DATA PACKET RETRANSMISSION AND FEC ARRANGEMENT, AND CORRESPONDING METHOD

• US 20070121639A1
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: DEGRANDE, Natalie, DELA VALLEE, Paloma, DE VLEESCHAUWER, Danny
• Application Number:
  US11/564,111
• Publication Number:
  US 20070121639A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/004 by using forward error control H04L1/0618 takes precedence; coding, decoding or code conversion, for error detection or correction H03M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]

Abstract

The invention concerns a data packet retransmission arrangement having a retransmission buffer, a counter, a forward error correction device and control logic. The retransmission buffer stores recently transmitted data packets. The counter keeps track of the number of retransmission requests received for a data packet (211). If this number is below a first integer value K, the data packet is retransmitted (212, 213). If this number is equal to or above the first integer value K, the forward error correction device calculates N forward error correction packets on L-1 recently transmitted data packets plus the data packet to be retransmitted (211), N being a second integer value equal to or larger than zero, and L being a third integer value equal to or larger than 1. In the latter case, the data packet is retransmitted together with the N forward error correction packets (214).

Claims

1. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) adapted to retransmit a data packet (211) upon receipt of a retransmission request, said data packet retransmission arrangement (400) comprising:

a. a retransmission buffer (403) for storing recently transmitted data packets;

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said data packet retransmission arrangement (400) further comprises;

b. a counter (404) for counting the number of retransmission requests received for said data packet (211), and for comparing said number of retransmission requests to a first integer value K;

c. a forward error correction device (406) able to calculate N forward error correction packets on L−

1 recently transmitted data packets plus said data packet (211) to be retransmitted, N being a second integer value equal to or larger than zero, and L being a third integer value equal to or larger than 1; and

d. control logic (405) adapted to control said retransmission buffer (403) and said forward error correction device (406) to either retransmit said data packet (211) if said number of retransmission requests is below K, or to transmit said data packet (211) together with said N forward error correction packets if said number of retransmission requests is equal to K.

2. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said first integer value K is preconfigured such that K retransmissions of said data packet (211) still arrive within a predefined, acceptable delay bound.

3. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 2,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said predefined acceptable delay bound equals 150 milliseconds.

4. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said second integer value N is configured to be zero.

5. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said third integer value L is configured to be one, and said N forward error correction packets are copies of said data packet (211) to be retransmitted.

6. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said data packet retransmission arrangement (400) is integrated in a Digital Subscriber Line Access Multiplexer (DSLAM).

7. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said data packet retransmission arrangement (400) is integrated in a Set-Top Box (STB).

8. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said data packet retransmission arrangement (400) is integrated in a wireless router.

9. A data packet retransmission arrangement (400) according to claim 1,

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said data packet retransmission arrangement (400) is integrated in a home gateway.

10. A method for retransmitting a data packet (211) upon receipt of a retransmission request, said method comprising:

a. storing recently transmitted data packets;

CHARACTERIZED IN THAT said method further comprises;

b. counting the number of retransmission requests received for said data packet (211);

c. comparing said number of retransmission requests with a first integer value K, and if said number of retransmission requests is below K the step of;

d. retransmitting said data packet (211);

or if said number of retransmission requests is equal to K the steps of;

e. calculating N forward error correction packets on L−

1 recently transmitted data packets plus said data packet to be retransmitted (211), N being a second integer value equal to or larger than zero, and L being a third integer value equal to or larger than 1; and

f. transmitting said data packet (211) together with said N forward error correction packets.