Network-relay signaling for downlink transparent relay

Abstract

In a method of providing downlink retransmissions to a mobile station in a wireless communication network, the wireless communication network comprising a base station communicatively linked to a transparent relay station, the base station receives a request for a retransmission from the mobile station; schedules resources for the retransmission; signals scheduling information for the retransmission to the transparent relay station via a control link; and the transparent relay station receives the scheduling information for the retransmission on the control link; and sends the retransmission to the mobile station in a retransmit subframe on a retransmit frequency band.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61 / 244,098, filed on Sep. 21, 2009, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.[0002]This application is a continuation-in-part of the non-provisional application (serial number tbd) resulting from conversion under 37 C.F.R. §1.53(c)(3) of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 244,098 filed on Sep. 21, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61 / 098,840 filed on Sep. 22, 2008.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates to wireless communications and more particularly to methods and systems for providing DL retransmissions to mobile stations in wireless communication networks employing transparent relay.BACKGROUND[0004]Wireless communication systems are widely deployed to provide various types of communication content such as voice, data, and other content. These systems may be multiple-access syste...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0027]In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing downlink retransmissions to a mobile station in a wireless communication network, the wireless communication network comprising a base station communicatively linked to a transparent relay station. According to the method, the base station receives a request for a retransmission from the

Problems solved by technology

However, an issue arises as to how the BS and the RS can coordinate concurrent DL HARQ retransmission.

It is difficult for the RS to switch from reception mode to transmission mode between contiguous symbols.

It is also difficult for the RS to both decode retransmission control information in the PDCCH and prepare retransmission in the PDSCH in the same subframe.

While use of synchronous HARQ (i.e. retransmissions are scheduled on predetermined subframes) might alleviate some of the aforementioned difficulties, such an approach could introduce undesirable restrictions on the scheduler.

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