IP Library Granted Patent US 12,506,562
Granted Patent B2
US 12,506,562 · App. 18/099,248 · Granted Dec 23, 2025

Method and device for relay transmission

Inventor: Xiaobo Zhang (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: BUNKER HILL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
H04L1/1812H04W76/28H04W92/10
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,506,562
App. No.
18/099,248
Granted
Dec 23, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A first node transmits a first physical-layer signaling and a first Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) via an air interface. The first MAC PDU comprises a first MAC header and a first MAC Service Data Unit (SDU). The first node monitors a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) on each channel in a first channel set, and the first HARQ-ACK indicates whether the first MAC PDU is correctly decoded. The first physical-layer signaling comprises scheduling information of the first MAC PDU. The first channel set comprises Q channel(s), Q being a non-negative integer. The condition of whether a number of continuous HARQ DTXs reaches a first threshold is used to determine Q. The first MAC SDU is transmitted through a first radio bearer, and the first radio bearer is unrelated to whether the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold.

Claims (100)

1 . A first node for wireless communications, comprising:

a first transmitter configured to:

transmit a first physical-layer signaling and a first Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) via an air interface, the first MAC PDU comprising a first MAC header and a first MAC Service Data Unit (SDU);

when an acknowledgement (ACK) value for the first MAC PDU is detected on a channel in a first channel set that includes a reserved channel for a communication node other than a target receiver of the first MAC PDU, drop retransmitting the first MAC PDU via the air interface; and

when no ACK value for the first MAC PDU is detected on all channels in the first channel set, retransmit the first MAC PDU via the air interface; and

a first receiver configured to monitor a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) on each channel in the first channel set, the first HARQ-ACK indicating a first condition of whether the first MAC PDU is correctly decoded,

wherein the first physical-layer signaling comprises scheduling information of the first MAC PDU,

wherein the first channel set comprises Q channels, a value of Q being an integer greater than 1,

wherein a second condition of whether a number of continuous Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Discontinuous Transmissions (HARQ DTXs) reaches a first threshold is used to determine the value of Q,

wherein the first MAC SDU is transmitted through a first radio bearer,

wherein the first radio bearer is unrelated to the second condition of whether the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, and

wherein at least one of the Q channels is reserved for the communication node other than the target receiver of the first MAC PDU to transmit the first HARQ-ACK.

2 . The first node according to claim 1 , wherein the second condition of whether the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold is used to determine a first field in the first MAC header and a second field in the first physical-layer signaling, and the first field in the first MAC header and the second field in the first physical-layer signaling indicate a destination of the first MAC PDU.

3 . The first node according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first transmitter is further configured to, when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, transmit a second message via the air interface,

wherein the second message is used to determine that the first channel set does not comprise a first channel, and

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs does not reach the first threshold, the first channel is reserved for a second node.

4 . The first node according to claim 1 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 1 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs does not reach the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 2 ,

wherein a value of Q 1 is not greater than a difference value obtained by subtracting 1 from a value of Q 2 , and

wherein the respective values of Q 1 and Q 2 are integers greater than 1.

5 . The first node according to claim 4 ,

wherein the first receiver is further configured to:

after time-domain resources occupied by the first channel set, receive a second MAC PDU via the air interface, the second MAC PDU comprising a second MAC header and a second MAC SDU; and

monitor a second HARQ-ACK on each channel in a second channel set, the second HARQ-ACK indicating a third condition of whether a third MAC PDU is correctly decoded,

wherein the first transmitter is further configured to transmit the third MAC PDU via the air interface, the third MAC PDU comprising a third MAC header and a third MAC SDU,

wherein the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold,

wherein the second MAC PDU is used to determine that Q 2 channels are comprised in the second channel set, and

wherein the third MAC PDU is transmitted through the first radio bearer.

6 . The first node according to claim 1 ,

wherein the first receiver is further configured to:

receive a fifth MAC PDU via the air interface, the fifth MAC PDU comprising a first radio link control (RLC) PDU; and

when the first RLC PDU indicates that a RLC SDU carried by the first MAC SDU reaches a maximum number of retransmissions, release the first radio bearer,

wherein the first RLC PDU indicates whether the RLC SDU carried by the first MAC SDU is received.

