Patent ID: 8301078

Claim:
A method for communicating data from a source to a destination using a plurality of relay stations in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving, at a first relay station of the plurality of relay stations, a data signal from the source; sharing information with at least a second relay station of the plurality of relay stations for transmitting the data signal to the destination, wherein the first relay station and the at least a second relay station belong to a first relay station group of a plurality of relay station groups; determining a forwarding scheme for transmitting the data signal; spreading the data signal using a spreading code; and transmitting the spread data signal to the destination using the forwarding scheme, wherein the plurality of relay stations are divided into the plurality of relay station groups based on traffic load per a time unit, wherein a same spreading code is used in the first relay station group, the same spreading code different from a spreading code used in a second relay station group of the plurality of relay station groups, and wherein the information comprises at least an instantaneous amplitude, a signal-to-noise ratio, a signal-to-interference plus noise ratio, reliability of the data signal, a decoded data signal or reliability of the decoded data signal.