System and method for wireless relay frame structure, protocol, and operation

A relay station for use in a wireless communication system, the relay station comprising:

• at least one transceiver operable to transmit signals to and receive signals from at least one base station and at least one communication device of the wireless communication system;
• at least two communication interfaces electrically connected to the at least one transceiver, each communication interface implementing a different communication protocol stack;
• an interface translator electrically connected to the at least two communication interfaces, the interface translator operable to translate information between the communication interfaces from a first protocol stack associated with a first one of the communication interfaces to a second protocol stack associated with a second one of the communication interfaces;
• and
• relay circuitry electrically connected to the at least one transceiver, the relay circuitry operable to:
• relay signals between the base station and the communication device;
• and
• conduct a phased handoff of the communication device from the base station to another base station based on a signal quality wherein the phased handoff comprises performing a first intra-base station handoff between the base station and the relay station, wherein the first intra-base station handoff being performed is responsive to determining that a signal quality of the communication device is greater along a first path including the relay station and the base station than the signal quality of the communication device along a second path directly to the first base station.

A relay station for use in a wireless communication system, the relay station comprising:

• relay circuitry operable to:
• relay wireless signals between a first base station and a communication device of the wireless communication system, and between the first base station and a relay station of the wireless communication system;
• conduct a phased handoff of the communication device from the first base station to a second base station based on a signal quality wherein the phased handoff comprises performing a first intra-base station handoff between the first base station and the relay station, wherein the first intra-base station handoff being performed is responsive to determining that a signal quality of the communication device is greater along a first path including the relay station and the first base station than a signal quality of the communication device along a second path directly to the first base station;
• and
• a first transceiver electrically connected to the relay circuitry, the first transceiver operable to simultaneously receive a first wireless signal from the base station using a first frequency and transmit a second wireless signal to the subordinate relay station using a second frequency.