Communication device and method

• US 20040039833A1
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Published: 02/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Khan, Farooq, Ludwig, Reiner, Rathonyi, Bela
• Granted Patent: US 7,382,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/230
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/085 specially adapted for interworking of IP-based networks with other networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/321 Interlayer communication protocols or service data unit [SDU] definitions; Interfaces between layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/324 in the data link layer [OSI layer 2], e.g. HDLC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/325 in the network layer [OSI layer 3], e.g. X.25 H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/326 in the transport layer [OSI layer 4] H04L69/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

In the present invention, the implementation of a protocol that embeds packets is made sensitive to the type of data being embedded, so that adjustable parameters can be set automatically at the layer providing the parameters being adjusted in accordance with the packets being embedded. Thus it is taken into account that the data in packets being received from a higher layer in order to be encapsulated or segmented and sent further (either directly into the link or on to lower layer), may be classified into different categories with respect to the adjustable parameters, where the parameters can automatically be adjusted for an individual packet in accordance with the category into which is classified.

Claims

1. Communication device for generating data packets having a first data structure determined by a first predetermined protocol, which is arranged to receive data packets of a second structure determined by a predetermined second protocol and generating said data packets of said first structure by embedding each data packet of said second structure in one or more data packets of said first structure, and which comprises a discriminator means that is arranged to discriminate said data packet of said second structure according to predetermined rules, on the basis of the contents of said data packets of said second structure.

2. Communication device according to claim 1,

said first predetermined protocol supporting at least two transmission reliability modes according to which data packets are sent, where said transmission reliability modes are distinguishable at least with respect to rules regarding the retransmission of data packets, and where each generated data packet contains information on the transmission reliability mode according to which said each data packet is to be sent, such that a receiver of said each data packet may determine according to which of said transmission reliability modes said each data packet was sent, and said information on the transmission reliability mode is set in said each data packet by said communication device prior to sending said each data packet, and

said discriminator means being arranged to discriminate a given data packet of said second structure according to said predetermined rules, such that the information on the transmission reliability mode in the one or more data packets of said first structure containing said given data packet of said second structure is set in accordance with the discrimination result.

3. Communication device according to claim 2, wherein

said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets.

4. Communication device according to claim 1,

wherein said communication device is arranged to segment said data packets of said second structure in said data packets of said first structure.

5. Communication device according to claim 1,

wherein said communication device is arranged to encapsulate said data packets of said second structure in said data packets of said first structure.

6. Communication device according to claim 1,

further comprising an output buffer, into which the data packets of said first structure are passed, and from which said packets are sent out.

7. Communication device according to claim 2,

further comprising an output buffer, into which the data packets of said first structure are passed and said output buffer being arranged to place each data packet of said first structure in a queue associated with the transmission reliability mode set in said each packet.

8. Communication device according to claim 7, wherein

said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets, and said output buffer is arranged to send out data packets of said first mode that are to be retransmitted with a higher priority than other data packets.

9. Communication device according to claim 1,

wherein said data packets of said second structure transport one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discriminator means is arranged to analyze said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents.

10. Communication device according to claim 9, wherein said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated.

11. Communication device according to claim 2, wherein

said data packets of said second structure have one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discriminator means is arranged to analyze said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents, where said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated, and said packet headers form a hierarchy in accordance with the protocol layers, and, for a packet to be discriminated, said discriminator means is arranged to

first determine the protocol identification in the header associated with said second protocol and then compare said protocol identification with stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode to predetermined protocol identifications,

set the transmission reliability mode for said packet to be discriminated in accordance with a determined allocation if said protocol identification is among the stored rules, and if said protocol identification is not among the stored rules, then determine the protocol identification in the header associated with the next protocol one layer up in the hierarchy and then compare said protocol identification of said next protocol with said stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode,

where said process of determining and comparing is repeated until one of

a determined protocol identification in said packet to be discriminated is allocated to a predetermined transmission reliability mode according to one of the rules, in which case said transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated, and

a fail-safe condition is met, in which case a default transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated.

12. Communication device according to claim 3, wherein

said first protocol specifies performing segmentation in order to embed said packets of said second data structure in said packets of said first structure.

13. Communication device according to claim 1,

wherein said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link.

14. Communication device according to claim 13, wherein said link is a radio link.

15. Communication device according to claim 13,

wherein said communication device is arranged to also receive data packets of said first structure over said link.

16. Communication device according to claim 12, wherein

said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link and said communication device is arranged to also receive data packets of said first structure over said link, and in that a receiving buffer means is provided for receiving said data packets of said first structure over said link, where said receiving buffer means comprises a first part associated with said first transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said first transmission reliability mode, and a second part associated with said second transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said second transmission reliability mode.

