Patent ID: 8660082

Claim:
A method in a network node for transmitting control information in a subframe from the network node to an intermediate node in a radio-access network, the method comprising: transmitting a user equipment (UE) control region at a beginning of a subframe; and transmitting a time-frequency region with control information after the UE control region, the time-frequency region extending until the end of the subframe, the control information including first control information transmitted in a first part of the time-frequency region and second control information transmitted in a second part of the time-frequency region, wherein the time-frequency region is divided so that is divided so that the second part is located later in the subframe than the first part and wherein said second control information is less time-critical than said first control information, the time-frequency region including Relay Physical Downlink Control Channels (R-PDCCHs).