# US 9,438,445 B2 · Media access control protocol for multi-hop network systems and method therefor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,438,445 B2 - Document ID: US9438445B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/620,567 - Filed: 2012-09-14 - Published: 2013-01-17 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2006-05-11 - Assignees: BlackBerry Limited - Applicants: Hang Zhang; Peiying Zhu; Mo-Han Fong; Wen Tong; Nimal Senarath; Derek Yu; David Steer; Curtis S. Dodd - Inventors: Hang Zhang; Peiying Zhu; Mo-Han Fong; Wen Tong; Nimal Senarath; Derek Yu; David Steer; Curtis S. Dodd - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9438445B2 ## CPC - H04L 12/4633: {Interconnection of networks using encapsulation techniques, e.g. tunneling} - H04L 45/34: {Source routing} - H04W 40/00: Communication routing or communication path finding - H04L 1/1614: {using bitmaps} - H04L 63/12: {Applying verification of the received information (cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32)} - H04L 69/22: Parsing or analysis of headers - H04L 69/324: in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC - H04W 28/06: Optimizing {the usage of the radio link}, e.g. header compression, information sizing {, discarding information (system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365)} - H04W 84/12: WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks] - H04W 88/04: adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method and system for wireless communication in which a plurality of media access control (“MAC”) packet data units (“PDUs”) corresponding to a plurality of wireless communication connections are received. The plurality of MAC PDUs is grouped into a relay packet and the relay packet is transmitted. Such grouping and transmission of the relay packet is performed by one or more relay nodes. The traffic control for the transmission can also be based on centralized or decentralized routing control and/or centralized or decentralized QoS control. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method to pack a plurality of media access control (“MAC”) packet data units (“PDUs”) into a relay packet, the method comprising: receiving a plurality of MAC PDUs; grouping the plurality of MAC PDUs into a relay packet into at least one sub-group; inserting, into the relay packet, a routing header and at least one sub-header, the routing header followed by the at least one sub-header, each sub-header associated with a sub-group of the plurality of MAC PDUs and indicating a relay station (“RS”) that receives MAC PDUs in that sub-group, wherein the RS is located between a base station and a mobile station and the routing header includes a relay station ID (“RSID”) inclusion indicator field, the RSID inclusion indicator field set to a first value if the routing header includes at least one RSID and set to a second, different value if the routing header does not include at least one RSID; and routing the relay packet to a first RS indicated in a first sub-header. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the routing header includes a header control field to indicate a type of the routing header, the type of the routing header is used for data forwarding. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein if the RSID inclusion indicator field indicates that at least one RSID is included, the routing header further includes the at least one RSID in a RSID/reserved field. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein if the RSID inclusion indicator field indicates that at least one RSID is not included, the routing header further includes a RSID/reserved field reserved for future use. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a control field with a value of 1 to indicate that the at least one sub -header includes a number of MAC PDUs and corresponding quality of service (“QoS”) fields. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein if the control field has the value of 1, an information field within the at least one sub-header indicates the number of MAC PDUs and one QoS for each corresponding MAC PDU. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a control field with a value of 0 to indicate a length field and one QoS field. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a RSID quantity field to indicate a number of RSIDs in an ordered forwarding path from a next hop RSID to a destination RSID. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the RSID quantity field with a value of 1 indicates that the RS is the destination RS. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a quantity of RSID field equal to a number of sub-headers. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the relay packet is received at the first RS, and wherein the first RS removes an ID of the first RS from the relay packet and forwards the relay packet without the ID of the first RS to a next hop RSID in a next sub-header. ### Claim 12 A system for wireless communication, the system comprising: a memory; and at least one hardware processor communicatively coupled with the memory and configured to: receive a plurality of media access control (“MAC”) packet data units (“PDUs”); group the plurality of MAC PDUs into a relay packet into at least one sub-group; insert, into the relay packet, a routing header and at least one sub-header, the routing header followed by the at least one sub-header, each sub-header associated with a sub-group of the plurality of MAC PDUs and indicating a relay station (“RS”) that will receive MAC PDUs in that sub-group, wherein the RS is located between a base station and a mobile station and the routing header includes a relay station ID (“RSID”) inclusion indicator field, the RSID inclusion indicator field set to a first value if the routing header includes at least one RSID and set to a second, different value if the routing header does not include at least one RSID; and route the relay packet to a first RS indicated in a first sub-header. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the routing header includes a header control field to indicate a type of the routing header, the type of the routing header is used for data forwarding. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein if the RSID inclusion indicator field indicates that at least one is included, the routing header further includes the at least one RSID in a RSID/reserved field. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein if the RSID inclusion indicator field indicates that at least one RSID is not included, the routing header further includes a RSID/reserved field reserved for future use. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a control field with a value of 1 to indicate that the at least one sub -header includes a number of MAC PDUs and corresponding quality of service (“QoS”) fields. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system according to claim 16, wherein if the control field has the value of 1, an information field within the at least one sub-header indicates the number of MAC PDUs and one QoS for each corresponding MAC PDU. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a control field with a value of 0 to indicate a length field and one QoS field. ### Claim 19 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a RSID quantity field to indicate a number of RSIDs in an ordered forwarding path from a next hop RSID to a destination RSID. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system according to claim 19, wherein the RSID quantity field with a value of 1 indicates that the RS is the destination RS. ### Claim 21 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the at least one sub-header includes a quantity of RSID field equal to a number of sub-headers. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The system according to claim 12, wherein the relay packet is received at the first RS, and wherein the first RS removes an ID of the first RS from the relay packet and forwards the relay packet without the ID of the first RS to a next hop RSID in a next sub-header. ### Claim 23 A non-transitory computer readable medium for packing a plurality of media access control (“MAC”) packet data units (“PDUs”) into a relay packet, the computer readable medium storing instructions to cause a processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a plurality of MAC PDUs; grouping the plurality of MAC PDUs into a relay packet into at least one sub-group; inserting, into the relay packet, a routing header and at least one sub-header, the routing header followed by the at least one sub-header, each sub-header associated with a sub-group of the plurality of MAC PDUs and indicating a relay station (“RS”) that receives MAC PDUs in that sub-group, wherein the RS is located between a base station and a mobile station and the routing header includes a relay station ID (“RSID”) inclusion indicator field, the RSID inclusion indicator field set to a first value if the routing header includes at least one RSID and set to a second, different value if the routing header does not include at least one RSID; and routing the relay packet to a first RS indicated in a first sub-header.