Air interface protocols for a radio access network with ad-hoc extensions

• US 7,742,739 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2005
• Issued: 06/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Diaz Cervera, José, Sigle, Rolf
• Primary Examiner(s): FERGUSON, KEITH
• Application Number:
  US11/147,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20060003696A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,840 Days
• Field of Search: 455/11.1, 455/426.1, 455/426.2, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/445, 455/550.1, 455/500, 455/517, 455/7, 455/466, 455/412.1, 455/412.2, 4554141-4144, 455/515, 455/514, 455/516, 370315-326, 370/310, 375/211
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

To reduce the overhead induced by transmitting data between a mobile client and a cellular network via an ad-hoc network extension, the cellular network transmits data dedicated to the mobile relay and dedicated to the mobile client within the same data stream, the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself and terminates the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself, the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client and forwards the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client, and the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network and forwards the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network.

Claims

1. A method for transmitting data between a mobile client and a cellular network, wherein the mobile client is connected to an ad-hoc network and communicates via the ad-hoc network with a mobile relay that is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and wherein the mobile relay relays data that are transmitted from the mobile client towards the cellular network and/or data that are transmitted from the cellular network towards the mobile client wherein

the cellular network transmits data dedicated to the mobile relay and dedicated to the mobile client within the same data stream;

the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself and terminates the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client and forwards the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client; and

the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network and forwards the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the data transmitted between the mobile client and the mobile relay are processed by at least one layer of a first protocol stack of the mobile relay;

the data transmitted between the mobile relay and the cellular network are processed by at least one layer of a second protocol stack of the mobile relay; and

the detection whether data received from the cellular network by the mobile relay are dedicated to the mobile relay itself or are dedicated to the mobile client is performed by at least one lower layer of the second protocol stack;

wherein the first protocol stack and the second protocol stack comprise a set of lower layers and a set of higher layers.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the detection whether data received from the mobile client by the mobile relay are dedicated to the mobile relay itself or are dedicated to the cellular network is performed by at least one lower layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein

the termination of the data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay and are dedicated to the mobile relay itself is performed by at least one higher layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay and/or

that the termination of the data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the mobile relay and are dedicated to the mobile relay itself is performed by at least one higher layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein

the data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay and are to be forwarded to the mobile client are transferred from at least one lower layer of the second protocol stack to at least one lower layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay and/or

that the data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the mobile relay and are to be forwarded to the cellular network are transferred from at least one lower layer of the first protocol stack to at least one lower layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the set of lower layers and the set of higher layers of the first protocol stack and/or the set of lower layers and the set of higher layers of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay are separated by a predefined boundary.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile client comprises at least a first protocol stack comprising a set of lower layers and a set of higher layers, wherein signaling between the mobile client and the mobile relay is performed by at least one higher layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile client and at least one higher layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein

a ciphering of data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the cellular network is performed by at least a higher layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile client and

ciphered data that are received by the mobile relay from the mobile client are transferred from a lower layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay to a lower layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein

ciphered data that are received by the mobile relay from the cellular network and are dedicated to the mobile client are transferred from a lower layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay to a lower layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay;

and

a deciphering of ciphered data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile client via the mobile relay is performed by a higher layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile client.

10. A telecommunications system adapted to execute a method according to claim 1, the telecommunications system comprising a cellular network, an ad-hoc network, a mobile client and a mobile relay, wherein the mobile client is connected to the ad-hoc network and comprises means for communicating with the mobile relay via the ad-hoc network, and wherein the mobile relay is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and comprises means to relay data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the cellular network and/or data are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile client wherein the mobile relay is adapted

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to terminate the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client;

to forward the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network; and

to forward the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network;

and the mobile client is adapted

to transmit data to a mobile relay that are dedicated to a cellular network and

to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client.

11. A mobile relay for relaying data that are transmitted from a mobile client to a cellular network and/or for relaying data that are transmitted from a cellular network to a mobile client wherein the mobile client is connected to the ad-hoc network and the mobile relay is connected to the ad-hoc network and to the cellular network wherein

The mobile relay comprises a first protocol stack for processing the data transmitted between the mobile relay and the mobile client;

the mobile relay comprises a second protocol stack for processing the data transmitted between the mobile relay and the cellular network;

the mobile relay is adapted to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

the mobile relay is adapted to terminate the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

the mobile relay is adapted to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client;

the mobile relay is adapted to forward the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client;

the mobile relay is adapted to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network; and

the mobile relay is adapted to forward the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network.

12. The mobile relay of claim 11 wherein the first protocol stack and/or the second protocol stack comprises a set of lower layers and a set of higher layers and that the set of lower layers and the set of higher layers of each of both protocol stacks are separated by a predefined boundary.

13. The mobile relay of claim 12, wherein

at least one lower layer of the second protocol stack is adapted to detect whether part of the data received from the cellular network is dedicated to the mobile relay itself or whether it has to be forwarded to the mobile client;

and/or

at least one lower layer of the first protocol stack is adapted to detect whether part of the data received from the mobile client is dedicated to the mobile relay itself or whether it has to be forwarded to the cellular network.

14. The mobile relay of claim 11, wherein

at least one higher layer of the second protocol stack is adapted to terminate part of the data that are received from the cellular network and are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

and/or

at least one higher layer of the first protocol stack is adapted to terminate part of the data that are received from the mobile client and are dedicated to the mobile relay itself.

15. The mobile relay of claim 11, wherein

ciphered data that are received from the mobile client by the mobile relay and are dedicated to the cellular network are transferred from at least one lower layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay to at least one lower layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay;

and/or

ciphered data that are received from the cellular network by the mobile relay are transferred from at least one lower layer of the second protocol stack of the mobile relay to at least one lower layer of the first protocol stack of the mobile relay.

