Abstract:
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for enabling lower power consumption. In one aspect there is provided a method. The method may include establishing, by an apparatus, a first wide area network access link to a wide area network including a base station; establishing, by the apparatus, a wireless local link to at least one other apparatus; and placing the first wide area network access link on hold to allow data transmission to the wide area network to occur through the wire-less local link to the at least one other apparatus and a second wide area network access link coupling the at least one other apparatus to the wide area network. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Description:
FIELD  
       [0001]    The subject matter described herein relates to wireless communications. 
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]    Cooperative multi-point (CoMP) transmissions provide cooperative communications (e.g., transmission and/or reception) among radios. For example, in a cooperative multi-point transmission, a device, such as a user equipment (UE), may transmit data via an uplink to a plurality of base stations, in which case the CoMP is referred to as uplink CoMP). The cooperative multi-point transmission may also be implemented as multiple base stations sending data via a downlink to the same receiving device, in which case the CoMP is referred to as downlink CoMP. 
       SUMMARY  
       [0003]    Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for enabling lower power consumption. 
         [0004]    In some exemplary embodiments, there is provided a method. The method may include establishing, by an apparatus, a first wide area network access link to a wide area network including a base station; establishing, by the apparatus, a wireless local link to at least one other apparatus; and placing the first wide area network access link on hold to allow data transmission to the wide area network to occur through the wireless local link to the at least one other apparatus and a second wide area network access link coupling the at least one other apparatus to the wide area network. 
         [0005]    In another exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method. The method may include establishing, by a wide area network, a first wide area network access link to an apparatus; placing the first wide area network access link on hold; and sending data destined for the apparatus through a second wide area network access link coupling at least one other apparatus to the wide area network and a wireless local link coupling the at least one other apparatus and the apparatus. 
         [0006]    In some variations of some of the embodiments disclosed herein, one or more of the following may be included. Triggering may be used to place the first wide area network access link on hold, wherein the triggering is initiated by at least one of the apparatus, the wide area network, and the at least one other apparatus. One or more of a traffic load, a quality of the first wide area network access link, a quality of the second wide area network access link, and a quality of the wireless local link may be monitored to determine whether to place the first wide area network access link on hold to save power at the apparatus. The apparatus may comprise at least one of a wireless device, a user equipment, and a mobile station. The first wide area network access link may comprise at least one of an uplink to the base station and a downlink from the base station. The wireless local link may comprise a wireless link configured as at least one of a Bluetooth link and a WiFi link. Assistance may be requested from the at least one other apparatus to carry the data transmission over the second wide area network access link to the wide area network. The at least one other apparatus may use one or more parameters associated with the apparatus to communicate with the wide area network, when the wide area network is not aware of the assistance provided by the at least one other apparatus. The at least one other apparatus may use one or more other parameters associated with the at least one other apparatus to communicate with the wide area network, when the wide area network is aware of the assistance provided by the at least one other apparatus. A message may be sent to initiate a reestablishment of the first wide area network access link placed on hold. The first wide area network access link may be placed on hold by at least one of terminating the first wide area network access link, disconnecting the first wide area network access link, and reconfiguring the first wide area network access link as a maintenance control link. 
         [0007]    The above-noted aspects and features may be implemented in systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles depending on the desired configuration. The details of one or more variations of the subject matter described herein are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Features and advantages of the subject matter described herein will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
         [0008]    In the drawings, 
           [0009]      FIGS. 1A-1C  depict block diagrams of wireless communication systems including cooperative multi-point local area networks, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  depicts another block diagram of a wireless communication system including a cooperative multi-point local area network, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  depicts a process for placing a wide area network access link on hold, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4-7  depict processes for placing a wide area network access link on hold, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 8 and 9  depict processes for re-establishing a link after it has been placed on hold, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  depicts an example of a base station, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  depicts an example of user equipment, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    Like labels are used to refer to same or similar items in the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]    The subject matter describes herein relates to enabling cooperative transmissions among a plurality of user equipment to one or more base stations. The plurality of user equipment may establish a cooperative local area network to coordinate data transmissions to, and from, the one or more base station located in a wide area network, which in some implementations may enhance efficiency by, for example, conserving power and other resources. For example, the cooperative local area network may enable transmission of data from a first user equipment to one or more other user equipment within the cooperative local area network. The one or more other user equipment may forward the data received from the first user equipment to the base station. The one or more other user equipment act essentially as a relay, or an agent, cooperatively forwarding data to the wide area network including the base station on behalf of the first user equipment. Thus, in some exemplary embodiments, the first user equipment may save power by placing a link to the wide area network on hold, and then forwarding data to, and/or receive data from, the wide area network via another cooperative user equipment of the cooperative local area network. 
