Method for relay transmission in a mobile communication system

• US 20020187746A1
• Filed: 06/07/2002
• Published: 12/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BenQ Corporation (Qisda Corporation)
• Inventors: Cheng, Ray-Guang, Lin, Phone, Lin, Yi-Bing
• Granted Patent: US 6,954,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/11.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/16 based on interference
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/08 Non-scheduled access, e.g. ALOHA hybrid access H04W74/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A method of relay transmission in a mobile communication system. The mobile communication system includes at least one base station and a plurality of user equipments (UEs). When one of the UEs attempts to send a message to the base station, this one of the UEs, referred to as a requesting UE, is capable of using the method of relay transmission to send messages to the base station via another one or more UEs, referred to as relay UEs. The method of relay transmission includes the following steps. First, a relay request confirmation procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE is performed. Second, a base station confirmation procedure for the requesting UE, the relay UE, and the base station is executed. Next, an identity authentication procedure for the requesting UE, the relay UE, and the base station is performed. After that, a relay start confirmation procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE is executed. Finally, a relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE, the relay UE, and the base station is performed, wherein the requesting UE sends the message to the base station via the relay UE. According to the invention, high data rate transmission can be achieved even if the requesting UE is distant from the base station, and thus communication quality can be improved, with a reduced cost.

Claims

1. A method of relay transmission in a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including a base station and a plurality of user equipments (UEs), wherein when a first one of the UEs attempts to send a message to the base station via a second one of the UEs, the first UE is referred to as a requesting UE, the second UE is referred to as a relay UE, the method of relay transmission comprising the steps of:

performing a relay request confirmation procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE so as to confirm that the requesting UE is able to send the message via the relay UE;

performing a base station confirmation procedure for the requesting UE, the relay UE, and the base station so as to confirm that the base station permits the requesting UE to connect with the base station via the relay UE;

performing an identity authentication procedure for the requesting UE, the relay UE, and the base station so as to establish a relay channel;

performing a relay start confirmation procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE so as to confirm that a relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE is able to be started; and

performing the relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE, the relay UE, and the base station, wherein the requesting UE begins to send the message to the base station via the relay UE.

2. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the UEs are capable of relaying messages.

3. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the base station sends a measurement signal;

transmission rates of UEs is determined by the measurement signal;

;

when the transmission rate of the requesting UE is lower than the transmission rate of the relay UE, the requesting UE uses the method of relay transmission to increase transmission rate of the requesting UE.

4. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the relay request confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay query signal from the requesting UE to the relay UE so as to request the relay UE to relay the message; and

after the relay UE receives the relay query signal, sending a relay query response signal from the relay UE to the requesting UE so as to notify the requesting UE that the relay UE allows the requesting UE to send the message via the relay UE.

5. The method of relay transmission according to claim 4, wherein when the requesting UE has received more than one relay query response signals, the requesting UE randomly selects one of the relay query response signals.

6. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the relay request confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay query signal from the requesting UE to the relay UE so as to request the relay UE to relay the message;

the requesting UE waiting for a predetermined waiting period and receiving no relay query response signal;

the requesting UE directly transmitting the message to the base station.

7. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the relay request confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay query signal from the requesting UE to the relay UE so as to request the relay UE to relay the message;

the requesting UE waiting for a predetermined waiting period and receiving no relay query response signal;

the requesting UE resending a relay query signal to the relay UE.

8. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the base station confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay request signal from the requesting UE to the base station so as to request the base station to permit the requesting UE to perform a relay transmission procedure with the relay UE; and

after the base station receives the relay request signal, sending a relay request permission signal from the base station to the requesting UE and the relay UE so as to permit the requesting UE to perform the relay transmission procedure with the relay UE.

9. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the identity authentication procedure comprises the steps of:

sending an identity authentication signal from the requesting UE to the base station as to query the base station whether the identity of the requesting UE is allowed to send the message; and

after the base station receives the identity authentication signal, sending a identity authentication signal from the base station to the requesting UE so as to notify the requesting UE is authenticated to send the message.

10. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the relay start confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay start signal from the requesting UE to the relay UE so as to query the relay UE whether the relay transmission procedure is allowed to start; and

after the relay UE receives the relay start signal, sending a relay acknowledgement signal from the relay UE to the requesting UE so as to notify the requesting UE that the relay transmission procedure is ready to start.

11. The method of relay transmission according to claim 3, wherein when the requesting UE is performing the relay transmission procedure and moves around the base station, as the requesting UE receiving the measurement signal and capable of using higher transmitting rate than the transmitting rate of the relay UE, the requesting UE performing a link switching procedure for stopping the relay transmission procedure and then using the direct transmission method to transmit the message, the link switching procedure comprising the steps of:

sending a direct transmission request signal from the requesting UE to the base station to query the base station whether the requesting UE is allowed to use the direct transmission method to transmit the message;

performing a relay terminating procedure for the base station and the relay UE so as to confirm that the relay UE terminates the relay transmission procedure;

sending a direct transmission acknowledgement signal from the base station to the requesting UE so as to notify the requesting UE that the requesting UE is allowed to use the direct transmission method to transmit the message; and

after the requesting UE receives the direct transmission acknowledgement signal, sending the message from the requesting UE by using the direct transmission method.

