Method for handling timers after an RLC reset or re-establishment in a wireless communications system

• US 20040032851A1
• Filed: 08/13/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Sonic Limited
• Original Assignee: Innovative Sonic Limited
• Inventors: Wu, Chih-Hsiang
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,856 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1671 the supervisory signal being transmitted together with control information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/187 Details of sliding window management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/188 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/00 Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications user-to-user messaging H04L51/00; network arrangements, protocols or services for supporting real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/28 Timers or timing mechanisms used in protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols

Abstract

A method for handling timers in a wireless communication system includes starting a Timer_Poll_Periodic timer for a Radio Link Control Acknowledged Mode (RLC AM) entity, performing a reset procedure for the RLC AM entity, and restarting the Timer_Poll_Periodic timerin response to the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer expiring prior to completion of the reset procedure. The claimed invention also specifies appropriate handling of eight other timers after an RLC reset or re-establishment in order to prevent the RLC AM entity from experiencing deadlock or reduction in quality of service.

Claims

1. A method for handling timers in a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

starting a Timer_Poll_Periodic timer for a Radio Link Control Acknowledged Mode (RLC AM) entity;

performing a reset procedure for the RLC AM entity; and

restarting the Timer_Poll_Periodic timerin response to the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer expiring prior to completion of the reset procedure.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising restarting the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer in response to the reset procedure.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a value of the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer and maintaining operation of the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer in response to the reset procedure.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

restarting the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

maintaining a value of the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer and maintaining operation of the Timer_Poll_Periodic timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer_Status_Periodic timer; and

restarting the Timer_Status_Periodic timerin response to the Timer_Status_Periodic timer expiring prior to the completion of the reset procedure.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising restarting the Timer_Status_Periodic timer in response to the reset procedure.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising maintaining a value of the Timer_Status_Periodic timer and maintaining operation of the Timer_Status_Periodic timer in response to the reset procedure.

9. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

restarting the Timer_Status_Periodic timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

maintaining a value of the Timer_Status_Periodic timer and maintaining operation of the Timer_Status_Periodic timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a Service Data Unit (SDU) and starting a Timer_Discard timer associated with the SDU prior to the reset procedure;

maintaining a value of the Timer_Discard timer if the Timer_Discard timer expires prior to the completion of the reset procedure;

stopping the Timer_Discard timer if the SDU is discarded in response to the reset procedure; and

restarting the Timer_Discard timer, or maintaining a value of the Timer_Discard timer and maintaining operation of the Timer_Discard timer if the SDU is not discarded in response to the reset procedure.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising stopping the Timer_Discard timer if the SDU is discarded and if a condition for triggering the reset procedure is detected.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the Timer_Discard timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer_Poll timer;

maintaining a value of the Timer_Polltimer if the Timer_Polltimer expires prior to the completion of the reset procedure; and

stopping the Timer_Polltimer in response to the reset procedure.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising stopping the Timer_Polltimer if a condition for triggering the reset procedure is detected.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the Timer_Polltimer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer_Poll_Prohibit timer; and

stopping the Timer_Poll_Prohibittimer in response to the reset procedure.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising stopping the Timer_Poll_Prohibittimer if a condition for triggering the reset procedure is detected.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the Timer_Poll_Prohibittimer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer_Status_Prohibit timer; and

stopping the Timer_Status_Prohibittimer in response to the reset procedure.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising stopping the Timer_Status_Prohibittimer if a condition for triggering the reset procedure is detected.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the Timer_Status_Prohibittimer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

23. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer-EPC timer prior to the reset procedure;

starting an Estimated PDU Counter (EPC) mechanism prior to the reset procedure; and

stopping the EPC mechanism in response to the Timer-EPC timer expiring prior to the completion of the reset procedure.

24. The method of claim 23 further comprising stopping the EPC mechanism in response to the reset procedure, or when a condition for triggering the reset procedure is detected.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the EPC mechanism after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

26. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer_RST timer;

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the Timer_RST timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.

27. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

starting a Timer_MRW timer;

re-establishing the RLC AM entity; and

stopping the Timer_MRW timer after re-establishment of the RLC AM entity.