         [0018]    In some exemplary embodiments, the cooperative local area network (which includes the first user equipment and the one or more other user equipment) may be configured in a local area network, such a wireless local area network configured in accordance with Bluetooth, WiFi, and other wireless local area network technologies. The cooperative local area network may be referred to as a local area cooperative multipoint (LA CoMP) network, in which the plurality of user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint communicate (e.g., transmit and/or receive) with a wide area network including a base station in a cooperative manner. The use of cooperative transmissions by the user equipment, such as the above-noted first user equipment, may, in some implementations, enhance efficiency, such as throughput, save power, and the like. 
         [0019]    In some exemplary embodiments, a user equipment may, as noted, reduce power consumption by placing its wide area network access link to a base station on hold, and, while on hold, the user equipment communicates with the wide area network including the base station using a local wireless link to another user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint and the other user equipment&#39;s corresponding wide area access link to the wide area network/base station. For example, a local area cooperative multipoint network may include a first user equipment, which may temporarily place on hold (e.g., disconnect, power down, terminate, closed, placed in a control/maintenance mode, and the like) a wide area network access link, such as an uplink, to a base station. By placing the link to the base station on hold, the first user equipment is able to save power. 
         [0020]    In some exemplary embodiments, the first user equipment may determine whether its wide area network access link is to be placed on hold, but in some exemplary embodiments, the wide area network and/or another user equipment may trigger the first user equipment to place its wide area network access link on hold. Moreover, the first user equipment may wake up and activate (e.g., re-connect) the link to the wide area network including the base station. For example, another user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint network may send a so-called “wake up message” to the first user equipment, although the wake up may be initiated by other devices as well including the base station and/or the first user equipment itself. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1A  depicts a system  100  including a plurality of user equipment  114 A-C coupled via local wireless links  192 A-C to form a local area cooperative multipoint network. System  100  also includes a base station  110  with wide area network access links  122 A-C, such as uplinks, downlinks, and the like, to each of the user equipment  114 A-C. As noted above, in the local area cooperative multipoint network, data from user equipment  114 C may be forwarded to user equipment  114 A via link  192 A and/or user equipment  114 B via link  192 B to enable transmission to base station  110 . In some exemplary embodiments, the local area cooperative multipoint network may be configured to include a plurality of wireless devices (e.g., user equipment), and one or more of these wireless devices may cooperate in communicating data to the wide area network by placing on hold one or more links to the wide area and allowing the wireless device (which has its wide area link on hold) to use another wireless device&#39;s link(s) to the wide area network/base station to send and/or receive data to and/or from the wide area network/base station. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1B  depicts system  100  after user equipment  114 C temporarily places on hold link  122 B to base station  110  in order to optimize power consumption (e.g., save power at user equipment  114 C).  FIG. 1B  depicts at  190 A that the link  122 B to base station  110  has been temporarily places on hold, so that user equipment  114 C can save power. In the example of  FIG. 1B , user equipment  114 C may forward any data for transmission to the wide area network to one or more other user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint network, such as user equipment  114 A and/or user equipment  114 B, so that the forwarded data can be transmitted to base station  110  via links  122 A and  122 C. In some exemplary embodiments, the local area cooperative multipoint network (or user equipment therein) may be configured to trigger the on hold of link  122 B and/or trigger a wake up to user equipment  114 C to re-connect link  122 B, although the trigger may be initiated by user equipment  114 C itself and/or another user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint network. Although, placing the link on hold may include disconnecting and/or terminating the link, the on hold link may also be placed into a control/maintenance mode to allow some exchange of control data to the base station but not allow user data transmission to the wide area network/base station. 
         [0023]      FIG. 1C  depicts system  100  after user equipment  114 C temporarily places on hold link  192 A to user equipment  114 A in order to provide additional power savings.  FIG. 1C  depicts at  190 B that local link  192 A has been temporarily placed on hold, so that user equipment  114 C can save additional power. In the example of  FIG. 10 , user equipment  114 C may forward data to user equipment  114 B and wide area network access link  122 C to allow transmission to wide area network/base station  110 . In some exemplary embodiments, the local area cooperative multipoint network (or a user equipment therein) may be configured to trigger the temporarily disconnect  190 B of local link  192 A and/or trigger a wake up to user equipment  114 C to re-connect link  192 B, although base station  110  may also trigger the disconnect or the wake up as well. The base station may also control the configuration of the local links of the local area cooperative multipoint network. 
