Communication duration configuring method, relay station, mobile station and mobile communication system

1. A communication duration configuring method for use in a mobile communication system including a relay station which relays radio communication between a base station and a mobile station, the communication duration configuring method comprising:

configuring, by the relay station according to an instruction from the base station, at least one of a downlink communication duration in which the relay station receives a transmission signal from the base station during a subframe of a radio frame among a plurality of continuous radio frames configured as a MBSFN subframe for communication from the relay station to the mobile station and an uplink communication duration in another subframe of the radio frame or a next radio frame in which the relay station transmits a transmission signal to the base station while limiting transmission of any signal from the mobile station to the relay station;

wherein a plurality of HARQ processes, each having an identifier different from each other, are provided on an access link between the mobile station and the relay station;

communication processing including data transmission and feedback in response to the data transmission after the data transmission is managed in a HARQ process among the plurality of HARQ processes;

for the plurality of continuous radio frames, the uplink communication duration is configured during the subframe of uplink data transmission of a HARQ process having a particular identifier among the plurality of HARQ processes; and

the downlink communication duration, after a predetermined time period of the uplink communication duration, is configured,

wherein the configuring of the at least one of the downlink communication duration and the uplink communication duration makes it possible to perform the communication processing in HARQ processes, among the plurality of HARQ processes, and makes the HARQ process having the particular identifier incapable of being performed throughout the plurality of continuous radio frames.

2. The communication duration configuring method according to claim 1 , wherein

a duration in which the communication processing is incapable of being performed among the plurality of HARQ processes is allocated to a measurement period for measuring, by the mobile station, a radio signal of a frequency different from a communication frequency between the relay station and the mobile station.

3. The communication duration configuring method according to claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the uplink communication duration is allocated to an uplink data transmission that needs no feedback from the base station.

4. A relay station in a mobile communication system including the relay station, a base station and a mobile station, to relay radio communication between the base station and the mobile station, the relay station comprising:

a first transceiver to transmit and receive a signal between the relay station and the base station;

a second transceiver to transmit and receive a signal between the relay station and the mobile station; and

a controller to configure, according to an instruction from the base station, at least one of a downlink communication duration in which the first transceiver receives a transmission signal from the base station while the second transceiver configures a subframe of a radio frame among a plurality of continuous radio frames configured as a MBSFN subframe for communication from the relay station to the mobile station and an uplink communication duration in another subframe of the radio frame or a next radio frame in which the first transceiver transmits a transmission signal to the base station while the mobile station limits transmission of any signal from the mobile station to the relay station, and manage a plurality of HARQ processes, each having an identifier, in which communication processing including data transmission and feedback in response to the data transmission after the data transmission is performed on an access link between the mobile station and the relay station,

wherein, for the plurality of continuous radio frames, the controller configures the communication duration so as to limit, among the plurality of HARQ processes, a HARQ process in which the communication processing is incapable of being performed to a HARQ process having a particular identifier, and the limit makes it possible to perform the communication processing in HARQ processes, among the plurality of HARQ processes, and makes the HARQ process having the particular identifier incapable of being performed throughout the plurality of continuous radio frames.

5. The relay station according to claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to allocate a measurement period for measuring a radio signal of a frequency, different from a communication frequency between the relay station and the mobile station, to a duration in which the communication processing is incapable of being performed.

6. The relay station according to claim 4 , wherein at least a part of the uplink communication duration is allocated to uplink data transmission that needs no feedback from the base station.

