(19)
(11)EP 3 223 440 B1

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION

(45)Mention of the grant of the patent:
24.03.2021 Bulletin 2021/12

(21)Application number: 17166277.8

(22)Date of filing:  31.10.2007
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC): 
H04B 7/155(2006.01)
H04W 52/14(2009.01)
H04W 52/50(2009.01)
H04W 52/46(2009.01)
H04W 52/24(2009.01)

(54)

METHOD OF CONTROLLING POWER OF ACCESS UPLINK USING RELAY STATION

VERFAHREN ZUR LEISTUNGSSTEUERUNG EINES ACCESS UPLINKS UNTER BENUTZUNG EINER RELAISSTATION

PROCÉDÉ DE COMMANDE DE PUISSANCE D'UNE LIAISON MONTANTE D'ACCÈS À L'AIDE D'UNE STATION RELAIS


(84)Designated Contracting States:
AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MT NL PL PT RO SE SI SK TR

(30)Priority: 02.11.2006 KR 20060107670
26.04.2007 KR 20070040971

(43)Date of publication of application:
27.09.2017 Bulletin 2017/39

(62)Application number of the earlier application in accordance with Art. 76 EPC:
07833783.9 / 2080292

(73)Proprietor: Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute
Yusong-gu, Daejeon-city 305-350 (KR)

(72)Inventors:
  • LEE, Yong-Su
    305-759 Daejeon-city (KR)
  • OH, Jung-Hoon
    305-761 Daejeon-city (KR)
  • KIM, Young-Il
    305-755 Daejeon-city (KR)

(74)Representative: Betten & Resch 
Patent- und Rechtsanwälte PartGmbB Maximiliansplatz 14
80333 München
80333 München (DE)


(56)References cited: : 
WO-A1-2006/101013
  
      
    Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention).


    Description

    Technical Feld



    [0001] The present invention relates to a method of controlling power of access uplink using a relay station and a system thereof.

    [0002] This work was supported by the IT R&D program of MIC/IITA [2006-S-011-01, Development of relay/mesh communication system for multi-hop WiBro].

    Background Art



    [0003] Recently, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 is progressing a standardization project of a multi-hop relay after IEEE 802.16-2004, which is a standard for fixed subscribers' terminals, and IEEE 802.16e-2005, which is a standard for providing mobility of subscriber station (SS), have been published. The purpose of the standardization project performed by IEEE 802.16 Task Group (TG) j is coverage extension and throughput enhancement.

    [0004] According to the prior art, a multi-hop relay station has no role in closed-loop power control of terminals, and power control of SS using a multi-hop relay station is not disclosed.

    [0005] WO 2006/101013 A1 describes a mobile station wherein the power consumption can be suppressed. In a frame, this mobile station transmits, to both a base station and a relay station, a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of subcarriers that have been controlled in transmission power on the basis of first reception quality information. In a further frame, the mobile station transmits, only to the base station, a multicarrier signal comprising a plurality of subcarriers that have been controlled in transmission power on the basis of second reception quality information. In this case, the mobile station selects subcarriers in which reception qualities indicated by the second reception quality information are lower than a target quality, and the mobile station then transmits, to the base station, a multicarrier signal comprising only those subcarriers in which the reception qualities are lower than the target quality.

    Disclosure of Invention


    Technical Problem



    [0006] The present invention provides a method of performing fast power control of an access uplink using a relay station and a system thereof.

    Technical Solution



    [0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling power in a relay station as defined in claim 1. A further embodiment of this method is defined in claim 2.

    [0008] Thus, fast power control of an access uplink can be achieved.

    Advantageous Effects



    [0009] As described above, according to the present invention , a RS can directly perform fast power control of an access uplink. In addition, when a MR-BS performs power control considering the entire cell, a power control value previously compensated by a RS is used, and thus, fast power control can be performed.

