# US 2014/0153472 A1 · Relaying Multicast Data in a Wireless Network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0153472 A1 - Document ID: US20140153472A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/130,949 - Filed: 2011-07-08 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-08 - Assignees: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ) - Inventors: Mai-Anh Phan; Christian Hoymann - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140153472A1 ## CPC - H04L 12/189: {in combination with wireless systems (selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06)} - H04B 7/15: Active relay systems - H04L 5/0032: {Distributed allocation, i.e. involving a plurality of allocating devices, each making partial allocation} - H04L 5/0042: {Intra-user or intra-terminal allocation} - H04L 5/0044: {Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH} - H04L 5/0053: {Allocation of signalling, i.e. of overhead other than pilot signals} - H04L 5/0087: {when data requirements change} - 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)} - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract In order to provide efficient relaying of multicast data in a wireless network, the wireless network comprises a base station and a relay node. The relay node is configured for transmissions on the basis of a radio frame including one or more subframes for unicast transmission and one or more subframes for multicast transmission. In a multicast-only operating mode of the relay node, the base station transmits multicast data to the relay node in one or more subframes which are selectable from the one or more subframes for unicast transmission and the one or more subframes for multicast transmission. The relay node receives the multicast data as transmitted by the base station and transmits the received multicast data in one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of relaying multicast data in a wireless network comprising at least one relay node, said relay node being configured for transmissions on the basis of a radio frame comprising one or more subframes for unicast transmission and one or more subframes for multicast transmission, the method comprising: the relay node receiving, from a base station, multicast data in one or more subframes selectable from the one or more subframes for unicast transmission and the one or more subframes for multicast transmission; and the relay node transmitting the received multicast data in one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the received multicast data are transmitted jointly with at least one base station and/or at least one further relay node. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, comprising: the relay node receiving, from the base station, synchronization information for said joint transmission of the multicast data. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the relay node is provided with a multicast-only operating mode during which the relay node is configured to relay the multicast data, but no unicast data. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein the relay node is further provided with a mixed operating mode during which the relay node is configured to relay the multicast data and unicast data. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, comprising: in the mixed operating mode, selecting the one or more subframes for receiving the multicast data in the relay node from the one or more subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, comprising: upon switching from the mixed operating mode to the multicast operating mode, initiating a handover of mobile terminals involved in transmissions of unicast data by the relay node to the base station, to a further base station, or to a further relay node. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein said one or more subframes for multicast data each comprise a control region (CR) for transmitting control information and a multicast region (MR) for transmitting multicast data, and wherein the relay node further receives from the base station control information in the control region (CR) of said one or more of the subframes used for transmitting the received multicast data from the relay node. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the control information comprises scheduling information for uplink transmissions from the relay node or for downlink transmissions to the relay node. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein a time period for switching between said receiving of the control information and said transmitting of the received multicast data extends only in the control region (CR), only in the multicast region (MR), or both in the control region (CR) and in the multicast region (MR). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the wireless network is configured as a 3GPP LTE network and the subframes for multicast transmission correspond to MBSFN subframes. ### Claim 12 A method of relaying multicast data in a wireless network comprising at least one relay node, said relay node being configured for transmissions on the basis of a radio frame comprising one or more subframes for unicast transmission and one or more subframes for multicast transmission, the method comprising: a base station transmitting, to a relay node, multicast data in one or more subframes selectable from the one or more subframes for unicast transmission and the one or more subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, comprising: the base station transmitting the multicast data jointly with the relay node in one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, comprising: the base station transmitting, to the relay node, synchronization information for said joint transmission of the multicast data. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, comprising: the base station receiving from the relay node an indication that the relay node is capable of receiving the multicast data in the one or more subframes for unicast transmission. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein said one or more subframes for multicast transmission each comprise a control region (CR) for transmitting control information and a multicast region (MR) for transmitting multicast data, and wherein the base station further transmits, to the relay node, control information in the control region (CR) of said one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, comprising: the base station receiving, from the relay node, an indication of restrictions applicable to transmission of control information in the one or more subframes for multicast transmission or in the one or more subframes for unicast transmission; and the base station controlling the transmission of control information to the relay node on the basis of the received indication. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method according to claim 16, wherein the control information comprises scheduling information for uplink transmissions from the relay node or for downlink transmissions to the relay node. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, wherein the wireless network is configured as a 3GPP LTE network and the subframes for multicast transmission correspond to MBSFN subframes. ### Claim 20 A relay node for a wireless network, said relay node being configured for transmissions on the basis of a radio frame comprising one or more subframes for unicast transmission and one or more subframes for multicast transmission, the relay node comprising: at least one radio interface for communication with a base station and one or more mobile terminals; and a processor for controlling operations of the relay node, said operations of the relay node comprising: receiving, via the at least one radio interface, multicast data from the base station in one or more subframes selectable from the one or more subframes for unicast transmission and the one or more subframes for multicast transmission; and transmitting, via the at least one radio interface, the received multicast data in one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The relay node according to claim 20, wherein the relay node is configured to operate in a multicast-only operating mode during which the relay node is configured to relay the multicast data but no unicast data, and to operate in a mixed operating mode during which the relay node is configured to relay the multicast data and unicast data, wherein in the mixed operating mode, the relay node selects the one or more subframes for receiving the multicast data from the one or more subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 22 A base station for a wireless network, wherein the wireless network comprises at least one relay node, said relay node being configured for transmissions on the basis of a radio frame comprising one or more subframes for unicast transmission and one or more subframes for multicast transmission, the base station comprising: at least one radio interface for communication with one or more mobile terminals and at least one relay node; and a processor for controlling operations of the base station, said operations of the base station comprising: transmitting, via the at least one radio interface, multicast data to the at least one relay node in one or more subframes selectable from the one or more subframes for unicast transmission and the one or more subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The base station according to claim 22, wherein said one or more subframes for multicast transmission each comprise a control region (CR) for transmitting control information and a multicast region (MR) for transmitting multicast data, and wherein the base station is configured to transmit, to the relay node, control information in the control region (CR) of said one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 24 A wireless network system, comprising: a base station; and a relay node configured for transmissions on the basis of a radio frame comprising one or more subframes for unicast transmission and one or more subframes for multicast transmission, wherein the base station is configured to: transmit multicast data to the relay node in one or more subframes selectable from the one or more subframes for unicast transmission and the one or more subframes for multicast transmission, and wherein the relay node is configured to: receive the multicast data as transmitted by the base station, and transmit the received multicast data in one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The system according to claim 24, wherein said relay node is configured to operate in a multicast-only operating mode during which the relay node is configured to relay the multicast data but no unicast data, and to operate in a mixed operating mode during which the relay node is configured to relay the multicast data and unicast data, wherein in the mixed operating mode, the relay node selects the one or more subframes for receiving the multicast data from the one or more subframes for multicast transmission, wherein said one or more subframes for multicast transmission each comprise a control region (CR) for transmitting control information and a multicast region (MR) for transmitting multicast data, and wherein said base station is configured to transmit, to the relay node, control information in the control region (CR) of said one or more of the subframes for multicast transmission.