NETWORK-RELAY SIGNALING FOR DOWNLINK TRANSPARENT RELAY
In a method of providing downlink retransmissions to a mobile station in a wireless communication network, the wireless communication network comprising a base station communicatively linked to a transparent relay station, the base station receives a request for a retransmission from the mobile station; schedules resources for the retransmission; signals scheduling information for the retransmission to the transparent relay station via a control link; and the transparent relay station receives the scheduling information for the retransmission on the control link; and sends the retransmission to the mobile station in a retransmit subframe on a retransmit frequency band.
1 . A method of providing DL retransmissions to a mobile station in a wireless communication network, said wireless communication network comprising a base station communicatively linked to a transparent relay station, said method comprising:
at said base station:
receiving a request for a retransmission from said mobile station;
scheduling resources for said retransmission;
signalling scheduling information for said retransmission to said transparent relay station via a control link;
at said transparent relay station:
receiving said scheduling information for said retransmission on said control link; and
sending said retransmission to said mobile station in a retransmit subframe on a retransmit frequency band.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, at said base station, sending said retransmission to said mobile station in said retransmit subframe on said retransmit frequency band.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said control link occupies said retransmit frequency band.
4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein said control link occupies a designated frequency band, said designated frequency band being different than said retransmit frequency band.
5 . The method of claim 3 or claim 4 , wherein said signalling said scheduling information for said retransmission occurs in a scheduling subframe, and said retransmit subframe is consecutive to said scheduling subframe.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said signalling said scheduling information for said retransmission occurs in said retransmit subframe.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein said designated frequency band is the 2.5 GHz band.
8 . The method of claim 2 , further comprising, at said base station, identifying said mobile station as requiring relay assistance prior to said scheduling said resources for said retransmission.
9 . The method of claim 9 , wherein said identifying said mobile station as requiring relay assistance comprises identifying said mobile station as being near a cell edge.
10 . A base station in a wireless communication network, said base station comprising a controller operable to:
receive a request for a retransmission from a mobile station;
schedule resources for said retransmission;
signal scheduling information for said retransmission to a transparent relay station via a control link; and
wherein said signalling of said scheduling information enables said transparent relay station to send said retransmission to said mobile station in a retransmit subframe on a retransmit frequency band.
11 . The base station of claim 11 , wherein said controller is further operable to send said retransmission to said mobile station in said retransmit subframe on said retransmit frequency band.
12 . The base station of claim 12 , wherein said control link occupies said retransmit frequency band.
13 . The base station of claim 12 , wherein said control link occupies a designated frequency band, said designated frequency band being different than said retransmit frequency band.
14 . The base station of claim 13 or 14 , wherein said signalling said scheduling information for said retransmission occurs in a scheduling subframe, and said retransmit subframe is consecutive to said scheduling subframe.
15 . The base station of claim 14 , wherein said signalling said scheduling information for said retransmission occurs in said retransmit subframe.
16 . The base station of claim 14 , wherein said designated frequency band is the 2.5 GHz band.
17 . The base station of claim 12 , wherein said controller is further operable to identify said mobile station as requiring relay assistance prior to said scheduling said resources for said retransmission.
18 . The base station of claim 19 , wherein said identifying said mobile station as requiring relay assistance comprises identify said mobile station as being near a cell edge.
19 . A transparent relay station in a wireless communication network, said transparent relay station comprising a controller operable to:
receive, on a control link from a base station, scheduling information for a retransmission to a mobile station; and
send said retransmission to said mobile station in said retransmit subframe on said retransmit frequency band.
20 . The transparent relay station of claim 19 , wherein said control link occupies said retransmit frequency band.
21 . The transparent relay station of claim 19 , wherein said control link occupies a designated frequency band, said designated frequency band being different than said retransmit frequency band.
22 . The transparent relay station of claim 20 or 21 , wherein said receiving said scheduling information occurs in a scheduling subframe, and said retransmit subframe is consecutive to said scheduling subframe.
23 . The transparent relay station of claim 21 , wherein said receiving said scheduling information occurs in said retransmit subframe.
24 . The transparent relay station of claim 12 , wherein said designated frequency band is the 2.5 GHz band.