System and method for prioritization of retransmission of protocol data units to assist radio link control retransmission

• US 8,929,385 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Terry, Stephen E., Chao, Yi-Ju, Miller, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): ADDY, THJUAN KNOWLIN
• Application Number:
  US14/049,710
• Publication Number:
  US 20140036671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 370/352, 370/329, 370/331, 370/395.4, 370/395.42, 370/349, 455/512, 714/748, 714/749, 714/776, 709/227
• US Class Current: 370/395.4
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/08 by repeating transmission, e.g. Verdan system H04L1/1858 and H04L1/189 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/16 in which the return channel carries supervisory signals, e.g. repetition request signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1812 Hybrid protocols; Hybrid automatic repeat request [HARQ]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1874 Buffer management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1887 Scheduling and prioritising arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/189 Transmission or retransmission of more than one copy of a message
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0242 Determining whether packet losses are due to overload or to deterioration of radio communication conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/56 based on priority criteria

Abstract

A network device or user equipment (UE) may manage the transmission and retransmission of radio link control (RLC) data protocol data units (PDUs). An indication is received that an RLC data PDU was not successfully received by a receiving device. The RLC data PDU, that was not successfully received, is retransmitted, and prioritized over non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs. A number of times that the RLC data PDU was retransmitted is determined.

Claims

1. A network device characterized in that:

circuitry is configured to provide a radio link control (RLC) data protocol data unit (PDU);

the circuitry is further configured to receive an indication that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received; and

wherein on a condition that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received;

the circuitry is further configured to retransmit the RLC data PDU and to prioritize the retransmitted RLC data PDU over non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs; and

the network device is configured to determine a number of times that the RLC data PDU was retransmitted.

2. The network device of claim 1 wherein the network device is one of a component of a UMTS device or a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) device.

3. The network device of claim 1 wherein the non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs are stored in a first buffer and the retransmitted RLC data PDU is stored in a second buffer.

4. The network device of claim 1 wherein the indication is provided in a status PDU.

5. The network device of claim 1 wherein the network device is one of a radio network controller (RNC) or Node B.

6. The network device of claim 1 wherein the RLC data PDU is processed by one of a MAC-d or MAC-hs function.

7. A method performed by a network device, the method comprising:

producing, by the network device, a radio link control (RLC) data protocol data unit (PDU);

receiving, by the network device, an indication that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received; and

wherein on a condition that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received; and

retransmitting, by the network device, the RLC data PDU, wherein the retransmitted RLC data PDU is prioritized over non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs; and

determining, by the network device, a number of times that the RLC data PDU was retransmitted.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the network device is a component of a UMTS device or a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) device.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs are stored in a first buffer and the retransmitted RLC data PDU is stored in a second buffer.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the indication is provided in a status PDU.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the network device is one of a radio network controller (RNC) or Node B.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the RLC data PDU is processed by one of a MAC-d or MAC-hs function.

13. A user equipment (UE) characterized in that:

circuitry is configured to produce a radio link control (RLC) data protocol data unit (PDU);

the circuitry is further configured to receive an indication that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received; and

wherein on a condition that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received;

the circuitry is further configured to retransmit the RLC data PDU and to prioritize the retransmitted RLC data PDU over non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs; and

the UE is configured to determine a number of times that the RLC data PDU was retransmitted.

14. The UE of claim 13 wherein the UE is a UMTS device or a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) device.

15. The UE of claim 13 wherein the non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs are stored in a first buffer and the retransmitted RLC data PDU is stored in a second buffer.

16. The UE of claim 13 wherein the indication is provided in a status PDU.

17. The UE of claim 13 wherein the RLC data PDU is processed by one of a MAC-d or MAC-hs function.

18. A method performed by a user equipment (UE), the method comprising:

producing, by the UE, a radio link control (RLC) data protocol data unit (PDU);

receiving, by the UE, an indication that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received; and

wherein on a condition that the RLC data PDU was not successfully received;

retransmitting, by the UE, the RLC data PDU and to prioritize the retransmitted RLC data PDU over non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs; and

determining, by the UE, a number of times that the RLC data PDU was retransmitted.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the UE is a UMTS device or a High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) device.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the non-retransmitted RLC data PDUs are stored in a first buffer and the retransmitted RLC data PDU is stored in a second buffer.

21. The method of claim 18 wherein the indication is provided in a status PDU.

22. The method of claim 18 wherein the RLC data PDU is processed by one of a MAC-d or MAC-hs function.