Method And Device For Transmitting Data Packets

• US 20090303999A1
• Filed: 03/07/2007
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Jeanne, Ludovic, Fontaine, Patrick, Guguen, Charline
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/392
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/90 Buffering arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/901 using storage descriptor, e.g. read or write pointers

Abstract

In order to simplify the management of packets to be transmitted, we implement:

• • a writing to a first register of at least one descriptor of packets to be transmitted, each descriptor of packets to be transmitted comprising information representative of a status of each packet belonging to the set, the status of each packet indicating whether the packet is or is not to be transmitted;
  • determination of the first packet of data to be transmitted on the basis of the content of the first register and recording of an identifier of the first packet of data to be transmitted in a second register; and
  • transmission of a set of data packets.

Claims

1. Method for transmitting data packets, wherein it comprises the following steps:

writing to a first register of at least one descriptor of packets to be transmitted, each descriptor of packets to be transmitted comprising information representative of a status of each packet belonging to the said set, the status of each packet indicating whether the said packet is or is not to be transmitted;

determination of the first packet of data to be transmitted on the basis of the content of the said first register and recording of an identifier of the first packet of data to be transmitted in a second register; and

transmission of a set of data packets.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the said step of determining the first packet is an elementary step performed in at most a number of clock cycles that is strictly less than the size of the first register expressed as a number of binary data.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein the said step of determining the first packet is an elementary step performed in at most one clock cycle.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a step of determining the number of consecutive packets to be transmitted with the said first packet of data to be transmitted.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the said step of determining the number of consecutive packets to be transmitted is an elementary step performed in at most a number of clock cycles that is strictly less than the size of the first register expressed as a number of binary data.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein the said step of determining the number of consecutive packets to be transmitted is an elementary step performed in at most one clock cycle.

7. Method according to claim 4, wherein the said steps of determining the first packet and of determining the number of consecutive packets to be transmitted are simultaneous.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a step of recording the number of consecutive packets to be transmitted in the said second register.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the reading of the second register brings about a purely electronic updating of the first register, of the status of each packet indicated as having to be transmitted by the second register.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the reading of the second register and the updating of the corresponding first register are done in at most one clock cycle.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the said descriptor or descriptors of packets to be transmitted is a descriptor of current state of transmission of packets updated after a reception of an acknowledgement of packets corresponding to packets transmitted previously or expiry of a timeout following a transmission of packets.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein the said steps of determining the first packet of data to be transmitted on the basis of the content of the said first register and of recording an identifier of the first packet of data to be transmitted in a second register are repeated as long as the descriptor comprises information representative of a status corresponding to packets to be transmitted.

13. Method according to claim 1, wherein the packet corresponding to a status is identified, at least in part, by the position of an information representative of the status.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission of a set of data packets is performed on a wireless channel.

15. Device for transmitting data packets, wherein it comprises:

a first register for recording at least one descriptor of packets to be transmitted, each descriptor of packets to be transmitted comprising information representative of a status of each packet belonging to the said set, the status of each packet indicating whether the said packet is or is not to be transmitted;

a filter for determining the first packet of data to be transmitted on the basis of the content of the said first register and a second register for recording an identifier of the first packet of data to be transmitted; and

transmitter of a set of data packets.