Signaling and routing protocools for an integrated cellular and relaying system
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsHongyi Wu, Chunming Qiao, Sudhir S. Dixit
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides signaling protocols that enable an integrated cellular relaying system to support a call for a wireless terminal. In embodiments of the invention, the wireless terminal is redirected to a relaying path corresponding to at least one relaying station. A relaying station communicates with the wireless terminal and with other relaying stations. In addition, one of the relaying stations (that is configured in the relaying path) completes the relaying path by communicating with a base transceiver station.
Claims38
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR comprising a wireless controller, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining that a first base transceiver station (BTS) does not have a channel to support the call, the first BTS utilizing a first frequency spectrum;
- (b) receiving a request to initiate a relaying path for the wireless terminal in response to step (a);
- (c) determining the relaying path that utilizes at least one relaying station and a second BTS in response to step (b), the at least one relaying station utilizing a second frequency spectrum;
- and
- (d) sending an instruction to the first BTS and to the second BTS in order to initiate an establishment of the relaying path in response to step (c).
The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:
- maintaining bandwidth and topological information about the iCAR system.
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a relaying station, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a relaying request about supporting a relaying path;
- (b) sending a first message that indicates a status about supporting the relaying path in response to step (a);
- and
- (c) establishing the relaying path to a next node in the relaying path, wherein the next node is selected from the group consisting of a second relaying station and a base transceiver station (BTS).
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a message in response to a condition that a base transceiver station has inadequate resources to support additional calls;
- (b) requesting at least one relaying station about an establishment of a relaying path;
- (c) determining whether to establish the call with one of the at least one relaying stations;
- and
- (d) establishing the call through the one of the at least one relaying station.
The method for a first wireless terminal supporting a call in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) requesting a channel that is assigned to a base transceiver station in order to support a call;
- (b) receiving a response that the base transceiver station does not have a resource to support the call;
- (c) requesting for a relaying path to support the call in response to step (b);
- (d) receiving a second response that the relaying path cannot be established;
- and
- (e) requesting that a second wireless terminal be assigned to a second relaying path, wherein a second resource that was assigned to the second terminal is reassigned to the first wireless terminal, and wherein the second resource is associated with the base transceiver station.
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a base transceiver station (BTS), the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining that a resource is not available in response to a request to support a call, the resource associated with a first frequency spectrum;
- and
- (b) sending a message to initiate a procedure for an establishment of a relaying path for the wireless terminal, the relaying path associated with a second frequency spectrum.
A wireless controller for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the wireless controller comprising:
- a data port;
- a processor communicating with a plurality of base transceiver stations through the data port, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) determining that a first base transceiver station (BTS) does not have a channel to support the call;
- (b) receiving a request to initiate a relaying path for the wireless terminal;
- and
- (c) sending an instruction to the first BTS and to the second BTS in order to establish the relaying path.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to support a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a wireless controller, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that perform the steps of:
- (a) determining that a first base transceiver station (BTS) does not have a channel to support the call;
- (b) receiving a request to initiate a relaying path for the wireless terminal;
- and
- (c) sending an instruction to the first BTS and to the second BTS in order to initiate an establishment of the relaying path.
A relaying station for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the first relaying station comprising:
- a C-interface that utilizes a first frequency spectrum;
- an R-interface that utilizes a second frequency spectrum;
- a processor communicating with a second relaying station and a wireless terminal through the R-interface and communicating with a base transceiver station through the C-interface, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a relaying request about supporting a relaying path;
- (b) sending a first message that indicates a status about supporting the relaying path in response to step (a);
- and
- (c) establishing the relaying path to a next node in the relaying path, wherein the next node is selected from the group consisting of the second relaying station and a base transceiver station (BTS).
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to support a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a relaying station, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a relaying request about an utilization of the relaying station, wherein the utilization corresponds to supporting a relaying path;
- (b) sending a first message that indicates a status about the utilization of the relaying station in response to step (a);
- and
- (c) establishing the relaying path to a next node in the relaying path, wherein the next node is selected from the group consisting of a second relaying station and a base transceiver station (BTS).
