Apparatus and method for cooperative relaying in wireless systems using an extended channel reservation

A wireless relay apparatus for receiving a source data message and for transmitting a relay data message based on the source data message, comprising:

• a transmitter section and a receiver section;
• and
• a controller;
• configured for interpreting messages received by the receiver section;
• configured for performing a wireless relay apparatus contention procedure when receiving an extend channel reservation message from a wireless source apparatus, from which the source data message originates;
• and
• configured for controlling the transmitter section to select a transmission resource from a plurality of different transmission resources in accordance with the contention procedure and to use the selected transmission resource for transmitting of an apply for relay message or for transmitting the relay data message itself.

A wireless destination apparatus for receiving a data message, comprising:

• a transmitter section and a receiver section;
• and
• a controller;
• configured for interpreting messages received by the receiver section;
• configured for controlling the transmitter section to send a negative acknowledge message in response to a non-successful reception of a data message from a wireless source apparatus;
• configured for controlling the transmitter to send a select for relay message identifying a selected wireless relay apparatus, subsequent to sending the negative acknowledge message, when at least one apply for relay message from a wireless relay apparatus is received in a contention time period preceding the time of sending the select for relay message;
• and
• configured for controlling the transmitter section to send an acknowledgment message subsequent to a successful reception of the data message from the selected wireless relay apparatus.

A method of operating a wireless source apparatus for transmitting a source data message, the wireless source apparatus comprising a transmitter section and a receiver section;

• and a controller, the method comprising:
• controlling the transmitter section to transmit the source data message;
• interpreting messages received by the receiver section subsequent to a transmission of the source data message;
• controlling the transmitter section to transmit an extend channel reservation message, when a message received by the receiver section is interpreted to be a negative acknowledgment message from a wireless apparatus being an intended destination of the source data message;
• and
• setting the wireless source apparatus in a wait mode, in which the wireless source apparatus is ready to receive or send a new message, when a message received by the receiver section subsequent to sending the extend channel reservation message is an acknowledgement message from the wireless apparatus being the intended destination.

A method of operating a wireless relay apparatus for receiving a source data message and for transmitting a relay data message based on the source data message, the wireless relay apparatus comprising a transmitter section and a receiver section;

• and a controller, the method comprising:
• interpreting messages received by the receiver section;
• performing a wireless relay apparatus contention procedure when receiving an extend channel reservation message from a wireless source apparatus, from which the source data message originates;
• and
• controlling the transmitter section to select a transmission resource from a plurality of different transmission resources in accordance with the contention procedure and to use the selected transmission resource for transmitting of an apply for relay message or for transmitting the relay data message itself.

A method of operating a wireless destination apparatus for receiving a data message, the wireless destination apparatus comprising a transmitter section and a receiver section;

• and a controller, the method comprising:
• interpreting messages received by the receiver section;
• controlling the transmitter section to send a negative acknowledge message in response to a non-successful reception of a data message from wireless source apparatus;
• controlling the transmitter to send a select for relay message identifying a selected wireless relay apparatus, subsequent to sending the negative acknowledge message, when at least one apply for relay message from a wireless relay apparatus is received in a contention time period preceding the time of sending the select for relay message;
• and
• controlling the transmitter section to send an acknowledgment message subsequent to a successful reception of the data message from the selected wireless relay apparatus.

A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing, when running on a computer, a method of operating a wireless source apparatus for transmitting a source data message, the wireless source apparatus comprising a transmitter section and a receiver section;

• and a controller, the method comprising:
• controlling the transmitter section to transmit the source data message;
• interpreting messages received by the receiver section subsequent to a transmission of the source data message;
• controlling the transmitter section to transmit an extend channel reservation message, when a message received by the receiver section is interpreted to be a negative acknowledgment message from a wireless apparatus being an intended destination of the source data message;
• and
• setting the wireless source apparatus is a wait mode, in which the wireless source apparatus is ready to receive or send a new message, when a message received by the receiver section subsequent to sending the extend channel reservation message is an acknowledgement message from the wireless apparatus being the intended destination.

A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing, when running on a computer, a method of operating a wireless relay apparatus for receiving a source data message and for transmitting a relay data message based on the source data message, the wireless relay apparatus comprising a transmitter section and a receiver section;

• and a controller, the method comprising:
• interpreting messages received by the receiver section;
• performing a wireless relay apparatus contention procedure when receiving an extend channel reservation message from a wireless source apparatus, from which the source data message originates;
• and
• controlling the transmitter section to select a transmission resource from a plurality of different transmission resources in accordance with the contention procedure and to use the selected transmission resource for transmitting of an apply for relay message or for transmitting the relay data message itself.

A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon a computer program for performing, when running on a computer, a method of operating a wireless destination apparatus for receiving a data message, the wireless destination apparatus comprising a transmitter section and a receiver section;

• and a controller, the method comprising:
• interpreting messages received by the receiver section;
• controlling the transmitter section to send a negative acknowledge message in response to a non-successful reception of a data message from wireless source apparatus;
• controlling the transmitter to send a select for relay message identifying a selected wireless relay apparatus, subsequent to sending the negative acknowledge message, when at least one apply for relay message from a wireless relay apparatus is received in a contention time period preceding the time of sending the select for relay message;
• and
• controlling the transmitter section to send an acknowledgment message subsequent to a successful reception of the data message from the selected wireless relay apparatus.