# US 11,310,866 B2 · Communication method

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- Number: US 11,310,866 B2
- Document ID: US11310866B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/345,745
- Filed: 2017-11-01
- Published: 2019-08-22
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-04
- Assignees: KYOCERA Corporation
- Applicants: KYOCERA Corporation
- Inventors: Hiroyuki Adachi; Masato Fujishiro
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11310866B2

## CPC

- H04W 80/02: Data link layer protocols
- H04W 8/22: Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
- H04W 76/11: Allocation or use of connection identifiers
- H04W 76/14: Direct-mode setup
- H04W 80/08: Upper layer protocols {(network arrangements or communication protocols for networked applications H04L67/00)}
- H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user
- H04W 92/18: between terminal devices
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)

## Abstract

A communication method according to one embodiment is a communication method in which a first radio terminal executes a layer 2 relay in which a packet of a second radio terminal is transmitted between the second radio terminal and a base station in a layer higher than a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in Layer 2. The first radio terminal transmits information indicating that the first radio terminal is capable of executing the layer 2 relay. The second radio terminal transmits a request for the layer 2 relay to the first radio terminal in response to receiving the information.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A communication method in which a first radio terminal executes a layer 2 relay in which a packet of a second radio terminal is transmitted between the second radio terminal and a base station in a layer higher than a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in Layer 2, the communication method comprising:
transmitting, by the first radio terminal, information indicating that the first radio terminal is capable of executing the layer 2 relay, the information included in a discovery message for relay; and
directly transmitting, by the second radio terminal, a request for the layer 2 relay to the first radio terminal in response to receiving the information, the request included in a message for requesting direct communication, wherein
in the layer 2 relay, processing of the packet is executed in a special layer that is a higher layer than the RLC layer and different from a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and
the base station and the second radio terminal include, into the packet, information indicating that the packet has been processed in the special layer, in a layer lower than the special layer.

### Claim 2

A communication method in which a first radio terminal executes a layer 2 relay in which a packet of a second radio terminal is transmitted between the second radio terminal and a base station in a layer higher than a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in Layer 2, the communication method comprising:
transmitting, by the first radio terminal, information indicating that the first radio terminal is capable of executing the layer 2 relay, the information included in a discovery message for relay; and
directly transmitting, by the second radio terminal, a request for the layer 2 relay to the first radio terminal in response to receiving the information, the request included in a message for requesting direct communication, wherein
in the layer 2 relay, processing of the packet is executed in a special layer that is a higher layer than the RLC layer and different from a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and
the base station notifies the first radio terminal of a logical channel identifier for which a packet is permitted to be transmitted via the special layer.

### Claim 3

A first radio terminal configured to execute a layer 2 relay in which a packet of a second radio terminal is transmitted between the second radio terminal and a base station in a layer higher than a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in Layer 2, the radio terminal comprising:
a transmitter configured to transmit information indicating that the first radio terminal is capable of executing the layer 2 relay, the information included in a discovery message for relay; and
a receiver configured to directly receive, from the second radio terminal, a request for the layer 2 relay, the request transmitted in response to receiving, by the radio terminal, the information, and the request included in a message for requesting direct communication, wherein
in the layer 2 relay, processing of the packet is executed in a special layer that is a higher layer than the RLC layer and different from a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and
the receiver is configured to receive, from the base station, a logical channel identifier for which a packet is permitted to be transmitted via the special layer.

### Claim 4

A second radio terminal comprising:
a receiver configured to receive, from a first radio terminal configured to execute a layer 2 relay in which a packet of the second radio terminal is transmitted between the second radio terminal and a base station in a layer higher than a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer in Layer 2, information indicating that the first radio terminal is capable of executing the layer 2 relay, the information included in a discovery message for relay; and
a transmitter configured to directly transmit a request for the layer 2 relay to the first radio terminal in response to receiving the information, the request included in a message for requesting direct communication, wherein
in the layer 2 relay, processing of the packet is executed in a special layer that is a higher layer than the RLC layer and different from a Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, and
the second radio terminal further comprises a controller configured to include, into the packet, information indicating that the packet has been processed in the special layer, in a layer lower than the special layer.