Efficient error control for wireless packet transmissions

• US 6,301,249 B1
• Filed: 08/04/1998
• Issued: 10/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Opuswave Networks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Opuswave Networks, Inc.
• Inventors: Gavette, Sherman L., Mansfield, Carl, Bilgic, Izzet M., Gibbs, Benjamin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Application Number:
  US09/128,739
• Time in Patent Office: 1,162 Days
• Field of Search: 370/395, 370/394, 370/465, 370/470, 370/471, 370/472, 370/473, 370/474, 370/475, 370/476, 370/352, 371/30, 371/31, 371/32, 371/33, 714/100, 714/1, 714/2, 714/746-754
• US Class Current: 370/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1635 Cumulative acknowledgement, i.e. the acknowledgement message applying to all previous messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1806 Go-back-N protocols
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

A method of transmission error control includes transmitting at least one frame of packet data to a receiving entity during each of a plurality of time frames, and receiving a plurality of responsive messages from the receiving entity. Each of the responsive messages identifies frames of data successfully received during a current time frame and during prior time frames. The method also includes retransmitting each of the frames of data that the responsive message does not indicate as successfully received.

Claims

1. A method of transmission error control, comprising:

transmitting at least one frame of packet data to a receiving entity during each of a plurality of time frames, each time frame comprising more than one time slot;

receiving a plurality of responsive messages from said receiving entity, each of said responsive messages operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received during a current time frame and during prior time frames; and

retransmitting each of said frames of data that said responsive message indicates as unsuccessfully received, at least one of the frames of data identified as unsuccessfully received being retransmitted in more than one time slot of a time frame.

2. The method of transmission error control of claim 1, wherein each of said responsive messages comprises a bit map, said bit map comprising a bit for each of said frames of said packet data.

3. The method of transmission error control of claim 2, wherein a bit of said bit map corresponding to a frame of said packet data is set to a value of one if said frame is successfully received by said receiving entity.

4. The method of transmission error control of claim 2, wherein a bit of said bit map corresponding to a frame of said packet data is set to a value of zero if said frame is not successfully received by said receiving entity.

5. The method of error control of claim 1, wherein said frames of packet data are transmitted on a wireless transmission interface and said plurality of responsive messages are received on said wireless transmission interface.

6. A method of transmission error control, comprising:

attempting to receive at least one frame of packet data from a transmitting entity during each of a plurality of time frames, each time frame comprising more than one time slot;

generating a responsive message after each of a plurality of the time frames, each of said responsive messages operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received during a current time frame and during prior time frames;

transmitting said responsive message to said transmitting entity; and

receiving at least one of the frames of data identified as unsuccessfully received, the frame of data being retransmitted by the transmitting entity in more than one time slot of a time frame.

7. The method of transmission error control of claim 6, wherein said responsive message is transmitted to said transmitting entity in the same time frame as said attempt to receive at least one frame of packet data.

8. The method of transmission error control of claim 6, wherein said responsive message comprises a bit map of bits and each bit of said bit map corresponds to a frame of said packet data.

9. The method of transmission error control of claim 8, wherein each bit in said bit map corresponding to a received frame of data is set to a value of one, prior to the transmission of said responsive message to said transmitting entity.

10. The method of transmission error control of claim 8, wherein a bit in said bit map of a first responsive message is set to a value of one to indicate a frame of data was received in a first time frame, and said first responsive message is transmitted in said first time frame, and said bit in said bit map of a second responsive message is set to a value of one, and said second responsive message is transmitted in a second time frame.

11. The method of transmission error control of claim 6, wherein said frames of data are received on a wireless transmission interface and said responsive message is transmitted on said wireless transmission interface.

12. An aggregated acknowledgment message, comprising:

a message identification field; and

a bit map comprising a plurality of bits, each bit having a first state and a second state, the first state indicating that a receiving entity successfully received a frame of data corresponding with the bit during a current time frame or during prior time frames, the second state indicating that the receiving entity did not successfully receive the frame of data corresponding with the bit during the current and prior time frames, the bit map operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received, at least one of the successfully received frames of data having been retransmitted by a transmitting entity in more than one time slot of a time frame.

13. The aggregated acknowledgment message of claim 12, wherein a bit of said bit map is set to a value of one if the corresponding frame of data is received by a receiving entity.

14. The aggregated acknowledgment message of claim 12, wherein said bit map is comprised of a number of bits corresponding to the maximum number of frames of packet data to be transmitted in a wireless communication system.

15. The aggregated acknowledgement message of claim 14, wherein said maximum number of frames is seventy-nine.

16. A system for transmission error control, comprising:

at least one computer readable medium; and

software encoded on the at least one computer readable medium and operable when executed by a processor to;

transmit at least one frame of packet data to a receiving entity during each of a plurality of time frames, each time frame comprising more than one time slot;

receive a responsive message from the receiving entity, the responsive message operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received during a current time frame and during at least one prior time frame; and

retransmit at least one of the frames of data identified as unsuccessfully received in more than one time slot of a time frame.

17. A system for transmission error control, comprising:

a memory operable to store a plurality of frames of packet data; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to;

transmit at least one of the frames of packet data to a receiving entity during each of a plurality of time frames, each time frame comprising more than one time slot;

receive a responsive message from the receiving entity, the responsive message operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received during a current time frame and during at least one prior time frame; and

retransmit at least one of the frames of data identified as unsuccessfully received in more than one time slot of a time frame.

18. A system for transmission error control, comprising:

at least one computer readable medium; and

software encoded on the at least one computer readable medium and operable when executed by a processor to;

attempt to receive at least one frame of packet data from a transmitting entity during each of a plurality of time frames, each time frame comprising more than one time slot;

generate at least one responsive message operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received during a current time frame and during at least one prior time frame;

transmit the responsive message to the transmitting entity; and

receive at least one of the frames of data identified as unsuccessfully received, the frame of data being retransmitted by the transmitting entity in more than one time slot of a time frame.

19. A system for transmission error control, comprising:

a memory operable to store a bit map, the bit map comprising a plurality of bits and being operable to identify a plurality of frames of data successfully received or unsuccessfully received; and

a processor coupled to the memory and operable to;

attempt to receive at least one frame of packet data from a transmitting entity during each of a plurality of time frames, each time frame comprising more than one time slot;

set at least one of the bits in the bit map to a first state or a second state, the first state indicating that a frame of data was successfully received during a current time frame or during a prior time frame, the second state indicating that the frame of data was unsuccessfully received during the current and prior time frames;

generate at least one responsive message using the bit map;

transmit the responsive message to the transmitting entity; and

receive at least one of the frames of data identified as unsuccessfully received, the frame of data being retransmitted by the transmitting entity in more than one time slot of a time frame.