    Description of Drawings



    [0010] 

    FIG. 1 illustrates links defined in a system in which a relay station exists according to an embodiment of the present invention;

    FIG. 2 is a signaling diagram of a method of controlling power of an access uplink using a relay station according to an embodiment of the present invention;

    FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a relay station (RS) for controlling power of an access uplink according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

    FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a Base Station (BS) for controlling power of an access uplink according to an embodiment of the present invention.


    Best Mode



    [0011] Thus, fast power control of an access uplink can be achieved.

    Mode for Invention



    [0012] The present invention will be described in detail by explaining preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the attached drawings.

    [0013] FIG. 1 illustrates links defined in a system in which a relay station exists

    [0014] Referring to FIG. 1, in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system, a link between a multi-hop relay station (hereinafter, RS) 110 and a multi-hop relay (HR) Base Station (BS) (hereinafter, MR-BS) 100 is called a relay link, and a link between the RS 110 and a subscriber station (hereinafter, SS) 120 called an access link. According to upstream and downstream directions, the relay link is divided into a relay uplink and a relay downlink, and the access link is divided into an access uplink and an access downlink. The present invention particularly relates to the access uplink among the links. More than two RS can exist between the BS 100 and the SS 120.

    [0015] FIG. 2 is a signaling diagram of a method of controlling power of an access uplink using a relay station according to an embodiment of the present invention.

    [0016] Referring to FIG. 2, the access uplink power control method is largely divided into a method of controlling power of the access uplink in the MR-BS 100 (method I: Centralized MR) and a method of controlling power of the access uplink in the RS 110 (method II : Distributed MR).

    [0017] Only one of the method I and the method II can be implemented, if the method I and the method II are implemented together, the MR-BS 100 may select one of the method I and the method H.

    [0018] A case where the method I and the method II are implemented together will now be described.

    [0019] The MR- BS 100 selects one of the method I of directly controlling power of the access uplink a nd the method II of controlling power of the access uplink in the RS 110 by considering an entire power control situation of its cell in operation S200. The MR-BS 100 transmits the selected method to the RS 110 using a conventional or new message.

    (1) Method I: Centralized MR



    [0020] The RS 110 measures channel quality of an access uplink in operation S210. The RS 110 transmits a basic Connection Identifier (CID) and channel quality measurement information to the MR-BS 100 or superordinate RS in operation 5220. In this case, the RS 110 can add the channel quality measurement information to a conventional message used between the RS 110 and the MR-BS 100 or generate a new message for reporting the channel quality measurement information, and transmit the message to the MR-BS 100. The channel quality measurement information includes reception power measurement information of the access uplink and a power compensation value calculated based on the reception power measurement information, and may further include various kinds of measurement information.

    [0021] The MR-BS 100 measures reception power of the an relay uplink and generates a message for power control of the access uplink based on the channel quality measurement information reported from the RS 110 in operation 5230, and transmits the power control message to the SS 120 via the RS 110 in operation S240. The power control message includes a power compensation value.

    [0022] Meanwhile, for the message for power control of the access uplink, a SS specification may be maintained as it was by using a conventional power control message, e.g. a power control message defined in IEEE 802.16-2004 and IEEE 802.16-2005. The MR-BS 100 can perform power control considering the entire cell based on the channel quality measurement information reported from the RS 110.

    [0023] The SS 120 immediately reflects the power compensation value included in the received power control message to a transmission power gain in operation S250. Thus, the power of the access uplink is controlled.

    (2) Method 11: Distributed MR



    [0024] If the MR-BS 100 selects a method in which the RS 110 directly controls power of the access uplink in operation S200, the MR-BS 100 informs the RS 110 of the selected method in operation S260, and assigns only resources to a conventional power control message and transmits the power control message to the RS 110.

