Method, apparatus, and system for multiplexing protocol data units

• US 8,462,817 B2
• Filed: 10/13/2004
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ketchum, John W., Walton, Jay Rodney, Nanda, Sanjiv
• Primary Examiner(s): Mui, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/964,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20050135291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,163 Days
• Field of Search: 370/389, 370/392, 370/394, 370/395.3, 370/476
• US Class Current: 370/476
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/1273 of downlink data flows

Abstract

Embodiments addressing MAC processing for efficient use of high throughput systems are disclosed. In one aspect, a protocol stack is disclosed comprising one or more of the following: an adaptation layer, a data link control layer, a physical layer, and a layer manager. In another aspect, physical layer feedback is used for adaptation layer processing. In one embodiment, physical layer feedback is used for segmentation. In another embodiment, physical layer feedback is used for multicast mapping onto one or more unicast channels. In another aspect, a data unit for transmission from a first station to a second station comprises zero or more complete sub-data units, zero or one partial sub-data units from a prior transmission, and zero or one partial sub-data units to fill the data unit. In one embodiment, a pointer may be used to indicate the location of any complete sub-data units.

Claims

1. A non-transitory processor-readable memory comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, are operable to communicate a data unit from a first station to a second station via wireless communication, by performing:

communicating a data unit, wherein the data unit comprises;

a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of a first new sub-data unit, if any;

zero or one first partial sub-data unit;

zero or more full sub-data units, the first new sub-data unit, if any, located within the data unit in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

zero or one second partial sub-data unit, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit, or one first partial sub-data unit, or one second partial sub-data unit within the data unit.

2. The memory of claim 1, wherein the pre-selected pointer value is zero.

3. The memory of claim 1, wherein the sub-data units are multiplex sublayer Protocol Data Units (PDUs).

4. The memory of claim 1, wherein a first sub-data unit comprises a portion of data from a first data flow and a second sub-data unit comprises a portion of data from a second data flow.

5. An apparatus comprising:

a control processor for forming a data unit comprising;

a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of a first new sub-data unit, if any;

zero or one first partial sub-data unit;

zero or more full sub-data units, the first new sub-data unit, if any, located within the data unit in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

zero or one second partial sub-data unit, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit, or one first partial sub-data unit, or one second partial sub-data unit within the data unit; and

a transmitter for transmitting the data unit to a remote station via wireless communication.

6. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising;

a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of a first new sub-data unit, if any;

zero or one first partial sub-data unit;

zero or more full sub-data units, the first new sub-data unit, if any, located within the data unit in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

zero or one second partial sub-data unit, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit, or one first partial sub-data unit, or one second partial sub-data unit within the data unit; and

a control processor for;

extracting one or more full sub-data units from the data unit at the location identified by the pointer value, when present;

extracting the first partial sub-data unit from a pre-determined location in the data unit, when present; and

extracting the second partial sub-data unit, when present.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control processor further combines the extracted first partial sub-data unit with a stored partial sub-data unit to form a full sub-data unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the control processor further stores the extracted second partial sub-data unit for combination with a subsequently received partial sub-data unit.

9. A wireless communication system comprising:

a control processor for forming a data unit comprising;

a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of a first new sub-data unit, if any;

zero or one first partial sub-data unit;

zero or more full sub-data units, the first new sub-data unit, if any, located within the data unit in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

zero or one second partial sub-data unit, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit, or one first partial sub-data unit, or one second partial sub-data unit within the data unit; and

a transmitter for transmitting the data unit to a remote station via wireless communication.

10. A method for generating data stored in a memory to provide media access control, wherein the memory comprises instructions, which when executed by a processor, are operable to:

insert a pointer into a data unit received or transmitted via wireless communication, wherein the pointer identifies a location within the data unit of a first new sub-data unit, if any; and

insert zero or more full sub-data units into the data unit, the first new sub-data unit, if any, inserted at a location in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises one or more partial sub-data units, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising inserting a partial sub-data unit in the data unit prior to any full sub-data units in the data unit.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the partial sub-data unit is the remainder of a sub-data unit, a portion of the sub-data unit previously inserted in a prior data unit.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising appending a partial sub-data unit to one or more full sub-data units inserted in the data unit.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising transmitting the data unit from a first station to a second station.

15. A method for media access control comprising:

receiving, via wireless communication a data unit comprising a pointer, zero or more full sub-data units, and zero or one partial sub-data unit, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units, and wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit;

extracting one or more full sub-data units, when present, from the data unit at a location identified by the pointer; and

extracting the partial sub-data unit, when present, from the data unit at a predetermined location in the data unit.

16. An apparatus comprising:

means for inserting a pointer into a data unit received or transmitted via wireless communication; and

means for inserting zero or more full sub-data units into the data unit, a first new sub-data unit, if any, being inserted at a location in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises one or more partial sub-data units, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit.

17. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising a pointer, zero or more full sub-data units, and zero or one partial sub-data unit, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit;

means for extracting one or more full sub-data units, when present, from the data unit at a location identified by the pointer; and

means for extracting the partial sub-data unit, when present, from the data unit at a pre-determined location in the data unit.

18. A wireless communication system comprising:

means for inserting a pointer into a data unit received or transmitted via wireless communication; and

means for inserting zero or more full sub-data units into the data unit, a first new sub-data unit, if any, being inserted at a location in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises one or more partial sub-data units, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit.

19. Non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor are operable to generate data stored in a memory for media access control by performing the following steps:

inserting a pointer into a data unit received or transmitted via wireless communication; and

inserting zero or more full sub-data units into the data unit, a first new sub-data unit, if any, being inserted at a location in accordance with the pointer, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises one or more partial sub-data units, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit.

20. Non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor are operable to process data for media access control by performing the following steps:

receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising a pointer, zero or more full sub-data units, and zero or one partial sub-data unit, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises one partial sub-data unit, wherein there is at least one full sub-data unit or at least one partial sub-data unit within the data unit;

extracting one or more full sub-data units, when present, from the data unit at a location identified by the pointer; and

extracting the partial sub-data unit, when present, from the data unit at a predetermined location in the data unit.

21. A non-transitory processor-readable memory comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor, are operable to communicate a data unit from a first station to a second station, by performing:

communicating a data unit via wireless communication, wherein the data unit comprises;

two or more sub-data units, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows;

a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units.

22. An apparatus comprising:

a control processor for forming a data unit comprising two or more sub-data units and a pointer, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows, the pointer being set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

a transmitter for transmitting the data unit to a remote station via wireless communication.

23. An apparatus comprising:

a receiver for receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising two or more sub-data units and a pointer, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows, the pointer being set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of the one of the two, or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

a control processor for;

extracting the first sub-data unit and delivering the first sub-data unit to the source of the first data flow; and

extracting the second sub-data unit and delivering the second sub-data unit to the source of the second data flow.

24. A wireless communication system comprising:

a control processor for forming a data unit comprising two or more sub-data units, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows, wherein the control processor also forms a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of the one of the two or more sub-data units, and wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units; and

a transmitter for transmitting the data unit to a remote station via wireless communication.

25. A method for media access control comprising:

receiving a plurality of data flows via wireless communication, each data flow comprising one or more packets;

forming a data unit comprising two or more sub-data units, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows; and

adding a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising storing packets from the plurality of data flows in one or more queues.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the packets are stored in two or more queues according to classification of their respective data flows.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein packets from a first subset of the plurality of data flows are stored in a first queue, and packets from the remaining subset of the plurality of data flows are stored in a second queue.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the first subset of the plurality of data flows are selected according to a first Quality of Service (QoS) level and the remaining subset of the plurality of data flows are selected according to a second QoS level.

30. The method of claim 26, further comprising selecting packets or portions thereof from the one or more queues for inclusion in the data unit with a mux function.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein one or more packets from the plurality of data flows are segmented.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein one or more packets from the plurality of data flows are identified with a logical link classification.

33. The method of claim 25, further comprising transmitting the data unit to a remote station.

34. A method for media access control comprising:

receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising two or more sub-data units and a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units;

delivering a first of the two or more sub-data units to the source of a first data flow; and

delivering a second of the two or more sub-data units to the source of a second data flow.

35. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of data flows via wireless communication, each data flow comprising one or more packets;

means for forming a data unit comprising two or more sub-data units, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows; and

means for adding a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units.

36. An apparatus comprising:

means for receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising two or more sub-data units and a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of the one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units;

means for delivering a first of the two or more sub-data units to the source of a first data flow; and

means for delivering a second of the two or more sub-data units to the source of a second data flow.

37. A wireless communication system comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of data flows via wireless communication, each data flow comprising one or more packets;

means for forming a data unit comprising two or more sub-data units, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows; and

means for forming a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units.

38. Non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor are operable to cause the processor to perform the following steps:

receiving a plurality of data flows via wireless communication, each data flow comprising one or more packets;

forming a data unit comprising two or more sub-data units, a first of the two or more sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a first data flow of the plurality of data flows, and a second of the two or mote sub-data units comprising all or part of a packet from a second data flow of the plurality of data flows; and

forming a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units.

39. Non-transitory computer readable media comprising instructions, which when executed by a processor are operable to cause the processor to perform the following steps:

receiving a data unit via wireless communication, the data unit comprising two or more sub-data units and a pointer set to one of a range of pointer values, the pointer value identifying the location within the data unit of one of the two or more sub-data units, wherein a pre-selected pointer value indicates that no new sub-data units start in the data unit and that the data unit comprises partial sub-data units;

delivering a first of the two or more sub-data units to the source of a first data flow; and

delivering a second of the two or more sub-data units to the source of a second data flow.