TERMINAL-AIDED BACKHAUL COMPRESSION

1 - 27 . (canceled)

28 . A method performed by a first network node in a wireless communications network, the method comprising:

receiving a first label from a second network node via a backhaul link;

selecting one of a plurality of delegate wireless terminals based on the first label, each of the plurality of delegate wireless terminals storing one or more messages and labels for the one or more messages;

transmitting the first label to the selected delegate wireless terminal;

receiving a first message associated with the first label from the selected delegate wireless terminal; and

transmitting the first message to a target wireless terminal.

29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:

receiving a second message from the second network node via the backhaul link;

determining a second label corresponding to the second message, based on a mapping relationship;

determining whether the second label is prestored in the first network node; and

in response to the second label being not prestored in the first network node, transmitting the second message to one of the plurality of delegate wireless terminals.

30 . The method of claim 29 , further comprising:

in response to the second label being prestored in the first network node, comparing the second message to the first message; and

in response to the second label being the same as the first label and the second message being different from the first message, transmitting the second message to the selected delegate wireless terminal.

31 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:

receiving a first indication that a first delegate wireless terminal has left the wireless communications network; and

transmitting the first indication to the second network node via the backhaul link.

32 . The method of claim 31 , further comprising:

receiving a second indication of a new delegate wireless terminal from the second network node, wherein the first network node is in wireless communication with the new delegate wireless terminal.

33 . The method of claim 32 , further comprising:

receiving a second message from the second network node via the backhaul link; and

transmitting the second message to the new delegate wireless terminal.

34 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising:

prior to receiving the first label from the second network node via the backhaul link:

receiving the first message from the second network node via the backhaul link; and

transmitting the first message to the target wireless terminal and to the selected delegate wireless terminal.

35 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the first label has a smaller bit length than the first message.

36 . A first network node of a wireless communications network, the first network node comprising:

a memory;

a processor configured to execute computer instructions to:

receive a first label from a second network node via a backhaul link;

select one of a plurality of delegate wireless terminals based on the first label, each of the plurality of delegate wireless terminals storing one or more messages and labels for the one or more messages;

transmit the first label to the selected delegate wireless terminal;

receive a first message associated with the first label from the selected delegate wireless terminal; and

transmit the first message to a target wireless terminal.

37 . The first network node of claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer instructions to:

receive a second message from the second network node via the backhaul link;

determine a second label corresponding to the second message, based on a mapping relationship;

determine whether the second label is prestored in the memory; and

in response to the second label being not prestored in the memory, transmit the second message to one of the plurality of delegate wireless terminals.

38 . The first network node of claim 37 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer instructions to:

in response to the second label being prestored in the first network node, compare the second message to the first message; and

in response to the second label being the same as the first label and the second message being different from the first message, transmit the second message to the selected delegate wireless terminal.

39 . The first network node of claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer instructions to:

receive a first indication that a first delegate wireless terminal has left the wireless communications network; and

transmit the first indication to the second network node via the backhaul link.

40 . The first network node of claim 39 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer instructions to:

receive a second indication of a new delegate wireless terminal from the second network node, wherein the first network node is in wireless communication with the new delegate wireless terminal.

41 . The first network node of claim 40 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer instructions to:

receive a second message from the second network node via the backhaul link; and

transmit the second message to the new delegate wireless terminal.

42 . The first network node of claim 36 , wherein the processor is further configured to execute the computer instructions to:

prior to receiving the first label from the second network node via the backhaul link:

receive the first message from the second network node via the backhaul link; and

transmit the first message to the target wireless terminal and to the selected delegate wireless terminal.

43 . The first network node of claim 36 , wherein the first label has a smaller bit length than the first message.

44 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising a computer program code that, when executed by a processor coupled to a first network node in a wireless communications network, causes the first network node to perform operations comprising:

receiving a first label from a second network node via a backhaul link;

selecting one of a plurality of delegate wireless terminals based on the first label, each of the plurality of delegate wireless terminals storing one or more messages and labels for the one or more messages;

transmitting the first label to the selected delegate wireless terminal;

receiving a first message associated with the first label from the selected delegate wireless terminal; and

transmitting the first message to a target wireless terminal.

45 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 44 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a second message from the second network node via the backhaul link;

determining a second label corresponding to the second message, based on a mapping relationship;

determining whether the second label is prestored in the first network node; and

in response to the second label being not prestored in the first network node, transmitting the second message to one of the plurality of delegate wireless terminals.

46 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 45 , wherein the operations further comprise:

in response to the second label being prestored in the first network node, comparing the second message to the first message; and

in response to the second label being the same as the first label and the second message being different from the first message, transmitting the second message to the selected delegate wireless terminal.

47 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 45 , wherein the operations further comprise:

receiving a first indication that a first delegate wireless terminal has left the wireless communications network; and

transmitting the first indication to the second network node via the backhaul link.