         [0024]    Before providing additional details, an exemplary system environment  200  is described in connection with  FIG. 2 . In some exemplary embodiments, the wireless communication system  200  may include base station  110  supporting corresponding service or coverage areas  112 A-B (also referred to as cells). The base station  110  may be capable of communicating with wireless devices, such as user equipment  114 A-C, within its coverage areas.  FIG. 2  also depicts that user equipment  114 C may also be in another coverage area  112 B, which may be served by another base station as well. Although  FIG. 2  depicts a single base station  110 , two cells  112 A-B, and three user equipment  114 A-C, the wireless communication system  100  may include other quantities of base stations, cells, and user equipment as well. 
         [0025]    The user equipment  114 A-C may be configured in a local area network via one or more local links, such as links  192 A-C. For example, links  192 A-C may be implemented as Bluetooth communications links, WiFi communication links, and any other types of wireless local area network links. Moreover, user equipment  114 A-C may be configured in a local area cooperative multipoint network, as noted above. 
         [0026]    The base station  110  may, in some exemplary embodiments, be implemented as an evolved Node B (eNB) type base station consistent with standards, including the Long Term Evolution (LTE) standards, such as 3GPP TS 36.201, “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Long Term Evolution (LTE) physical layer; General description,” 3GPP TS 36.211, “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical channels and modulation,” 3GPP TS 36.212, “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Multiplexing and channel coding,” 3GPP TS 36.213, “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical layer procedures,” 3GPP TS 36.214, “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical layer—Measurements,” and any subsequent additions or revisions to these and other 3GPP series of standards (collectively referred to as LTE standards). 
         [0027]    Although  FIG. 2  depicts an example of a configuration for base station  110 , the base station  110  may be configured in other ways including, for example, relays, cellular base station transceiver subsystems, gateways, access points, radio frequency (RF) repeaters, frame repeaters, nodes, and include access to other networks as well. For example, base station  110  may have wired and/or wireless backhaul links to other network elements, such as other base stations, a radio network controller, a core network, a serving gateway, a mobility management entity, a serving GPRS (general packet radio service) support node, a network management system, and the like. 
         [0028]    In some exemplary embodiments, the wireless communication system  200  may include wide area network access links, such as links  122 A-C. The access links  122 A-C may include a downlink, such as downlink  116 , for transmitting to the user equipment  114 A and/or an uplink, such as uplink  126 , for transmitting from user equipment  114 A to the base station  110 . The downlink  116  may comprise a modulated radio frequency carrying information, such as control messages, data, and the like, to the user equipment  114 A, and the uplink  126  may comprise a modulated radio frequency carrying information, such as control messages, data, and the like, from the user equipment  114 A to base station  110 . The downlink  116  and uplink  126  may, in some exemplary embodiments, each represent a radio frequency (RF) signal. The RF signal may, as noted above, include information, such as voice, video, images, Internet Protocol (IP) packets, control information, and any other type of data and/or messages. For example, when LTE is used, the RF signal may use OFDMA. OFDMA is a multi-user version of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). In OFDMA, multiple access is achieved by assigning, to individual users, groups of subcarriers (also referred to as subchannels or tones). The subcarriers are modulated using BPSK (binary phase shift keying), QPSK (quadrature phase shift keying), or QAM (quadrature amplitude modulation), and carry symbols (also referred to as OFDMA symbols) including data coded using a forward error-correction code. The subject matter described herein is not limited to application to OFDMA systems, LTE, LTE-Advanced, or to the noted standards and specifications. The uplinks and/or downlinks (which may be used as part of the wide area network access links  122 A-C) may be configured in a manner similar to downlink  116  and uplink  126 . 
         [0029]    In some exemplary embodiments, the user equipment  114 A-C may be implemented as a mobile device and/or a stationary device. The user equipment  114 A-C are often referred to as, for example, mobile stations, mobile units, subscriber stations, wireless terminals, tablets, smart phones, smart devices, wireless devices, or the like. A user equipment may be implemented as, for example, a wireless handheld device, a wireless plug-in accessory, or the like. In some cases, user equipment may include a processor, a computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memory, storage, and the like), a radio access mechanism, and/or a user interface. 