12. The method of relay transmission according to claim 11, wherein the relay terminating procedure comprises the steps of:

after the base station receives the direct transmission request signal, sending a relay-terminating signal from the base station to the relay UE so as to request the relay UE to terminate the relay transmission procedure; and

after the relay UE receives the relay-terminating signal, sending a relay termination acknowledgement signal from the relay UE to the base station so as to notify the base station that the relay UE terminates the relay transmission procedure.

13. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein when the requesting UE uses the method of relay transmission to transmit the message, the requesting UE further executes a link detection procedure to confirm whether the relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE is able to be continued, the link detection procedure comprising the steps of:

sending a link detection signal from the requesting UE to the relay UE so as to confirm that the requesting UE is to continue to execute the relay transmission procedure via the relay UE;

if the requesting UE receives a link acknowledgement signal from the relay UE within a detection-waiting period for the requesting UE, continuing the relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE; and

if the requesting UE does not receive the link acknowledgement signal from the relay UE within the detection-waiting period for the requesting UE, terminating the relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE.

14. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein when the relay UE executes the relay transmission procedure, the relay UE further executes a link detection procedure to confirm whether the relay UE needs to continue to execute the relay transmission procedure, the link detection procedure comprising the steps of:

sending a link detection signal from the relay UE to the requesting UE so as to confirm that the relay UE is to continue to execute the relay transmission procedure;

if the relay UE receives a link acknowledgement signal from the requesting UE within a detection-waiting period for the relay UE, continuing the relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE and the relay UE; and

if the relay UE does not receive the link acknowledgement signal from the requesting UE within the detection-waiting period for the relay UE, terminating the relay transmission procedure at the relay UE and sending a link disconnection signal to the requesting UE so as to notify the requesting UE that the relay channel has been disconnected.

15. The method of relay transmission according to claim 13, wherein when the requesting UE does not receive the link acknowledgement signal from the relay UE within the detection-waiting period, the requesting UE executes a relay link re-establishment procedure to search for another user equipment as a new relay user equipment (UE), and continues to execute the relay transmission procedure via the new relay UE, the relay link re-establishment procedure comprising the steps of:

performing a relay request confirmation procedure for the requesting UE and the new relay UE so as to confirm that the requesting UE is allowed to execute the relay transmission procedure via the new relay UE;

performing a relay start confirmation procedure for the requesting UE and the new relay UE so as to confirm that the relay transmission procedure is ready to be start; and

performing the relay transmission procedure for the requesting UE, the new relay UE, and the base station.

16. The method of relay transmission according to claim 15, wherein the relay request confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay query signal from the requesting UE to the new relay UE so as to request the new relay UE that the requesting UE executes the relay transmission procedure via the new relay UE; and

after the new relay UE receives the relay query signal, sending a relay query response signal from the new relay UE to the requesting UE so as to notify the requesting UE that the new relay UE allows the requesting UE to execute the relay transmission procedure via the new relay UE.

17. The method of relay transmission according to claim 15, wherein the relay start confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay start signal from the requesting UE to the new relay UE in order to notify the new relay UE that the relay transmission procedure is allowed to start; and

after the new relay UE receives the relay start signal, sending a relay acknowledgement signal from the new relay UE to the requesting UE in order to notify the requesting UE that the relay transmission procedure is ready to start.

18. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the mobile communication system is an opportunity driven multiple access (ODMA) mobile communication system.

19. The method of relay transmission according to claim 1, wherein the user equipment is a mobile phone device.

20. The method of relay transmission according to claim 18, wherein the user equipment is a third generation mobile phone device.

21. A method of relay transmission for a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including a base station, a first user equipment (UE), and a second user equipment (UE), wherein the first UE and the second UE are individually capable of communicating a data signal or voice signal to the base station, the method of relay transmission comprising the steps of:

performing a relay request confirmation procedure for the first UE and the second UE so as to confirm that the first UE is enabled to send the data signal or voice signal via the second UE;

performing a base station confirmation procedure for the first UE, the second UE, and the base station so as to confirm that the base station permits the first UE to send the data signal or voice signal via the second UE to the base station;

performing an identity authentication procedure for the first UE, the second UE, and the base station so as to establish a relay channel;

performing a relay start confirmation procedure for the first UE and the second UE so as to confirm that a relay transmission procedure for the first UE and the second UE is allowed to be performed; and

performing the relay transmission procedure for the first UE, the second UE, and the base station, wherein the first UE sends the data signal or voice signal to the base station via the second UE.

22. The method of relay transmission according to claim 21, wherein the relay request confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay query signal from the first UE to the second UE in order to request the second UE to relay the data signal or voice signal; and

sending a relay query response signal from the second UE to the first UE in order to notify the first UE that the second UE allows the first UE to send the data signal or voice signal via the second UE.

23. The method of relay transmission according to claim 21, wherein the base station confirmation procedure comprises the steps of:

sending a relay request signal from the first UE to the base station in order to request the base station to allow the first UE to perform a relay transmission procedure via the second UE; and

sending a relay request permission signal from the base station to the first UE and the second UE in order to allow the first UE to perform the relay transmission procedure via the second UE.

24. A method of relay transmission for a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including a base station, a first user equipment (UE), and a second user equipment (UE), wherein the first UE and the second UE are individually capable of communicating a data signal or voice signal to the base station, the method of relay transmission comprising the steps of:

notifying the first UE that the second UE allows the first UE to transmit the data signal or voice signal via the second UE;

allowing the first UE to transmit the data signal or voice signal via the second UE to the base station;

establishing a relay channel among the first UE, the second UE, and the base station; and

transmitting the data signal or voice signal from the first UE to the base station via the second UE.