Method and apparatus for dynamically changing modes of a reliable transport protocol

• US 20060171396A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 08/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Bhatla, Mukesh, Jayapalan, Jay P., Singh, Ajoy K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,288,713 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1825 Adaptation of specific ARQ protocol parameters according to transmission conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1877 for semi-reliable protocols, e.g. for less sensitive applications like streaming video buffer level management for video bitstream control arrangements H04N21/44004
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/14 using intermediate storage
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/00 Wireless network protocols or protocol adaptations to wireless operation

Abstract

A communication device minimizes an opportunity for a queue stall during a communication session employing a reliable transport protocol by setting a current mode of operation for a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) and, based on a quality of an air interface, switching to an RLP mode of operation different from the current mode during the communication session.

Claims

1. A method for minimizing an occurrence of a queue stall during a communication session employing a reliable transport protocol comprising:

setting a current mode of operation for a Radio Link Protocol (RLP); and

switching to an RLP mode of operation different from the current mode of operation during the communication session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein setting comprises setting a transparent mode of operation for a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) and wherein switching comprises switching to a non-transparent RLP mode of operation.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising, subsequent to switching to the non-transparent Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation, switching back to a transparent RLP mode of operation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein setting comprises setting a non-transparent mode of operation for a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) and wherein switching comprises switching to a transparent RLP mode of operation.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising, subsequent to switching to the transparent Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation, switching back to a non-transparent RLP mode of operation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein switching comprises:

determining a quality of an air interface; and

switching the RLP mode of operation during the communication session based on the determined quality of the air interface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein switching comprises:

comparing the determined quality of the air interface to a threshold;

when the determined quality compares unfavorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a transparent mode of operation, switching to a non-transparent mode of operation; and

when the determined quality compares favorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a non-transparent mode of operation, switching to a transparent mode of operation.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

when the determined quality compares unfavorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a non-transparent mode of operation, maintaining the current mode of operation; and

when the determined quality compares favorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a transparent mode of operation, maintaining the current mode of operation.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a quality of an air interface comprises determining one or more of a quantity of Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (H-ARQ) aborts and a quantity of queue stalls.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein switching comprises conveying a message informing of a change in a number of rounds of negative acknowledgements (NAKs) before aborting a frame.

11. A communication device capable of changing a mode of operation of a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) during a communication session, the communication device comprising:

means for setting a current mode of operation for an RLP; and

means for switching to an RLP mode of operation different from the current mode of operation during the communication session.

12. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the means for setting comprises a means for setting a transparent mode of operation for a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) and wherein the means for switching comprises a means for switching to a non-transparent RLP mode of operation.

13. The communication device of claim 12, further comprising a means for switching back to a transparent RLP mode of operation subsequent to switching to the non-transparent Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation.

14. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the means for setting comprises a means for setting a non-transparent mode of operation for a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) and wherein the means for switching comprises a means for switching to a transparent RLP mode of operation.

15. The communication device of claim 14, further comprising a means for switching back to a non-transparent RLP mode of operation subsequent to switching to the transparent Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation.

16. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the means for switching comprises:

means for determining a quality of an air interface; and

means for switching the RLP mode of operation during the communication session based on the determined quality of the air interface.

17. The communication device of claim 16, wherein the means for switching comprises:

means for comparing the determined quality of the air interface to a threshold;

means for switching to a non-transparent mode of operation when the determined quality compares unfavorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a transparent mode of operation; and

means for switching to a transparent mode of operation when the determined quality compares favorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a non-transparent mode of operation.

18. The communication device of claim 17, further comprising:

means for maintaining the current mode of operation when the determined quality compares unfavorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a non-transparent mode of operation; and

means for maintaining the current mode of operation when the determined quality compares favorably to the threshold and the current Radio Link Protocol (RLP) mode of operation is a transparent mode of operation.

19. The communication device of claim 18, wherein the means for determining a quality of an air interface comprises a means for determining one or more of a quantity of Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (H-ARQ) aborts and a quantity of queue stalls.

20. The communication device of claim 11, wherein the means for switching comprises:

means for assembling a message informing of a change in a number of rounds of negative acknowledgements (NAKs) before aborting a frame; and

means for conveying the assembled message.