LTE relay node self-configuration

Relays are mobile network base stations, which connect to the network via an in-band wireless backhaul link instead of using a dedicated wired or microwave backhaul link as regular base stations do. Connecting through a wireless backhaul raises difficulties when it comes to accessing the operator's Operation, Administration and Maintenance (OAM) System, since prior to the appearance of relay nodes, wireless access was reserved solely for user equipments and not used by network elements at all. However, after deploying a relay node, establishing an initial OAM access is essential in any kind of configuration, particularly when considering an automated configuration process known as self-configuration in principle. Self-configuration is gaining more importance for regular base stations as well as relays as automation of OAM processes is seen as a major contributor to reduce complexity and cost in network operation. In this paper, we introduce a conceptual separation of the initial configuration phase and the operational phase and present a detailed concept for automatic connectivity establishment to the OAM system. The transition from configuration to operational phase is also covered. The results have been verified by an event-driven packet based simulator and the proposed method has been accepted by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as the baseline solution for configuring relays in the next generation radio access technology, Long Term Evolution (LTE).