Patent · US Active

Wireless user equipment RF relay management

US10075217B1 · kind B1 · utility

4Cited by
0References
14Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 16, 2015
Grant dateSep 11, 2018
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2036

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W88/04
  • WIPO fieldTelecommunications
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

UEs capable of RF relay are enabled and disabled under certain conditions. The access node can control the on and off duration of the UE functioning as an RF relay. The access node may only enable RF relay when there is a need by another UE for the RF relay. The UEs selected to relay (or to not relay) may be selected based on their location (e.g., close to a UE that is experiencing poor signal strength). In an embodiment, the RF relay function of UEs are successively turned on by the access node. This causes these UEs to relay the access node's beacon signal. If, after a period of time, the wireless network performance is not improved, these UEs are commanded to disable their RF relays. If the wireless network performance is improved, the UE may be allowed to continue as an RF relay.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.