MULTI-HOMED MOBILE RELAY

• US 20130195005A1
• Filed: 01/28/2013
• Published: 08/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Futurewei Technologies Incorporated (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Al-Shalash, Mazin
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,730 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/315
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/16 Performing reselection for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A mobile relay node having communication sessions with a plurality of wireless mobile device (UEs) and a communication link to a source base station via a first communication link is located within a moving vehicle. As the vehicle moves from the coverage area of the source base station to the coverage area of a target base station, the relay node performs a hand off process that initiates a second communication link with the target while maintaining and continuing to relay communications between the UEs and the source. Once the second communication link is active, the relay node switches UE traffic from the source base station to the target base station over the second communication link, and then releases the first communication link.

Claims

1. A multi-homed mobile relay node handoff method, comprising:

establishing a first communication link between a mobile relay node and a first base station, the mobile relay node fixed to a moving vehicle;

establishing a plurality of communication sessions between the mobile relay node and a plurality of UEs proximate the moving vehicle and moving at a substantially same velocity as the moving vehicle;

establishing a second communication link between the mobile relay node and a second base station; and

performing a hand off of the mobile relay node from the first base station to the second base station when the vehicle moves from a first area to a second area.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the hand off of the mobile relay node further comprises:

transmitting data received over the plurality of communications sessions over the first communications link; and

after establishing the second communication link, transferring the plurality of communication sessions to the second communication link; and

after transferring all of the plurality of communication sessions to the second communication link, releasing the first communication link.

3. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein establishing the first communication link comprises:

attaching the mobile relay node to the first base station; and

configuring the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the first base station capable of communications with the UEs.

4. The method in accordance with claim 3 wherein establishing the second communication link comprises:

attaching the mobile relay node to the second base station; and

configuring the mobile relay node to include a second cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the second base station capable of communications with the UEs.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4 wherein the first cell of the mobile relay node has a first coverage area at the vehicle and the second cell of the mobile relay node has a second coverage area at the vehicle, and the method further comprises:

performing a hand off of at least one UE with an established communication session with the first cell from the first cell to the second cell.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein while UE data traffic is carried by the plurality of communication sessions, establishing the second communication link comprising:

attaching the mobile relay node to the second base station; and

configuring the mobile relay node to include a second cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the second base station capable of communications with the UEs.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

detecting a signal from the second base station; and

performing the hand off when a strength of the signal meets a predetermined threshold.

8. The method in accordance with claim 1 wherein establishing the first communication link comprises:

attaching the mobile relay node to the first base station, the mobile relay node recognizable as a first UE,

configuring the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a first cell station capable of communications with the UEs; and

wherein establishing the second communications link comprises;

attaching the mobile relay node to the second base station, the mobile relay node recognizable as a cell of the second base station.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting on the first communication link at a first carrier frequency;

transmitting on the second communication link at a second carrier frequency different from the first carrier frequency.

10. A mobile relay node for use in a moving vehicle, the mobile relay node comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor;

a transceiver coupled to the processor; and

wherein the mobile relay node is configured to;

establish a first communication link with a first base station,

establish a plurality of communication sessions with a plurality of UEs disposed about the moving vehicle and moving at a substantially same velocity as the moving vehicle,

transmit data received over the plurality of communications sessions over the first communications link;

establish a second communication link with a second base station, and

handoff the mobile relay node from the first base station to the second base station when the vehicle moves from a first area to a second area, and thereafter transmit data received over the plurality of communication sessions over the second communications link.

11. The mobile relay node in accordance with claim 10 wherein the mobile relay node is further configured to:

transmit data received over the plurality of communications sessions over the first communication link;

after establishing the second communication link, transfer the plurality of communication sessions to the second communication link; and

after transferring all of the plurality of communication sessions to the second communications link, release the first communication link.

12. The mobile relay node in accordance with claim 10 wherein for establishing the first communication link, the mobile relay node is further configured to:

attach the mobile relay node to the first base station; and

configure the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the first base station capable of communications with the UEs.

13. The mobile relay node in accordance with claim 12 wherein for establishing the second communication link, the mobile relay node is further configured to:

attach the mobile relay node to the second base station; and

configure the mobile relay node to include a second cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the second base station capable of communications with the UEs.

14. The mobile relay node in accordance with claim 10 wherein while UE data traffic is carried by the plurality of communication sessions and for establishing the second communication link, the mobile relay node is further configured to:

attach the mobile relay node to the second base station; and

configure the mobile relay node to include a second cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the second base station capable of communications with the UEs.

15. The mobile relay node in accordance with claim 10 wherein the mobile relay node is further configured to:

detect a signal from the second base station; and

perform the hand off when a strength of the signal meets a predetermined threshold.

16. The mobile relay node in accordance with claim 10 wherein for establishing the first communication link, the mobile relay node is further configured to:

attach the mobile relay node to the first base station, the mobile relay node recognizable as a first UE,

configure the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a cell of the first base station capable of communications with the UEs; and

for establishing the second communications link, the mobile relay node is further configured to;

attach the mobile relay node to the second base station, the mobile relay node recognizable as a cell of the second base station.

17. A handoff method for use in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

establishing a first communication link between a mobile relay node and a source donor evolved Node B (DeNB) device, the mobile relay node fixed to a moving vehicle;

establishing a plurality of communication sessions between the mobile relay node and a plurality of wireless devices proximate the moving vehicle and moving at a substantially same velocity as the moving vehicle;

establishing a second communication link between the mobile relay node and a second base station; and

performing a hand off of the mobile relay node from the first base station to the second base station when the vehicle moves from a first area to a second area.

18. The method in accordance claim 17 further comprising:

transmitting data received over the plurality of communications sessions over the first communications link; and

after performing the handoff, transmitting data received over the plurality of communication sessions over the second communications link.

19. The method in accordance with claim 17 wherein establishing the first communication link comprises:

attaching the mobile relay node to the source DeNB device; and

configuring the mobile relay node to include a first cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a first cell station capable of communications with the UEs.

20. The method in accordance with claim 19 wherein establishing the second communication link comprises:

attaching the mobile relay node to the target DeNB device; and

configuring the mobile relay node to include a second cell recognizable to the plurality of UEs as a second cell station capable of communications with the UEs.