Scalable header extension

• US 8,711,771 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Das, Soumya, Chakroborty, Kaushik, Rajamani, Krishnan, Dural, Ozgur, Soliman, Samir Salib
• Primary Examiner(s): Sam, Phirin
• Assistant Examiner(s): HALIYUR, VENKATESH N
• Application Number:
  US12/716,041
• Publication Number:
  US 20100226315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-403, 375130-295
• US Class Current: 370/328
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0088 in control part
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/22 Parsing or analysis of headers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/065 using assembly or disassembly of packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements

Abstract

Systems and methods for extending header fields are disclosed. The header field may be extended without changing the current size of the header. Reserve bits may be used to indicate the use of an extended header and the extended header may be store in a variety of locations within the frame, including the frame payload or pad bits.

Claims

1. A communication device for transmitting at least a first packet in a wireless communication system, wherein the first packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, the communication device comprising:

a memory configured to store a first extension header and a second extension header;

a message formatter in communication with at least one of the processor and the memory, the message formatter configured to;

indicate in the header field the presence of the first extension header; and

insert at least one portion of the first extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet, the payload field and the padding field being separate from the header field; and

indicate in a field of the first extension header the presence of the second extension header, and

insert at least one portion of the second extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the first packet and a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, and wherein the first extension header or the second extension header comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the message formatter is further configured to insert the first portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet and the second portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the second packet, and wherein the length of the first portion is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first packet.

2. The communication device of claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to determine at least one bit that does not fit in a plurality of bits occupying the header field.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the message formatter comprises at least one of a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable logic device, discrete gate logic, transistor logic, and discrete hardware components.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the message formatter is further configured to insert the at least one portion of the first extension header in a beginning portion of the payload field of the first packet.

5. The communication device of claim 4, wherein the message formatter is further configured to modify a length field of the header field of the first packet based on, at least in part, the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a content field.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a frame check sequence and tail bits.

8. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header comprises a length field indicating the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

9. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the message formatter is further configured to insert the first extension header in the padding field of the first packet if the length of the first extension header is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first extension header.

10. A communication device for transmitting at least a first packet in a wireless communication system, wherein the first packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, the communication device comprising:

means for storing a first extension header, wherein the means for storing is further configured to store a second extension header;

means for indicating in the header field the presence of the first extension header and inserting at least one portion of the first extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet, the payload field and the padding field being separate from the header field, wherein the indicating and inserting means is in communication with the storing means, wherein the means for indicating is further configured to indicate in a field of the first extension header the presence of the second extension header, and to insert at least one portion of the second extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet;

means for transmitting the first packet and a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, and wherein the first extension header or the second extension header comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the message formatter is further configured to insert the first portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet and the second portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the second packet, and wherein the length of the first portion is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first packet.

11. The communication device of claim 10, further comprising means for determining at least one bit that does not fit in a plurality of bits occupying the header field.

12. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the means for indicating comprises at least one of a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor, an application specific integrated circuit, a programmable logic device, discrete gate logic, transistor logic, and discrete hardware components.

13. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the means for indicating is further configured to insert the at least one portion of the first extension header in a beginning portion of the payload field of the first packet.

14. The communication device of claim 13, wherein the means for indicating is further configured to modify a length field of the header field of the first packet based on, at least in part, the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

15. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a content field.

16. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a frame check sequence and tail bits.

17. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header comprises a length field indicating the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

18. The communication device of claim 10, wherein the means for indicating is further configured to insert the first extension header in the padding field of the first packet if the length of the first extension header is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first extension header.

19. A method of communicating at least a first packet in a wireless communication system, wherein the first packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, the method comprising:

storing a first extension header and a second extension header;

indicating in the header field of the first packet the presence of the first extension header and inserting at least one portion of the first extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet, the payload field and the padding field being separate from the header field;

determining if at least one bit is available in the second extension header for transmission, wherein the at least one bit is additional to the plurality of bits occupying the header field; and

indicating in a field of the first extension header the presence of the second extension header and inserting at least one portion of the second extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet; and

transmitting the first packet and a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, and wherein the first extension header or the second extension header comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the message formatter is further configured to insert the first portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet and the second portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the second packet, and wherein the length of the first portion is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first packet.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising determining at least one bit that does not fit in a plurality of bits occupying the header field.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising inserting the at least one portion of the first extension header in a beginning portion of the payload field of the first packet.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising modifying a length field of the header field of the first packet based on, at least in part, the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a content field.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a frame check sequence and tail bits.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header comprises a length field indicating the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

26. The method of claim 19, further comprising inserting the first extension header in the padding field of the first packet if the length of the first extension header is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first extension header.

27. A computer readable product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to;

store a first extension header of a first packet comprising a header field, a payload field, and a padding field;

store a second extension header;

indicate in the header field of the first packet the presence of the first extension header, to insert at least one portion of the first extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet, to indicate in a field of the first extension header the presence of the second extension header, and to insert at least one portion of the second extension header in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet, the payload field and the padding field being separate from the header field; and

transmit the first packet and a second packet, wherein the second packet comprises a header field, a payload field, and a padding field, and wherein the first extension header or the second extension header comprises a first portion and a second portion, and wherein the message formatter is further configured to insert the first portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the first packet and the second portion in at least one of the payload field and the padding field of the second packet, and wherein the length of the first portion is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first packet.

28. The computer readable product of claim 27, further comprising code for causing a computer to determine at least one bit that does not fit in a plurality of bits occupying the header field.

29. The computer readable product of claim 27, further comprising code for causing a computer to insert the at least one portion of the first extension header in a beginning portion of the payload field of the first packet.

30. The computer readable product of claim 27, further comprising code for causing a computer to modify a length field of the header field of the first packet based on, at least in part, the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

31. The computer readable product of claim 27, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a content field.

32. The computer readable product of claim 27, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header inserted comprises a frame check sequence and tail bits.

33. The computer readable product of claim 27, wherein the at least one portion of the first extension header comprises a length field indicating the length of the at least one portion of the first extension header.

34. The computer readable product of claim 27, further comprising code for causing a computer to insert the first extension header in the padding field of the first packet if the length of the first extension header is less than or equal to the length of the padding field of the first extension header.