FIELD

This invention generally relates to wireless communications and more particularly to relaying signals between wireless communication stations.

BACKGROUND

The Internet of things (IoT) is the extension of Internet connectivity into physical devices and everyday objects. Embedded with electronics, Internet connectivity, and other forms of hardware (e.g., such as sensors), IoT devices can (1) communicate and interact with other devices over the Internet, and (2) be remotely monitored and controlled. The definition of IoT has evolved due to the convergence of multiple technologies, real-time analytics, machine learning, commodity sensors, and embedded systems. Traditional fields of embedded systems, wireless sensor networks, control systems, automation (including home and building automation), and others all contribute to enabling the Internet of things.

In some cases, IoT devices operate in deep coverage areas where the downlink received signal strength is very poor. In extreme scenarios, the received signal strength at the IoT device receiver could have a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) as low as SNR=−14 dB. In such situations, relay nodes are deployed for transmissions to the hard-to-reach IoT devices. However, the relay nodes improve the received signal strength at the expense of higher complexity. The increase in complexity is a result of interference management (e.g., in-band relays) and the control signaling required to manage the base station-relay node downlink transmission and scheduling of the relay node-IoT device links.

SUMMARY

A relay node receives a data block containing multiplexed data streams intended for multiple user equipment (UE) devices being served by the relay node. The relay node extracts the data streams from the data block and allocates them each to a separate narrowband channel that is associated with a particular UE device. The relay node repeatedly transmits the narrowband channels to the UE devices in a broadcast transmission that is transmitted for a predetermined number of repetitions. Each UE device decodes their own respective narrowband channel to obtain the data stream intended for the UE device associated with a particular narrowband channel. A feedback mechanism is utilized by the relay node to determine whether to retransmit a data packet or a new data packet in subsequent broadcast transmissions.