16. The mobile relay of claim 11, wherein the set of lower layers of the second protocol stack comprises a physical layer and at least one sub-layer of a data link layer.

17. The mobile relay of claim 11, wherein the set of higher layers of the second protocol stack comprises a RLC layer and/or a MAC-d layer.

18. A telecommunications system comprising a mobile relay according to claim 11, a cellular network, an ad-hoc network and a mobile client, wherein the mobile client is connected to the ad-hoc network and comprises means for communicating with the mobile relay via the ad-hoc network, and wherein the mobile relay is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and comprises means to relay data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the cellular network and/or data are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile client wherein the mobile relay is adapted

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to terminate the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client;

to forward the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network; and

to forward the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network;

and the mobile client is adapted

to transmit data to a mobile relay that are dedicated to a cellular network and

to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client.

19. A mobile client connected to an ad-hoc network, wherein the mobile client is adapted to

transmit data to a mobile relay that are dedicated to a cellular network and

to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client,

wherein the mobile client comprises a first protocol stack for sending and receiving data via the ad-hoc network and a second protocol stack for sending and receiving data via the cellular network, wherein the first protocol stack comprises a set of lower layers and a set of higher layers and the second protocol stack comprises at least a set of higher layers.

20. The mobile client of claim 19 wherein the mobile client is adapted to send and receive signaling related data to and from the mobile relay.

21. The mobile client of claim 19, wherein the set of lower layers and the set of higher layers of the first protocol stack are separated by a predefined boundary and each layer within the set of higher layers of the second protocol stack is above this boundary.

22. The mobile client of claim 19, wherein the higher layers of the second protocol stack comprise a RLC layer and/or a MAC-d layer.

23. The mobile client of claim 19, wherein the set of lower layers of the first protocol stack of the mobile client comprises standard ad-hoc network interface protocols.

24. The mobile client of claim 19, wherein the mobile client comprises different adaptation layers or Frame Protocols above the ad-hoc interface.

25. A Radio Access Network that is part of a cellular network and adapted to transmit data related to signaling, data dedicated to a mobile relay, and data dedicated to a mobile client, wherein the radio access network comprises a radio access network protocol stack and wherein the radio access network protocol stack comprises a set of lower layers and a set of higher layers wherein

a first instance of higher layers of the radio access network protocol stack is used to process the data dedicated to the mobile relay;

a second instance of higher layers of the radio access network protocol stack is used to process the data dedicated to the mobile client; and

an instance of lower layers of the radio access network protocol stack is used to transmit the data to the mobile relay that are dedicated to the mobile relay and to the mobile client.

26. A telecommunications system comprising a radio access network according to claim 25, a cellular network, an ad-hoc network, a mobile client and a mobile relay, wherein the mobile client is connected to the ad-hoc network and comprises means for communicating with the mobile relay via the ad-hoc network, and wherein the mobile relay is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and comprises means to relay data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the cellular network and/or data are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile client wherein the mobile relay is adapted

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to terminate the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client;

to forward the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network; and

to forward the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network;

and the mobile client is adapted

to transmit data to a mobile relay that are dedicated to a cellular network and

to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client.

27. A telecommunications system comprising a cellular network, an ad-hoc network, a mobile client and a mobile relay wherein the mobile client is connected to the ad-hoc network and comprises means for communicating with the mobile relay via the ad-hoc network, and wherein the mobile relay is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and comprises means to relay data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the cellular network and/or data are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile client wherein the mobile relay is adapted

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to terminate the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client;

to forward the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network; and

to forward the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network;

and the mobile client is adapted

to transmit data to a mobile relay that are dedicated to a cellular network and

to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client.

28. A telecommunications system comprising a mobile client, a cellular network, an ad-hoc network and a mobile relay, wherein the mobile client is adapted to transmit data to a mobile relay that is dedicated to a cellular network and to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client, and wherein the mobile client is connected to the ad-hoc network and comprises means for communicating with the mobile relay via the ad-hoc network, and wherein the mobile relay is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and comprises means to relay data that are transmitted from the mobile client to the cellular network and/or data are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile client wherein the mobile relay is adapted

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to terminate the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client;

to forward the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client;

to detect whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network; and

to forward the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network;

and the mobile client is adapted

to transmit data to a mobile relay that are dedicated to a cellular network and

to receive and process data that are transmitted from the cellular network to the mobile relay, dedicated to the mobile client, and forwarded by the mobile relay to the mobile client.

29. A computer-readable medium with a computer program embodied thereon that can be run on a micro-processor, in particular on a mobile client and/or a mobile relay, wherein that the computer program is programmed to perform a transmission of data between a mobile client and a cellular network, if the computer program is run on the micro-processor, wherein the mobile client is connected to an ad-hoc network and communicates via the ad-hoc network with a mobile relay that is connected to the ad-hoc network and the cellular network and wherein the mobile relay relays data that are transmitted from the mobile client towards the cellular network and/or data that are transmitted from the cellular network towards the mobile client wherein

the cellular network transmits data dedicated to the mobile relay and dedicated to the mobile client within the same data stream;

the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile relay itself and terminates the part of the received data that is dedicated to the mobile relay itself;

the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the mobile client and forwards the part that is dedicated to the mobile client to the mobile client; and

the mobile relay detects whether data received by the mobile relay contains data that are dedicated to the cellular network and forwards the part that is dedicated to the cellular network to the cellular network.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the computer program is stored on a memory element, in particular a random access memory, a read only memory or a flash memory.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29, wherein the computer program is stored on a compact disc, a digital versatile disc or a hard disc.