Relay Node Self-Identification for Base Station Support Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Not all base stations in a mobile telephony network are capable of supporting relay nodes, which hinders the deployment of relay nodes and results in costly signaling during initial setup.
Innovation Solution
A relay node that identifies itself in a cell and receives a non-support indication from the base station, allowing it to attempt to establish itself as a relay node in another cell using additional information such as alternative carriers, frequencies, or radio access technologies, and cell lists with or without relay node support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If relay nodes are deployed in cells served by base stations that do not support relay nodes, then network coverage is improved, but costly signaling is required during initial setup
Solution Approach 1:
The relay node performs preliminary identification of its own relay node status and preliminary detection of base station support capability before attempting to establish a connection. This allows the relay node to avoid unnecessary signaling attempts in cells served by base stations that do not support relay nodes, thereby reducing signaling costs while still attempting to deploy in suitable cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the relay node receives indication information from the base station about relay node support capability. This feedback allows the relay node to adjust its behavior accordingly - attempting to establish connection only in cells where the base station supports relay nodes, thus avoiding costly unnecessary signaling while maximizing network coverage deployment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If relay nodes attempt to establish connection in all cells, then deployment opportunities increase, but unnecessary signaling attempts are made in unsupported cells
Solution Approach 1:
The relay node performs preliminary detection of base station support capability before initiating full connection establishment procedures. This preliminary action filters out unsupported cells early in the process, reducing time spent on unnecessary signaling attempts while maintaining the ability to deploy in all supported cells.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station provides feedback information about its relay node support capability to the relay node. This feedback mechanism enables the relay node to make informed decisions about which cells to attempt connection in, reducing time wasted on unnecessary signaling attempts in unsupported cells while preserving deployment opportunities in supported cells.
3Device complexity
If the relay node uses the same technology for user data and backhaul connection, then simplicity is maintained, but compatibility issues arise with non-supporting base stations
Solution Approach 1:
The relay node performs preliminary detection of base station support capability using the same simple technology before establishing the backhaul connection. This preliminary action allows the relay node to identify incompatible base stations early, preventing connection establishment and avoiding reliability issues while maintaining overall system simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The base station provides feedback about its compatibility with relay nodes using the same technology. This feedback mechanism allows the relay node to adjust its connection attempts accordingly, maintaining compatibility and reliability while preserving the simplicity of using a single technology for both user data and backhaul.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay node (110) for a radio access network (100), arranged to be a relay node between one or more User Equipments (105) in a cell (125) of the radio access network and a base station (115) serving the cell. The relay node (110) is arranged to identify itself as a relay node in the cell (125) in the radio access network (100), and is also arranged to receive a non-support indication indicating that the base station serving the cell (125) is unable to support a relay node. The relay node (110) is arranged to, upon receiving said non-support indication, attempt to establish itself as a relay node in another cell.