METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INDICATING A TRANSMISSION STATUS TO A HIGHER LAYER

• US 20080170522A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 07/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sammour, Mohammed, Terry, Stephen E., Somasundaram, Shankar, Pinheiro, Ana Lucia
• Application Number:
  US11/970,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20080170522A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus for indicating a transmission status to a higher layer are disclosed. In the transmitting entity, a radio link control (RLC) entity sends a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of a higher layer message to a higher layer entity based on hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback information obtained from an HARQ entity. The RLC entity may send the packet delivery notification to the higher layer entity based on an RLC status report. Alternatively, the HARQ entity may send the packet delivery notification to the higher layer entity and/or the RLC entity based on HARQ feedback. The higher layer entity may update the higher layer message before retransmitting the higher layer message. If the RLC entity segments an RLC service data unit (SDU) and delivery of at least one segment of the RLC SDU fails, the RLC entity may discard the RLC SDU.

Claims

1. A method for indicating a transmission status to a higher layer, the method comprising:

a higher layer entity generating a higher layer message;

a radio link control (RLC) entity sending at least one RLC protocol data unit (PDU) carrying at least one segment of the higher layer message to a medium access control (MAC) entity;

the MAC entity transmitting at least one transport block carrying said at least one RLC PDU via a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity; and

the RLC entity sending a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of the higher layer message to the higher layer entity based on HARQ feedback information obtained from the HARQ entity.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the RLC entity sending the packet delivery notification to the higher layer entity based on an RLC status report.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the RLC entity is a transparent mode (TM) RLC entity.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the RLC entity is an unacknowledged mode (UM) RLC entity.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the RLC entity is an acknowledged mode (AM) RLC entity.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated when a maximum number of HARQ retransmissions is reached before successful delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated upon failed HARQ delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the packet delivery notification includes a cause of unsuccessful delivery of the higher layer message.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the higher layer entity conducting a retransmission of the higher layer message.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the higher layer entity is a radio resource control (RRC) entity.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the higher layer message is one of an RRC connection request message, a cell update message, a measurement report message, a security mode complete message, an initial direct transfer message, a signaling connection release indication message, and a handover failure message.

12. The method of claim 9 further comprising:

the higher layer entity updating the higher layer message before retransmitting the higher layer message.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

the RLC entity segmenting an RLC service data unit (SDU) into multiple segments, wherein at least one segment is included in the RLC PDU.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

the RLC entity discarding all segments of the RLC SDU if the packet delivery notification indicates that at least one segment of the RLC SDU is failed to be delivered.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

the RLC entity notifying the HARQ entity to terminate an HARQ process for segments of the RLC SDU that are forwarded to the MAC entity.

16. A method for indicating a transmission status to a higher layer, the method comprising:

a higher layer entity generating a higher layer message;

a radio link control (RLC) entity sending at least one RLC protocol data unit (PDU) carrying at least one segment of the higher layer message to a medium access control (MAC) entity;

the MAC entity transmitting at least one transport block carrying said at least one RLC PDU via a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity; and

the HARQ entity sending a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of the higher layer message to at least one of the higher layer entity and the RLC entity based on HARQ feedback.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the RLC entity is a transparent mode (TM) RLC entity.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the RLC entity is an unacknowledged mode (UM) RLC entity.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the RLC entity is an acknowledged mode (AM) RLC entity.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated when a maximum number of HARQ retransmissions is reached before successful delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated upon failed HARQ delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

22. The method of claim 16 wherein the packet delivery notification includes a cause of unsuccessful delivery of the higher layer message.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

the higher layer entity conducting a retransmission of the higher layer message.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the higher layer entity is a radio resource control (RRC) entity.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the higher layer message is one of an RRC connection request message, a cell update message, a measurement report message, a security mode complete message, an initial direct transfer message, a signaling connection release indication message, and a handover failure message.

26. The method of claim 23 further comprising:

the higher layer entity updating the higher layer message before retransmitting the higher layer message.

27. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

the RLC entity segmenting an RLC service data unit (SDU) into multiple segments, wherein at least one segment is included in the higher layer message.

28. The method of claim 27 further comprising:

the RLC entity discarding all segments of the RLC SDU if the packet delivery notification indicates that at least one segment of the RLC SDU is failed to be delivered.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

the RLC entity notifying the HARQ entity to terminate an HARQ process for segments of the RLC SDU that are forwarded to the MAC entity.

30. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

the RLC entity retransmitting one of the higher layer message and the RLC PDU upon receipt of the packet delivery notification indicating unsuccessful delivery of the RLC PDU.

31. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for transmitting a packet, the WTRU comprising:

a higher layer entity for generating a higher layer message;

a radio link control (RLC) entity configured to generate at least one RLC protocol data unit (PDU) carrying at least one segment of the higher layer message; and

a medium access control (MAC) entity configured to generate at least one transport block from said at least one RLC PDU received from the RLC entity, and transmit the TB via a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity,

wherein the RLC entity is configured to send a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of the higher layer message to the higher layer entity based on HARQ feedback information obtained from the HARQ entity.

32. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the RLC entity is configured to send the packet delivery notification to the higher layer entity based on an RLC status report.

33. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the RLC entity is a transparent mode (TM) RLC entity.

34. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the RLC entity is an unacknowledged mode (UM) RLC entity.

35. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the RLC entity is an acknowledged mode (AM) RLC entity.

36. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated when a maximum number of HARQ retransmissions is reached before successful delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

37. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated upon failed HARQ delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

38. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the packet delivery notification includes a cause of unsuccessful delivery of the higher layer message.

39. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the higher layer entity retransmits the higher layer message if the packet delivery notification indicates that at least a segment of the higher layer message is not successfully transmitted.

40. The WTRU of claim 39 wherein the higher layer entity is a radio resource control (RRC) entity.

41. The WTRU of claim 40 wherein the higher layer message is one of an RRC connection request message, a cell update message, a measurement report message, a security mode complete message, an initial direct transfer message, a signaling connection release indication message, and a handover failure message.

42. The WTRU of claim 39 wherein the higher layer entity updates the higher layer message before retransmitting the higher layer message.

43. The WTRU of claim 31 wherein the RLC entity is configured to segment an RLC service data unit (SDU) into multiple segments, wherein at least one segment is included in the RLC PDU.

44. The WTRU of claim 43 wherein the RLC entity is configured to discard all segments of the RLC SDU if the packet delivery notification indicates that at least one segment of the RLC SDU is failed to be delivered.

45. The WTRU of claim 44 wherein the RLC entity is configured to notify the HARQ entity to terminate an HARQ process for segments of the RLC SDU that are forwarded to the MAC entity.

46. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for transmitting a packet, the WTRU comprising:

a higher layer entity for generating a higher layer message;

a radio link control (RLC) entity configured to generate at least one RLC protocol data unit (PDU) carrying at least one segment of the higher layer message; and

a medium access control (MAC) entity configured to generate at least one transport block from said at least one RLC PDU received from the RLC entity, and transmit the TB via a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity, the HARQ entity being configured to send a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of the higher layer message to at least one of the higher layer entity and the RLC entity based on HARQ feedback.

47. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the RLC entity is a transparent mode (TM) RLC entity.

48. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the RLC entity is an unacknowledged mode (UM) RLC entity.

49. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the RLC entity is an acknowledged mode (AM) RLC entity.

50. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated when a maximum number of HARQ retransmissions is reached before successful delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

51. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the packet delivery notification is generated upon failed HARQ delivery of a transport block carrying at least a segment of the higher layer message.

52. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the packet delivery notification includes a cause of unsuccessful delivery of the higher layer message.

53. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the higher layer entity is configured to retransmit the higher layer message if the packet delivery notification indicates unsuccessful delivery of the higher layer message.

54. The WTRU of claim 53 wherein the higher layer entity is a radio resource control (RRC) entity.

55. The WTRU of claim 54 wherein the higher layer message is one of an RRC connection request message, a cell update message, a measurement report message, a security mode complete message, an initial direct transfer message, a signaling connection release indication message, and a handover failure message.

56. The WTRU of claim 53 wherein the higher layer entity is configured to update the higher layer message before retransmitting the higher layer message.

57. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the RLC entity is configured to segment an RLC service data unit (SDU) into multiple segments, wherein at least one segment is included in the RLC PDU.

58. The WTRU of claim 57 wherein the RLC entity is configured to discard all segments of the RLC SDU if the packet delivery notification indicates that at least one segment of the RLC SDU is failed to be delivered.

59. The WTRU of claim 58 wherein the RLC entity is configured to notify the HARQ entity to terminate an HARQ process for segments of the RLC SDU that are forwarded to the MAC entity.

60. The WTRU of claim 46 wherein the RLC entity is configured to retransmit one of the higher layer message and the RLC PDU upon receipt of the packet delivery notification indicating unsuccessful delivery of the RLC PDU.

61. A Node-B for transmitting a packet, the Node-B comprising:

a radio link control (RLC) entity configured to generate at least one RLC protocol data unit (PDU) carrying at least one segment of a higher layer message; and

a medium access control (MAC) entity configured to generate at least one transport block (TB) from said at least one RLC PDU received from the RLC entity, and transmit the TB via a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity,

wherein the RLC entity is configured to send a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of the higher layer message to a higher layer entity based on HARQ feedback information obtained from the HARQ entity.

62. A Node-B for transmitting a packet, the Node-B comprising:

a radio link control (RLC) entity configured to generate at least one RLC protocol data unit (PDU) carrying at least one segment of a higher layer message; and

a medium access control (MAC) entity configured to generate at least one transport block (TB) from said at least one RLC PDU received from the RLC entity, and transmit the TB via a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) entity, the HARQ entity being configured to send a packet delivery notification regarding delivery status of the higher layer message to at least one of a higher layer entity and the RLC entity based on HARQ feedback.

63. A method for transmitting a radio link control (RLC) service data unit (SDU), the method comprising:

an RLC entity segmenting an RLC SDU into multiple segments, wherein at least one segment is included in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU); and

the RLC entity discarding all segments of the RLC SDU if a packet delivery notification indicates that at least one segment of the RLC SDU is failed to be delivered.

64. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for transmitting a radio link control (RLC) service data unit (SDU), the WTRU comprising:

an RLC entity configured to segment an RLC SDU into multiple segments and include at least one segment in an RLC protocol data unit (PDU), and discard all segments of the RLC SDU if a packet delivery notification indicates that at least one segment of the RLC SDU is failed to be delivered; and

a medium access control (MAC) entity to transmit the RLC PDU.