7. A mobile station in a mobile communication system including a relay station, a base station and the mobile station, to perform radio communication with the base station through the relay station, the mobile station comprising:

a transceiver to transmit and receive a radio signal to and from the relay station; and

a controller to manage communication timing between the mobile station and the relay station based on at least one of

a downlink communication duration in which the relay station receives a transmission signal from the base station during a subframe of a radio frame among a plurality of continuous radio frames configured as a MBSFN subframe for communication from the relay station to the mobile station and

an uplink communication duration in another subframe of the radio frame or a next radio frame in which the relay station transmits a transmission signal to the base station while limiting transmission of any signal from the mobile station to the relay station,

wherein, for the plurality of continuous radio frames, the communication duration is configured so that a HARQ process in which communication processing including data transmission and feedback in response to the data transmission after the data transmission is incapable of being performed, is limited to a HARQ process having a particular identifier, and said limit makes it possible to perform the communication processing in HARQ processes, among the plurality of HARQ processes, and makes the HARQ process having the particular identifier incapable of being performed throughout the plurality of continuous radio frames.

8. The mobile station according to claim 7 , wherein the controller allocates a measurement period for measuring a radio signal of a frequency different from a communication frequency between the mobile station and the relay station communicating therewith to a duration in which the communication processing is incapable of being performed.

9. A mobile communication system comprising:

a base station; a mobile station; and a relay station to relay radio communication between the base station and the mobile station, wherein:

the relay station comprises a controller which configures, according to an instruction from the base station, at least one of

a downlink communication duration in which the relay station receives a transmission signal from the base station during a subframe of a radio frame among a plurality of continuous radio frames configured as a MBSFN subframe for communication from the relay station to the mobile station and

an uplink communication duration in another subframe of the radio frame or a next radio frame in which the relay station transmits a transmission signal to the base station while limiting transmission of any signal from the mobile station to the relay station;

the base station comprises a transceiver which transmits and receives a signal between the base station and the relay station based on the communication duration;

the mobile station comprises a transceiver which transmits and receives a signal between the mobile station and the relay station based on the communication duration; and

wherein a plurality of HARQ processes, each having an identifier, are provided on an access link between the mobile station and the relay station,

communication processing including data transmission and feedback in response to the data transmission after the data transmission is managed in a HARQ process among the plurality of HARQ processes, for the plurality of continuous radio frames, the communication duration is configured so that, among the plurality of HARQ processes, a HARQ process in which the communication processing is incapable of being performed, is limited to a HARQ process having a particular identifier, and said limit makes it possible to perform the communication processing in HARQ processes, among the plurality of HARQ processes, and makes the HARQ process having the particular identifier incapable of being performed throughout the plurality of continuous radio frames.

10. The mobile communication system according to claim 9 , wherein

a duration in which the communication processing is incapable of being performed among the plurality of HARQ processes, is allocated to a measurement period for measuring, by the mobile station, a radio signal of a frequency different from a communication frequency between the relay station and the mobile station.

11. The mobile communication system according to claim 9 , wherein at least a part of the uplink communication duration is allocated to uplink data transmission that needs no feedback from the base station.

12. A mobile communication system comprising:

a base station;

a mobile station; and

a relay station to relay radio communication between the base station and the mobile station, wherein:

the base station comprises

a controller to configure, according to an instruction from the base station, at least one of

a downlink communication duration in which the relay station receives a transmission signal from the base station during a subframe of a radio frame among a plurality of continuous radio frames as a MBSFN subframe for communication from the relay station to the mobile station and

an uplink communication duration in another subframe of the radio frame or a next radio frame in which the relay station transmits a transmission signal to the base station while limiting transmission of any signal from the mobile station to the relay station;

the relay station comprises a controller to provide a plurality of HARQ processes, each having an identifier, in which communication processing including data transmission and feedback in response to the data transmission after the data transmission is managed on an access link between the mobile station and the relay station; and

the mobile station communicates with the relay station, wherein, for the plurality of continuous radio frames, the uplink communication duration configured during the subframe of uplink data transmission of a HARQ process having a particular identifier among the plurality of HARQ processes,

the downlink communication duration after a predetermined time period of the uplink communication duration is configured, and

said configuring of the at least one of the downlink communication duration and the uplink communication duration makes it possible to perform the communication processing in HARQ processes, among the plurality of HARQ processes, and makes the HARQ process having the particular identifier incapable of being performed throughout the plurality of continuous radio frames.