Increasing reliability of receiving control messages

• US 20050278601A1
• Filed: 06/10/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bayer, William R., Cordell, Donald P., Morgan, William K.
• Application Number:
  US10/865,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278601A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/748
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1845 Combining techniques, e.g. code combining

Abstract

A controller (100) for a wireless communication system determines whether a multiframe control message is imminent, and activates (404, 406) a buffer (112) for storing received frames of a first transmission (202, 204, 206) of the multiframe control message, when the multiframe control message is imminent. The controller receives a retransmission (302, 304, 306) of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure, and reconstructs (500) the multiframe control message from corresponding received frames of both the first transmission and the retransmission.

Claims

1. A method in a controller of a wireless communication system utilizing control messages including multiframe control messages, the method for improving a reliability of receiving the multiframe control messages, the method comprising:

determining whether a multiframe control message is imminent;

activating a buffer for storing received frames of a first transmission of the multiframe control message, when the multiframe control message is imminent;

receiving a retransmission of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure; and

reconstructing the multiframe control message from corresponding received frames of both the first transmission and the retransmission.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining whether the multiframe control message is imminent comprises:

sending a request to a mobile unit in the wireless communication system for the multiframe control message; and

receiving from the mobile unit a response within a predetermined time period.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving a retransmission of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure comprises:

discovering the erasure; and

in response to discovering the erasure, performing one of;

sending a negative acknowledgment;

sending no response; and

requesting the retransmission.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the reconstructing the multiframe control message comprises:

discarding a frame of the retransmission that is identical to a corresponding frame of a prior transmission of the multiframe control message; and

replacing an erased frame of the prior transmission with a non-erased frame of the retransmission.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising

deactivating the buffer after reconstructing the multiframe control message.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising

repeating the receiving of the retransmission of the multiframe control message and the reconstructing of the multiframe control message until a message error check is passed.

7. A controller for a wireless communication system utilizing control messages including multiframe control messages, the controller for increasing reliability of receiving the multiframe control messages, the controller comprising:

a processor for directing operations of the controller;

a memory coupled to the processor and comprising executable software and data for programming the processor; and

a system interface coupled to the processor for communicating with the wireless communication system,

wherein the executable software programs the processor to;

determine whether a multiframe control message is imminent;

activate a buffer for storing received frames of a first transmission of the multiframe control message, when the multiframe control message is imminent;

receive a retransmission of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure; and

reconstruct the multiframe control message from corresponding received frames of both the first transmission and the retransmission.

8. The controller of claim 7, wherein the executable software further programs the processor to:

send a request to a mobile unit in the wireless communication system for the multiframe control message; and

expect the mobile unit to respond within a predetermined time period.

9. The controller of claim 7, wherein, in receiving a retransmission of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure, the executable software further programs the processor to:

discover the erasure; and

in response to discovering the erasure, perform one of;

sending a negative acknowledgment;

sending no response; and

requesting the retransmission.

10. The controller of claim 7, wherein the executable software further programs the processor to:

discard a frame of the retransmission that is identical to a corresponding frame of a prior transmission of the multiframe control message; and

replace an erased frame of the prior transmission with a non-erased frame of the retransmission.

11. The controller of claim 7, wherein the executable software further programs the processor to

deactivate the buffer after reconstructing the multiframe control message.

12. The controller of claim 7 wherein the executable software further programs the processor to

repeat receiving the retransmission of the multiframe control message and reconstructing the multiframe control message until a message error check is passed.

13. A software program for a controller of a wireless communication system utilizing control messages including multiframe control messages, the software program for improving a reliability of receiving the multiframe control messages, wherein the software program, when installed and operating in the controller, causes the controller to:

determine whether a multiframe control message is imminent;

activate a buffer for storing received frames of a first transmission of the multiframe control message, when the multiframe control message is imminent;

receive a retransmission of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure; and

reconstruct the multiframe control message from corresponding received frames of both the first transmission and the retransmission.

14. The software program of claim 13, further causing the controller to:

send a request to a mobile unit in the wireless communication system for the multiframe control message; and

expect the mobile unit to respond within a predetermined time period.

15. The software program of claim 13, wherein, in receiving a retransmission of the multiframe control message, when a received frame of the multiframe control message has an erasure, the software program further causes the controller to:

discover the erasure; and

in response to discovering the erasure, perform one of;

sending a negative acknowledgment;

sending no response; and

requesting the retransmission.

16. The software program of claim 13, further causing the controller to:

discard a frame of the retransmission that is identical to a corresponding frame of a prior transmission of the multiframe control message; and

replace an erased frame of the prior transmission with a non-erased frame of the retransmission.

17. The software program of claim 13, further causing the controller to

deactivate the buffer after reconstructing the multiframe control message.

18. The software program of claim 13, further causing the controller to

repeat receiving the retransmission of the multiframe control message and reconstructing the multiframe control message until a message error check is passed.