An efficient approach for a mobile device apparatus that is out of network coverage to communicate with the network is desired. The apparatus may be a user equipment (UE). The apparatus receives one or more device-to-device (D2D) signals respectively from one or more proximate UEs. The apparatus measures signal strength of the one or more D2D signals based on signal strength of one or more resource elements used for receiving one and/or more reference signals of the one or more D2D signals or signal strength of one or more resource elements used for receiving one or more data parts of the one or more D2D signals. The apparatus selects one of the one or more proximate UEs as a relay UE based on the measurement of the signal strength of the one or more D2D signals, to communicate with the base station via the selected relay UE.

Use of a drone base station companion increases diversity gain in a communications system to reduce error rates and the probability of the need for a retransmission due to channel fading. An apparatus includes a drone base station companion configured as a relay between a base station in a first cell and wireless user equipment in the first cell. The drone base station companion includes a wireless receiver path configured to receive a wireless communication including data from the base station. The drone base station companion includes a wireless transmitter path configured to transmit the data to the wireless user equipment. The drone base station companion may include a second wireless receiver path configured to receive a second wireless communication including the data from the wireless user equipment. The drone base station companion may include a second wireless transmitter path configured to transmit the second data to the base station.

Message transmission system, including first and second networks (2, 3) of devices, and at least one mobile device (6, 7) provided with a non-volatile memory, each mobile device (6, 7) including a first communication means (16) configured to establish an automatic connection with at least one device (E1 to E5) of the first network (2), a second communication means (17) configured to establish an automatic connection with at least one device (4, 5) of the second network (3), and message processing means (15) configured to transmit messages stored in the non-volatile memory of the mobile device to each connected device, and to save the messages transmitted by the mobile device in the non-volatile memory of the mobile device.

The present invention relates to a method for configuring a retransmission protocol on the uplink between a network node and a relay node in a mobile communication system, the configuration being performed at a network node or at a relay node, and to the corresponding relay node apparatus and network node apparatus capable of configuring the retransmission protocol. In particular, the number of transmission processes is determined based on the position of time intervals available for the transmission and may be selected in order to control the round trip time of the retransmission protocol. Once the number of transmission processes has been configured, the transmission processes are mapped on the available time intervals in a predefined order and repetitively.

Embodiments contemplate channel access systems and methods for cognitive relaying in unlicensed and lightly licensed bands. Embodiments contemplate managing nodes of a wireless network operating in an unlicensed and or lightly licensed band. One or more embodiments may include sensing an idle channel in the unlicensed and/or lightly licensed band. Further, embodiments contemplate using the idle channel for wireless communication.

A method performed by a base station in a network, includes detecting a malfunction associated with a backhaul link to the network; identifying one or more neighboring base stations located within a transmission range of the base station; selecting at least one of the one or more neighboring base stations based on one or more parameters, associated with the one or more neighboring base stations, in response to detecting the malfunction; receiving, by a radio frequency (RF) transceiver associated with the base station, a signal from a user equipment; and transmitting, by an RF transceiver associated with the base station, the signal to the selected at least one of the one or more neighboring base stations.

A method of operating a relay device to receive data from one or more terminal devices and relay the data to a base station in a wireless telecommunications system. The method includes receiving plural blocks of data from one or more terminal devices at different times. Each block of data is received in association with an indication of a time by which the block of data should be transmitted to the base station. The block of data are buffered at the relay node that determines earliest time by which one of the received blocks of data should be transmitted to the base station and transmits the plurality of blocks of data to the base station together in advance of this earliest time. The method reduces signalling overhead associated with transmissions from the relay device to the base station while helping to ensure data is not delayed at the relay node for longer than is acceptable for the data.

A network, and a method of operating a network. The network includes a plurality of stations each able to transmit and receive data so that the network can transmit data between stations via at least one selected intermediate station. Each station transmits probe signals in broadcast fashion to other stations to gather a list of neighbor stations. The stations transmit position data and/or position determining data in at least some of the probe signals. Each station maintains position data and/or position determining data received from selected probing stations, and utilizes the data to determine the absolute or relative position of itself and/or other stations. The stations can determine the relative or absolute position of other stations in direct communication with themselves, and also of other stations not in direct communication with themselves.

A method and apparatus for transmitting reference signals in a relay communication system are provided. The method transmits reference signals via a type 2 relay node in a relay communication system and includes a base station (BS) allocating a plurality of antenna ports in a mutually exclusive manner so that the antenna port of the BS and the antenna port of a peripheral relay node do not overlap each other, the BS and relay node transmitting reference signals to a user equipment (UE) via the corresponding antenna ports that are mutually exclusively allocated and the BS receiving channel state information from the UE to obtain channel state information between the BS and the UE and channel state information between the relay node and the UE.

A method for setting up a relay link to transfer a data frame using a relay in a wireless communication system. The relay link setup method of a source in the system may include receiving capability information of at least one relay supporting station included in the system from an access point or a personal basic service set central point, selecting one of the at least one relay supporting station as a relay station, using beam forming information among the source station, a destination station, and the at least one relay supporting station and the capability information, transferring a relay link setup request frame to the destination station, and receiving a relay link setup response frame that includes information on a relay link setup result from the destination station. The relay link setup request frame and the relay link setup response frame may pass through the relay station.