System and method for implementing a multi-radio wireless network

• US 8,126,392 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2007
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Chen, Wei-Peng, Zhu, Chenxi, Agre, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US11/668,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20080045174A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,856 Days
• Field of Search: 455/424, 455/7, 455/8, 455/11.1, 455/13.3, 455/15, 455/9, 455/13.1, 455/16, 455/450, 455/10, 370/315, 370/501, 370/252, 370/321, 370/324, 370/328, 370/329, 370/330, 370/337, 370/338, 370/341, 370/342, 370/345, 370/347, 370/350, 370/431, 370/441, 370/442, 370/443
• US Class Current: 455/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/2606 Arrangements for base station coverage control, e.g. by using relays in tunnels
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/26 Cell enhancers or enhancement, e.g. for tunnels, building shadow
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A system for implementing a multi-radio wireless network includes a plurality of endpoints wirelessly coupled to a relay station. The system also includes a base station wirelessly coupled to the relay station. The relay station includes a first radio operable to use a first channel to communicate with the base station. The relay station also includes a second radio operable to use a second channel to communicate with the plurality of endpoints. The relay station further includes a processor coupled to the first radio and the second radio. The processor is operable to relay data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints.

Claims

1. A system for implementing a multi-radio wireless network, comprising:

a plurality of endpoints wirelessly coupled to a relay station;

a base station wirelessly coupled to the relay station; and

the relay station comprising;

an endpoint style radio operable to use a first channel to communicate with the base station wherein the endpoint style radio is further operable to receive a first frame from the base station, the first frame comprising timing information, a first preamble, and a first downlink and uplink map;

a base station style radio operable to use a second channel to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints wherein the base station style radio is further operable to transmit a second frame to the plurality of endpoints, the second frame comprising a second preamble and a second downlink and uplink map, wherein the base station style radio is operable to transmit the second frame to the plurality of endpoints such that a transmission timing of the transmission of the second frame to the plurality of endpoints is independent of the timing information provided by the first frame received from the base station; and

a processor coupled to the endpoint style radio and the base station style radio and operable to relay data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless network comprises an 802.16 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) wireless network.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor operable to relay data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints is further operable to:

receive the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints;

buffer the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints;

process the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints; and

relay the processed data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the endpoint style radio is further operable to send a request to the base station for at least one parameter of the second channel.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further operable to determine at least one parameter of the second channel.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the second channel comprises a sub-channel of the first channel.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the first channel and the second channel are separated by a zone switch information element (IE), the zone switch IE marking the boundary between a first zone used by the base station as the first channel and a second zone used by the relay station as the second channel.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein, during at least a portion of time, the endpoint style radio uses the first channel to communicate with the base station while the base station style radio concurrently uses the second channel to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the endpoint style radio comprises an endpoint radio operable to be used in an endpoint and to use an endpoint routine for establishing a first wireless connection with the base station; and

the base station style radio comprises a base station radio operable to be used in a base station and to use a base station routine for establishing a second wireless connection with the plurality of endpoints.

10. A method for implementing a multi-radio wireless network, comprising:

wirelessly coupling a base station to a relay station, the relay station using an endpoint style radio having a first channel associated thereto to communicate with the base station;

wirelessly coupling a plurality of endpoints to the relay station, the relay station using a base station style radio having a second channel associated thereto to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints; and

relaying data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints using the endpoint style radio and the base station style radio;

wherein relaying data comprises;

receiving a first frame from the base station, the first frame comprising timing information, a first preamble, and a first downlink and uplink map; and

transmitting a second frame to the plurality of endpoints, the second frame comprising a second preamble and a second downlink and uplink map, wherein a transmission timing of the transmission of the second frame to the plurality of endpoints is independent of the timing information provided by the first frame received from the base station.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the wireless network comprises an 802.16 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) wireless network.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein relaying data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints using the endpoint style radio and the base station style radio further comprises:

receiving the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints;

buffering the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints;

processing the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints; and

relaying the processed data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising sending a request to the base station for at least one parameter of the second channel.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining at least one parameter of the second channel.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the second channel comprises a sub-channel of the first channel.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first channel and the second channel are separated by a zone switch information element (IE), the zone switch IE marking the boundary between a first zone used by the base station as the first channel and a second zone used by the relay station as the second channel.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein, during at least a portion of time, the relay station uses the endpoint style radio to communicate with the base station using the first channel while also concurrently using the base station style radio to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints using the second channel.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the endpoint style radio comprises an endpoint radio operable to be used in an endpoint and to use an endpoint routine for establishing a first wireless connection with the base station; and

the base station style radio comprises a base station radio operable to be used in a base station and to use a base station routine for establishing a second wireless connection with the plurality of endpoints.

19. Logic encoded in a non-transitory computer readable medium that when executed is operable to:

wirelessly couple a base station to a relay station, the relay station using endpoint style radio having a first channel associated thereto to communicate with the base station;

wirelessly couple a plurality of endpoints to the relay station, the relay station using a base station style radio having a second channel associated thereto to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints; and

relay data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints using the endpoint style radio and the base station style radio;

wherein the logic operable to relay data is further operable to;

receive a first frame from the base station, the first frame comprising timing information, a first preamble, and a first downlink and uplink map; and

transmit a second frame to the plurality of endpoints, the second frame comprising a second preamble and a second downlink and uplink map, wherein a transmission timing of the transmission of the second frame transmitted to the plurality of endpoints is independent of the timing information provided by the first frame received from the base station.

20. The medium of claim 19, wherein the wireless network comprises an 802.16 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) wireless network.

21. The medium of claim 19, wherein the logic operable to relay data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints using the endpoint style radio and the base station style radio comprises code operable to:

receive the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints;

buffer the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints;

process the data from the base station and the plurality of endpoints; and

relay the processed data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints.

22. The medium of claim 19, wherein the logic is further operable to send a request to the base station for at least one parameter of the second channel.

23. The medium of claim 19, wherein the logic is further operable to determine at least one parameter of the second channel.

24. The medium of claim 19, wherein the second channel comprises a sub-channel of the first channel.

25. The medium of claim 24, wherein the first channel and the second channel are separated by a zone switch information element (IE), the zone switch IE marking the boundary between a first zone used by the base station as the first channel and a second zone used by the relay station as the second channel.

26. The medium of claim 19, wherein, during at least a portion of time, the endpoint style radio uses the first channel to communicate with the base station while the base station style radio concurrently uses the second channel to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints.

27. The medium of claim 19, wherein:

the endpoint style radio comprises an endpoint radio operable to be used in an endpoint and to use an endpoint routine for establishing a first wireless connection with the base station; and

the base station style radio comprises a base station radio operable to be used in a base station and to use a base station routine for establishing a second wireless connection with the plurality of endpoints.

28. A system for implementing a multi-radio wireless network, comprising:

means for wirelessly coupling a base station to a relay station, the relay station using an endpoint style radio having a first channel associated thereto to communicate with the base station;

means for wirelessly coupling a plurality of endpoints to the relay station, the relay station using a base station style radio having a second channel associated thereto to directly communicate with the plurality of endpoints; and

means for relaying data between the base station and the plurality of endpoints using the endpoint style radio and the base station style radio;

wherein the means for relaying data comprises;

means for receiving a first frame from the base station, the first frame comprising timing information, a first preamble, and a first downlink and uplink map; and

means for transmitting a second frame to the plurality of endpoints, the second frame comprising a second preamble and a second downlink and uplink map, wherein a transmission timing of the transmission of the second frame transmitted to the plurality of endpoints is independent of the timing information provided by the first frame received from the base station.