Data unit management in communications
First Claim
1. Data unit management apparatus for use in communications receiving equipment in receiving data units over a transmission link, the apparatus comprising:
- a data unit reception monitor for monitoring receipt of data units via a logical channel;
a retransmission request sender for triggering the sending of at least one retransmission request in respect of one or more missing or corrupted data units; and
a retransmitted data unit monitor for monitoring receipt of one or more retransmitted data units via the logical channel,wherein the retransmitted data unit monitor comprises a timer for timing a predetermined period, and is configured to monitor receipt within the predetermined period of retransmitted data units and to trigger at least one repeat retransmission request in the event that no data units subject to an earlier retransmission request are received within the associated predetermined period, the retransmitted data unit monitor being configured to trigger up to a predetermined number of such repeat retransmission requests in respect of said earlier retransmission request, such that a recovery mechanism is initiated in the event that no data units subject to the earlier retransmission request are received via the logical channel within the associated predetermined periods.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In Radio Link control (REC) apparatus, a mechanism is provided for detecting missing or corrupted data units at the receiving end of a transmission link, requesting retransmission and then monitoring the response to the retransmission request. Distinctively, a receiving communications entity 300 is equipped to act on a nil response. If no data unit is retransmitted, the receiving entity triggers at least one repeat retransmission request. This is the case even if no further data unit is received after the retransmission request is triggered. Retransmission requests are repeated up to a preset number, whereafter a different recovery mechanism is triggered.
118 Citations
24 Claims
-
1. Data unit management apparatus for use in communications receiving equipment in receiving data units over a transmission link, the apparatus comprising:
-
a data unit reception monitor for monitoring receipt of data units via a logical channel; a retransmission request sender for triggering the sending of at least one retransmission request in respect of one or more missing or corrupted data units; and a retransmitted data unit monitor for monitoring receipt of one or more retransmitted data units via the logical channel, wherein the retransmitted data unit monitor comprises a timer for timing a predetermined period, and is configured to monitor receipt within the predetermined period of retransmitted data units and to trigger at least one repeat retransmission request in the event that no data units subject to an earlier retransmission request are received within the associated predetermined period, the retransmitted data unit monitor being configured to trigger up to a predetermined number of such repeat retransmission requests in respect of said earlier retransmission request, such that a recovery mechanism is initiated in the event that no data units subject to the earlier retransmission request are received via the logical channel within the associated predetermined periods. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. Receiving apparatus for use in receiving a plurality of data units via a logical channel and ordering them into a predetermined sequence, the receiving apparatus comprising:
-
i) a missing data unit detector for detecting data units receivable via the logical channel which are corrupted or missing from the sequence, a retransmission request sender for triggering requesting retransmission of such data units via said logical channel, and a retransmission failure detector having a timer, said retransmission failure detector for detecting no response to a retransmission request within a predetermined period timed by the timer, the missing data unit detector being configured to trigger up to a predetermined number of repeat retransmission requests in respect of said retransmission request, such that a recovery mechanism is initiated in the event that no data units subject to said retransmission request are received via the logical channel within the associated predetermined periods. - View Dependent Claims (18)
-
-
19. A method of receiving identifiably distinct data units at a receiving, entity via a logical channel from a transmitting entity, which method comprises:
-
detecting at the receiving entity one or more lost or damaged data units; sending to the transmitting entity a retransmission request identifying at least one of said lost or damaged unit(s) for retransmission via said logical channel; monitoring data units received at the receiving entity for receipt of at least one data unit so identified within a predetermined time period after sending the retransmission request; repeating the sending and monitoring for a predetermined number of times in the event that no data units subject to an earlier retransmission request are received via said logical channel within the time period, such that a recovery mechanism is initiated in the event that no data units subject to said retransmission request are received within the associated predetermined periods; and terminating on receipt at the receiving entity within the time period of at least one data unit subject to an earlier retransmission request. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
Specification