ACKNOWLEDGE MODE POLLING WITH IMMEDIATE STATUS REPORT TIMING

• US 20090086704A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ho, Sai Yiu Duncan
• Granted Patent: US 8,422,480 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/346
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]

Abstract

A wireless network avoids delays in receiving status reports by having transmitters make sure that any outstanding Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (HARQ) processes in progress are all finished before sending the polling request. Thus, the receiver can respond to any polling request of the transmitter immediately without delay. Since the transmitter already ensures all HARQ processes are done, the receiver'"'"'s status report will accurately reflect the latest information. The transmitter may send a poll anytime regardless of the HARQ processes if the most up-to-date polling is determined to be not as important (e.g., when the transmitter is trying to advance its transmitter window, in which case the exact Status info is not critical). The receiver may then react immediate upon receiving the poll. Thereby, detecting the loss of any piece of data within a data burst is expedited.

Claims

1. A method for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

transmitting data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel to a receiver;

determining that status reporting from the receiver is warranted;

transmitting a polling status request; and

receiving a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining that status reporting is warranted by determining that the receiver has completed sending an acknowledgement for the transmitted data packets.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising determining that status reporting is warranted by determining a last data indication of a transmitter RLC buffer.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting data packets in a Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (HARQ) communication channel.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising performing local not acknowledged (Nak) communication between an RLC entity and a HARQ component of a medium access channel (MAC) layer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that status reporting is warranted by determining that up-to-date polling is not required; and

transmitting the status request before the receiver has completed sending an acknowledgement for the transmitted data packets.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising determining that up-to-date polling is not required when advancing a transmitter window.

8. At least one processor for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

a first module for transmitting data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel to a receiver;

a second module for determining that status reporting from the receiver is warranted.

a third module for transmitting a polling status request; and

a fourth module for receiving a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

9. A computer program product for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium comprising,

a first set of codes for causing a computer to transmit data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel to a receiver;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to determine that status reporting from the receiver is warranted;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to transmit a polling status request; and

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to receive a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

10. An apparatus for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

means for transmitting data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel to a receiver;

means for determining that status reporting from the receiver is warranted;

means for transmitting a status request; and

means for receiving a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

11. An apparatus for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

a transmitter component for transmitting data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel to a receiver;

an RLC poll criteria component for determining that status reporting from the receiver is warranted;

the transmitter component for transmitting a polling status request; and

a receiver component for receiving a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the RLC poll criteria component for determining that status reporting is warranted by determining that the receiver has completed sending an acknowledgement for the transmitted data packets.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising the RLC poll criteria component for determining that a status report is warranted by determining a last data indication in a transmitter RLC buffer.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising the transmitter component for transmitting data packets in a Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (HARQ) communication channel.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising the RLC poll criteria component for performing local not acknowledged (Nak) communication between an RLC entity and a HARQ component of a medium access channel (MAC) layer.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

the RLC poll criteria component for determining that status reporting is warranted by determining that up-to-date polling is not required; and

the transmitter component for transmitting the status request before the receiver has completed sending an acknowledgement for the transmitted data packets.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising the RLC poll criteria component for determining that up-to-date polling is not required when advancing a transmitter window.

18. A method for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

receiving data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel from a transmitter;

receiving a polling status request when the transmitter has determined that status reporting from the receiver is warranted; and

transmitting a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

transmitting acknowledgements for data packets successfully received and not acknowledged for data packets not successfully received; and

receiving the polling status report after the transmitter has determined that status reporting is warranted by determining that the receiver has completed sending an acknowledgement for the transmitted data packets.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising receiving data packets in a Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (HARQ) communication channel.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising performing local not acknowledged (Nak) communication between an RLC entity and a HARQ component of a medium access channel (MAC) layer.

22. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving the polling status report before completing transmitting acknowledgements for data packets successfully received and not acknowledged for data packets not successfully received; and

transmitting the status report from the receiver sent without delay.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising receiving the polling status report after the transmitter determines that up-to-date polling is not required when advancing a transmitter window.

24. At least one processor for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

a first module for receiving data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel from a transmitter;

a second module for receiving a polling status request when the transmitter has determined that status reporting from the receiver is warranted; and

a third module for transmitting a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

25. A computer program product for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium comprising, a first set of codes for causing a computer to receive data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel from a transmitter;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to receive a polling status request when the transmitter has determined that status reporting from the receiver is warranted; and

a third set of codes for causing the computer to transmit a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

26. An apparatus for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

means for receiving data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel from a transmitter;

means for receiving a polling status request when the transmitter has determined that status reporting from the receiver is warranted; and

means for transmitting a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

27. An apparatus for radio link control (RLC) polling and status report timing in a wireless network, comprising:

a receiver component for receiving data packets in an acknowledge mode communication channel from a transmitter and for receiving a polling status request when the transmitter has determined that status reporting from the receiver is warranted; and

a transmitter component for transmitting a status report from the receiver sent without delay.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

the transmitter component for transmitting acknowledgements for data packets successfully received and not acknowledged for data packets not successfully received; and

the receiver component for receiving the polling status report after the transmitter has determined that status reporting is warranted by determining that the receiver has completed sending an acknowledgement for the transmitted data packets.

29. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising the receiver component for receiving data packets in a Hybrid Automatic Repeat-reQuest (HARQ) communication channel.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising an RLC entity and HARQ component of a medium access channel (MAC) layer, the RLC entity for performing local not acknowledged (Nak) communication with the HARQ component.

31. The apparatus of claim 27, further comprising:

the receiver component for receiving the polling status report before completing transmitting acknowledgements for data packets successfully received and not acknowledged for data packets not successfully received; and

the transmitter component for transmitting the status report from the receiver sent without delay.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, further comprising the receiver component for receiving the polling status report after the transmitter determines that up-to-date polling is not required when advancing a transmitter window.