layer protocol payload along with the relay identifier to a core network component over a disparate transport layer.

93. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the backhaul link component selects the core network component based at least in part on the type of the upper layer protocol payload.

94. The apparatus of claim 93, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol payload is S1-U and the core network component is a serving gateway (SGW).

95. The apparatus of claim 93, wherein the type of the upper layer protocol payload is S1-MME and the core network component is a mobility management entity (MME).

96. The apparatus of claim 92, wherein the relay protocol header reading component further extracts a destination internet protocol (IP) address of the core network component from a header of the relay protocol packet, and the backhaul link component selects the core network component based on the destination IP address.

97. The apparatus of claim 92, further comprising:

a relay protocol packet generating component that creates a disparate relay protocol packet including a communication as a payload thereof; and

a routing table component that determines a next hop relay evolved Node B (eNB) to receive the disparate relay protocol packet, wherein the backhaul link component receives the communication from the core network component, and the relay protocol component transmits the disparate relay protocol packet to the next hop relay eNB.

98. The apparatus of claim 97, further comprising a relay protocol header populating component that inserts the relay identifier in a header of the disparate relay protocol packet.

99. The apparatus of claim 97, wherein the routing table component determines the next hop relay eNB based at least in part on locating the relay identifier in a routing table.