         [0030]    In some exemplary embodiments, a device, such as user equipment  114 C, is part of a cooperative local area network and is connected to the wide area network. For example, user equipment  114 C may set link  122 B on hold and maintain accessibility to the wide area network through the local area cooperative multipoint network (e.g., via user equipment  114 A or B and their wide area network access links). 
         [0031]    In some exemplary embodiments, the link  122 B to the wide area network (e.g., base station  110 ) may be set on hold without notifying the wide area network, e.g., without sending a notification message to base station  110  indicating link  122 B has been placed on hold. Nor is the wide area network, such as base station  110 , notified that user equipment  114 C is instead using the uplinks/downlinks of other cooperative user equipment in the local area cooperative multipoint network. When the wide area network is not aware of link  122 B being placed on hold, other user equipment, such as one or more of user equipment  114 A-C, in the local area cooperative multipoint network may trigger (e.g., initiate) link  122 B being placed on hold and thus user equipment  114 C&#39;s data being sent to the other user equipment  114 A or B for transmission to the wide area network/base station. However, when wide area network is aware of link  122 B being placed on hold, the wide area network may trigger (e.g., initiate) link  122 B being placed on hold and user equipment  114 C&#39;s data being forwarded to the other user equipment  114 A or B for transmission to the wide area network, although user equipment  114 A-C as members of the local area cooperative multipoint network may also initiate the hold and forwarding. 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  depicts a process  300  for conserving power in user equipment by placing on hold a link to a wide area network and then forwarding data traffic to at least one other user equipment within a local area cooperative multipoint network, so that the at least one other user equipment can forward the data traffic to the wide area network including the base station, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. The description of process  300  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0033]    In some exemplary embodiments, the user equipment  114 C may connect, at  310 , to the wide area network including base station  110 . Moreover, the user equipment  114 C may also connect, at  320 , to the local area cooperative multipoint network comprising user equipment  114 A-C coupled via wireless local links  192 A-C. 
         [0034]    In some exemplary embodiments, monitoring may be performed at  320  to determine whether power can be saved at one of the user equipment  114 A-C of the local area cooperative multipoint network. For example, user equipment  114 C may monitor its traffic load, mobility, quality of wide area access network link  122 B, quality of wide area access network links  122 A and C, and the quality of local links  192 A-B to other devices within the local area cooperative multipoint network. In some exemplary embodiments, if local area network links  192 A-B are reliable, user equipment  114 C may initiate an on hold of wide area network access link  122 B, although the wide area network including base station  110  and/or user equipment  114 A or B may also determine whether to terminate wide area access network link  122 B as well. The placing on hold of wide area network access link  122 B allows user equipment  114 C to conserve power. Once on hold, user equipment  114 C may communicate with the wide area network including base station  110  by forward traffic to, and/or receiving traffic from, other nodes, such as user equipment  114 A and/or user equipment  114 B of the local area multipoint cooperative network to allow those other nodes to forward/receive the traffic to a base station via their wide area network access links. 
         [0035]    In some exemplary embodiments, one or more of user equipment  114 A-C may collaboratively select which user equipment in the local area cooperative multipoint network will have one of its links configured to an on hold state. Although in some exemplary embodiments, one or more of user equipment  114 A-C may instead collaboratively select a user equipment to control which links  122 A-C of the local area cooperative multipoint network are placed on hold and/or triggered for a wake up. 
         [0036]    Moreover, a variety of different rules may be used for selecting which user equipment and corresponding wide area network access links are placed on hold. For example, a rule may comprise selecting a user equipment as a controller configured to determine which user equipment in the local area cooperative multipoint network is placed on hold. Another example rule may comprise a user equipment closest to the base station (or having a high quality signal/power) being selected as the wide area network access link to be used by at least one other user equipment, which sets its wide area network access link on hold. 