7 . The first node according to claim 1 , wherein the first radio bearer is a data radio bearer (DRB), the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs equals a number of physical sidelink feedback channels (PSFCHs) that is continuously not transmitted by a second node for the first node, and the second node is a target receiver of the first MAC SDU.

8 . A second node for wireless communications, comprising:

a second receiver configured to:

receive a first physical-layer signaling via an air interface,

detect a first Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) via the air interface, the first MAC PDU comprising a first MAC header and a first MAC Service Data Unit (SDU), the second node being a target recipient of the first MAC PDU;

not correctly decode the first MAC PDU; and

receive a fourth MAC PDU through the air interface from a third node that is not the target recipient of the first MAC PDU, wherein the fourth MAC PDU includes the first MAC SDU; and

a second transmitter configured to drop transmitting a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK),

wherein a first channel set comprises Q channels, a value of Q being an integer greater than 1, and at least one of the Q channels is reserved for the third node that is not the target recipient of the first MAC PDU to send the first HARQ-ACK,

wherein a first condition of whether the first HARQ-ACK is transmitted is related to a value of Q,

wherein the first channel set is reserved for the first HARQ-ACK,

wherein the first HARQ-ACK indicates whether the first MAC PDU is correctly decoded,

wherein the first physical-layer signaling comprises scheduling information of the first MAC PDU,

wherein a second condition of whether a number of continuous Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Discontinuous Transmissions (HARQ DTXs) reaches a first threshold is used to determine the value of Q,

wherein the first MAC SDU is transmitted through a first radio bearer, and

wherein the first radio bearer is unrelated to the second condition of whether the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold.

9 . The second node according to claim 8 ,

wherein the first radio bearer is a data radio bearer (DRB), the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs equals a number of physical sidelink feedback channels (PSFCHs) that is continuously not transmitted by the second node for the first node, and the second node is a target receiver of the first MAC SDU.

10 . The second node according to claim 8 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 1 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs does not reach the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 2 ,

wherein a value of Q 1 is not greater than a difference value obtained by subtracting 1 from a value of Q 2 , and

wherein the respective values of Q 1 and Q 2 are integers greater than 1.

11 . A third node for wireless communications, comprising:

a third receiver configured to:

receive a first physical-layer signaling via an air interface;

detect a first Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) via the air interface, the first MAC PDU comprising a first MAC header and a first MAC Service Data Unit (SDU);

monitor a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) on a first channel in a first channel set; and

a third transmitter configured to transmit the first HARQ-ACK on a second channel in the first channel set,

wherein the first channel set comprises Q channels, a value of Q being an integer greater than 1,

wherein a first condition of whether the first HARQ-ACK is monitored is related to the value of Q,

wherein the first channel set is reserved for the first HARQ-ACK,

wherein the first HARQ-ACK indicates whether the first MAC PDU is correctly decoded,

wherein the first physical-layer signaling comprises scheduling information of the first MAC PDU,

wherein a second condition of whether a number of continuous Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Discontinuous Transmissions (HARQ DTXs) HARQ DTXs-reaches a first threshold is used to determine the value of Q,

wherein the first MAC SDU is transmitted through a first radio bearer,

wherein the first radio bearer is unrelated to the second condition of whether the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold,

wherein the third node monitors the first HARQ-ACK on the first channel in the first channel set and the detected first HARQ-ACK is an Acknowledgment (ACK) value, and

wherein regardless of whether the third node correctly decodes the first MAC PDU, the first HARQ-ACK transmitted by the third node on the second channel in the first channel set is the ACK value.

12 . The third node according to claim 11 , wherein the first radio bearer is a data radio bearer (DRB), the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs equals a number of physical sidelink feedback channels (PSFCHs) that is continuously not transmitted by a second node for a first node, and the second node is a target receiver of the first MAC SDU.

