Method and relay node for mobile relay enablement

• US 9,473,952 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2012
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Yu, Yi, Cai, Zhijun, Song, Yi, Blankenship, Yufei Wu, Bontu, Chandra Sekhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Cumming, William D
• Application Number:
  US13/673,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20140135008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,439 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 370/331, 370/214, 370/315, 370/24
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/155 Ground-based stations H04B7/204 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/15507 Relay station based processing for cell extension or control of coverage area, network planning with network coordinated processing with regard to cell extension H04W16/26; network topologies using dedicated repeater stations H04W84/047; terminal devices adapted for relaying to or from an other terminal H04W88/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0009 for a plurality of users or terminals, e.g. group communication or moving wireless networks user group management H04W4/08; processing of subscriber group data H04W8/186
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0077 of access information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/083 wherein at least one of the access points is a moving node
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/005 Moving wireless networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/047 using dedicated repeater stations

Abstract

A method and relay node for managing a relay node that is moving relative to a source network node, the method receiving parameters of a target network node from a source network node at the relay node; initiating a direct attachment of the relay node to the target network node; and detaching the relay node from the source network node. Also, a method and network node for managing a relay node that is moving relative to a source network node, the method sending a handover request of a relay node from the source network node to a target network node; performing handover of a plurality of user equipments (UEs) from the source network node to the target network node, wherein the plurality of UEs are attached to the relay node, and establishing an interface between the relay node and the target network node.

Claims

1. A method for managing a relay node that is moving relative to a source network node, the method comprising:

receiving parameters of a target network node from a source network node at the relay node;

sending a measurement report from the relay node to the source network node;

immediately after sending the measurement report, initiating a direct attachment of the relay node to the target network node; and

after initiating the direct attachment, detaching the relay node from the source network node.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a measurement report to the source target network node before initiating the direct attachment.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating the direct attachment includes accessing the target network node with a dedicated RACH preamble.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the initiating the direct attachment includes accessing the target network node with a predefined identifier for the relay node.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters of the target network node include mobility control information.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters of the target network node include security configuration information.

7. A relay node configured to move relative to a source network node, the relay node comprising:

a processor; and

a communications subsystem, wherein the processor and communications subsystem cooperate to;

receive parameters of a target network node from the source network node at the relay node;

send a measurement report from the relay node to the source network node;

immediately after sending the measurement report, initiate a direct attachment of the relay node to the target network node; and

after the direct attachment is initiated, detach the relay node from the source network node.

8. The relay node of claim 7 wherein the initiating the direct attachment includes accessing the target network node with a dedicated RACH preamble.

9. The relay node of claim 7 wherein the initiating the direct attachment includes accessing the target network node with a predefined identifier for the relay node.

10. The relay node of claim 7 wherein the parameters of the target network node include mobility control information.

11. The relay node of claim 7 wherein the parameters of the target network node include security configuration information.