Base station apparatus and communication method

Abstract

A wireless communication system enabling multihop communication while maintaining the system throughput and preventing degradation of the user throughput. In the system, a BS (base station) determines the relaying method (whether an RS performs reproduction relay or nonreproduction relay) of the RS (relaying station) and the MCS of multihop communication according to the reception quality (the line quality among an MS 2, the RS, and the BS) of the pilot for nonreproduction relay, the reception quality (the line quality between the RS and the BS) of the pilot 2 for reproduction relay, and the line quality (the line quality between the MS 2 and the RS) measured at the RS. The determination result is transmitted as relay information to the RS and to the MS 2 (a mobile station ( 2 )) through the RS. The MS 2 encodes and modulates the uplink data with the MCS based on the relay information and transmits the data to the RS. The RS relays the uplink data while selecting nonreproduction relay or reproduction relay according to the relay information.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wireless communication system, comprising:
 a mobile station;   a base station; and   a relay station, wherein the mobile station and the base station communicate via the relay station, wherein:   the relay station is configured for both a first relay scheme of a non-regenerative relay for amplifying a signal without changing a modulation scheme and performing a relay transmission, and a second relay scheme of a regenerative relay for changing the modulation scheme of the signal according to a channel quality and performing the relay transmission, and the relay station switches between the first and second relay schemes based on a combination of a first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and a second channel quality in the regenerative relay.   
     
     
       2. The wireless communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the base station comprises a table providing a relationship between the combination of the first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and the second channel quality in the regenerative relay and the first and second relay schemes, and determines a relay scheme to be employed, with reference to the table. 
     
     
       3. The wireless communication system according to  claim 2 , wherein the base station transmits relay information indicating the determined relay scheme to the relay station. 
     
     
       4. The wireless communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein the relay station transmits a pilot signal for employment in a channel quality measurement to the base station in the non-regenerative relay, measures a channel quality between the mobile station and the relay station from the pilot signal as the second channel quality in the regenerative relay, and transmits a new pilot signal for employment in the channel quality measurement to the base station. 
     
     
       5. The wireless communication system according to  claim 4 , wherein the relay station transmits information indicating the measured channel quality to the base station. 
     
     
       6. The wireless communication system according to  claim 1 , wherein, when the regenerative relay is employed, the relay station determines a modulation scheme for a communication between the mobile station and the relay station. 
     
     
       7. A relay station apparatus switching between two relay schemes of a non-regenerative relay for amplifying a signal from a mobile station apparatus without changing a modulation scheme and performing a relay transmission, and a regenerative relay for changing the modulation scheme of the signal from the mobile station apparatus according to a channel quality and performing the relay transmission, the relay station apparatus comprising:
 an amplifying section that amplifies the signal from the mobile station apparatus;   a demodulation section that demodulates the signal from the mobile station apparatus;   a modulation section that modulates the signal demodulated by the demodulation section using a modulation scheme in accordance with the channel quality;   a transmission section that transmits the signal amplified by the amplifying section or the signal modulated by the modulation section; and   a switching section that switches between the two relay schemes based on a combination of a first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and a second channel quality in the regenerative relay, and outputs an input signal to the amplifying section when the non-regenerative relay is employed and outputs the input signal to the demodulation section when the regenerative relay is employed.   
     
     
       8. The relay station apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a receiving section that receives a pilot signal for employment in channel quality measurement from the mobile station apparatus; and   a measuring section that measures a channel quality between the mobile station apparatus and the relay station apparatus from the pilot signal as the second channel quality in the regenerative relay.   
     
     
       9. The relay station apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the transmission section transmits the pilot signal to the base station in the non-regenerative relay and transmits a new pilot signal for employment in the channel quality measurement to the base station apparatus. 
     
     
       10. The relay station apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the transmission section further transmits information indicating the measured channel quality to the base station apparatus. 
     
     
       11. The relay station apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein, when the regenerative relay is employed, the switching section determines a modulation scheme for a communication between the mobile station apparatus and the relay station apparatus. 
     
     
       12. The relay station apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a receiving section that receives relay information indicating a relay scheme determined based on a relationship between the combination of the first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and the second channel quality in the regenerative relay and the two relay schemes, and
 wherein the switching section switches between the two relay schemes according to the relay information.   
     
     
       13. The relay station apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising a table providing a relationship between the relay information and the two relay schemes, and
 wherein the switching section switches between the two relay schemes with reference to the table.   
     
     
       14. A wireless communication system, comprising:
 a mobile station;   a base station; and   a relay station, wherein the mobile station and the base station communicate via the relay station,   wherein:   the relay station switches between two relay schemes of a non-regenerative relay for amplifying a signal without changing a modulation scheme and performing a relay transmission, and a regenerative relay for changing the modulation scheme of the signal according to a channel quality and performing a relay transmission, based on a combination of a first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and a second channel quality in the regenerative relay; and   the base station comprises a table providing a relationship between the combination of the first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and the second channel quality in the regenerative relay and the two relay schemes, and determines a relay scheme to be employed, with reference to the table.   
     
     
       15. The wireless communication system according to  claim 14 , wherein the base station transmits relay information indicating the determined relay scheme to the relay station. 
     
     
       16. A base station apparatus configured to communicate with a mobile station apparatus via a relay station apparatus, the base station apparatus comprising:
 a receiver that receives a first pilot signal for employment in a first channel quality measurement between the mobile station apparatus and the base station apparatus in a non-regenerative relay, and a second pilot signal for employment in a second channel quality measurement between the relay station apparatus and the base station apparatus in a regenerative relay, wherein the non-regenerative relay is for amplifying a signal without regenerating the signal with a decoding-reencoding process, and the regenerative relay is for regenerating a signal with a decoding-reencoding process;   a measuring section configured to measure the first channel quality using the first pilot signal transmitted in the non-regenerative relay, and to measure the second channel quality using the second pilot signal transmitted in the regenerative relay;   a determining section configured to determine a relay scheme to be selected by the relay station apparatus, between the non-regenerative relay or the regenerative relay, based on the first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and the second channel quality in the regenerative relay; and   a transmitter that transmits relay information indicating the determined relay scheme to the relay station apparatus.   
     
     
       17. The base station apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a table providing a relationship between a combination of the first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and the second channel quality in the regenerative relay and two relay schemes of the non-regenerative relay and the regenerative relay,
 wherein the relay scheme is determined with reference to the table.   
     
     
       18. A communication method performed by a base station apparatus that communicates with a mobile station apparatus via a relay station apparatus, the communication method comprising:
 receiving a first pilot signal for employment in a first channel quality measurement between the mobile station apparatus and the base station apparatus in a non-regenerative relay, and a second pilot signal for employment in a second channel quality measurement between the relay station apparatus and the base station apparatus in a regenerative relay, wherein the non-regenerative relay is for amplifying a signal without regenerating the signal with a decoding-reencoding process, and the regenerative relay is for regenerating a signal with a decoding-reencoding process;   measuring the first channel quality using the first pilot signal transmitted in the non-regenerative relay and measuring the second channel quality using the second pilot signal transmitted in the regenerative relay;   determining a relay scheme to be selected by the relay station apparatus, between the non-regenerative relay or the regenerative relay, based on the first channel quality in the non-regenerative relay and the second channel quality in the regenerative relay; and   transmitting relay information indicating the determined relay scheme to the relay station apparatus.