Patent ID: 8125916
Filing Date: 2012-02-28
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of transmitting signaling messages, the method being performed by a first base station of a communication network, the method comprising: providing a service to a terminal, the service being further provided to the terminal by at least a second base station of the communication network, determining a first roundtrip time for a signaling message, the first roundtrip time corresponding to a first time period required to transmit a signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via the relay component and to receive a response from the second base station via the relay component at the first base station, the relay component being linked through a radio link of the communication network with the first base station and through a radio link of the communication network with the second base station; determining a second roundtrip time for the signaling message, the second roundtrip time corresponding to a second time period required to transmit the signaling message from the first base station to the second base station via a fixed communication path of the communication network, and to receive the response from the second base station at the first base station via the fixed communication path; and transmitting signaling messages relating to the service to the second base station via the relay component, if the first roundtrip time is shorter than the second roundtrip time, and otherwise transmitting the signaling messages to the second base station via the fixed communication path.