Access method and a relay station and terminals thereof

• US 5,621,732 A
• Filed: 04/18/1995
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Osawa, Tomoki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLUM, RUSSELL
• Application Number:
  US08/423,105
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 370/54, 370/60, 370/75, 370/79, 370/85.2, 370/85.3, 370/94.1, 370/110.1, 379/58, 379/59, 379/63, 455/7, 455/8, 455/10, 455/11.1, 455/15, 455/49.1, 455/52.1
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/18 Negotiating wireless communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/00 Wireless channel access
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

In a transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between a first terminal and a second terminal to transfer data from the first terminal to the second terminal, a relay station receives control information transmitted from the first terminal and detects existence of the control information from the second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of the control information. If the control information has not been detected, the relay station exchanges the control information with said first terminal instead of the second terminal, receives data from the first terminal and transfers the data to the second terminal.

Claims

1. An access method used for relaying and transferring data from a first terminal to a second terminal using a relay station when the data cannot be directly transmitted from said first terminal to said second terminal in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between said first terminal and said second terminal to transmit said data from said first terminal to said second terminal, said access method comprising:

a step of receiving said control information transmitted from said first terminal in said relay station;

a step of detecting a response of said control information from said second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of said control information in said relay station;

a first sequence step of exchanging, instead of said second terminal, said control information with said first terminal and receiving said data from said first terminal when said response has not been detected during said detection time interval in said relay station; and

a second sequence step of exchanging said control information with said second terminal and transferring said data to said second terminal in said relay station.

2. The access method of claim 1, wherein said detection time interval is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

3. The access method of claim 1, wherein a waiting time 10 interval from said first sequence step to said second sequence step is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

4. An access method used for relaying and broadcasting broadcast data in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between terminals, said access method comprising:

a step of broadcasting said broadcast data to a plurality of terminals in a first terminal;

a step of broadcasting broadcast information that informs of completion of broadcasting to said terminals when said broadcast data has been received in a relay station;

a step of transmitting a relay request to said relay station when having received only said broadcast information in each of said terminals;

a step of detecting said relay request during a preset detection time interval from the time when said broadcast information had been transmitted in said relay station; and

a step of transferring said broadcast data to a terminal that had transmitted said relay request when said relay request has been detected during said detection time interval in said relay station.

5. The access method of claim 4, wherein said detection time interval is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

6. An access method used for relaying and transferring data from a first terminal to a second terminal using a relay station when the data cannot be directly transmitted from said first terminal to said second terminal in data information transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between said first terminal and said second terminal to transmit said data information from said first terminal to said second terminal, said access method comprising:

a step of receiving said information selected from the group consisting of said control information and said data information transmitted from said first terminal in said relay station;

a step of detecting existence of a response of said information from said second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of said information in said relay station;

a step of transferring said information to said second terminal when said response has not been detected during said detection time interval in said relay station.

7. The access method of claim 6, wherein said detection time interval is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

8. An access method of a transmission system having a plurality of terminals, comprising:

a step of calculating weight based on a product of a terminal'"'"'s active period and a number of other terminals that have communicated with said terminal;

a step of generating a weighing information by adding an address of said terminal to said weight;

a step of broadcasting said weighing information in each terminal;

a step of receiving said weighing information and creating a weighing information list consisting of upper n weighing information in each terminal; and

a step of said terminal functioning as a relay station when said terminal has a biggest weight based on said weighing information list of each terminal.

9. The access method of claim 8, further comprising a step of suspending a function as a relay station when said terminal is not included in said weighting information list and said terminal is functioning as a relay station.

10. The access method of claim 8, transferring data from a first terminal to a second terminal using a third terminal as a relay station when said data cannot be directly transmitted from said first terminal to said second terminal in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between said first terminal and said second terminal to transmit said data from said first terminal to said second terminal, said access method comprising:

a step of receiving said control information transmitted from said first terminal in said third terminal;

a step of detecting existence of control information from said second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of said control information in said third terminal;

a first sequence step of exchanging, instead of said second terminal, said control information with said first terminal and receiving said data from said first terminal when said control information has not been detected during said detection time interval in said third terminal; and

a second sequence step of exchanging said control information with said second terminal and transferring said data to said second terminal in said third terminal.

