System and method for hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) functionality in a relay node

• US 9,379,804 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 06/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yu, Yi, Womack, James Earl, Cai, Zhijun
• Primary Examiner(s): Riad, Amine
• Application Number:
  US14/465,528
• Publication Number:
  US 20140362755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15542 Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1816 with retransmission of the same, encoded, message
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0055 Physical resource allocation for ACK/NACK for physical mapping arrangements in ARQ protocols H04L1/1861
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0212 managed by the network, e.g. network or access point is master and terminal is slave
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/12 Wireless traffic scheduling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

Devices and methods related to relay nodes are provided. The relay node includes a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity providing a first HARQ functionality. The relay node further includes a second HARQ entity providing a second HARQ functionality.

Claims

1. A long term evolution (LTE) relay node configured to:

receive a first medium access control packet data unit (MAC PDU) from an LTE eNodeB, wherein a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity is configured to perform HARQ functionality with respect to the first MAC PDU; and

receive a second MAC PDU from an LTE user equipment (UE), wherein a second HARQ entity is configured to perform HARQ functionality with respect to the second MAC PDU.

2. The LTE relay node of claim 1, wherein the LTE relay node is configured to avoid transmitting the first MAC PDU to the LTE UE unless the first MAC PDU is free of errors when received from the LTE eNodeB.

3. The LTE relay node of claim 2, wherein the LTE relay node is configured to break apart the first MAC PDU to create different transport block sizes (TBS).

4. The LTE relay node of claim 3, wherein transport block size depends on radio conditions.

5. The LTE relay node of claim 1, wherein the LTE relay node is further configured to perform a cyclic redundant check (CRC) and to transmit a non-acknowledgement/acknowledgement (NACK/ACK) signal to the LTE eNodeB.

6. The LTE relay node of claim 5, wherein the LTE relay node is further configured to schedule and send the first MAC PDU to the LTE UE.

7. The LTE relay node of claim 6, wherein the LTE relay node is configured to receive a non-acknowledgement/acknowledgement (NACK/ACK) signal from the LTE UE.

8. The LTE relay node of claim 7, wherein the LTE relay node is further configured to maintain a fixed timing between transmission of the first MAC PDU and the NACK/ACK.

9. The LTE relay node of claim 1, wherein the LTE relay node is configured to break apart the second MAC PDU to create different transport block sizes (TBS).

10. The LTE relay node of claim 1, wherein transport block size depends on radio conditions.

11. A method implemented in a long term evolution (LTE) relay node, the method comprising:

receiving a first medium access control packet data unit (MAC PDU) from an LTE eNodeB, wherein a first hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity is configured to perform HARQ functionality with respect to the first MAC PDU; and

receiving a second MAC PDU from an LTE user equipment (UE), wherein a second HARQ entity is configured to perform HARQ functionality with respect to the second MAC PDU.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

breaking apart the first MAC PDU to create different transport block sizes (TBS).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein transport block size depends on radio conditions.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

scheduling the first MAC PDU; and

sending the first MAC PDU to the LTE UE.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

receiving a non-acknowledgement/acknowledgement (NACK/ACK) signal.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

responsive to receiving the non-acknowledgement signal (NACK), performing a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) retransmission.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein a retransmission is avoided when an ACK is received.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising;

maintaining a fixed timing between transmission of the first MAC PDU and the NACK/ACK.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein transmission of the first MAC PDU to the LTE UE is avoided unless the first MAC PDU is free of errors when received at the first HARQ entity.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the LTE relay node is configured to perform a cyclic redundant check (CRC) and to transmit a non-acknowledgement/acknowledgement (NACK/ACK) signal to the LTE eNodeB.