RELAY APPARATUS AND ITS RELAY METHOD

• US 20180316411A1
• Filed: 12/14/2016
• Published: 11/01/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2016
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SOFTBANK Corporation (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: SOFTBANK Corporation (SoftBank Group Corp.)
• Inventors: YOSHIMURA, Takayuki, NANRI, Masahiko, NOMACHI, Masanori, TAKII, Takanori, TAKAGI, Jumpei
• Application Number:
  US15/506,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20180316411A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/026 Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/0617 for beam forming
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15528 Control of operation parameters of a relay station to exploit the physical medium
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15535 Control of relay amplifier gain amplifier gain control in general H03G3/00; gain control reducing self - or loop interference H04B7/15578
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/1555 Selecting relay station antenna mode, e.g. selecting omnidirectional -, directional beams, selecting polarizations
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/28 using beam steering
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A relay apparatus is provided which is capable of properly executing beamforming for radio communication from the relay apparatus to a donor base station, while inhibiting occurrence of beam interference in its surrounding area as much as possible. A relay apparatus 20 includes: an amplitude and phase measurement unit 25 that measures an amplitude and phase of radio communication from a donor base station 30 to the relay apparatus 20; a beam adjuster 27 that performs beamforming by adjusting a combination of a plurality of antennas; and a base station judgment unit 29 that judges base stations; wherein the adjustment for the beamforming is made so that a relatively strong beam is directed towards the donor base station 30 and a relatively weak beam is directed towards base stations other than the donor base station 30.

Claims

1. A relay apparatus for relaying communication between a terminal device and a donor base station,

the relay apparatus comprising:

an amplitude and phase measurement unit that measures an amplitude and phase of radio communication from surrounding base stations including the donor base station to the relay apparatus;

a beam adjuster that makes adjustment for beamforming by adjusting a combination of a plurality of antennas used at the relay apparatus on the basis of the measured amplitude and phase; and

a base station judgment unit that judges the surrounding base stations,

wherein the adjustment for the beamforming is made so that a relatively strong beam is directed towards the donor base station and a relatively weak beam is directed towards the base stations other than the donor base station.

2. The relay apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein when any one of the surrounding base stations fulfills a specified condition, the adjustment for the beamforming is made so that selecting the base station, which fulfills the specified condition, as the donor base station is prohibited and a beam of relatively small field intensity is directed towards the base station which fulfills the specified condition.

3. A relay method for a relay apparatus, comprising:

a step of measuring an amplitude and phase of radio communication from surrounding base stations including a donor base station to the relay apparatus;

a beam adjustment step of making adjustment for beamforming for radio communication from the relay apparatus to the donor base station by adjusting a combination of a plurality of antennas used at the relay apparatus on the basis of the measured amplitude and phase; and

a step of judging the surrounding base stations,

wherein the adjustment for the beamforming is made so that a relatively strong beam is directed towards the donor base station and a relatively weak beam is directed towards the base stations other than the donor base station.