11. The access method of claim 10, wherein said detection time interval is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

12. The access method of claim 10, wherein a weighting time interval between said first sequence step and said second sequence step is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

13. The access method of claim 8, wherein a second terminal functions as a relay station when a first terminal broadcasts broadcast data to a plurality of terminals, said access method comprising:

a step of broadcasting said broadcast data to said terminals in said first terminal;

a step of broadcasting broadcast information that informs of completion of broadcasting to said terminals when said broadcast data has been received in said second terminal;

a step of transmitting a relay request to said second terminal when having received only said broadcast information in each of said terminals;

a step of detecting said relay request during a preset detection time interval from the time when said broadcast information had been transmitted in said second terminal; and

a step of transferring said broadcast data to a terminal that had transmitted said relay request when said relay request has been detected during said detection time interval in said second terminal.

14. The access method of claim 8, transferring data information from a first terminal to a second terminal using a third terminal as a relay station when said data information cannot be directly transmitted from said first terminal to said second terminal in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between said first terminal and said second terminal to transmit said data from said first terminal to said second terminal, said access method comprising:

a step of receiving information selected from the group consisting of said control information and said data information transmitted from said first terminal in said third terminal;

a step of detecting a response of said information from said second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of said information in said third terminal;

a step of transferring said information when said response has not been detected during said detection time interval in said third terminal.

15. The access method of claim 14, wherein said detection time interval is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information.

16. A relay station for relaying and transferring data from a first terminal to a second terminal when said data cannot be directly transmitted from said first terminal to said second terminal in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between said first terminal and said second terminal to transmit said data from said first terminal to said second terminal, said relay station comprising:

means for receiving and judging said control information transmitted from said first terminal and judging said control information from among said information;

means for detecting a response of said control information from said second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of said control information;

means for exchanging, instead of said second terminal, said control information with said first terminal, receiving said data from said first terminal, exchanging said control information with said second terminal and transferring said data to said second terminal when said response has not been detected during said detection time interval.

17. The relay station of claim 16, further comprising said detection means having said detection time interval that is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information between said first terminal and said second terminal.

18. A relay station for relaying and transferring data information from a first terminal to a second terminal when said data information cannot be directly transmitted from said first terminal to said second terminal in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between said first terminal and said second terminal to transmit said data information from said first terminal to said second terminal, said relay station comprising:

means for receiving information selected from the group consisting of said control information and said data information transmitted from said first terminal;

means for detecting a response of said information from said second terminal during a preset detection time interval from a time of reception of said information;

means for transferring said information to said second terminal when said response has not been detected during said detection time interval.

19. The relay station of claim 18, further comprising said detection means having said detection time interval that is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information between said first terminal and said second terminal.

20. An access system used for relaying and broadcasting a broadcast data in a data transmission system having a procedure to exchange control information at least one time between terminals to transmit not broadcast a data, said access system comprising:

a first terminal having means for broadcasting said broadcast data;

a relay station having

means for broadcasting broadcast information that informs of completion of broadcasting when said broadcast data has been received, means for detecting a relay request during a preset detection time interval from the time when said broadcast information had been transmitted, and means for broadcasting said broadcast data to a terminal that had transmitted said relay request when said relay request has been detected during said detection time interval; and

each of said terminals having means for transmitting said relay request to said relay station when having received only said broadcast information.

21. The relay station of claim 20, further comprising said detection means having said detection time interval that is set so as to be:

shorter than a time needed for confirming channel occupation status before start of transmission by said first terminal; and

longer than a time from reception of said control information to transmission of a response to said control information between said first terminal and said second terminal.

22. A terminal device used for mobile communication systems comprising:

means for calculating weight based on a product of a terminal'"'"'s active period and a number of other terminals that have communicated with said own terminal, and generating weighting information by adding said terminal'"'"'s address to said weight;

means for broadcasting said weighting information;

means for receiving said weighting information from other terminals and creating a weighting information list consisting of upper and n weights;

means for setting said terminal as a relay station when said terminal has biggest weight among weights stored in said weighting information list.

23. The terminal device of claim 22, further comprising said setting means for suspending a function as a relay station when own terminal is not included in said weighting information list and own terminal is functioning as a relay station.