Patent ID: 8750196

Claim:
A method for Relay Node (RN) access, comprising: a base station sending a downlink message to trigger an RN to switch from monitoring a Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) to monitoring an RN-dedicated Physical Downlink Control Channel (R-PDCCH); and the RN acquiring time-frequency resources for the R-PDCCH from the base station before or while receiving the downlink message; wherein the downlink message is special signaling including RN-dedicated configuration information, or an MAC control element including RN-dedicated configuration information; wherein the special signaling including the RN-dedicated configuration information is an RRC connection reconfiguration message or newly-introduced special signaling; the MAC control element including the RN-dedicated configuration information is a newly-introduced MAC control element; and wherein the RN-dedicated configuration information further comprises: switching time of switching from monitoring the PDCCH to monitoring the R-PDCCH; the method further comprises: the RN acquires the switching time from the received downlink message and switches from monitoring the PDCCH to monitoring the R-PDCCH according to the switching time.