         [0037]      FIG. 4  depicts a process  400  for placing a wide area network access link of a user equipment on hold, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. The description of process  400  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0038]    When the wide area network access link  122 B is on hold  405 , the user equipment  114 C may receive and transmit user data through another node, such as user equipment  114 A or B, in the local area cooperative multipoint network. The other node, such as user equipment  114 A or B acts on behalf of user equipment  114 C as a relay/gateway for user equipment  114 C, when communicating data to the wide area network including base station  110 . For example, base station  110  may send, at  410 , data to user equipment  114 A, which forwards, at  415 , the data via link  192 A to user equipment  114 C (which placed its wide area network access link  122 B on hold). At  420 , user equipment  114 C may send data to the wide area network by first sending the data via link  192 A to user equipment  114 A, which forwards, at  425 , the data via link  122 A to base station  110 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 5  depicts a process  500  for placing a wide area network access link of a user equipment on hold in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. Process  500  depicts an example process  500  used when the wide area network including base station  110  is not aware of a user equipment placing a wide area network access link on hold. The description of process  500  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0040]    In some exemplary embodiments, user equipment  114 C sends, at  505 , a message requesting assistance to user equipment  114 A. By sending the request for assistance message at  505 , user equipment  114 C attempts to save power by using another user equipment in the local area cooperative multipoint network to forward user equipment  114 C&#39;s data to the wide area network/base station  110 . In some exemplary embodiments, the message requesting assistance may include the wide area network access link parameters of user equipment  114 C. For example, in instances when the base station  110  is not aware that user equipment  114 A and/or user equipment  114 B are forwarding/receiving data on behalf of user equipment  114 C, user equipment  114 A and/or user equipment  114 B would need at least some of the security related information (e.g., security keys for authentication), link parameters, and/or the like for user equipment  114 C data so that user equipment  114 A and/or user equipment  114 B are enabled and/or authorized to transmit data (or receive data from) the wide area network on behalf of user equipment  114 C. 
         [0041]    User equipment  114 A may, at  510 , confirm that it is able to relay data from user equipment  114 C to the wide area network/base station  110 , in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. Moreover, user equipment  114 A may test user equipment  114 C&#39;s wide area network access link  122 B by sending test data (e.g., a null frame transmitted to base station  110  to test link  122 B), and if link  122 B is operative, user equipment  114 A may send the confirmation at  510  to confirm the assist message. At  515 , user equipment  114 C may place wide area network access link  122 B on hold. At  520 , user equipment  114 A may cooperate by allowing wide area network access link  122 A to be used by user equipment  114 C. As such, user equipment  114 A may receive, at  525 , data on behalf of user equipment  114 C, and forward, at  530 , any received data through the local area multipoint cooperative network to user equipment  114 C. Although the previous example describes user equipment  114 A receiving data on behalf of user equipment  114 C, user equipment  114 A may also transmit data to base station  110  on behalf of user equipment  114 C. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6  depicts a process  600  for placing a wide area access link of a user equipment on hold, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. Process  600  depicts an example process used when the wide area network, such as for example base station  110 , is aware of a user equipment placing a wide area network access link on hold. The description of process  600  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0043]    When the wide area network, such as base station  110 , knows that a plurality of user equipment  114 A-C belong to a local area cooperative multipoint network, the wide area network including base station  110  may determine which wide area network access link to place on hold. In some exemplary embodiments, the base station  110  may send, at  605 , a message to user equipment  114 C. The message may indicate that the wide area network access link  122 B should be placed on hold. At  610 , the user equipment  114 C may respond with an acknowledgement message. At  615 , base station  110  may send a request to assist message to user equipment  114 A. User equipment  114 A may then send an acknowledgement at  620  to base station  110  and a confirmation of assistance at  630  to user equipment  114 C, which may respond with an acknowledgement at  635 . User equipment  114 C may also confirm with base station  110  that it will be using the wide area network access link  122 A of user equipment  114 A by sending a confirmation to assist message at  640 . The base station  110  may acknowledge, at  650 , the confirmation message sent at  640  from user equipment  114 C. At  655 , user equipment  114 C may place its wide area access link  122 B on hold, and thus receive and/or forward wide area network traffic via user equipment  114 A and link  122 A to base station  110 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 7  depicts a process  700  for placing a wide area network access link of a user equipment on hold in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. Process  700  depicts an example process  700  used when the wide area network including base station  110  is aware of a user equipment placing a wide area network access link on hold but the link placed on hold is initiated by a user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint network rather than the wide area network. The description of process  700  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0045]    In some exemplary embodiments, the user equipment  114 C may determine that it can save power by placing on hold (e.g., disconnecting, powering down, and the like) the wide area network access link  122 B to base station  110 B and instead use a wide area network access link of another user equipment on the same local area cooperative multipoint network. When this is the case, the user equipment  114 C may send, at  705 , a message, such as a request to set wide area network access link  122 B on hold message, to base station  110 . The request to set wide area network access link on hold message may include an identifier of the device, such as user equipment  114 A or link  122 A, which is proposed as the user equipment for forwarding/receiving user equipment&#39;s  114 C traffic after link  122 B. For example, user equipment  114 C may leave the decision to base station  110 , and base station  110  may have information identifying which user equipment  114 A-C have good links to the base station  110 . Base station  110  may also have information identifying that the user equipment  114 A-C are in the same cooperative multipoint local area network, and which of the local links are operative as well. Furthermore, before sending message  705 , user equipment  114 C may measure the local area network access link that it proposes to be used for all of its transmissions. For example, user equipment  114 C may measure the quality of links  192 A-B. 