    [0025] The RS 110 measures channel quality of the access uplink in operation S270 and transmits the power control message containing a power compensation value calculated based on the measurement result to the SS 120 in operation 5280. That is, the RS 110 measures reception power of the access uplink, calculates the power compensation value based on the measurement result, inserts the calculated power compensation value into a power control message, and transmits the power control message to the SS 120. The SS 120 immediately reflects the power compensation value contained in the received power control message to a transmission power gain in operation S290. Thus, the RS 110 can directly control the power of the access uplink without intervention of the MR-BS 100.

    [0026] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the RS 110 for controlling power of an access uplink.

    [0027] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, the RS 110 includes a quality measurement unit 300, a quality reporting unit 310, and a power controller 320.

    [0028] The quality measurement unit 300 measures channel quality of the access uplink between the SS 120 and the RS 110 and generates channel quality measurement information based on the measured channel quality. In detail, the quality measurement unit 300 measures reception power of the access uplink and generates channel quality measurement information containing a power compensation value calculated based on the measured reception power.

    [0029] The quality reporting unit 310 reports the channel quality measurement information generated by the quality measurement unit 300 to the MR-BS 100. That is, the quality reporting unit 310 reports the channel quality measurement information to the MR-BS 100 using a message conventionally or newly defined between the MR-BS 100 and the RS 110.

    [0030] The power controller 320 generates a message for power control of the access uplink based on the channel quality measured by the quality measurement unit 300 and transmits the power control message to the SS 120. In the power control of the access uplink according to the current embodiment, since the subject of power control can be any of the MR-BS 100 and the RS 110 as illustrated in FIG. 2, if the RS 110 is selected as the subject of power control by the MR-BS 100, the power controller 320 directly performs the power control of the access uplink.

    [0031] The message for power control of the access uplink transmitted from the power controller 320 to the SS 120 may be a conventional power control message applied to the SS 120.

    [0032] FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the MR-BS 100 for controlling power of an access.

    [0033] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the MR-BS 100 includes a channel information receiver 400, a power controller 410, and a control body decision unit 420.

    [0034] The channel information receiver 400 receives channel quality measurement information of an access uplink between the SS 120 and the relay 110. The control body decision unit 420 decides as described in FIG. 2 whether the subject of power control of the access uplink becomes the MR-BS 100 or the RS 110.

    [0035] If the MR-BS 100 is decided as the subject of power control of the access uplink by the control body decision unit 420, the power controller 410 generates a message for power control of the access uplink based on the received channel quality measurement information and transmits the power control message to the SS 120 via the RS 110. In this case, the message for power control of the access uplink may be the conventional power control message applied to the SS 120.

    [0036] The invention can also be embodied as computer readable codes on a computer readable recording medium. The computer readable recording medium is any data storage device that can store data which can be thereafter read by a computer system. Examples of the computer readable recording medium include read-only memory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), CD-ROMs, magnetic tapes, floppy disks, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves (such as data transmission through the Internet). The computer readable recording medium can also be distributed over network coupled computer systems so that the computer readable code is stored and executed in a distributed fashion.

    [0037] As described above, according to the present invention , a RS can directly perform fast power control of an access uplink. In addition, when a MR-BS performs power control considering the entire cell, a power control value previously compensated by a RS is used, and thus, fast power control can be performed.

    [0038] While this invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The preferred embodiments should be considered in descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation. Therefore, the scope of the invention is defined not by the detailed description of the invention but by the appended claims, and all differences within the scope will be construed as being included in the present invention.


    Claims

    1. A method of controlling power in communication system including a relay station, RS, and a base station, BS, the method comprising:

    selecting (S200) one of a first method of controlling power in the BS and a second method of controlling power in the RS;

    when the second method is selected,

    transmitting (S260), by the BS, a message related to power control to the RS;

    measuring (S270),

    by the RS, channel quality of an access uplink between a subscriber station, SS, and the RS;

    generating, by the RS, power control message for the access uplink based on the measured channel quality; and

    transmitting (S280), by the RS, the power control message to the SS; and when the first method is selected,

    measuring (S210), by the RS, channel quality of the access uplink between the SS and the RS;

    generating, by the RS, channel quality measurement information based on the measured channel quality;

    reporting (S220), by the RS, the channel quality measurement information to the BS or a superordinate RS;

    generating (S230), by the BS, power control message for the access uplink based on the channel quality measurement information; and

    transmitting (S240), by the BS, the power control message to the SS via the RS.


