Relay node, a donor radio base station and methods therein

1. A method in a donor radio base station for informing a relay node about a type of a radio network connection between the donor radio base station and another radio base station, wherein the relay node and the donor radio base station are comprised in a radio communications network, and wherein the donor radio base station serves the relay node, the method comprising:

receiving a protocol message of a first type of a radio network application protocol, from the relay node or from the another radio base station, wherein the received protocol message comprises a handover request of a user equipment to a cell of the another radio base station or to a cell of the relay node;

transmitting a message to the relay node, wherein the transmitted message indicates the first type or a second type of a radio network application protocol, and wherein each type of a radio network application protocol is related to a type of the radio network connection and thus the transmitted message informs the relay node of the type of the radio network connection, wherein the transmitted message comprises a handover confirmation or a forwarded handover request;

determining whether a peer to peer connection in a radio access network of the radio communications network is set up between the donor radio base station and the another radio base station;

when such a peer to peer connection is set up, performing a handover procedure over the peer to peer connection, the transmitted message to the relay node comprising the handover confirmation, wherein the handover confirmation indicates a type of a peer to peer application protocol; and

when no such a peer to peer connection is set up, initiating a handover procedure over a connection terminated in a core network of the radio communications network, the transmitted message to the relay node comprising a handover command as the handover confirmation, wherein the handover confirmation indicates a type of an application protocol of a connection terminated in the core network.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the handover request is represented by a handover message of the first type, and wherein the first type indicates a peer to peer connection in a radio access network of the radio communications network, or indicates a connection terminated in a core network of the radio communications network.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first type of a radio network application protocol comprises an X2 application protocol or an S1 application protocol and the second type of a radio communications network comprises an S1 application protocol or an X2 application protocol.

4. A donor radio base station for informing a relay node about a type of a radio network connection between the donor radio base station and another radio base station, wherein the donor radio base station serves the relay node, said donor radio base station comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive a protocol message of a first type of a radio network application protocol, from the relay node or from the another radio base station, wherein the received protocol message comprises a handover request of a user equipment to a cell of the another radio base station or to a cell of the relay node;

a transmitting circuit configured to transmit a message to the relay node, wherein the transmitted message indicates the first type or a second type of a radio network application protocol, and wherein each type of a radio network application protocol is related to a type of the radio network connection and thus the transmitted message informs the relay node of the type of the radio network connection, wherein the transmitted message comprises a handover confirmation or a forwarded handover request;

a determining circuit configured to determine whether a peer to peer connection in a radio access network of the radio communications network is set up between the donor radio base station and the another radio base station;

when such a peer to peer connection is set up, the determining circuit is further configured to perform a handover procedure over the peer to peer connection, the transmitted message to the relay node comprising the handover confirmation, wherein the handover confirmation indicates a type of a peer to peer application protocol; and

when no such a peer to peer connection is set up, the determining circuit is further configured to initiate a handover procedure over a connection terminated in a core network of the radio communications network, the transmitted message to the relay node comprising a handover command as the handover confirmation, wherein the handover confirmation indicates a type of an application protocol of a connection terminated in the core network.

5. The donor radio base station according to claim 4 , wherein the handover request is represented by a handover message of the first type, and wherein the first type indicates a peer to peer connection in a radio access network of the radio communications network, or indicates a connection terminated in a core network of the radio communications network.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the first type of a radio network application protocol comprises an X2 application protocol or an S1 application protocol and the second type of a radio communications network comprises an S1 application protocol or an X2 application protocol.

7. A method in a donor radio base station for informing a relay node about a type of a radio network connection between the donor radio base station and another radio base station, wherein the relay node and the donor radio base station are comprised in a radio communications network, and wherein the donor radio base station serves the relay node, the method comprising:

receiving a protocol message of a first type of a radio network application protocol, from the relay node or from the another radio base station, wherein the received protocol message comprises information for address retrieval of a detected cell of the another radio base station, wherein the received protocol message is sent from the relay node;

transmitting a message to the relay node, wherein the transmitted message indicates the first type or a second type of a radio network application protocol, and wherein each type of a radio network application protocol is related to a type of the radio network connection and thus the transmitted message informs the relay node of the type of the radio network connection; wherein the transmitted message comprises a connection setup request to the relay node of the first type;

determining whether a peer to peer connection is set up to the another radio base station;

when no such a peer to peer connection exists, initiating a set-up of a peer to peer connection to the another radio base station via a connection terminated in a core network of the radio communications network to a mobility management entity, and transmitting a setup message to the relay node, wherein the setup message indicates the first type or the second type comprises a peer to peer connection; and

when such a peer to peer connection exists, transmitting a setup message to the relay node, wherein the setup message indicates the first type or the second type comprises a peer to peer connection.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the donor radio base station compiles the setup message to be on behalf of the another radio base station.

9. A donor radio base station for informing a relay node about a type of a radio network connection between the donor radio base station and another radio base station, wherein the donor radio base station serves the relay node, said donor radio base station comprising:

a receiving circuit configured to receive a protocol message of a first type of a radio network application protocol, from the relay node or from the another radio base station, wherein the received protocol message comprises information for address retrieval of a detected cell of the another radio base station, wherein the received protocol message is sent from the relay node;

a transmitting circuit configured to transmit a message to the relay node, wherein the transmitted message indicates the first type or a second type of a radio network application protocol, and wherein each type of a radio network application protocol is related to a type of the radio network connection and thus the transmitted message informs the relay node of the type of the radio network connection; wherein the transmitted message comprises a connection setup request to the relay node of the first type;

a determining circuit configured to determine whether a peer to peer connection is set up to the another radio base station;

when no such a peer to peer connection exists, the determining circuit is further configured to initiate a set-up of a peer to peer connection to the another radio base station via a connection terminated in a core network of the radio communications network to a mobility management entity, and the transmitting circuit is further configured to transmitting a setup message to the relay node, wherein the setup message indicates the first type or the second type comprises a peer to peer connection; and

when such a peer to peer connection exists, the transmitting circuit is further configured to transmit a setup message to the relay node, wherein the setup message indicates the first type or the second type comprises a peer to peer connection.

10. The donor radio base station according to claim 9 , wherein the donor radio base station compiles the setup message to be on behalf of the another radio base station.