Abstract: A path selection method for use in a communication system is provided. The system includes at least three communication apparatuses, a particular one of said apparatuses being operable to transmit and/or receive a communication signal along at least two different communication paths, each said path being either a single-link path extending from the particular apparatus to another said apparatus directly over a single communication link therebetween, or being a multi-link path extending from the particular apparatus to said other or another said apparatus indirectly via one or more intermediate said apparatuses over a plurality of consecutive such links link-by-link along the path, and at least one said path being such a multi-link path. The method includes, for each link along at least the or one of the multi-link paths, obtaining link-suitability information indicative of the suitability of the link concerned for transmission and/or reception.

Abstract: A wireless communication method used in a system comprising a base station and a plurality of fixed or mobile subscriber stations, the base station maintaining connections with each of the subscriber stations by performing wireless communication in units of frames, and within each frame, allocating resources for data transmissions and signalling in the wireless communication system. The method involves providing, in each frame, a new dedicated shared channel for use by the subscriber stations to report a connection quality to the base station. To save bandwidth in the system, the resources allocated to the shared channel are less than the total resources needed for every subscriber station to report individually within the same frame.

Abstract: A transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system is provided.

Abstract: A downlink transmission method for use in a multi-hop communication system, the system comprising a base station (BS), a mobile station (MS) and one or more relay stations (RS), and the system providing two or more different communication paths extending between the base station and the mobile station, the base station being operable to transmit information indirectly to the mobile station along a series of links forming a first such communication path via one or more of said relays and also being operable to transmit information to the mobile station along one link or a series of links forming a second such communication path; the method comprising transmitting particular information from the base station along the first and second communication paths and combining the same particular information transmitted along the first and second communication paths in the mobile station.

Abstract: A transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and two or more intermediate apparatuses. The system has access to a time-frequency format for use in assigning available transmission frequency bandwidth during a discrete transmission interval, said format defining a plurality of transmission windows within such an interval. Each window occupies a different part of that interval and has a frequency bandwidth profile within said available transmission frequency bandwidth over its part of that interval. Each said window is assignable for such a transmission interval to one of said apparatuses for use in transmission.

Abstract: A wireless communication method in a wireless communication system is provided. In the wireless communication system, subscriber stations are each operable to communicate with a base station and the base station is capable of performing simultaneous communications with a number of subscriber stations by allocating an available capacity among the subscriber stations. The subscriber stations are required to issue capacity requests in order to obtain and/or maintain a connection with the base station, and communications between the subscriber stations and the base station are performed partly or wholly through at least one relay station. The provided wireless communication method includes, in the relay station, detecting capacity requests issued from a plurality of the subscriber stations, using the detected requests to form at least one combined capacity request, and transmitting the combined capacity request to the base station.

Abstract: A method for operating a WiMAX femtocell base station, wherein the femtocell base station has an active operational mode, in which the radio interface subsystem of the femtocell base station is fully power supplied, is characterized in that a power saving mode with reduced radio interface activity is provided, wherein the femtocell base station is enabled to transit between the active operation mode and the power saving mode. Furthermore, a corresponding femtocell base station for deployment in a WiMAX network is disclosed.

Abstract: A transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and two or more intermediate apparatuses. The system has access to a time-frequency format for use in assigning available transmission frequency bandwidth during a discrete transmission interval, said format defining a plurality of transmission windows within such an interval. Each window occupies a different part of that interval and has a frequency bandwidth profile within said available transmission frequency bandwidth over its part of that interval. Each said window is assignable for such a transmission interval to one of said apparatuses for use in transmission.

Abstract: A method for operation of a WiMAX network, the network including a WiMAX macrocell network with one or more macrocell base stations and at least one femtocell base station, the macrocell base stations and the at least one femtocell base station being configured to offer connectivity to mobile stations is described. The method is characterized in that a communication scheme between the macrocell network and the at least one femtocells base station is defined according to which a direct wireless link is established between the at least one femtocell base station and one or more of the macrocell base stations located within the coverage area of the at least one femtocell base station. Furthermore, a corresponding WiMAX network is disclosed.

Abstract: A wireless communication method in a system in which subscriber stations are each operable for communication with a base station is provided. The base station is capable of performing simultaneous communications with a plurality of the subscriber stations simultaneously by exchange of packets each conforming with a layered protocol of said system. The packets include a first portion for defining physical layer (PHY) parameters and a second portion for defining media access layer (MAC) parameters. Furthermore, communications between the subscriber stations and the base station are performed wholly or partly through at least one relay station. In this system, the method includes, in the relay station, receiving a plurality of packets from the subscriber stations, detecting the second portion of each of the packets, combining the detected second portions to form a second portion of at least one new packet, and transmitting the new packet to the base station.

