# US 11,444,682 B2 · Relay apparatus and relaying method for relaying signals > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,444,682 B2 - Document ID: US11444682B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/968,144 - Filed: 2019-01-30 - Published: 2021-02-11 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2018-02-09 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Corporation of America - Inventors: Yutaka Murakami - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11444682B2 ## CPC - H04B 7/15: Active relay systems - H04B 7/15542: {Selecting at relay station its transmit and receive resources (selection of wireless resources by user or terminal H04W72/02; arrangements affording multiple use of the transmission path by two-dimensional division of the resources H04L5/0003, or by allocating sub-channels H04L5/003)} - H04B 7/026: Co-operative diversity, e.g. using fixed or mobile stations as relays - H04B 7/0413: MIMO systems - H04B 7/0617: {for beam forming} - H04B 7/0628: {Diversity capabilities} - H04L 5/0044: {Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH} - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04W 40/22: using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point - H04W 72/0446: Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames - H04B 7/0417: Feedback systems - H04B 7/061: {using feedback from receiving side} - H04B 7/0634: {Antenna weights or vector/matrix coefficients} - H04L 5/14: Two-way operation using the same type of signal, i.e. duplex - H04L 5/1469: {using time-sharing} - H04W 76/40: for selective distribution or broadcast - H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract This communication device relays a relay signal to be transmitted to and from a first communication device and a second communication device, and is connected to a first apparatus. The communication device transmits the relay signal using a first transmission slot, and also transmits, using a second transmission slot, a signal having been transmitted from the first apparatus, said signal being transmitted within the transmission period of the first transmission slot in a frequency domain different from that of the first transmission slot. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A relay apparatus comprising: a receiver which, in operation, receives a first relay signal from a first relay apparatus and receives a first data signal from a first device that is physically or wirelessly connected to the relay apparatus; a processor which, in operation, allocates a first transmission slot for the first relay signal in a first time period over a first frequency domain and allocates a second transmission slot for the first data signal within the first time period over a second frequency domain different from the first frequency domain; and a transmitter which, in operation, transmits the first relay signal to a second relay apparatus by using the first transmission slot, and transmits the first data signal to the second relay apparatus by using the second transmission slot. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of the first relay signal and the transmission of the first data signal are performed by using a single transmission beam directed to the second relay apparatus. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver, in operation, receives a second data signal from a second device that is physically or wirelessly connected to the first relay apparatus; the processor, in operation, allocates a third transmission slot for the second data signal within the first time period over a third frequency domain different from the first frequency domain; and the transmitter, in operation, transmits the second data signal to the second relay apparatus by using the third transmission slot. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The relay apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the third frequency domain is different from the second frequency domain. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The relay apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the transmission of the second data signal, the transmission of the first relay signal and the transmission of the first data signal are performed by using a single transmission beam directed to the second relay apparatus. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The relay apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the receiver, in operation, receives a second relay signal from the second relay apparatus and receives a second data signal from the first device; the processor, in operation, allocates a fourth transmission slot for the second relay signal in a second time period over the first frequency domain and allocates a fifth transmission slot for the second data signal within the second time period over the second frequency domain, the second time period being different from the first time period; and the transmitter, in operation, transmits the second relay signal to the first relay apparatus by using the fourth transmission slot and transmits the second data signal to the first relay apparatus by using the fifth transmission slot. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The relay apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the transmission of the second relay signal and the transmission of the second data signal are performed by using a single transmission beam directed to the first relay apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The relay apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a first transmission beam used for the transmission to the first relay apparatus is different from a second transmission beam used for the transmission to the second relay apparatus. ### Claim 9 A communication method for a relay apparatus, the communication method comprising: receiving a first relay signal from a first relay apparatus; receiving a first data signal from a first device that is physically or wirelessly connected to the relay apparatus; allocating a first transmission slot for the first relay signal in a first time period over a first frequency domain; allocating a second transmission slot for the first data signal within the first time period over a second frequency domain different from the first frequency domain; and transmitting the first relay signal to a second relay apparatus by using the first transmission slot and transmitting the first data signal to the second relay apparatus by using the second transmission slot. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The communication method according to claim 9, wherein the transmission of the first relay signal and the transmission of the first data signal are performed by using a single transmission beam directed to the second relay apparatus. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The communication method according to claim 9, comprising: receiving a second data signal from a second device that is physically or wirelessly connected to the first relay apparatus; allocating a third transmission slot for the second data signal within the first time period over a third frequency domain different from the first frequency domain; and transmitting the second data signal to the second relay apparatus by using the third transmission slot. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The communication method according to claim 11, wherein the third frequency domain is different from the second frequency domain. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The communication method according to claim 11, wherein the transmission of the second data signal, the transmission of the first relay signal and the transmission of the first data signal are performed by using a single transmission beam directed to the second relay apparatus. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The communication method according to claim 9, comprising: receiving a second relay signal from the second relay apparatus and receiving a second data signal from the first device; allocating a fourth transmission slot for the second relay signal in a second time period over the first frequency domain and allocating a fifth transmission slot for the second data signal within the second time period over the second frequency domain, the second time period being different from the first time period; and transmitting the second relay signal to the first relay apparatus by using the fourth transmission slot and transmitting the second data signal to the first relay apparatus by using the fifth transmission slot. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The communication method according to claim 14, wherein the transmission of the second relay signal and the transmission of the second data signal are performed by using a single transmission beam directed to the first relay apparatus. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The communication method according to claim 14, wherein a first transmission beam used for the transmission to the first relay apparatus is different from a second transmission beam used for the transmission to the second relay apparatus.