Relay apparatus and relay method

A relay device for relaying communications between a plurality of radio devices that perform radio communications with a terminal and a radio control apparatus that controls the plurality of radio devices, the relay device comprising:

• a plurality of signal combiners that are each provided for one of functional splitting points between the plurality of radio devices and the radio control apparatus, and are each configured to convert signal data transmitted from one of the plurality of radio devices based on a signal format in accordance with the one of the functional splitting points and transmit the converted signal data to the radio control apparatus;
• and
• a signal switcher configured to output a plurality of pieces of the signal data transmitted from the plurality of radio devices respectively, to the plurality of signal combiners supporting the functional splitting points that correspond to the plurality of radio devices that transmitted the signal data respectively.

A relay device for relaying communications between a plurality of radio devices that perform radio communications with a terminal and a radio control apparatus that controls the radio devices, the relay device comprising a signal distributer configured to copy signal data transmitted from the radio control apparatus, and transmit the copied signal data to only a target radio device of the plurality of the radio devices in accordance with a functional splitting point.

A computer-implemented relay method for relaying communications between a plurality of radio devices that perform radio communications with a terminal and a radio control apparatus that controls the plurality of radio devices, the method comprising:

• a plurality of signal combination steps, each performed for one of functional splitting points between the plurality of radio devices and the radio control apparatus, of converting signal data transmitted from one of the plurality of radio devices based on a signal format in accordance with the one of the functional splitting points, and transmitting the converted signal data to the radio control apparatus;
• and
• a signal switching step of implementing one of the plurality of signal combination steps corresponding to one of the functional splitting points that corresponds to the one of the plurality of radio devices to process the signal data transmitted from the one of the plurality of radio devices.

A computer-implemented relay method for relaying communications between a plurality of radio devices that perform radio communications with a terminal and a radio control apparatus that controls the plurality of radio devices, the method comprising:

• a plurality of signal combination steps, each performed for one of functional splitting points between the plurality of radio devices and the radio control apparatus, of each converting signal data transmitted from one of the plurality of radio devices based on a signal format in accordance with the one of the functional splitting points, and transmitting the converted signal data to the radio control apparatus;
• and
• a signal switching step of implementing the plurality of signal combination steps corresponding to the functional splitting points that correspond to the plurality of radio devices to process a plurality of pieces of the signal data transmitted from the plurality of radio devices that transmitted the signal data respectively.