Method and apparatus for augmenting physical layer ARQ in a wireless data communication system

• US 7,684,329 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2002
• Issued: 03/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Esteves, Eduardo, Mohanty, Bibhu, Gurelli, Mehmet I.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHO, HONG SOL
• Application Number:
  US10/140,087
• Publication Number:
  US 20030206524A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,878 Days
• Field of Search: 370/232, 370/236, 370/252, 370/394, 370/468, 370/469, 714/748, 714/749
• US Class Current: 370/232
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0002 by adapting the transmission rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0007 by modifying the frame length
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0025 Transmission of mode-switching indication
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1692 Physical properties of the supervisory signal, e.g. acknowledgement by energy bursts
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1809 Selective-repeat protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1848 Time-out mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1867 Arrangements specially adapted for the transmitter end
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/125 Arrangements for preventing errors in the return channel

Abstract

A system (100) and various methods and apparatus for efficient communications of data across various protocol layers are disclosed. A control and transceiver system (1400) configured for determining a data rate control (DRC) value and for transmission a maximum number of time slots allowed for transmission of a physical layer packet of data (510). After detecting a normal termination of transmission, the decoding thresholds (401, 402) are adjusted for decoding a positive acknowledgment message, and repeating decoding of acknowledgment channel (340) with the adjusted thresholds (401, 402). Retransmitting the physical layer packet of data at least one more time after based on whether the repeat of decoding of the acknowledgment channel (340) produces a negative acknowledgment message. The retransmission may be conditioned upon a throughput level of communications between the base station and the mobile station.

Claims

1. A method for use in a communication system, comprising:

establishing a communication link between a source user and a destination user;

detecting loss of a packet of data communicated between said source and destination users;

determining throughput of said communication link; and

retransmitting said lost packet of data at least one more time after said detecting based on whether said determined throughput is above a throughput threshold, wherein said retransmitting is after exhausting a maximum allowed retransmissions, and wherein said maximum allowed retransmission is based on a data rate of communication between said source user and said destination user.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said retransmitting includes use of transmission diversity.

3. A station for use in a communication system, comprising:

a controller and a transceiver system configured for establishing a communication link between a source user and a destination user, wherein said controller further is configured for detecting loss of a packet of data communicated between said source and destination users and determining throughput of said communication link, and said transceiver system farther is configured for retransmitting said lost packet of data at least one more time after said detecting based on whether said determined throughput is above a throughput threshold, wherein said retransmitting is after exhausting a maximum allowed retransmissions, and wherein said maximum allowed retransmission is based on a data rate of communication between said source user and said destination user.

4. The station as recited in claim 3, wherein said communication link is a forward link communication from said source user to said destination user, and wherein said destination user is a mobile station in said communication system.

5. The station as recited in claim 3, wherein said transceiver system is further configured for transmitting and receiving diversity of said retransmission of said lost packet of data.

6. A method in a communication system, comprising:

establishing a communication link between a source user and a destination user;

detecting, based on decoding an acknowledgment channel, loss of a packet of data communicated between said source and destination users after exhausting a maximum allowed retransmissions of said packet of data;

adjusting decoding thresholds of an acknowledgment channel, and repeating decoding of said acknowledgment channel; and

determining retransmission of said packet of data at least one more time based on said decoding of said acknowledgment channel with said adjusted thresholds.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said adjusting is biased for decoding a positive acknowledgment message.

8. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein said maximum allowed retransmission is based on a data rate of communication between said source user and said destination user.

9. A station in a communication system, comprising:

a controller system and transceiver system configured for establishing a communication link between a source user and a destination user, for detecting, based on decoding an acknowledgment channel, loss of a packet of data communicated between said source and destination users after exhausting a maximum allowed retransmissions of said packet of data, for adjusting an acknowledgment channel decoding thresholds and repeating decoding of said acknowledgment channel, for determining retransmission of said packet of data at least one more time based on said decoding of said acknowledgment channel with said adjusted thresholds.

10. The station as recited in claim 9, wherein said adjusting is biased for decoding a positive acknowledgment message.

11. The station as recited in claim 9, wherein said maximum allowed retransmission is based on a data rate of communication between said source user and said destination user.

12. The station as recited in claim 9, wherein said transceiver system is further configured for transmitting and receiving diversity of said retransmitting said lost packet of data.

