Feedback for data transmissions

• US 7,159,163 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Lundby, Stein A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lamarre; Guy J.
• Application Number:
  US10/191,730
• Publication Number:
  US 20040006732A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,639 Days
• Field of Search: 714748-750, 709/225, 370/448, 370/230, 370/458, 370/462, 340/825.5
• US Class Current: 714/749
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0018 based on latency requirement
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1829 Arrangements specially adapted for the receiver end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1858 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of acknowledgement message

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are presented for dynamically controlling the re-transmission scheme of acknowledgment signals. A source transmits a first data packet over a slot s₁. If channel conditions are favorable, source transmits a second data packet over slot s₂, which precedes the reception of any acknowledgment signals. A destination receives first data packet over slot d₁ and second data packet over slot d₂. Destination decodes first data packet during slots d₂ and d₃, and second data packet over slots d₃ and d₄. Destination transmits an acknowledgment signal (ACK1) associated with first data packet during slot d₄. Rather then transmitting the second ACK1 associated with first data packet over slot d₅, destination preempts this slot with an acknowledgment signal ACK2, which is associated with second data packet transmitted by source. Hence, destination is configured to overwrite the repetition of a previous acknowledgment in order to transmit a new acknowledgment.

Claims

1. An apparatus at a source for dynamically controlling acknowledgment re-transmissions from a destination, comprising:

at least one memory element; and

at least one processing element configured to execute a set of instructions stored within the at least one memory element, the set of instructions for;

determining a quality measure of at least one received acknowledgment signal; and

using the quality measure to determine a packet transmission pace, wherein the packet transmission pace is for forcing the destination to overwrite a re-transmission of an old acknowledgment signal with a new acknowledgment signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quality measure is an accumulated energy per bit to noise ratio of the at least one received acknowledgment signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the accumulated energy per bit to noise ratio is based upon an accumulated signal to noise ratio of a pilot channel.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the quality measure is a determination as to the number of successfully decoded acknowledgment signals within a time period.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the determining the quality measure includes determining stability of a feedback link, wherein the feedback link includes communication of the acknowledgement signal.

6. A method at a source for dynamically controlling acknowledgment re-transmissions from a destination, comprising:

determining a quality measure of at least one received acknowledgment signal; and

using the quality measure to determine a packer transmission pace, wherein the packet transmission pace is for forcing the destination to overwrite a re-transmission of an old acknowledgment signal with a new acknowledgment signal.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the quality measure is an accumulated energy per bit to noise ratio of the at least one received acknowledgment signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the accumulated energy per bit to noise ratio is based upon an accumulated signal to noise ratio of a pilot channel.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the quality measure is a determination as to the number of successfully decoded acknowledgment signals within a time period.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining the quality measure includes determining stability of a feedback link, wherein the feedback link includes communication of the acknowledgment signal.

11. An apparatus at a source for controlling acknowledgment re-transmissions from a destination, comprising:

means for determining a quality measure of at least one received acknowledgment signal; and

means for using the quality measure to determine a packet transmission pace, wherein the packet transmission pace is for forcing the destination to overwrite a re-transmission of an old acknowledgment signal with a new acknowledgment signal.

12. A method for allowing a source to dynamically control an acknowledgment signal re-transmission scheme of a destination, comprising:

determining a channel condition of a feedback link from the destination; and

setting a packet transmission pace in accordance with the determined channel condition, wherein setting the packet transmission pace is for overwriting an already decided re-transmission scheme of the destination.