Relay radio front-end

A relay node which wirelessly communicates on a backhaul link over a first interface with a base station node of a radio access technology network and which wirelessly communicates on an access link over a second interface with a wireless terminal, the relay node comprising:

• a transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
• a duplexer section comprising plural transceiver ports;
• a set of plural switches through which the transmitter and the receiver are selectively connected to the transceiver ports of the duplexer section;
• wherein the relay node is configured to provide a transmit signal from the transmitter in a manner whereby a backhaul link portion of the transmit signal is conveyed through a different transceiver port of the duplexer section than is an access link portion of the transmit signal;
• wherein the set of plural switches comprises a first pair of switches connected to the sole uplink (UL) port of the sole duplexer and a second pair of switches connected to the sole downlink (DL) port of the sole duplexer;
• wherein a first switch of the first pair is also selectively connected to the transmitter;
• wherein a second switch of the first pair is also selectively connected to the receiver;
• wherein a first switch of the second pair is also selectively connected to the transmitter;
• wherein a second switch of the second pair is also selectively connected to the receiver;
• wherein the first switch of the first pair:
• is open when the transmitter transmits on the second interface and the receiver receives on the second interface;
• is closed when the transmitter transmits on the first interface and the receiver receives on the first interface;
• wherein the second switch of the first pair:
• is closed when the transmitter transmits on the second interface and the receiver receives on the second interface;
• is open when the transmitter transmits on the first interface and the receiver receives on the first interface;
• wherein the first switch of the second pair:
• is closed when the transmitter transmits on the second interface and the receiver receives on the second interface;
• is open when the transmitter transmits on the first interface and the receiver receives on the first interface;
• wherein the second switch of the second pair:
• is open when the transmitter transmits on the second interface and the receiver receives on the second interface;
• is closed when the transmitter transmits on the first interface and the receiver receives on the first interface.

A relay node which wirelessly communicates on a backhaul link over a first interface with a base station node of a radio access technology network and which wirelessly communicates on an access link over a second interface with a wireless terminal, the relay node comprising:

• a backhaul link antenna;
• an access link antenna which is distinct from the backhaul link antenna;
• a transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
• a duplexer section comprising a sole duplexer, the sole duplexer comprising plural transceiver ports;
• an antenna port switch connected between (1) the sole duplexer and (2) both the backhaul link antenna and the access link antenna;
• wherein the relay node is configured to provide a transmit signal from the transmitter in a manner whereby a backhaul link portion of the transmit signal is conveyed through a different transceiver port of the duplexer section than is an access link portion of the transmit signal;
• wherein a sole antenna port of the sole duplexer is selectively connected by the antenna port switch to the backhaul link antenna and to the access link antenna.

A relay node which wirelessly communicates on a backhaul link over a first interface with a base station node of a radio access technology network and which wirelessly communicates on an access link over a second interface with a wireless terminal, the relay node comprising:

• a sole antenna;
• a transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
• a duplexer section comprising a backhaul link duplexer and an access link duplexer;
• an antenna port switch which is external to the duplexer section;
• wherein the relay node is configured to provide a transmit signal from the transmitter in a manner whereby a backhaul link portion of the transmit signal is conveyed through a different transceiver port of the duplexer section than is an access link portion of the transmit signal;
• wherein the transmitter is connected to apply the transmit signal to both a transmit port of the backhaul link duplexer and a transmit port of the access link duplexer;
• wherein the receiver is connected to both a receive port of the backhaul link duplexer and a receive port of the access link duplexer;
• and
• wherein an antenna port of the backhaul link duplexer and an antenna port of the access link duplexer are selectively connected to the sole antenna of the relay node through the antenna port switch.

A relay node which wirelessly communicates on a backhaul link over a first interface with a base station node of a radio access technology network and which wirelessly communicates on an access link over a second interface with a wireless terminal, the relay node comprising:

• a transceiver comprising a transmitter and a receiver;
• a backhaul link antenna;
• an access link antenna;
• a duplexer section comprising a backhaul link duplexer and an access link duplexer;
• wherein a same power amplifier of the transmitter is connected to apply a transmit signal to both a transmit port of the backhaul link duplexer and a transmit port of the access link duplexer;
• wherein a same amplifier of the receiver is connected to both a receive port of the backhaul link duplexer and a receive port of the access link duplexer;
• and
• wherein the backhaul link duplexer and the access link duplexer are configured to convey a signal only if the signal is frequency appropriate to the respective link.