Mobile assisted relay selection in a telecommunications system

Abstract

A mobile station is operated in a telecommunications system that includes a base station and one or more relay stations. The mobile station communicates directly with the base station via a first channel. To facilitate selection of a suitable relay station, the mobile station broadcasts a burst for receipt by a plurality of relay stations. Relay stations each measure a quality of the received burst and communicate this information to the base station, which uses the information to select a most suitable one of the relay stations for use in carrying on indirect communications between the base station and the mobile station.

1 . A method of operating a mobile station in a telecommunications system, the method comprising:
 communicating directly with a base station via a first channel;   broadcasting a random access burst for receipt by a plurality of relay stations;   establishing a connection on a second channel with one of the plurality of relay stations; and   communicating indirectly with the base station via the second channel established with said one of the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 communication via the first channel proceeds at a first rate;   communication via the second channel proceeds at a second rate; and   the second rate is higher than the first rate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 prior to broadcasting the random access burst for receipt by the plurality of relay stations, requesting a higher rate connection from the base station.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising:
 after requesting the higher rate connection from the base station, receiving instructions from the base station, wherein the instructions instruct the mobile station to broadcast the random access burst for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein broadcasting the random access burst comprises:
 transmitting the random access burst on a channel that is dedicated to transmissions of random access bursts for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein broadcasting the random access burst comprises:
 transmitting the random access burst during a fixed time slot that is dedicated to transmissions of random access bursts for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 maintaining the first channel concurrently with the second channel; and   using the first channel to communicate control information directly with the base station.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first channel is used to communicate all control signaling between the mobile station and the base station; and   the second channel is used to communicate only user traffic between the mobile station and the base station.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the first channel is used to communicate only control signaling related to mobility and connection establishment/release between the mobile station and the base station; and   the second channel is used to communicate user traffic and control signaling associated with the user traffic between the mobile station and the base station.   
     
     
         10 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An apparatus for operating a mobile station in a telecommunications system, the apparatus comprising:
 logic that communicates directly with a base station via a first channel;   logic that broadcasts a random access burst for receipt by a plurality of relay stations;   logic that establishes a connection on a second channel with one of the plurality of relay stations; and   logic that communicates indirectly with the base station via the second channel established with said one of the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein:
 communication via the first channel proceeds at a first rate;   communication via the second channel proceeds at a second rate; and   the second rate is higher than the first rate.   
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 25 , comprising:
 logic that requests a higher rate connection from the base station before the random access burst is broadcast for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , comprising:
 logic that, after the higher rate connection from the base station has been requested, receives instructions from the base station, wherein the instructions instruct the mobile station to broadcast the random access burst for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the logic that broadcasts the random access burst comprises:
 logic that transmits the random access burst on a channel that is dedicated to transmissions of random access bursts for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         29 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the logic that broadcasts the random access burst comprises:
 logic that transmits the random access burst during a fixed time slot that is dedicated to transmissions of random access bursts for receipt by the plurality of relay stations.   
     
     
         30 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , comprising:
 logic that maintains the first channel concurrently with the second channel; and   logic that uses the first channel to communicate control information directly with the base station.   
     
     
         31 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the logic that uses the first channel to communicate control information directly with the base station uses the first channel to communicate all control signaling between the mobile station and the base station; and   the logic that communicates indirectly with the base station via the second channel uses the second channel to communicate only user traffic between the mobile station and the base station.   
     
     
         32 . The apparatus of  claim 30 , wherein:
 the logic that uses the first channel to communicate control information directly with the base station uses the first channel to communicate only control signaling related to mobility and connection establishment/release between the mobile station and the base station; and   the logic that communicates indirectly with the base station via the second channel uses the second channel to communicate user traffic and control signaling associated with the user traffic between the mobile station and the base station.   
     
     
         33 - 46 . (canceled)