         [0046]    In some exemplary embodiments, the base station  110  may, at  710 , acknowledge message  705 . Moreover, base station  110  may send, at  715 , a request to assist message to user equipment  114 A, which is the candidate user equipment being considered to assist user equipment  114 C, when the link  122 B is placed on hold. Moreover, the base station  110  may also configure the local area cooperative multipoint network links  192 A-C. User equipment  114 A may reject the request sent at  715  by sending an assistance reject message to base station  110 . 
         [0047]    In some exemplary embodiments, the request to assist message may include one or more of the following: the address or identification of user equipment  114 C (which is being assisted); the wide area address of the downlink data to be forwarded to user equipment  114 C; the wide area address of uplink data from the user equipment  114 C; criteria to reactivate the wide area link  122 B; and criteria to change the local area link  192 A. 
         [0048]    In some exemplary embodiments, user equipment  114 A may send, at  720 , an acknowledgement message in response to message  715 . Moreover, user equipment  114 A may send, at  725 , a confirmation to assist message to user equipment  114 C, which may send an acknowledgement at  730 . In addition, user equipment  114 C may send, at  735 , a confirmation to assist message to base station  110 , which may send an acknowledgement at  740 . At  745 , user equipment  114 C may place wide area network access link  122 B on hold to save power. During the on hold state, user equipment  114 C may forward data to the wide area network via link  192 A and user equipment  114 A, and user equipment  114 C may receive data from the wide area network via link  192 A and user equipment  114 A as well. 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  depicts a process  800  for waking up a user equipment or a corresponding a wide area network access link, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. The description of process  800  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0050]    Process  800  depicts user equipment  114 C and corresponding link  122 B on hold at  805 . The wake up of the on hold state may be triggered by the wide area network and/or another device in the local area cooperative multipoint network, such as user equipment  114 A-C. Process  800  depicts, however, the wide area network initiating the wake up. 
         [0051]    In some exemplary embodiments, wide area network, such as base station  110 , may determine, at  810 , that it seeks to establish a downlink to user equipment  114 C to send data to user equipment  114 C, and, as such, base station  110  may send an activate wide area network access link message to user equipment  114 C at  815 . The activate wide area network access link message for user equipment  114 C may be forwarded via the link  122 A to user equipment  114 A as link  122 B is on hold. The base station  110  may determine it needs to wake (e.g., initiate activation of) link  122 B for a variety of reasons. For example, when link  192 A or link  192 B to the so-called relay node (e.g., user equipment  114 A and/or  114 B) degrades in quality, base station  110  may determine that link  122 B should be reestablished. In some instances, base station  110  may seek to rotate the wide area network access link responsibility to another user equipment of the local area cooperative multipoint network and, as such, issue a wake message. 
         [0052]    In some exemplary embodiments, user equipment  114 A may send, at  820 , an acknowledgement message to base station  110 , and send at  825  an activate wide area access link message to local link  192 A and user equipment  114 C. User equipment  114 C may acknowledge at  830  message  825 , and send, at  835 , a message to base station  110  to indicate that user equipment  114 C and link  122 B are active (and thus no longer on hold). At  840 - 845 , the base station  110  may send data to user equipment  114 C over the reestablished link  122 B. 
         [0053]      FIG. 9  depicts a process  900  for initiating a wake up of a link, in accordance with some exemplary embodiments. The description of process  900  also refers to  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C, and  2 . 
