Method for controlling a multi-hop transmission in a wireless communication network, method for processing a multi-hop transmission, corresponding devices, relay node, communication node, source node, system and computer programs

A method comprising:

• processing a multi-hop transmission of a radio signal transmitted by a source node in a wireless communication network, said transmission implementing a plurality of relay nodes of said wireless communication network, a relay node located at a number of hops i from the source node, with i a non-null integer, being configured to receive said radio signal from said source node or from a previous relay node, of rank i-1, to amplify the radio signal and to retransmit the radio signal to a next relay node, of rank i+1, wherein the processing is performed by a current relay node of the plurality of relay nodes and comprises:
• transmitting (42)-to a control device (100) a strength of the radio signal and a noise and interference strength at the current relay node, received by the current relay node;
• receiving from said control device an action message in the wireless communication network comprising an action for adjusting at least one data transmission parameter within the multi-hop transmission and at least one number of hops;
• verifying that the adjustment action is intended for said current relay node, comprising verifying that the number of hops of the current relay node corresponds to at least one said number of hops comprised in said action message;
• and
• performing the adjustment action contained in said action message, when the adjustment action is intended for said current relay node.

A control device Device for controlling a multi-hop transmission in a wireless communication network, said transmission implementing a plurality of relay nodes of said wireless communication network, a relay node, referred to as a current relay node of said plurality, located at i hops, with i a non-null integer, being configured to receive from a source node or from a previous relay node located at hop i-1, a radio signal carrying a data volume transmitted by said source node, to amplify the radio signal and to retransmit the radio signal to a next relay node, placed at i+1 hops, wherein said control comprises:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon which when executed by the at least one processor configure the at least one processor to:
• obtain for a current relay node of the plurality of relay nodes a current strength ratio between a strength of the radio signal and a noise and interference strength received and measured by said current relay node;
• estimate an overall transmission rate between the source node and a destination node located at a number of hops N, with N an integer greater than or equal to i, at least from the current strength ratio, from strength measurement ratios previously obtained for relay nodes located between the source node and said current relay node and from a transmission bandwidth;
• and
• adjust at least one data transmission parameter of at least the source node and/or one said relay node participating in the multi-hop transmission, in response to the estimated overall transmission rate differing from a target rate.

A processing device for processing a multi-hop transmission of a radio signal transmitted by a source node in a wireless communication network, said transmission implementing a plurality of relay nodes of said wireless communication network, a relay node located at a certain number of hops i from the source node, with i a non-null integer, being configured to receive said radio signal from said source node or from a previous relay node, of rank i-1, to amplify it the radio signal and to retransmit it the radio signal to a next relay node, of rank i+1, wherein said processing device is implemented in a current relay node of the plurality of relay nodes and comprises:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions stored thereon which when executed by the at least one processor configure the at least one processor to:
• transmit to a control device a strength of a radio signal and a noise and interference strength at the current relay node, received and measured by the current relay node;
• receive from said control device an action message in the wireless communication network comprising an action for adjusting at least one transmission parameter within the multi-hop transmission and at least one number of hops;
• verify that the adjustment action is intended for said current relay node, comprising verifying that the number of hops of the current relay node corresponds to at least one said number of hops comprised in said action message;
• and
• perform the action contained in said action message, when the action is intended for said current relay node.