     
    2. The method of claim 1, wherein the SS compensates power of the access uplink based on the power control message (S290).
     


    Ansprüche

    1. Verfahren zum Steuern der Leistung in einem Kommunikationssystem, das eine Weiterleitungsstation, RS, und eine Basisstation, BS, enthält, wobei das Verfahren umfasst:

    Auswählen (S200) eines ersten Verfahrens zum Steuern der Leistung in der BS oder eines zweiten Verfahrens zum Steuern der Leistung in der RS;

    dann, wenn das zweite Verfahren ausgewählt wird,

    Senden (S260) durch die BS einer Nachricht bezüglich einer Leistungssteuerung an die RS;

    Messen (S270) durch die RS einer Kanalqualität einer Zugriffsaufwärtsstrecke zwischen einer Teilnehmerstation, SS, und der RS;

    Erzeugen durch die RS einer Leistungssteuernachricht für die Zugriffsaufwärtsstrecke anhand der gemessenen Kanalqualität; und

    Senden (S280) durch die RS der Leistungssteuernachricht an die SS; und

    dann, wenn das erste Verfahren ausgewählt wird,

    Messen (S210) durch die RS der Kanalqualität der Zugriffsaufwärtsstrecke zwischen der SS und der RS;

    Erzeugen durch die RS von Kanalqualitätsmessinformationen anhand der gemessenen Kanalqualität;

    Melden (S220) durch die RS der Kanalqualitätsmessinformationen an die BS oder eine übergeordnete RS;

    Erzeugen (S230) durch die BS einer Leistungssteuernachricht für die Zugriffsaufwärtsstrecke anhand der Kanalqualitätsmessinformationen; und

    Senden (S240) durch die BS der Leistungssteuernachricht an die SS über die RS.


     
    2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, wobei die SS die Leistung der Zugriffsaufwärtsstrecke anhand der Leistungssteuernachricht (S290) kompensiert.
     


    Revendications

    1. Procédé de commande de puissance dans un système de communication comprenant une station relais, RS. et une station de base, BS, le procédé comprenant:

    La sélection (S200) d'un premier procédé de commande de puissance dans la BS et d'un second procédé de commande de puissance dans la RS;

    lorsque le second procédé est sélectionné,

    la transmission (S260), par la BS, d'un message relatif à la commande de puissance à la RS;

    la mesure (S270) par la RS, de la qualité du canal d'une liaison montante d'accès entre une station d'abonné, la SS, et la RS;

    la génération, par la RS, d'un message de commande de puissance pour la liaison montante d'accès en fonction de la qualité mesurée du canal; et

    la transmission (S280) par la RS, du message de commande de puissance à la SS;

    lorsque le premier procédé est sélectionné,

    la mesure (S210) par la RS, de la qualité du canal de la liaison montante d'accès entre la SS et la RS;

    la génération, par la RS, d'informations sur la mesure de la qualité des canaux en fonction de la qualité mesurée des canaux;

    le compte-rendu (S220) par la RS, des informations sur la mesure de la qualité du canal à la BS ou à un RS supérieur;

    la génération (S230) par la station de base, d'un message de commande de puissance pour la liaison montante d'accès fondé sur les informations de mesure de la qualité du canal; et

    la transmission (S240) par la BS, le message de commande de puissance à la SS par le biais de la RS.


     
    2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, dans lequel le SS compense la puissance de la liaison montante d'accès sur la base du message de commande de puissance (S290).
     




    Drawing














    Cited references

    REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION



    This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.

    Patent documents cited in the description