Support for user equipment multiplexing in relay enhanced networks

1. An apparatus, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory including computer program code, the at least one memory and the computer program code being configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to perform at least the following:

process a first data packet header element of fixed length which identifies a bearer or a logical channel;

process a configuration parameter indicating a length of an additional second data packet header element inclusive of a length of zero, wherein a combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element identifies a bearer or a logical channel of a user equipment; and

process data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by utilizing a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the second data packet header element comprises an identifier which identifies any of different user equipments.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to generate the configuration parameter.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to provide functionalities of a serving node of a radio access network; and forward the transport block data packet to and/or from a relay node of the radio access network.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to provide functionalities of a relay node of a radio access network; and to forward the transport block data packet to and/or from a serving node of the radio access network.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to receive data according to varying combinations of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the received data are represented by media access control protocol data units.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to generate a command message instructing the change of the configuration parameter.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the command message is a radio resource control connection establish message.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to multiplex data of different user equipments into a transport block data packet and to generate a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to forward the multiplexed data to a relay node of a radio access network.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to forward the multiplexed data to a support node of a radio access network.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to demultiplex data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by evaluating a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to forward the demultiplexed data to a gateway node.

15. The apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to forward the demultiplexed data to different user equipment.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the demultiplexed data are represented by media access control protocol data units.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one memory and the computer program code are further configured, with the at least one processor, to cause the apparatus to generate a confirmation message confirming receipt of a command message instructing the change of the configuration parameter.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17 , wherein the confirmation message is a radio resource connection confirm message.

19. A system comprising:

a support node of a radio access network configured to process a first data packet header element of fixed length which identifies a bearer or a logical channel, to generate and process a configuration parameter indicating a length of an additional second data packet header element inclusive of a length of zero, wherein a combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element identifies a bearer or a logical channel of a user equipment, and to process data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by utilizing a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment; and

a relay node of a radio access network configured to process a first data packet header element of fixed length which identifies a bearer or a logical channel, to process a configuration parameter indicating a length of an additional second data packet header element inclusive of a length of zero, wherein a combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element identifies a bearer or a logical channel of a user equipment, and to process data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by utilizing a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

20. A method, comprising:

processing a first data packet header element of fixed length which identifies a bearer or a logical channel;

processing a configuration parameter indicating a length of an additional second data packet header element inclusive of a length of zero, wherein a combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element identifies a bearer or a logical channel of a user equipment; and

processing data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by utilizing a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

21. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the second data packet header element comprises an identifier which identifies different user equipment.

22. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the processing of a configuration parameter further comprises generating the configuration parameter.

23. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising:

providing functionalities of a serving node of a radio access network; and

forwarding the transport block data packet to and/or from a relay node of the radio access network.

24. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising:

providing functionalities of a relay node of a radio access network; and

forwarding the transport block data packet to and/or from a serving node of the radio access network.

25. The method according to claim 23 , further comprising:

receiving data according to varying combinations of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

26. The method according to claim 25 , wherein the received data are represented by media access control protocol data units.

27. The method according to claim 22 , further comprising

generating a command message instructing the change of the configuration parameter.

28. The method according to claim 27 , wherein the command message is a radio resource control connection establish message.

29. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the processing of data of different user equipment further comprises multiplexing data of different user equipment into a transport block data packet and generating a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

30. The method according to claim 29 , further comprising:

forwarding the multiplexed data to a relay node of a radio access network.

31. The method according to claim 29 , further comprising:

forwarding the multiplexed data to a support node of a radio access network.

32. The method according to claim 20 , wherein the processing of data of different user equipment further comprises demultiplexing data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by evaluating a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.

33. The method according to claim 32 , further comprising:

forwarding the demultiplexed data to a gateway node.

34. The method according to claim 32 , further comprising:

forwarding the demultiplexed data to different user equipment.

35. The method according to claim 34 , wherein the demultiplexed data are represented by media access control protocol data units.

36. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising

generating a confirmation message confirming receipt of a command message instructing the change of the configuration parameter.

37. The method according to claim 36 , wherein the confirmation message is a radio resource connection confirm message.

38. A computer program product embodied as a non-transitory computer readable medium, the computer program product storing instructions to perform a method, the method comprising:

processing a first data packet header element of fixed length which identifies a bearer or a logical channel;

processing a configuration parameter indicating a length of an additional second data packet header element inclusive of a length of zero, wherein a combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element identifies a bearer or a logical channel of a user equipment; and

processing data of different user equipment in a transport block data packet by utilizing a packet header of the transport block data packet comprising a respective combination of the first data packet header element and the second data packet header element for each different combination of bearer or logical channel and user equipment.