Patent ID: 9572082
Date: 2017-02-14
CPC Classifications: H04B,H04W,Y02D

Claim:
1. A method for digital communication in a system comprising a gateway apparatus, a first radio communication apparatus, and a second radio communication apparatus, the first radio communication apparatus and the second radio communication apparatus each being configured to wirelessly transmit data to the gateway apparatus, the method comprising: at the first radio communication apparatus, sending first data to the gateway apparatus during a first time slot of a radio frame, the radio frame comprising a common slot different from the first slot and a second time slot, the first time slot allocated to the first radio communication apparatus for data transmission, and the second time slot allocated to the second radio communication apparatus for data transmission; determining whether the first data has been received by the gateway apparatus; upon determining that the first data has not been received by the gateway apparatus, sending a relay request signal to the second radio communication apparatus during the common slot of the radio frame; in response to the relay request signal, receiving a response signal from the second radio communication apparatus; and when the response signal comprises a relay permission signal from the second radio communication apparatus, sending the first data, as relay data, to the second radio communication apparatus, and the first data is to be transmitted to the gateway apparatus by the second radio communication apparatus.