Systems and methods for facilitating intra-cell-peer-to-peer communication

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing efficient communications between two mobile stations served by the same base station or relay station are provided. A base station maintains information identifying which mobile stations it is serving. When a connection is set up between two mobile stations, if they are both being served by the same base station, the base station forwards traffic directly between the two mobile stations without forwarding it on to higher level network entities.

1 . A method of facilitating intra-cell communication at a relay station, comprising:
 maintaining at a relay station a connection identification mapping table identifying at least one communication between two mobile stations served by a common network transceiver at the relay station;   upon receipt by the common network transceiver of an uplink communication containing an uplink data unit, determining if there is a corresponding entry in the connection identification mapping table and, if so, sending a downlink communication containing a corresponding downlink data unit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 receiving, from a base station serving the relay station, connection identification mapping table information identifying at least one communication between two mobile stations served by a common network transceiver at the relay station; and storing the received connection identification mapping table information in the connection identification mapping table at the relay station.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein each entry in the connection identification mapping table includes a source mobile station identification and a destination identification. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising, upon receipt of the uplink data unit, decrypting the uplink data unit using first security information associated with the uplink, and then re-encrypting the uplink data unit using second security information associated with the downlink to produce the corresponding downlink data unit. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 maintaining a connection information table for the relay station that includes all connections served by the relay station; and   upon receipt of a packet from a source that is included in the connection information table for a destination mobile station that is included in the connection information table, adding an entry into the connection identification mapping table.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, upon receipt of an uplink data unit for a destination mobile station that is being served by the common network transceiver, establishing a downlink service flow to the destination mobile station. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the downlink service flow is established using an existing security association. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the downlink service flow is established using a dynamic security association. 
     
     
         9 . A relay station, comprising:
 at least one antenna operable to receive uplink communications and to transmit downlink communications; and   at least one packet processor operable to process operable to process uplink packets by:
 maintaining a connection identification mapping table identifying at least one communication between two mobile stations served by a common network transceiver; 
 upon receipt by the common network transceiver of an uplink communication containing an uplink data unit, determining if there is a corresponding entry in the connection identification mapping table; and 
 upon determination that there is a corresponding entry in the connection identification mapping table for an uplink data unit, sending a downlink communication containing a corresponding downlink data unit. 
   
     
     
         10 . The relay station of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the at least one antenna is operable to receive, from a base station serving the relay station, connection identification mapping table information identifying at least one communication between two mobile stations served by a common network transceiver at the relay station; and the at least one packet processor is operable to store the received connection identification mapping table information in the connection identification mapping table at the relay station.   
     
     
         11 . The relay station of  claim 9 , wherein each entry in the connection identification mapping table includes a source mobile station identification and a destination identification. 
     
     
         12 . The relay station of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one packet processor is further operable to decrypt the uplink data unit using first security information associated with the uplink and to re-encrypt the decrypted data unit using second security information associated with the downlink to produce the corresponding downlink data unit. 
     
     
         13 . The relay station of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one packet processor is further operable:
 to maintain a connection information table for the relay station that includes all connections served by the relay station; and   upon receipt of a packet from a source that is included in the connection information table for a destination mobile station that is included in the connection information table, to add an entry into the connection identification mapping table.   
     
     
         14 . The relay station of  claim 9 , wherein upon receipt of a first uplink data unit for a destination mobile station that is being served by the relay station, the relay station is operable to establish a service flow to the mobile station. 
     
     
         15 . The relay station of  claim 14 , wherein the relay station is operable to establish the downlink service flow using an existing security association. 
     
     
         16 . The relay station of  claim 14 , wherein the relay station is operable to establish the downlink service flow using a dynamic security association. 
     
     
         17 . A method of facilitating intra-cell communication, comprising:
 maintaining a connection identification mapping table identifying at least one communication between two mobile stations served by a common network transceiver;   upon receipt by the common network transceiver of an uplink communication containing an uplink data unit, determining if there is a corresponding entry in the connection identification mapping table and, if so, sending a downlink communication containing a corresponding downlink data unit; continuing to serve communications between mobile stations served by the common network transceiver when the common transceiver loses connection with an infrastructure network.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the common network transceiver is located at a base station. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the common network transceiver is located at a relay station. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising transmitting a signaling message indicating that the common transceiver is entering stand-alone mode when the common network transceiver is disconnected from the infrastructure network. 
     
     
         21 . A network transceiver for a wireless communication network, comprising:
 at least one packet processor operable:
 to maintain a connection identification mapping table identifying at least one communication between two mobile stations served by the network transceiver; 
 to determine if there is a corresponding entry in the connection identification mapping table upon receipt by the common network transceiver of an uplink communication containing an uplink data unit, and, if so, to send a downlink communication containing a corresponding downlink data unit; and 
 to continue to serve communications between mobile stations served by the common network transceiver when the common transceiver loses connection with an infrastructure network. 
   
     
     
         22 . A base station comprising the network transceiver of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         23 . A relay station comprising the network transceiver of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         24 . The network transceiver of  claim 21 , wherein the at least one packet processor is operable to transmit a signaling message indicating that the common transceiver is entering stand-alone mode when the common network transceiver is disconnected from the infrastructure network.