Apparatus and method of relay station (RS) for reporting mobile station (MS)-RS channel state in multihop relay broadband wireless access (BWA) communication system

An apparatus for providing a transparent relay service to a Mobile Station (MS) in a multihop relay wireless communication system, comprising:

• a Relay Station (RS) for receiving a signal level threshold of the MS from a Base Station (BS) using an RS control information message, measuring a signal level of the MS, and transmitting the MS signal level to the BS when the measured signal level is greater than the signal level threshold;
• and
• the BS for transmitting the MS signal level threshold to one or more RSs and receiving MS signal levels from the RSs,
• wherein the signal level is at least one of Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), and Carrier to Interference plus Noise Ratio (CINR),
• wherein the RS relays signals between the BS and the MS, which are incapable of transceiving signals directly with each other, and
• wherein a relay service of the RS is provided without informing the MS of the presence of the RS.

A method for providing a transparent relay service to a Mobile Station (MS) in a multihop relay wireless communication system, the method comprising:

• transmitting, at a Base Station (BS), an MS signal level threshold to one or more Relay Stations (RSs) using an RS control information message;
• receiving, at the RS, the MS signal level threshold from the BS, measuring an MS signal level, and transmitting the MS signal level to the BS when the measured signal level is greater than the signal level threshold;
• and
• receiving, at the BS, MS signal levels from the one or more RSs,
• wherein the signal level is at least one of Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), and Carrier to Interference plus Noise Ratio (CINR),
• wherein the RS relays signals between the BS and the MS, which are incapable of transceiving signals directly with each other, and
• wherein a relay service of the RS is provided without informing the MS of the presence of the RS.