Method and device for robust fallback in data communication systems

• US 20010009555A1
• Filed: 01/16/2001
• Published: 07/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mosaid Technologies Incorporated (MOSAID Technologies Inc. (f/k/a Conversant Intellectual Property Management))
• Original Assignee: Agere Systems Incorporated (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Diepstraten, Wilhelmus, Kamerman, Adriaan, Moelard, Hendrik
• Granted Patent: US 7,027,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/468
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/50 in wire-line communication networks, e.g. low power modes or reduced link rate

Abstract

Method and device for communicating at least one packet of data with a predetermined packet size over a communication channel from a transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter having a memory for storing a common set of data rates, the method comprising the steps of fragmenting the at least one packet into a number of frames with a predetermined frame size by the transmitter, automatically selecting a combination of frame size and one of the common set of data rates by the transmitter such that the transmission time of each of the frames is limited to a predefined value, and transmitting each frame over the communication channel by the transmitter.

Claims

1. Method for communicating at least one packet of data with a predetermined packet size over a communication channel from a transmitter to a receiver, the transmitter having a memory for storing a common set of data rates, the method comprising the steps of:

fragmenting the at least one packet into a number of frames with a predetermined frame size by the transmitter;

automatically selecting a combination of frame size and one of the common set of data rates by the transmitter such that the transmission time of each of the frames is limited to a predefined value; and

transmitting each frame over the communication channel by the transmitter.

2. Method according to

claim 1

, in which the predefined value of transmission time is determined by characteristics of interference in the communication channel.

3. Method according to

claim 2

, in which the combination of frame size and data rate is changed dependent on the condition of the communication channel.

4. Method according to

claim 3

, in which the condition of the communication channel is determined based on success of transmission of each of the frames.

5. Method according to

claim 4

, in which success of transmission of each of the frames is determined after a predetermined number of retries.

6. Method according to

claim 5

, in which the predetermined number of retries is at least two.

7. Method according to

claim 6

in which the predefined value of the transmission time is 4.5 msec.

8. Method-according to

claim 6

in which the predefined value of the transmission time is 1.5 msec.

9. Method according to

claim 6

in which the frame size is one of a set of frame sizes comprising 1500 bytes, 750 bytes, 500 bytes, 256 bytes and 128 bytes.

10. Method according to

claim 6

in which the common set of data rates comprises data rates of 11 Mbit/s;

5.5 Mbit/s;

2 Mbit/s and 1 Mbit/s.

11. Device for receiving or transmitting at least one packet of data with a predetermined packet size over a communication channel between the device and a second device, the device comprising:

a processor and memory means connected to the processor for storing a common set of data rates, the processor being arranged to

fragment the at least one packet into a number of frames with a predetermined frame size;

automatically select a combination of frame size and one of the common set of data rates such that the transmission time of each of the frames is limited to a predefined value; and

transmit each frame over the communication channel.

12. Device according to

claim 11

, in which the processor is further arranged to execute the method according to

claim 6

.

13. Computer program comprising computer readable instructions, which comprise method steps for controlling a transmitter that is communicating at least one data packet with a predetermined packet size over a communication channel, the transmitter having memory means for storing a common set of data rates, by:

fragmenting the at least one packet into a number of frames with a predetermined frame size by the transmitter;

automatically selecting a combination of frame size and one of the common set of data rates by the transmitter such that the transmission time of each of the frames is limited to a predefined value; and

transmitting each frame over the communication channel by the transmitter.

14. Computer program according to

claim 13

, further comprising the method steps according to

claim 6

.

15. Data carrier provided with a computer program according to

claim 14

.