Systems, apparatus, and methods for range extension of wireless communication

A relay apparatus for wireless communications, the relay apparatus being associated with one or more other devices, the relay apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive a first message from a downstream relay, wherein the first message includes an indication of a number of devices that are associated with the downstream relay;
• and
• generate a second message for an upstream relay in response to the first message, wherein the second message is a request for an available capacity of the upstream relay;
• a transmitter configured to transmit the second message to the upstream relay;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive a response message from the upstream relay, the response message indicating the available capacity of the upstream relay, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether the relay apparatus can serve the downstream relay based on the available capacity of the upstream relay.

A relay apparatus for wireless communications, the relay apparatus being associated with one or more other devices, the relay apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a first message from a downstream relay, wherein the first message includes an indication of a number of devices that are associated with the downstream relay;
• means for generating a second message for an upstream relay in response to the first message, wherein the second message is a request for an available capacity of the upstream relay;
• means for transmitting the second message to the upstream relay;
• means for receiving a response message from the upstream relay, wherein the response message indicates the available capacity of the upstream relay;
• and
• means for determining whether the relay apparatus can serve the downstream relay based on the available capacity of the upstream relay.

A method of wireless communication, comprising:

• at a relay apparatus associated with one or more other devices, receiving a first message from an upstream relay, wherein the first message includes an indication of a number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve;
• comparing the number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve with a number of devices that the relay apparatus has available capacity to serve;
• generating a second message for the one or more other devices, wherein the second message includes an indication of a lower of the number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve and the number of devices the relay apparatus has available capacity to serve;
• transmitting the second message to at least one of the one or more other devices;
• and
• receiving an association request from at least one of the one or more other devices.

A relay apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

• a processor configured to:
• receive a first message from an upstream relay, wherein the first message includes an indication of a number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve;
• compare the number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve with a number of devices that the relay apparatus has available capacity to serve;
• generate a second message for one or more devices, wherein the second message includes an indication of a lower of the number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve and the number of devices the relay apparatus has available capacity to serve;
• a transmitter configured to transmit the second message to the one or more devices;
• and
• a receiver configured to receive an association request from at least one of the one or more devices.

A relay apparatus for wireless communications, comprising:

• means for receiving a first message from an upstream relay, wherein the first message includes an indication of a number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve;
• means for comparing the number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve with a number of devices that the relay apparatus has available capacity to serve
• means for generating a second message for one or more other devices, wherein the second message includes an indication of a lower of the number of devices that the upstream relay has available capacity to serve and the number of other devices the relay apparatus has available capacity to serve;
• means for transmitting the message to at least one of the one or more other devices;
• and
• means for receiving an association request from at least one of the one or more other devices.

A method of wireless communication, comprising:

• at a relay apparatus, wherein one or more other devices are associated with the relay apparatus, and wherein the relay apparatus is in communication with a relay device, receiving a message from the relay device, wherein the message includes an indication of a number of other devices the relay device has available capacity to serve;
• determining whether the relay device has available capacity to serve the relay apparatus and the one or more other devices associated with the relay apparatus;
• and
• sending an association request to the relay device if the relay device has the available capacity to serve the relay apparatus, wherein the receiving further comprises receiving another message from another relay device, wherein the other message includes an indication of a number of additional devices the other relay device has available capacity to serve, wherein the determining further comprises determining which of the relay device and the other relay device has the available capacity to serve the relay apparatus, and wherein the sending further comprises sending the association request to the determined relay device.

A relay apparatus for wireless communications, wherein one or more other devices are associated with the relay apparatus, and wherein the relay apparatus is in communication with a relay device, the relay apparatus comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a message from the relay device, wherein the message includes an indication of a number of other devices the relay device has available capacity to serve;
• a processor configured to determine whether the relay device has available capacity to serve the relay apparatus and the one or more other devices associated with the relay apparatus;
• and
• a transmitter configured to send an association request to the relay device if the relay device has the available capacity to serve the relay apparatus, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive another message from another relay device, wherein the other message includes an indication of a number of additional devices the other relay device has available capacity to serve, wherein the processor is further configured to determine which of the relay device and the other relay device has the available capacity to serve the relay apparatus, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit the association request to the determined relay device.

A relay apparatus for wireless communications, wherein one or more other devices are associated with the relay apparatus, and wherein the relay apparatus is in communication with a relay device, the relay apparatus comprising:

• means for receiving a message from the relay device, wherein the message includes an indication of a number of other devices the relay device has available capacity to serve;
• means for determining whether the relay device has available capacity to serve the relay apparatus and the one or more other devices associated with the relay apparatus;
• and
• means for sending an association request to the relay device if the relay device has the available capacity to serve the relay apparatus, wherein the means for receiving further comprises means for receiving another message from another relay device, wherein the other message includes an indication of a number of additional devices the other relay device has available capacity to serve, wherein the means for determining further comprises means for determining which of the relay device and the other relay device has the available capacity to serve the relay apparatus, and wherein the means for sending the association request further comprises means for transmitting the association request to the determined relay device.