Methods, apparatus, and systems for ue cooperation with ue relaying

Abstract

Signaling to enable relay-based user equipment (UE) cooperation (UC) by a group of UEs, and a configuration including an adaptation protocol for processing of UC bearer traffic, are communicated in a wireless communication network. The UC bearer traffic includes a UC bearer and UC bearer attributes, and the UC bearer includes either a split bearer or a duplicated bearer indicated in the UC bearer attributes. In some embodiments, wireless network connectivity that is available for a relay link is determined, and the adaptation protocol is determined based on the determined connectivity. Signaling to enable configuration of the relay link in accordance with the connectivity and the adaptation protocol is communicated. A UE may receive signaling to configure the UE for such a relay link, and communicates traffic between a remote UE and the wireless communication network over the relay link.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a relay user equipment (UE), signaling to enable relay-based UE cooperation (UC) by a group of UEs, the group of UEs comprising the relay UE and a remote UE;   receiving, by the relay UE, a configuration including adaptation information for processing of UC bearer traffic, the UC bearer traffic comprising a UC bearer and UC bearer attributes, the UC bearer comprising either a split packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer indicated in the UC bearer attributes; and   communicating, by the relay UE, the UC bearer traffic with the remote UE.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the UC bearer attributes include any one or more of: a UC bearer identity; a UC bearer index; one or more destination identifiers; one or more source identifiers; a total number of UC bearer streams processed from the associated PDCP bearer; an indication of whether the UC bearer comprises a split PDCP bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer; an indication of an identifier of a relay path or route; an indication of a total number of UC paths or routes for a UE; an indication of a time stamp or adaptation reference at each adaptation processing point over relaying; an indication as to UC or relay only traffic; an indication to a control operation. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein communicating the UC bearer traffic with the remote UE comprises relaying the UC bearer traffic, the relaying comprising physical (PHY), media access control (MAC), radio link control (RLC), and adaptation protocol (AP) layer processing, and forwarding the UC bearer traffic based on the UC bearer attributes. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 receiving the UC bearer traffic over a first air interface, the UC bearer traffic associated with PHY, MAC, and RLC layer contexts of the first air interface; and   converting the UC bearer traffic to be associated with respective PHY, MAC, and RLC layer contexts of a second air interface of a different type than the first air interface.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the first air interface and the second air interface comprise an access air interface and a sidelink air interface. 
     
     
         6 . A method comprising:
 receiving, by a remote user equipment (UE), signaling to enable relay-based UE cooperation (UC) by a group of UEs, the group of UEs comprising the remote UE and a relay UE;   receiving, by the remote UE, a configuration including adaptation information for processing of UC bearer traffic, the UC bearer traffic comprising a UC bearer and UC bearer attributes, the UC bearer comprising either a split packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer indicated in the UC bearer attributes; and   communicating, by the remote UE, the UC bearer traffic with the relay UE.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the UC bearer attributes include any one or more of: a UC bearer identity; a UC bearer index; one or more destination identifiers; one or more source identifiers; a total number of UC bearer streams processed from the associated PDCP bearer; an indication of whether the UC bearer comprises a split PDCP bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer; an indication of an identifier of a relay path or route; an indication of a total number of UC paths or routes for a UE; an indication of a time stamp or adaptation reference at each adaptation processing point over relaying; an indication as to UC or relay only traffic; an indication to a control operation. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein communicating the UC bearer traffic with the relay UE comprises:
 receiving, by the remote UE, the UC bearer traffic; and   the remote UE aggregating the split PDCP bearer or conducting joint detection of the duplicated PDCP bearer in the UC bearer traffic.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein communicating the UC bearer traffic with the relay UE comprises:
 splitting or duplicating, by the remote UE, the PDCP bearer to generate the UC bearer traffic; and   transmitting, by the remote UE, the UC bearer traffic.   
     
     
         10 . A method comprising:
 transmitting, by a base station, signaling to a relay user equipment (UE) and a remote UE, the signaling to enable relay-based UE cooperation (UC) by a group of UEs, the group of UEs comprising the remote UE and the relay UE;   transmitting, by the base station, a respective configuration to each of the relay UE and the remote UE, the configuration including adaptation information for processing of UC bearer traffic, the UC bearer traffic comprising a UC bearer and UC bearer attributes, the UC bearer comprising either a split packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer indicated in the UC bearer attributes; and   communicating, by the base station, the UC bearer traffic with either one or both of the relay UE and the remote UE.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface;   a processor, coupled to the communication interface;   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, coupled to the processor, storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions for the apparatus to perform the method of  claim 1 .   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the UC bearer attributes include any one or more of: a UC bearer identity; a UC bearer index; one or more destination identifiers; one or more source identifiers; a total number of UC bearer streams processed from the associated PDCP bearer; an indication of whether the UC bearer comprises a split PDCP bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer; an indication of an identifier of a relay path or route; an indication of a total number of UC paths or routes for a UE; an indication of a time stamp or adaptation reference at each adaptation processing point over relaying; an indication as to UC or relay only traffic; an indication to a control operation. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions for the apparatus to relay the UC bearer traffic, the relaying comprising physical (PHY), media access control (MAC), radio link control (RLC), and adaptation protocol (AP) layer processing, and to forward the UC bearer traffic based on the UC bearer attributes. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further include instructions for the apparatus to:
 receive the UC bearer traffic over a first air interface, the UC bearer traffic associated with PHY, MAC, and RLC layer contexts of the first air interface; and   converting the UC bearer traffic to be associated with respective PHY, MAC, and RLC layer contexts of a second air interface of a different type than the first air interface.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the first air interface and the second air interface comprise an access air interface and a sidelink air interface. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface;   a processor, coupled to the communication interface;   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, coupled to the processor, storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions to perform the method of  claim 6 .   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the UC bearer attributes include any one or more of: a UC bearer identity; a UC bearer index; one or more destination identifiers; one or more source identifiers; a total number of UC bearer streams processed from the associated PDCP bearer; an indication of whether the UC bearer comprises a split PDCP bearer or a duplicated PDCP bearer; an indication of an identifier of a relay path or route; an indication of a total number of UC paths or routes for a UE; an indication of a time stamp or adaptation reference at each adaptation processing point over relaying; an indication as to UC or relay only traffic; an indication to a control operation. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions for the apparatus to:
 receive the UC bearer traffic; and   aggregate the split PDCP bearer or conduct joint detection of the duplicated PDCP bearer in the UC bearer traffic.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions comprise instructions for the apparatus to:
 split or duplicate the PDCP bearer to generate the UC bearer traffic; and   transmit the UC bearer traffic.   
     
     
         20 . An apparatus comprising:
 a communication interface;   a processor, coupled to the communication interface;   a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, coupled to the processor, storing programming for execution by the processor, the programming including instructions for the apparatus to perform the method of  claim 10 .