A wireless terminal for supporting a call in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the wireless terminal comprising:
- a C-interface that utilizes a first frequency spectrum;
- an R-interface that utilizes a second frequency spectrum;
- a processor that communicates through the C-interface with a base transceiver station and communicates through the R-interface with a relaying station, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a message in response to a condition that a base transceiver station has inadequate resources to support additional calls;
- (b) requesting at least one relaying station about an establishment of a relaying path;
- (c) determining whether to establish the call with one of the at least one relaying stations;
- and
- (d) establishing the call through the one of the at least one relaying station.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to support a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a relaying station, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a message in response to a condition that a base transceiver station has inadequate resources to support additional calls;
- (b) requesting at least one relaying station about an establishment of a relaying path;
- (c) determining to establish the call with one of the at least one relaying stations;
- and
- (d) establishing the call through the one of the at least one relaying station.
A base transceiver station for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the base transceiver station comprising:
- a C-interface that utilizes a first frequency spectrum;
- a processor that communicates to the wireless terminal through the C-interface, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) determining that a resource is not available in response to a request to support a call, the resource associated with the first frequency spectrum;
- and
- (b) sending a message to initiate a procedure for an establishment of a relaying path for the wireless terminal, the relaying path utilizing a second frequency spectrum.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to support a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a base transceiver station, the computer-readable medium comprising instructions that perform the steps of:
- (a) determining that a resource is not available in response to a request to support a call, the resource associated with the first frequency spectrum;
- and
- (b) sending a message to initiate a procedure for an establishment of a relaying path for the wireless terminal, the relaying path associated with a second frequency spectrum
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a relaying station, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a request for a relaying path;
- (b) sending a response message to a base transceiver station, the response message indicating that the relaying station received the request;
- (c) receiving a command to establish a relaying path to a next node, wherein the next node is selected from the group consisting of a second relaying station and second base transceiver station;
- and
- (d) establishing the relaying path to the next node, wherein a first frequency spectrum is utilized if the next node corresponds to the second base transceiver station, and wherein second frequency spectrum is utilized if the next node corresponds to the second relaying station.
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) requesting for a channel to support the call, the channel associated with a base transceiver station and associated with a first frequency spectrum;
- (b) receiving a message that indicates that the base transceiver station cannot provide the channel;
- (c) broadcasting a second message on a second frequency spectrum, wherein the second message requests that a relaying station respond to the base transceiver station;
- (d) receiving a command to establish the relaying path to the relaying station;
- and
- (e) establishing communications over the relaying path to the relaying station, wherein the relaying path utilizes the second frequency spectrum.
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the iCAR system comprising a relaying station, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) maintaining bandwidth information and topological information about other relaying stations and base transceiver stations;
- (b) receiving a request about an establishment of a relaying path, the request containing a list of candidate base transceiver stations, wherein one of the candidate base transceiver stations being included in the relaying path;
- (c) determining the relaying path having a minimum cost utilizing the list of candidate base transceiver stations, utilizing the bandwidth information and the topological information;
- (d) sending a message with the minimum cost in response to step (c);
- (e) receiving an order to establish the relaying path in response to step (d);
- (f) establishing the relaying path to the one of the candidate base transceiver stations in response to step (e);
- and
- (g) sending a second message in response to step (f).
A method for supporting a call for a wireless terminal in an integrated cellular and ad-hoc relaying (iCAR) system, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) requesting for a channel to support the call, the channel associated with a base transceiver station and associated with a first frequency spectrum;
- (b) receiving a message that indicates that the base transceiver station cannot provide the channel;
- (c) broadcasting a second message on a second frequency spectrum, wherein the second message requests that a relaying station respond to the base transceiver station;
- (d) receiving a response from the relaying station with a cost that is associated with the relaying path that the relaying station can support;
- (e) determining whether the cost is less than an other cost provided by other relaying stations;
- (f) ordering the relaying station to establish the relaying path in response to step (e);
- and
- (g) establishing communications on the relaying path with the relaying station, wherein the relaying path utilizes the second frequency spectrum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.