13. A method for use in a communication system, comprising:

determining a data rate control (DRC) value for transmission of a physical layer packet of data from a base station to a mobile station;

determining a maximum number of time slots allowed for transmission of said physical layer packet of data;

detecting a normal termination of transmission of said physical layer packet of data over said maximum number of time slots without receiving, over an acknowledgment channel, at said base station, an acknowledgment for proper reception of said physical layer packet of data at said mobile station;

adjusting decoding thresholds for decoding said acknowledgment channel to bias detection of a positive acknowledgment message more than detection of a negative acknowledgment message;

repeating decoding of said acknowledgment channel with said adjusted decoding thresholds; and

retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission based on whether said repeating decoding of said acknowledgment channel produces a negative acknowledgment message.

14. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

delaying said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data to allow for decorrelation of a channel between said mobile station and said base station.

15. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining a new DRC value and determining a new maximum number of transmission slots based on the new DRC value and limiting said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data to said new maximum number of transmission slots.

16. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

determining a throughput of communications between said base station and said mobile station, wherein said retransmitting is based on whether said determined throughput is above a throughput threshold.

17. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a positive acknowledgment of reception of said physical layer packet of data after said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at said least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission;

receiving a radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment for failure of reception of a radio link protocol layer packet of data;

detecting said radio link protocol layer packet of data is included in said physical layer packet of data; and

ignoring said received radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment and considering said radio link protocol layer packet of data as properly received.

18. The method as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

detecting a positive acknowledgment of reception of said physical layer packet of data after said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at said least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission; and

delaying transmission of a radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment for failure of reception of a radio link protocol layer packet of data to allow time for said detecting.

19. A station for use in a communication system, comprising:

a control and transceiver system configured for determining a data rate control (DRC) value for transmission of a physical layer packet of data from a base station to a mobile station, for determining a maximum number of time slots allowed for transmission of said physical layer packet of data, for detecting a normal termination of transmission of said physical layer packet of data over said maximum number of time slots without receiving, over an acknowledgment channel, at said base station, an acknowledgment for proper reception of said physical layer packet of data at said mobile station, for adjusting decoding thresholds for decoding said acknowledgment channel to bias detection of a positive acknowledgment message more than detection of a negative acknowledgment message, for repeating decoding of said acknowledgment channel with said adjusted decoding thresholds, and for retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission based on whether said repeating decoding of said acknowledgment channel produces a negative acknowledgment message.

20. The station as recited in claim 19, wherein said control and transceiver system further configured for delaying said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data to allow for decorrelation of a channel between said mobile station and said base station.

21. The station as recited in claim 19, wherein said control and transceiver system further configured for determining a new DRC value and determining a new maximum number of transmission slots based on the new DRC value and limiting said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data to said maximum number of transmission slots.

22. The station as recited in claim 19, wherein said control and transceiver system further configured for determining a throughput of communications between said base station and said mobile station, wherein at said retransmitting is based on whether said determined throughput is above a throughput threshold.

23. The station as recited in claim 19, wherein said control and transceiver system further configured for detecting a positive acknowledgment of reception of said physical layer packet of data after said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission, for receiving a radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment for failure of reception of a radio link protocol layer packet of data, for detecting said radio link protocol layer packet of data is included in said physical layer packet of data, and for ignoring said received radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment and considering said radio link protocol layer packet of data as properly received.

24. The station as recited in claim 19, wherein said control and transceiver system further configured for detecting a positive acknowledgment of reception of said physical layer packet of data after said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at said least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission, for receiving a radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment for failure of reception of a radio link protocol layer packet of data, for detecting said radio link protocol layer packet of data is included in said physical layer packet of data, and for ignoring said received radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment and considering said radio link protocol layer packet of data as properly received.

25. The station as recited in claim 19, wherein said control and transceiver system further configured for detecting a positive acknowledgment of reception of said physical layer packet of data after said retransmitting said physical layer packet of data at said least one more time after said detecting said normal termination of transmission, and for delaying transmission of a radio link protocol layer negative acknowledgment for failure of reception of a radio link protocol layer packet of data to allow time for said detecting.

26. A computer-readable medium including processor-executable instructions for performing a method for use in a communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

establishing a communication link between a source user and a destination user;

detecting loss of a packet of data communicated between said source and destination users;

determining throughput of said communication link; and

retransmitting said lost packet of data at least one more time after said detecting based on whether said determined throughput is above a throughput threshold, wherein said retransmitting is after exhausting a maximum allowed retransmissions, and wherein said maximum allowed retransmission is based on a data rate of communication between said source user and said destination user.