17. Communication device according to claim 16,

being adapted to determine the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure, and said receiving buffer being adapted to store said received packets of said first data structure until one of

a complete packet of said second data structure has been received, which is determined by the receipt of packet delimiters belonging to packets of said second data structure, and,

for packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, a predetermined buffer limit is exceeded.

18. Communication device according to claim 12,

being adapted to determine the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in packets of said second data structure that are to be embedded, and to duplicate said packet delimiters prior to embedding.

19. Communication device according to claim 16,

said first transmission reliability mode being such that packets of said first transmission reliability mode are numbered to thereby specify a correct order, and

said communication device being adapted to determine the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure belonging to said first transmission reliability mode,

said receiving buffer being adapted to immediately release received packets of said first data structure, both those belonging to said first and said second transmission reliability mode, to the next higher layer, except if

packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode need to be retransmitted, in which case the received packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are buffered until they can be released in the correct order, and

packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are followed by packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, in which case said receiving buffer is adapted to immediately release received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if no packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, and to store received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, until a complete packet of said second data structure and first transmission reliability mode has been received and released, after which the stored packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode are released.

20. Communication device according to claim 17,

said predetermined packet delimiter being specified by a message received over said link.

21. Communication device according to claim 12, wherein

said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link,

the retransmission of packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode is decided on the basis of acknowledgment packets for packets already sent over said link, and

an output buffer means is provided that is adapted to send out packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode only if the receipt of all previously sent packets of said first transmission reliability mode has been acknowledged.

22. Communication device according to claim 1, wherein

said first predetermined protocol supports at least two operation modes according to which data packets are sent, said discriminator means comprises a controlling means, where said controlling means discriminates said data packets of said second structure on the basis of their contents and maps them to an operation mode on the basis of the discrimination result, and generates adaptation control data on the basis of said discrimination result, and where an adapting means is provided for selecting one of said at least two operating modes in response to said adaptation control data.

23. Communication device according to claim 22, wherein

said adapting means is additionally arranged to take into account data associated with the link over which said data packets of said first structure are sent when selecting one of said at least two operating modes in response to said adaption control data.

24. Communication device according to claim 22,

wherein said controlling means discriminates said data packets of said second structure on the basis of the contents of a predetermined field in the header of said data packets of said second structure.

25. Communication device according to claim 24, wherein

said predetermined field carries transmission quality requests as a part of said data packets of said second structure.

26. Communication device according to claim 22,

wherein said operating modes are associated with at least one of automatic repeat request error recovery and forward error correction.

27. Communication device according to claim 26, wherein

said forward error correction comprises one or more of frame check sequence based error detection, forward error control based error correction, interleaving-based error prevention, power control, spreading-based error prevention, frame length control, and bandwidth reservation control.

28. Method for generating data packets having a first data structure determined by a first predetermined protocol, comprising:

discriminating received data packets of a second structure determined by a second predetermined protocol according to predetermined rules, on the basis of the contents of said data packets of said second structure, and

embedding data packets of said second structure in data packets of said first structure.

29. Method for generating data packets according to claim 28, said first predetermined protocol supporting at least two transmission reliability modes according to which data packets may be sent, where said transmission reliability modes are distinguishable at least with respect to rules regarding the retransmission of data packets, and where each generated data packet contains information on the transmission reliability mode according to which said each data packet is to be sent, such that a receiver of said each data packet may determine according to which of said transmission reliability modes said each data packet was sent, and

the information on the transmission reliability mode in a data packet of said first structure containing a given data packet of said second structure being set in accordance with the result of said discriminating step for said given data packet of said second structure.

30. Method according to claim 29, wherein said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets.

31. Method according to claim 28, wherein

said data packets of said second structure are encapsulated in said data packets of said first structure.

32. Method according to claim 28, wherein

said data packets of said second structure are segmented in said data packets of said first structure.

33. Method according to claim 28, wherein

said data packets of said first structure is passed into an output buffer.

34. Method according to claim 29, said data

packets of said first structure being passed into an output buffer, and said output buffer placing each data packet of said first structure in a queue associated with the transmission reliability mode set in said each packet.

35. Method according to claim 34, wherein

said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets, and said output buffer sends out data packets of said first mode that are to be retransmitted with a higher priority than other data packets.

36. Method according to claim 28, wherein

said data packets of said second structure transport one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discrimination step comprises analyzing said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents.

37. Method according to claim 36, wherein

said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated.

