On the Minimization of Overhead in Relay Enhanced Mobile Radio Networks

In this paper, the Frame Descriptor Table (FDT) concept, invented to enable MAC protocols applying a frame based reservation strategy to cope with the requirements of 4G mobile radio networks, is evaluated concerning its efficiency in Relay Enhanced Cell (REC) scenarios. MAC protocols for 4G mobile radio networks, also known as IMT-Advanced systems, will operate on high data rate channels resulting in short packet transmission duration. With the help of the FDT concept the resulting increased overhead can be reduced and thus the MAC protocol is able to work in a highly efficient way. To improve the multi-hop communication applied in mobile radio systems with RECs the minimization of overhead is of particular importance. Based on analytical calculations in this paper it is shown that FDTs are very well suited to minimize the overhead in RECs and therefore are a means to enable MAC protocols meeting the demands expected from 4G mobile radio networks.