13 . The third node according to claim 11 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 1 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs does not reach the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 2 ,

wherein a value of Q 1 is not greater than a difference value obtained by subtracting 1 from a value of Q 2 , and

wherein the respective values of Q 1 and Q 2 are integers greater than 1.

14 . A method in a first node for wireless communications, comprising:

transmitting a first physical-layer signaling and a first Medium Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) via an air interface, the first MAC PDU comprising a first MAC header and a first MAC Service Data Unit (SDU);

when an acknowledgement (ACK) value for the first MAC PDU is detected on a channel in the first channel set that includes a reserved channel for a communication node other than a target receiver of the first MAC PDU, dropping retransmitting the first MAC PDU via the air interface;

when no ACK value for the first MAC PDU is detected on all channels in the first channel set, retransmitting the first MAC PDU via the air interface; and

monitoring a first Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Acknowledgment (HARQ-ACK) on each channel in a first channel set, the first HARQ-ACK indicating a first condition of whether the first MAC PDU is correctly decoded,

wherein the first physical-layer signaling comprises scheduling information of the first MAC PDU,

wherein the first channel set comprises Q channels, a value of Q being an integer greater than 1,

wherein a second condition of whether a number of continuous Hybrid Automatic Repeat reQuest Discontinuous Transmissions (HARQ DTXs) reaches a first threshold is used to determine the value of Q,

wherein the first MAC SDU is transmitted through a first radio bearer, and the first radio bearer is unrelated to the second condition of whether the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, and

wherein at least one of the Q channels is reserved for the communication node other than the target receiver of the first MAC PDU to transmit the first HARQ-ACK.

15 . The method in the first node according to claim 14 , further comprising when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, transmitting a second message via the air interface,

wherein the second message is used to determine that the first channel set does not comprise a first channel, and

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs does not reach the first threshold, the first channel is reserved for a second node.

16 . The method in the first node according to claim 14 , wherein the first radio bearer is a data radio bearer (DRB), the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs equals a number of physical sidelink feedback channels (PSFCHs) that is continuously not transmitted by a second node for the first node, and the second node is a target receiver of the first MAC SDU.

17 . The method in the first node according to claim 15 , wherein the first radio bearer is a data radio bearer (DRB), the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs equals a number of physical sidelink feedback channels (PSFCHs) that is continuously not transmitted by the second node for the first node, and the second node is a target receiver of the first MAC SDU.

18 . The method in the first node according to claim 14 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs reaches the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 1 ,

wherein when the number of the continuous HARQ DTXs does not reach the first threshold, the value of Q is Q 2 ,

wherein a value of Q 1 is not greater than a difference value obtained by subtracting 1 from a value of Q 2 , and

wherein the respective values of Q 1 and Q 2 are integers greater than 1.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 13, 2024
From: SHANGHAI LANGBO COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
To: BUNKER HILL TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Reel/Frame 069352/0528 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 28, 2023
From: ZHANG, XIAOBO
To: SHANGHAI LANGBO COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY COMPANY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064715/0906 →
Priority Claims (2)
CN 202010887198.5 · Aug 28, 2020 · national
CN 202010909038.6 · Sep 2, 2020 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTCN2021114673 · Aug 26, 2021
Related Publication 20230155738A1 · May 18, 2023
References Cited (11)
US 20100144299A1 · Ren · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20140078944A1 · Yang et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140362755A1 · Yu · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20200146046A1 · Agiwal · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200281011A1 · Xiong et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20220022094A1 · Lee · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO 2020076027A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
WO 2020159134A1 · 2020 [cited by applicant]
First Office Action dated Dec. 30, 2024, from The State Intellectual Property Office of People's Republic of China, for CN Application No. 20201909038.6, English translation, 17 pgs. [cited by applicant]
ISR received in application No. PCT/CN2021/114673 dated Nov. 17, 2021. [cited by applicant]
Second Office Action dated Jun. 14, 2025, from China National Intellectual Property Administration, for CN Application No. 20201909038.6, 15 pgs. [cited by applicant]