Relay station, base station and method for extending a coverage area of a base station in a radio network

• US 8,345,587 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2007
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Shen, Gang, Ni, Wei, Zou, Wei, Liu, Jimin, Jin, Shan
• Primary Examiner(s): Juntima, Nittaya
• Application Number:
  US12/298,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090088165A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,086 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/315
• 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 76/20 Manipulation of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A method for extending a coverage of a base station in a wireless communication network is disclosed, characterized in that a relay station transfers control information and communication related information between the base station and the mobile station according to an indication of the base station.

Claims

1. A method for implementing relay in a relay station in a wireless communication network, the method comprising:

forwarding control information from a base station to a mobile station or forwarding control information from the mobile station to the base station according to an instruction from the base station;

receiving a communication control message from said base station;

regenerating a communication control message for the mobile station based on said communication control message from said base station;

sending the regenerated communication control message to said mobile station on a first channel according to said communication control message from said base station;

receiving signals from a mobile station on a second channel according to said communication control message from said base station;

judging whether the strength of said signals from the mobile station is greater than a predetermined threshold or not;

if the strength of said signals from the mobile station is greater than the predetermined threshold, obtaining the status information concerning the mobile station from said signals; and

sending a status report message to said base station on a third channel according to said communication control message from said base station, said status report message including said status information concerning the mobile station.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising:

receiving status request information from said base station on a fourth channel according to said communication control message from said base station;

sending said status request information to one or more mobile stations on a fifth channel according to said communication control message from said base station.

3. The method according to claim 2 further comprising the following steps:

receiving a communication related message from a mobile station on a sixth channel according to said communication control message from said base station;

sending said communication related message from the mobile station to said base station on a seventh channel according to said communication control message from said base station.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising:

receiving a communication related message from said base station on an eighth channel according to said communication control message from said base station; and

sending said communication related message from said base station to a corresponding mobile station on a ninth channel according to said communication control message from said base station.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein said communication related message from said base station includes:

a communication establishing response message,

a communication ending response message, and

traffic bearer data.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein said communication related message from the mobile station includes:

a communication establishing request message,

a communication ending request message, and

traffic bearer data.

7. A relay station for implementing relay in a wireless communication network, the relay station configured to forward control information from a base station to a mobile station or to forward control information from the mobile station to the base station according to an instruction from the base station, the relay station comprising:

at least one receiver configured to receive a communication control message from said base station;

at least one processor;

the at least one processor configured to regenerate a communication control message to create a regenerated communication control message for the mobile station based on said communication control message from said base station;

at least one transmitter configured to send the regenerated communication control message to said mobile station on a first channel according to said communication control message from said base station;

wherein the at least one receiver is configured to receive signals from a mobile station on a second channel according to said communication control message from said base station;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to judge whether the strength of said signals from the mobile station is greater than a predetermined threshold or not;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to obtain status information concerning the mobile station from said signals if the strength of said signals from the mobile station is greater than the predetermined threshold; and

wherein the at least one transmitter is operative to send a status report message to said base station on a third channel according to said communication control message from said base station, said status report message including said status information concerning the mobile station.

8. The relay station according to claim 7:

wherein the at least one receiver is configured to receive status request information from said base station on a fourth channel according to said communication control message from said base station; and

wherein said at least one transmitter is configured to send said status request information to one or more mobile stations on a fifth channel according to said communication control message from said base station.

9. The relay station according to claim 8:

wherein said at least one receiver is configured to receive a communication related message from a mobile station on a sixth channel according to said communication control message from said base station; and

wherein said at least one transmitter is configured to send said communication related message from the mobile station to said base station on a seventh channel according to said communication control message from said base station.

10. The relay station according to claim 9:

wherein said at least one receiver is configured to receive a communication related message from said base station on an eighth channel according to said communication control message from said base station; and

wherein said at least one receiver is configured to receive said communication related message from said base station to a corresponding mobile station on a ninth channel according to said communication control message from said base station.

11. The relay station according to claim 10, wherein said communication related message from said base station includes:

a communication establishing response message,

a communication ending response message, and

traffic bearer data.

12. The relay station according to claim 9, wherein said communication related message from said mobile station includes:

a communication establishing request message,

a communication ending request message, and

traffic bearer data.

13. A method for utilizing a relay station for communication with a base station in a wireless communication network, comprising:

sending a communication control message to a relay station;

receiving a status report message from said relay station on a first channel and receiving signals from a mobile station on a second channel according to said communication control message;

obtaining first status information representing a channel status of a channel between said mobile station and said relay station and a second status information representing a channel status of a channel between said relay station and a base station from signals from said relay station, and obtaining third status information representing a channel status of a channel between said mobile station and said base station from signals from said mobile station;

selecting a suitable communicating path for communication with said mobile station based on said first status information, said second status information and said third status information; and

controlling the communication with said mobile station according to said selected suitable communicating path.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

sending a status request message to said relay station on a third channel according to said communication control message.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

generating a new communication control message based on said selected suitable communicating path;

wherein sending a communication control message to a relay station comprises;

sending said new communication control message to said relay station.

16. The method according to claim 13, wherein, when establishing a relay path between said mobile station and said base station via said relay station, controlling the communication with said mobile station comprises:

controlling sending a first communication related information to said relay station on a third channel, and

controlling receiving a second communication related information from said relay station on the first channel according to said communication control message.

17. The method according to claim 16:

wherein said first communication related information includes;

a communication establishing request message,

a communication ending request message, and

traffic bearer data from said mobile station; and

wherein said second communication related message includes;

a communication establishing response message,

a communication ending response message, and

traffic bearer data from said base station.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein said communication path including the direct communication path between said mobile station and said base station and the indirect communication path between said mobile station and said base station via said relay station with one-hop or multi-hop relay links.

19. A base station, comprising:

at least one transmitter configured to send a communication control message to a relay station;

at least one receiver configured to receive a status report message from said relay station and to receive signals from a mobile station according to said communication control message; and

,

at least one processor configured to obtain first status information representing a channel status of a channel between said mobile station and said relay station and second status information representing a channel status of a channel between said relay station and said base station from signals from said relay station, and to obtain third status information representing a channel status of a channel between said mobile station and said base station from signals from said mobile station;

wherein the at least one processor is configured to select a suitable communicating path for communication with said mobile station based on said first status information, said second status information and said third status information; and

wherein the at least one processor is configured to control the communication with said mobile station according to said selected suitable communicating path.

20. The base station according to claim 19, wherein said at least one transmitter is configured to send a status request message to said relay station on a channel according to said communication control message.

21. The base station according to claim 19, wherein said at least one processor is configured to generate a new communication control message based on said selected suitable communicating path;

and wherein the at least one transmitter is configured to send said new communication control message to said relay station.

22. The base station according to claim 19, wherein said at least one processor is further configured to control said at least one transmitter to send first communication related information to said relay station on a first channel, and to control said at least one receiver to receive second communication related information from said relay station on a second channel according to said communication control message when establishing a relay path between said mobile station and said base station via said relay station.

23. The base station according to claim 22:

wherein said first communication related information includes;

a communication establishing request message,

a communication ending request message, and

traffic bearer data from said mobile station; and

wherein said second communication related message includes;

a communication establishing response message,

a communication ending response message, and

traffic bearer data from said base station.

24. The base station according to claim 19, wherein said communication path including the direct communication path between said mobile station and said base station and the indirect communication path between said mobile station and said base station via said relay station with one-hop or multi-hop relay links.