Abstract: For enhancing user throughput and coverage within a multi-cell radio system a method for operating a multi-cell radio system, especially an OFDMA-based radio system including a plurality of base stations, wherein different frequency reuse factors are used within different reuse zones of one cell by a fractional frequency reuse (FFR) scheme, the method includes the following steps: allocating a size or resource to the different reuse zones, and allocating users into different reuse zones. Further, a multi-cell radio system is described, preferably for carrying out the above mentioned method.

Abstract: A wireless communication method in a system in which subscriber stations are each operable for communication with a base station is provided. The base station is capable of performing simultaneous communications with a plurality of the subscriber stations simultaneously by exchange of packets each conforming with a layered protocol of said system. The packets include a first portion for defining physical layer (PHY) parameters and a second portion for defining media access layer (MAC) parameters. Furthermore, communications between the subscriber stations and the base station are performed wholly or partly through at least one relay station. In this system, the method includes, in the relay station, receiving a plurality of packets from the subscriber stations, detecting the second portion of each of the packets, combining the detected second portions to form a second portion of at least one new packet, and transmitting the new packet to the base station.

Abstract: An uplink transmission method for use in a multi-hop communication system, the system comprising a mobile station (MS), a base station (BS) and one or more relay stations (RS), and the system providing two or more different communication paths extending between the mobile station and the base station, the mobile station being operable to transmit information indirectly to the base station along a series of links forming a first such communication path via one or more of the relay stations and also being operable to transmit information to the base station along one link or a series of links forming a second such communication path; the method comprising transmitting particular information from the mobile station along the first and the second communication paths; and combining the same particular information transmitted along the first and second communication paths in the base station.

Abstract: A method of subcarrier allocation in an OFDMA-based communication network, wherein the network includes a network controller and a number of base stations, wherein the network is divided into different cells and/or sectors, and wherein subchannels are generated by forming subsets of active orthogonal subcarriers of the OFDMA frame structure, is characterized in that the base stations measure the traffic load and/or the interference from neighboring and/or other cells and/or sectors, wherein an allocation of the subchannels to the cells and/or sectors is performed on the basis of the results of the measurements. Furthermore, a network applying OFDMA technology is disclosed.

Abstract: A transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and one or more intermediate apparatuses. The system has access to at least one predetermined transmission introduction sequence and also having access to a time-frequency format for use in assigning available transmission frequency bandwidth during a discrete transmission interval, said format defining a plurality of transmission windows within such an interval. The method for use in this system includes, when transmitting a message with a preamble in a particular transmission interval, transmitting the preamble in a first transmission window of that transmission interval. The method further includes transmitting the transmission introduction sequence in a second transmission window of that transmission interval other than the first transmission window as control information for use by at least one said intermediate apparatus.

Abstract: A transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system is provided. Furthermore, the system has access to a time-frequency format for use in assigning available transmission frequency bandwidth during a discrete transmission interval. The format defines a plurality of transmission windows within such an interval, where each window occupies a different part of that interval and has a frequency bandwidth profile within the available transmission frequency bandwidth over its part of that interval. Furthermore, each window being assignable for such a transmission interval to one of said apparatuses for use in transmission. The transmission method for use in this system includes employing said format for one or more such transmission intervals to transmit data and control information together along at least two consecutive said links as a set of successive transmission signals, link by link.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a wireless transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system includes determining for a particular transmission at least one measure of the expected link characteristics for at least two links of a communication path, and for each of those links, configuring a particular transmission window by setting its shape and/or a transmission format to be used in that window in dependence upon the measure for that link only. Furthermore, the method includes, during that particular transmission, transmitting information along those links using, for each of those links, the particular transmission window for that link.

Abstract: A transmission method for use in a multi-hop wireless communication system is provided. The method includes, for two apparatuses having overlapping transmission coverage areas, one of the two said apparatuses being an intermediate apparatus, transmitting a first transmission signal from a first one of those apparatuses in a first transmission window of a particular transmission interval and transmitting a second transmission signal from the second one of those apparatuses in a second transmission window of the particular transmission interval but not in said first transmission window, so that a communication apparatus located in the coverage areas of both the first and second apparatuses can receive said first transmission signal substantially without interference from said second transmission signal.

Abstract: A timing adjustment method for use in a multi-hop communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and one or more intermediate apparatuses, said source apparatus being operable to transmit information along a series of links forming a communication path extending from the source apparatus to the destination apparatus via the or each intermediate apparatus, and the or each intermediate apparatus being operable to receive information from a previous apparatus along the path and to transmit the received information to a subsequent apparatus along the path, the system being configured to transmit information in a plurality of consecutive labelled intervals.

Abstract: A timing adjustment method for use in a multi-hop communication system is provided. The system includes a source apparatus, a destination apparatus and one or more intermediate apparatuses, said source apparatus being operable to transmit information along a series of links forming a communication path extending from the source apparatus to the destination apparatus via the or each intermediate apparatus, and the or each intermediate apparatus being operable to receive information from a previous apparatus along the path and to transmit the received information to a subsequent apparatus along the path, the system being configured to transmit information in a plurality of consecutive labelled intervals.