         [0054]    In some exemplary embodiments, user equipment  114 C is assisted by user equipment  114 A in the sense that user equipment  114 A relays (e.g., transmits and/or receives) on behalf of user equipment  114 C data to the base station  110  via link  122 A. At  905 , base station  110  may send data to user equipment  114 A, which forwards at  910  the data to user equipment  114 C via local area link  192 A. At  915 , the local area link  192 A is lost and/or unavailable. At  920 , user equipment  114 C may then re-establish its link  122 B to base station  110  by at least sending to base station  110  a local area link lost message to indicate that local area link  192 A has been lost (or is no longer accessible). At  925 , the base station  110  may send an acknowledgement message responding to message  920 . At  930 , base station  110  may send over reestablished link  122 B data directly to user equipment  114 C, which may send an acknowledgement at  935 . 
         [0055]      FIG. 10  depicts an example implementation of a base station  1000 , which may be implemented at base station  110 . The base station may include one or more antennas  1020  configured to transmit via a downlink and configured to receive uplinks via the antenna(s)  1020 . The base station may further include a radio interface  1040  coupled to the antenna  1020 , a processor  1030  for controlling the base station  1000  and for accessing and executing program code stored in memory  1035 . The radio interface  1040  may further include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters and the like), mappers, a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) module, and the like, to generate symbols for a transmission via one or more downlinks and to receive symbols (e.g., via an uplink). In some implementations, the base station may also be compatible with IEEE 802.16, LTE, LTE-Advanced, and the like, and the RF signals of downlinks and uplinks are configured as an OFDMA signal. The base station may include a cooperative multi-point local area network processor  1050 . In some implementations, the cooperative multi-point local area network processor  1050  may perform one or more of the operations described herein with respect to a base station, such as an eNB, including one or more aspects of processes  300 ,  400 ,  500 ,  600 ,  700 ,  800 , and/or  900 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 11  depicts a block diagram of a radio, such as a user equipment  1100 . The user equipment  1100  may include an antenna  1120  for receiving a downlink and transmitting via an uplink. The user equipment  1100  may also include a radio interface  1140 , which may include other components, such as filters, converters (e.g., digital-to-analog converters and the like), symbol demappers, signal shaping components, an Inverse Fast Fourier Transform (IFFT) module, and the like, to process symbols, such as OFDMA symbols, carried by a downlink or an uplink. In some implementations, the user equipment  1100  may also be compatible with WiFi, Bluetooth, GERAN, UTRAN, E-UTRAN, and/or other standards and specifications as well. The user equipment  1100  may further include at least one processor, such as processor  1130 , for controlling user equipment  1100  and for accessing and executing program code stored in memory  1135 . The user equipment may include a cooperative multi-point local area network processor  1150 . In some exemplary embodiments, cooperative multi-point local area network processor  1150  may perform one or more of the operations described herein with respect to user equipment including one or more aspects of processes  300 ,  400 ,  500 ,  600 ,  700 ,  800 , and/or  900 . 
         [0057]    The subject matter described herein may be embodied in systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles depending on the desired configuration. For example, the base stations and user equipment (or one or more components therein) and/or the processes described herein can be implemented using one or more of the following: a processor executing program code, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a digital signal processor (DSP), an embedded processor, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and/or combinations thereof. These various implementations may include implementation in one or more computer programs that are executable and/or interpretable on a programmable system including at least one programmable processor, which may be special or general purpose, coupled to receive data and instructions from, and to transmit data and instructions to, a storage system, at least one input device, and at least one output device. These computer programs (also known as programs, software, software applications, applications, components, program code, or code) include machine instructions for a programmable processor, and may be implemented in a high-level procedural and/or object-oriented programming language, and/or in assembly/machine language. As used herein, the term “machine-readable medium” refers to any computer program product, computer-readable medium, computer-readable storage medium, apparatus and/or device (e.g., magnetic discs, optical disks, memory, Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs)) used to provide machine instructions and/or data to a programmable processor, including a machine-readable medium that receives machine instructions. Similarly, systems are also described herein that may include a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory may include one or more programs that cause the processor to perform one or more of the operations described herein. 
         [0058]    Although a few variations have been described in detail above, other modifications or additions are possible. In particular, further features and/or variations may be provided in addition to those set forth herein. For example, the implementations described above may be directed to various combinations and subcombinations of the disclosed features and/or combinations and subcombinations of several further features disclosed above. In addition, the logic flow depicted in the accompanying figures and/or described herein does not require the particular order shown, or sequential order, to achieve desirable results. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.