NETWORK-INITIATED DISCOVERY AND PATH SELECTION PROCEDURES FOR MULTI-HOP UNDERLAY NETWORKS

摘要

Described herein are processes related to discovering and establishing suitable multi-hop communication paths for (endpoint) user equipments (UEs). A network-initiated discovery and path selection processes may utilize periodically transmitted reference signals along with optional assistance information. A network node, such an eNodeB, and other relaying-capable nodes, such as relay UEs, may transmit periodic reference signals. Based on these transmitted reference signals and optional assistance information, the relay UEs and/or an endpoint node (e.g., the eNodeB or the endpoint UE) may make a selection decision for previous hop paths for communication. The endpoint UE or the eNodeB may make the selection decision for the end-to-end path in order to provide coverage extension for the end UE using multi-hop transmission paths.

主权项

1. A user equipment (UE) configured to operate as a relay node comprising:
receiver circuitry configured to:
receive a notification of a request to establish a multi-hop transmission path communicatively coupling an eNodeB and an endpoint UE; andreceive a first message, including a first reference signal, from a first network node; and transmission circuitry configured to transmit a second message to a second UE, the second message to include a second reference signal different than the first reference signal, and measurement information of a transmission path from the first network node to the UE for a second network node to use to determine whether to select the transmission path from the first network node to the UE as at least a portion of the multi-hop transmission path.