Radio Access Node, Relay Node and Methods Performed Therein

A method performed by a relay node for relaying user data from/to one or more communication devices to/from a radio access node in a wireless communication network, comprising:

• receiving a first user data stream and/or a second user data stream from a first communication device and a second communication device respectively, or from the radio access node, which first user data stream is comprised in a first time slot and/or the second user data stream is comprised in a second time slot;
• applying a network coding on the received first user data stream, independently of the second user data stream, into a network coded first user data stream, and/or the received second user data stream, independently of the first user data stream, into a network coded second user data stream;
• and
• forwarding the network coded first user data stream in a third time slot to the radio access node or the first communication device, and/or the network coded second user data stream in the third time slot to the radio access node or the second communication device, wherein the network coded first user data stream and network coded second user data stream are forwarded in an orthogonal manner relative one another.

A relay node for relaying user data from/to one or more communication devices to/from a radio access node in a wireless communication network, the relay node being configured to:

• receive a first user data stream and/or a second user data stream from a first communication device and a second communication device respectively, or from the radio access node, which first user data stream is comprised in a first time slot and/or the second user data stream is comprised in a second time slot;
• apply a network coding on the received first user data stream, independently of the second user data stream, into a network coded first user data stream, and/or the received second user data stream, independently of the first user data stream, into a network coded second user data stream;
• and to
• forward the network coded first user data stream in a third time slot to the radio access node or the first communication device, and/or the second user data stream in the third time slot to the radio access node or the second communication device, wherein the network coded first user data stream and the network coded second user data stream are forwarded in an orthogonal manner relative one another.

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed by processing circuitry of relay node, configured the relay node for relaying user data between one or more communication devices and a radio access node of a wireless communication network, said computer program instructions including program instructions to configure the relay node to:

• receive a first user data stream in a first time slot and a second user data stream in a second time slot, wherein the first user data stream is being relayed between the radio access node and a first communication device and the second user data stream is being relayed between the radio access node and a second communication device;
• apply network coding on the first and second user data streams independently, to obtain corresponding network-coded first and second user data streams;
• and
• forward the network-coded first and second user data streams in a third time slot, in an orthogonal manner relative one another.