Distributed transmitting apparatus and method with retransmission function

• US 20020159408A1
• Filed: 04/26/2002
• Published: 10/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Sipola, Jussi
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,301 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1607 Details of the supervisory signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

The present invention discloses a distributed transmitting apparatus and method in a communications system in which retransmission of data frames can be requested by a receiver MS. According to the present invention, a transmitting unit CCU in the distributed transmitting apparatus transmits data frames to a receiver MS and stores the transmitted data frames. The apparatus further comprises a control unit PCU which transmits data frames to the transmitting unit CCU for transmission to the receiver MS, and further transmits control data to the transmitting unit CCU for controlling retransmission of data frames, wherein the control unit PCU controls the transmitting unit CCU to retransmit data frames stored in the transmitting unit CCU to the receiver MS.

Claims

1. A distributed transmitting apparatus for a communications system in which retransmission of data frames can be requested by a receiver, said apparatus comprising:

a transmitting unit for transmitting data frames to a receiver and for storing the transmitted data frames; and

a control unit placed remotely to said transmitting unit, for transmitting data frames to said transmitting unit for transmission to the receiver, and for transmitting control data to said transmitting unit for controlling retransmission of data frames,

wherein said control unit is adapted to control said transmitting unit to retransmit data frames stored in said transmitting unit to the receiver.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when the receiver has not correctly received a data frame, said control unit is adapted to receive a retransmission request from said transmitting unit, which retransmission request is sent to said transmission unit by the receiver.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control unit is adapted to add an identification number to each data frame transmitted from said control unit to said transmitting unit and to command a retransmission of a data frame using the identification number.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said control unit is adapted to define a numbering sequence for the data frames transmitted from said control unit to said transmitting unit and to command a retransmission of a data frame on the basis of the numbering sequence.

5. A transmitting method in a distributed transmitting apparatus in a communications system in which retransmission of data frames can be requested by a receiver, said method comprising the steps of:

transmitting (S1) data frames from a control unit to a transmitting unit for transmission to a receiver, said control unit being placed remotely to said transmitting unit;

transmitting (S2) data frames from said transmitting unit to the receiver;

storing (S2) the transmitted data frames in said transmitting unit;

transmitting (S5) control data from said control unit to said transmitting unit for controlling retransmission of data frames,

wherein said transmitting unit is controlled by said control unit to retransmit data frames stored in said transmitting unit to the receiver.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, when the receiver has not correctly received a data frame, said transmitting unit sends a retransmission request to said control unit, which retransmission request is sent to said transmission unit by the receiver.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

adding an identification number to each data frame transmitted from said control unit to said transmitting unit; and

commanding a retransmission of a data frame using the identification number.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

defining a numbering sequence for the data frames transmitted from said control unit to said transmitting unit; and

commanding a retransmission of a data frame on the basis of the numbering sequence.

9. A transmitting unit for a distributed transmitting apparatus for a communications system in which retransmission of data frames can be requested by a receiver, the distributed transmitting apparatus comprising said transmitting unit and a control unit, said control unit being placed remotely to said transmitting unit, wherein said transmitting unit is adapted to receive data frames from the control unit for transmission to a receiver, to transmit data frames to the receiver and to store the transmitted data frames;

and wherein said transmitting unit is adapted to receive control data from the control unit for controlling retransmission of data frames, and to retransmit data frames stored to the receiver upon retransmission commands from the control unit.

10. A control unit for a distributed transmitting apparatus for a communications system in which retransmission of data frames can be requested by a receiver, the distributed transmitting apparatus comprising said control unit and a transmitting unit, said control unit being placed remotely to said transmitting unit, wherein said control unit is adapted to transmit data frames to the transmitting unit for transmission to a receiver, and to transmit control data to the transmitting unit for controlling retransmission of data frames;

and wherein said control unit is adapted to control the transmitting unit to retransmit data frames stored in the transmitting unit to the receiver.