System and Method for Wireless Link Configuration

• US 20130182633A1
• Filed: 01/12/2012
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sartori, Philippe, Li, Zhongfeng, Soong, Anthony C.K.
• Granted Patent: US 10,154,442 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0064 of control information between different access points
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/10 Reselecting an access point controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A method for operating a relay node during a handoff from a first controller to a second controller includes receiving a first instruction from the first controller to discontinue using a first set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the first controller and to temporarily use a second set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by the second controller. The method also includes receiving a second instruction from the second controller to discontinue using the second set of wireless backhaul link resources and to begin using a third set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the second controller.

Claims

1. A method for operating a relay node during a handoff from a first controller to a second controller, the method comprising:

receiving a first instruction from the first controller to discontinue using a first set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the first controller and to temporarily use a second set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by the second controller; and

receiving a second instruction from the second controller to discontinue using the second set of wireless backhaul link resources and to begin using a third set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the second controller.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the first instruction comprises receiving a handoff initialization message from the first controller.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the second instruction comprises receiving an allocation of the third set of wireless backhaul resources from the second controller.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of wireless backhaul link resources includes a minimum set of wireless backhaul link resources common to the first set of wireless backhaul link resources and the third set of wireless backhaul link resources.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the first controller and the second controller are part of a communications system including a plurality of further controllers, and wherein the minimum set of wireless backhaul link resources is common to a set of wireless backhaul link resources used by each of the further controllers.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of wireless backhaul link resources includes wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by both the first controller and the second controller.

7. A method for operating a target controller during a handoff of a relay node, the method comprising:

receiving the handoff of the relay node from a source controller, and instructing the relay node to temporarily use a first set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by the target controller upon completion of the handoff; and

transmitting an allocation of a second set of wireless backhaul link resources to the relay node.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of wireless backhaul link resources is also dedicated by the source controller.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the first set of wireless backhaul link resources is a subset of the second set of wireless backhaul link resources.

10. A relay node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a first instruction from a first controller to discontinue using a first set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the first controller and to temporarily use a second set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by a second controller, and to receive a second instruction from the second controller to discontinue the use of the second set of wireless backhaul link resources and to begin the use of a third set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the second controller; and

a processor operatively coupled to the receiver, the processor configured to temporarily use the second set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by the second controller, and to use the third set of wireless backhaul link resources allocated to the relay node by the second controller.

11. The relay node of claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to receive a handoff initialization message from the first controller.

12. The relay node of claim 10, wherein the receiver is configured to receive an allocation of the third set of wireless backhaul resources from the second controller.

13. The relay node of claim 10, wherein the second set of wireless backhaul link resources includes a set of wireless backhaul link resources common to the first set of wireless backhaul link resources and the third set of wireless backhaul link resources.

14. The relay node of claim 10, wherein the second set of wireless backhaul link resources includes wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by both the first controller and the second controller.

15. A communications controller comprising:

a processor configured to receive a handoff of a relay node from a source controller, and to instruct the relay node to temporarily use a first set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated by the communications controller upon completion of the handoff; and

a transmitter operatively coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to transmit an allocation of a second set of wireless backhaul link resources to the relay node.

16. The communications controller of claim 15, wherein the first set of wireless backhaul link resources is a subset of the second set of wireless backhaul link resources.

17. The communications controller of claim 15, wherein the communications controller operates in a Third Generation Partnership Project Long Term Evolution compliant communications system.

18. A method for operating a relay node during a handoff from a source controller to a target controller, the method comprising:

receiving, from a source controller, backhaul link information including an allocation of a target set of wireless backhaul link resources of the target controller dedicated for use of the relay node upon completion of the handoff; and

receiving backhaul link data from the target controller over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein backhaul link information further includes a validity duration for the target set of wireless backhaul link resources, and wherein the target set of wireless backhaul link resources remains unchanged until expiration of the validity duration.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein receiving the backhaul link data comprises receiving the backhaul link data over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources if the handoff completes prior to expiration of the validity duration.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

receiving an allocation of an updated set of wireless backhaul link resources from the target controller, and

receiving second backhaul link data from the target controller over the updated set of wireless backhaul link resources if the handing off did not complete prior to expiration of the validity duration.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link information is received prior to the handoff.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link information is received during the handoff.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the backhaul link information includes a bitmap indicating the allocation of the target set of wireless backhaul link resources.

25. A method for operating a target controller during a handoff of a relay node, the method comprising:

transmitting, to a source controller, backhaul link information including an allocation of a target set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated for use by the relay node upon completion of the handoff; and

transmitting, to the relay node, backhaul link data over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein backhaul link information further includes a validity duration for the target set of wireless backhaul link resources, wherein the target set of wireless backhaul link resources remains unchanged until expiration of the validity duration, and wherein the transmitting the backhaul link data comprises transmitting the backhaul link data over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources if the handing off completes prior to expiration of the validity duration.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising

transmitting, to the relay node, an allocation of an updated set of wireless backhaul link resources, and

transmitting, to the relay node, second backhaul link data over the updated set of wireless backhaul link resources if the handing off did not complete prior to expiration of the validity duration.

28. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving a request for the backhaul link information from the source controller prior to the handoff.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving a request for the backhaul link information from the source controller during the handoff.

30. A relay node comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from a source controller, backhaul link information including an allocation of a target set of wireless backhaul link resources of a target controller dedicated for use of the relay node upon completion of a handoff, and to receive backhaul link data from the target controller over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources; and

a processor operatively coupled to the receiver, the processor configured to process the backhaul link data.

31. The relay node of claim 30, wherein the backhaul link information further includes a validity duration for the target set of wireless backhaul link resources, wherein the target set of wireless backhaul link resources remains unchanged until expiration of the validity duration, and wherein the receiver is configured receive the backhaul link data over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources if the hand off completes prior to expiration of the validity duration.

32. The relay node of claim 31, wherein the receiver is configured to receive an allocation of an updated set of wireless backhaul link resources from the target controller, and to receive second backhaul link data from the target controller over the updated set of wireless backhaul link resources if the hand off did not complete prior to expiration of the validity duration.

33. A communications controller comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit, to a source controller, backhaul link information including an allocation of a target set of wireless backhaul link resources dedicated for use by a relay node upon completion of a handoff, and to transmit, to the relay node, backhaul link data over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources; and

a processor operatively coupled to the transmitter, the processor configured to generate the backhaul link data.

34. The communications controller of claim 33, wherein backhaul link information further includes a validity duration for the allocation of the target set of wireless backhaul link resources, wherein the target set of wireless backhaul link resources remains unchanged until expiration of the validity duration, and wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the backhaul link data over the target set of wireless backhaul link resources if the handoff completes prior to expiration of the validity duration.

35. The communications controller of claim 34, wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit an allocation of an updated set of wireless backhaul link resources to the relay node, and to transmit second backhaul link data to the relay node over the updated set of wireless backhaul link resources, if the handoff did not complete prior to expiration of the validity duration.

36. The communications controller of claim 33, further comprising a receiver operatively coupled to the processor, the receiver configured to receive a request for the backhaul link information from the source controller.