Data transmission over a communications link with variable transmission rates
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting data at variable rates over a communications link in predetermined time intervals, where each of the predetermined time intervals has the same duration, comprising:
- receiving data for transmission over the communications link;
detecting a first transmission rate for transmission over the communications link;
providing data bits at the first transmission rate into fixed size data blocks, each fixed size data block having the same number of bits;
transmitting over the communications link at the first transmission rate during one or more of the predetermined time intervals a first number of the fixed size data blocks corresponding to the first transmission rate;
detecting a change in transmission rate over the communications link from the first transmission rate to a second transmission rate;
providing data bits at the second transmission rate into the fixed size data blocks; and
transmitting a second number of the fixed size data blocks corresponding to the second transmission rate during one or more predetermined time intervals.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optimal data block size is determined for use in transmitting data at variable rates over a communications link in predetermined time intervals, where each predetermined time interval has the same time duration. Rather than varying data block size according to changes in transmission rates, which adds unnecessary complexity, the data blocks all have the same fixed size, i.e., the same number of data bits in each block. That fixed data block size is determined so that for all of the available data transmission rates, each predetermined time interval is fully occupied with useful information. The fixed data block size is determined based on a maximum frequency at which the transmission rate may change on the communications link and a lowest available transmission rate. Preferably, the fixed size of each data block is limited by predetermined maximum and minimum data block sizes in order to reduce the number of bit errors per data block, maintain a certain data throughput, and limit the amount of overhead bits relative to the number of payload bits for each data block.
-
Citations
33 Claims
-
1. A method of transmitting data at variable rates over a communications link in predetermined time intervals, where each of the predetermined time intervals has the same duration, comprising:
-
receiving data for transmission over the communications link;
detecting a first transmission rate for transmission over the communications link;
providing data bits at the first transmission rate into fixed size data blocks, each fixed size data block having the same number of bits;
transmitting over the communications link at the first transmission rate during one or more of the predetermined time intervals a first number of the fixed size data blocks corresponding to the first transmission rate;
detecting a change in transmission rate over the communications link from the first transmission rate to a second transmission rate;
providing data bits at the second transmission rate into the fixed size data blocks; and
transmitting a second number of the fixed size data blocks corresponding to the second transmission rate during one or more predetermined time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
retransmitting at the second transmission rate one or more of the first number of data blocks during one of the predetermined time intervals, wherein the retransmitted one or more of the first number of data blocks together with any one or more of the second number of data blocks fully occupy the one or more predetermined time intervals.
-
-
9. The method in claim 1, wherein the communications link employs a wire or optical cable for transmitting data.
-
10. The method in claim 1, wherein the communications link employs a wireless radio frequency resource for transmitting data.
-
11. A method of retransmitting data at variable rates at a first communications protocol layer in predetermined time intervals, where each of the predetermined time intervals has the same duration, comprising:
-
receiving a request for retransmission of a data message previously transmitted using a first transmission format specifying a first transmission rate;
segmenting at a second communications protocol layer above the first communications protocol layer the data message to be retransmit into fixed size protocol data units (PDUs), each fixed size PDU having the same number of bits independent of whether the PDU has the first or a second transmission format; and
transmitting the fixed size PDUs via the first communications protocol layer using a second transmission format specifying a second transmission rate different from the first transmission rate at which the data message was originally transmitted during one or more of the predetermined time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
-
20. A communications device comprising:
-
a buffer configured to store data for transmission over a communications link;
data processing circuitry configured to detect a first transmission rate associated with data to be transmitted over the communications link, and provide data bits at the first transmission rate into fixed size data blocks, each fixed size data block having the same number of bits; and
a transmitter configured to transmit over the communications link at the first transmission rate during one or more of the predetermined time intervals, each time interval having the same duration, a first number of the fixed size data blocks per time interval corresponding to the first transmission rate;
wherein the data processing circuitry is configured to detect a change in transmission rate over the communications link from the first transmission rate to a second transmission rate, provide data bits at the second transmission rate into the fixed size data blocks, and transmit a second number of the fixed size data blocks per time interval corresponding to the second transmission rate during one or more of the predetermined time intervals. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
wherein the retransmitted one or more of the first number of data blocks together with any one or more of the second number of data blocks fully occupy the one or more predetermined time intervals. -
28. The communications device in claim 20, wherein the communications link includes a wire or an optical cable for transmitting data.
-
29. The communications device in claim 20, wherein the communications link includes a wireless radio frequency resource for transmitting data.
-
30. The communications device in claim 20, wherein the communications device is a mobile radiotelephone.
-
31. The communications device in claim 20, wherein the communications device is a radio base station.
-
-
32. A communications protocol for data communications over a communications link between a mobile station and a base station, comprising:
-
a first communications protocol layer for transmitting data over the communications link at variable rates in predetermined time intervals, where each of the predetermined time intervals has the same duration, and a second communications protocol layer for;
(a) receiving a request to retransmit a data message previously transmitted using a first transmission format specifying a first transmission rate, and (b) segmenting the data message into fixed size protocol data units (PDUs), each fixed size PDU having the same number of bits, wherein the fixed size PDUs may be transmit at a second transmission rate different from the first transmission rate at which the data message was originally transmit during one or more of the predetermined time intervals via the first communications protocol layer. - View Dependent Claims (33)
-
Specification