38. Method according to claim 29, wherein

said data packets of said second structure have one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discrimination step comprises analyzing said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents,

said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated, and

said packet headers form a hierarchy in accordance with the protocol layers, and, for a packet to be discriminated, said discrimination step includes

first determining the protocol identification in the header associated with said second protocol and then comparing said protocol identification with stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode to predetermined protocol identifications,

setting the transmission reliability mode for said packet to be discriminated in accordance with a determined allocation if said protocol identification is among the stored rules, and if said protocol identification is not among the stored rules, then determining the protocol identification in the header associated with the next protocol one layer up in the hierarchy and then comparing said protocol identification of said next protocol with said stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode, where said process of determining and comparing is repeated until one of

a determined protocol identification in said packet to be discriminated is allocated to a predetermined transmission reliability mode according to one of the rules, in which case said transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated, and

a fail-safe condition is met, in which case a default transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated.

39. Method according to claim 30, wherein

said first protocol specifies performing segmentation in order to embed said packets of said second data structure in said packets of said first structure.

40. Method according to claim 28, wherein

said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link.

41. Method according to claim 40, wherein

said link is a radio link.

42. Method according to claim 40, further

receiving data packets of said first structure over said link.

43. Method according to claim 39, wherein

said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link,

data packets of said first structure are also received over said link, and

a receiving buffer means is used, for receiving said data packets of said first structure over said link, where said receiving buffer means comprises a first part associated with said first transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said first transmission reliability mode, and a second part associated with said second transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said second transmission reliability mode.

44. Method according to claim 43, further comprising

determining the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure, and said receiving buffer storing said received packets of said first data structure until one of

a complete packet of said second data structure has been received, which is determined by the receipt of packet delimiters belonging to packets of said second data structure, and,

for packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, a predetermined buffer limit is exceeded.

45. Method according to claim 39, further comprising

determining the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in packets of said second data structure that are to be embedded, and duplicating said packet delimiters prior to embedding.

46. Method according to claim 43,

said first transmission reliability mode being such that packets of said first transmission reliability mode are numbered to thereby specify a correct order, and further comprising

determining the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure belonging to said first transmission reliability mode,

said receiving buffer immediately releasing received packets of said first data structure, both those belonging to said first and said second transmission reliability mode, to the next higher layer, except if

packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode need to be retransmitted, in which case the received packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are buffered until they can be released in the correct order, and

packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are followed by packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, in which case said receiving buffer is adapted to immediately release received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if no packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, and to store received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, until a complete packet of said second data structure and first transmission reliability mode has been received and released, after which the stored packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode are released.

47. Method according to claim 44, said predetermined packet delimiter being specified by a message received over said link.

48. Method according to claim 39, wherein

said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link,

the retransmission of packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode is decided on the basis of acknowledgment packets for packets already sent over said link, and

an output buffer means is provided that sends out packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode only if the receipt of all previously sent packets of said first transmission reliability mode has been acknowledged.

49. Method according to claim 28, wherein

said first predetermined protocol supports at least two operation modes according to which data packets are sent, a controlling process and an adapting process are provided, where said controlling process discriminates said data packets of said second structure on the basis of their contents and maps them to an operation mode on the basis of the discrimination result, and generates adaptation control data on the basis of said discrimination result, and where said adapting process selects one of said at least two operating modes in response to said adaptation control data.

50. Method according to claim 49, wherein

said adapting process additionally takes into account data associated with the link over which said data packets of said first structure are sent when selecting one of said at least two operating modes in response to said adaption control data.

51. Method according to claim 49, wherein

said controlling process discriminates said data packets of said second structure on the basis of the contents of a predetermined field in the header of said data packets of said second structure.

52. Method according to claim 51, wherein

said predetermined field carries transmission quality requests as a part of said data packets of said second structure.

53. Method according to claim 49, wherein

said operating modes are associated with at least one of automatic repeat request error recovery and forward error correction.

54. Method according to claim 51, wherein

said forward error correction comprises at least one of frame check sequence based error detection, forward error control based error correction, interleaving-based error prevention, power control, spreading-based error prevention, frame length control, and bandwidth reservation control.

55. Communication device for generating data packets having a first data structure determined by a first predetermined protocol, which is arranged to receive data packets of a second structure determined by a predetermined second protocol and generating said data packets of said first structure by embedding each data packet of said second structure in one or more data packets of said first structure, and which comprises a discriminator that is arranged to discriminate said data packet of said second structure according to predetermined rules, on the basis of the contents of said data packets of said second structure.

56. Communication device for generating data packets having a first data structure determined by a first predetermined protocol, which is arranged to receive data packets of a second structure determined by a predetermined second protocol and generating said data packets of said first structure by embedding each data packet of said second structure in one or more data packets of said first structure, and which comprises a discriminator that is arranged to discriminate said data packet of said second structure according to predetermined rules, on the basis of the contents of said data packets of said second structure, further comprising an output buffer, into which the data packets of said first structure are passed, and from which said packets are sent out, wherein said first protocol supports at least two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets.