Communications methods and apparatus for using a single logical link with multiple physical layer connections

• US 8,995,466 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Issued: 03/31/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Anigstein, Pablo, Srinivasan, Murari, Venkata Uppala, Sathyadev, Das, Arnab, Parizhsky, Vladimir, Laroia, Rajiv, Champalal Dugad, Rakesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Lai, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANDREWS, LEON T
• Application Number:
  US11/316,601
• Publication Number:
  US 20070147424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,386 Days
• Field of Search: 370/469, 370/474, 380/270, 714/748
• US Class Current: 370/469
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 25/14 Channel dividing arrangements , i.e. in which a single bit stream is divided between several baseband channels and reassembled at the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

A base station uses a common link layer controller for multiple physical attachment points to facilitate concurrent wireless connections between different sector physical attachment points and a wireless terminal using the same link layer link. A wireless terminal maintains multiple simultaneous wireless connections for the same link layer link. A packet of user data is fragmented into a plurality of grouping of MAC frames, thus a packet portion can be communicated over a connection. A single packet is sometimes communicated with different portions conveyed over different wireless connections. Automatic repeat request, using the common link layer controller, allows for retransmission of a packet portion over a different connection than it was initially transmitted over. A wireless terminal sends connection request messages including lists of link layer identifiers associated with the wireless terminal. A base station responds with an indication of whether logical link state was already present.

Claims

1. A communications apparatus, comprising:

a logical link layer control circuit including a segmentation circuit for segmenting a packet into frames to be transmitted;

a plurality of physical layer connection circuits coupled to said logical link layer control circuit, wherein each physical layer connection circuit is configured to maintain a separate communications link with a first node, and wherein multiple simultaneous communications links to the first node are supported through different physical layer connection circuits;

memory comprising stored information for indicating which one of said multiple simultaneous communications links was used to transmit a frame to said first node; and

a transmitter for transmitting the frames over the different physical layer connection circuits,

wherein said logical link layer control circuit comprises a first logical link layer state, said first logical link layer state configured to provide common logical link layer control for each of said multiple simultaneous communications links, and

wherein said segmentation circuit is configured to segment at least some packets directed to said first node and to allocate at least some frames of a packet to be transmitted over different ones of said multiple simultaneous communications links.

2. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein said logical link layer control circuit comprises a frame retransmission control circuit for selecting which one of said multiple simultaneous communications links is to be used for retransmission of a frame to said first node in response to a negative acknowledgment signal and

wherein said retransmission control circuit is configured to select a different one of said multiple simultaneous communications links from the one used to initially transmit the frame which resulted in said negative acknowledgment.

3. The communications apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a retransmission control circuit for determining when to retransmit a frame, said segmentation circuit for selecting any one of said multiple simultaneous communications links for said frame retransmission.

4. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first logical link layer state comprises an encryption key for encrypting frames to be sent over different ones of said multiple simultaneous communications links with said first node,

wherein different ones of said plurality of physical layer connection circuits comprise different connection state information for connections to said first node.

5. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein different ones of said physical layer connection circuits comprise different connection state information for connections to said first node, and

wherein the different connection state information indicates different control channel modes of operation for different ones of said plurality of physical layer connections to said first node.

6. The communications apparatus of claim 1, wherein said frames are one of a fixed frame size or a variable frame size;

and wherein said frames are Medium Access Control (MAC) frames.

7. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising:

receiving by a receiver a signal from a target access node, said signal comprising a logical link layer identifier for identifying a logical link corresponding to a physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect;

prior to receiving said signal, receiving broadcast signals from which physical attachment point identifiers are determined; and

determining by a processor if the received logical link layer identifier corresponds to a logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a corresponding connection.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said signal from the target access node is a connection request response, the method further comprising transmitting by a transmitter a connection request to said target access node prior to receiving said connection request response.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining by the processor if an indicator in said signal from said target access node indicates that the target access node comprises the logical link layer state corresponding to said wireless terminal;

in response to determining that the indicator in said signal from said target access node indicates that the target access node does not comprise the logical link layer state corresponding to said wireless terminal, and that the received logical link layer identifier corresponds to a logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a connection,

terminating by the processor a physical connection corresponding to said logical link layer corresponding to said physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect; and

in response to determining that the indicator in said signal from said target access node indicates that the target access node does not comprise the logical link layer state corresponding to said wireless terminal, and that the received logical link layer identifier corresponds to a logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a connection,

initializing by the processor information in memory corresponding to the logical link corresponding to said physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect as part of establishing a new connection with said logical link.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

in response to determining that the received logical link layer identifier corresponds to the logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a corresponding connection, storing information by the processor associating the physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect with said logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a connection;

in response to determining that the received logical link layer identifier does not correspond to the logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a corresponding connection, aborting connection to said physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect,

wherein said step of aborting is conditional upon a determination that an indicator in said received signal indicates the target access node includes a logical link layer state corresponding to said wireless terminal.

11. A wireless terminal comprising:

a receiver for

receiving a signal from a target access node, said signal including a logical link layer identifier for identifying a logical link corresponding to a physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect;

prior to receiving said signal, receiving broadcast signals from which physical connection point identifiers are determined; and

a link determination circuit for determining if the received logical link layer identifier corresponds to a logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a corresponding connection.

12. The wireless terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a connection request circuit for generating a connection request to be transmitted to said target base station prior to receiving said signal from said target access node; and

a transmitter for transmitting said connection request,

wherein said signal from the target access node is a connection request response.

13. The wireless terminal of claim 12, wherein said connection request includes at least one logical link layer identifier for identifying the logical link layer with which the wireless terminal has the existing connection.

14. The wireless terminal of claim 11, further comprising:

a memory comprising stored information for associating the physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect with said logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has the connection; and

a memory management circuit for storing, in response to determining that the received logical link layer identifier corresponds to a logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a connection, said information associating the physical connection point to which said wireless terminal may connect with said logical link layer to which said wireless terminal already has a connection.

15. A method of operating a wireless terminal, comprising:

receiving by a receiver a signal, said signal indicating that a logical link state is present in one or more access nodes corresponding to one or more respective physical attachment points for which a physical layer connection does not already exist, said one or more physical attachment points being identified by one or more respective physical attachment point identifiers; and

storing information by a processor in memory associating said one or more physical attachment point identifiers with a logical link identifier for identifying a logical link with which said wireless terminal has a logical connection.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining by the processor said one or more physical attachment point identifiers from one or more respective downlink signals received from said one or more access nodes; and

determining by the processor from said stored information and said one or more determined physical attachment point identifiers if a physical attachment point corresponding to one of said one or more determined physical attachment point identifiers corresponds to the logical link with which said wireless terminal has the logical connection.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said receiving of said signal indicating that the logical link state is present in said one or more access nodes corresponding to said one or more respective physical attachment points for which the physical layer connection does not already exist comprises receiving said signal over a communications link corresponding to said logical link with which said wireless terminal has the logical connection.

18. A method of operating a base station to service a connection request from a wireless terminal for establishing a connection with a physical attachment point of the base station, the method comprising:

receiving by a receiver a connection request from a wireless terminal, said connection request requesting establishment of the connection with the physical attachment point of said base station;

determining by a processor if said received connection request includes a logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and if said base station includes a stored state for associating a wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier; and

establishing by the processor a connection between the wireless terminal and the physical attachment point of said base station.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

when it is determined that said received connection request includes the logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and that said base station includes the stored state for associating the wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier, performing the additional step of;

storing information by the processor associating said physical attachment point with said wireless terminal and said logical link layer identifier.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said storing of the information results in said wireless terminal identifier being associated in said base station with said logical link layer identifier and multiple physical attachment points through which said wireless terminal communicates with a logical link layer identified by said logical link layer identifier.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

sending by a transmitter a connection request response to said wireless terminal indicating that a logical link layer state was already present in said base station associating said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier,

wherein said connection request comprises a plurality of logical link layer identifiers and wherein said connection request response comprises one of the plurality of logical link layer identifiers included in said connection request determined by said base station to correspond to said physical attachment point.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said connection request response is received from a base station with which said wireless terminal has an existing physical connection via a backhaul link between said base station and another base station with which said wireless terminal has an existing connection.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the base station with which said wireless terminal has an existing physical connection is the same as said base station, said connection request being received through a physical attachment point which is different from said physical attachment point,

wherein said physical attachment point corresponds to a different carrier than the physical attachment point with which said wireless terminal has an existing physical connection.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

when it is determined that said received connection request does not include the logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, but that said base station includes the stored state for associating the wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier, performing the additional steps of;

removing information by the processor associating said logical link layer identifier with said wireless terminal and any associated physical connection identified in said stored information;

storing new information associating said logical link layer identifier with said wireless terminal and said physical attachment point to which said wireless terminal is requesting to connect; and

sending a connection request response message to the wireless terminal, said connection request response message indicating that information indicating an association between the wireless terminal and said logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station was not determined to be present in said base station.

25. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

when it is determined that said received connection request does not include the logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and that said base station does not include the stored state for associating the wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier, performing the steps of;

storing information associating said logical link layer identifier with said wireless terminal and said physical attachment point to which said wireless terminal is requesting to connect; and

sending a connection request response message to the wireless terminal, said connection request response message indicating that information indicating an association between the wireless terminal and said logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station was not determined to be present in said base station.

26. A base station comprising:

a receiver for receiving a connection request from a wireless terminal seeking to establish a connection with a physical attachment point of the base station; and

a determination circuit for determining if said received connection request includes a logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point and if said base station includes a stored state for associating a wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier.

27. The base station of claim 26, further comprising:

a storage device for storing information associating said physical attachment point with said wireless terminal and said logical link layer identifier when it is determined that said received connection request includes a logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point and said base station includes the stored state for associating the wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier.

28. The base station of claim 27, wherein said storing results in said wireless terminal identifier being associated in said base station with said logical link layer identifier and multiple physical attachment points through which said wireless terminal communicates with a logical link layer identified by said logical link layer identifier.

29. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a receiver receiving a signal, said signal indicating that a logical link state is present in one or more access nodes corresponding to one or more respective physical attachment points for which a physical layer connection does not already exist, said one or more physical attachment points being identified by one or more respective physical attachment point identifiers; and

a processor executing instructions storing information in memory associating said one or more physical attachment point identifiers with a logical link identifier for identifying a logical link with which a wireless terminal has a logical connection.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, further comprising:

the processor executing instructions determining said one or more physical attachment point identifiers from one or more respective downlink signals received from said one or more access nodes; and

instructions determining from said stored information and said one or more determined physical attachment point identifiers if a physical attachment point corresponding to one of said one or more determined physical attachment point identifiers corresponds to the logical link with which said wireless terminal has the logical connection.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein said receiver receiving said signal indicating that the logical link state is present in said one or more access nodes corresponding to said one or more respective physical attachment points for which the physical layer connection does not already exist comprises the receiver receiving said signal over a communications link corresponding to said logical link with which said wireless terminal has the logical connection.

32. An apparatus for wireless communication, comprising:

a receiver receiving a connection request from a wireless terminal, said connection request requesting establishment of a connection with a physical attachment point of a base station;

a processor executing instructions determining if said received connection request includes a logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and if said base station includes a stored state for associating a wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier; and

instructions establishing a connection between the wireless terminal and the physical attachment point of said base station.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising:

the processor executing instructions storing information associating said physical attachment point with said wireless terminal and said logical link layer identifier when said instructions determining determines that said received connection request includes the logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and that said base station includes the stored state for associating the wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier.

34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein said instructions storing information causes said wireless terminal identifier to be associated in said base station with said logical link layer identifier and multiple physical attachment points through which said wireless terminal communicates with a logical link layer identified by said logical link layer identifier.

35. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving a signal, said signal indicating that a logical link state is present in one or more access nodes corresponding to one or more respective physical attachment points for which a physical layer connection does not already exist, said one or more physical attachment points being identified by one or more respective physical attachment point identifiers; and

storing information in memory associating said one or more physical attachment point identifiers with a logical link identifier for identifying a logical link with which a wireless terminal has a logical connection.

36. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for:

determining said one or more physical attachment point identifiers from one or more respective downlink signals received from said one or more access nodes; and

determining from said stored information and said one or more determined physical attachment point identifiers if a physical attachment point corresponding to one of said one or more determined physical attachment point identifiers corresponds to the logical link with which said wireless terminal has the logical connection.

37. The computer program product of claim 35, wherein said code for receiving said signal indicating that the logical link state is present in said one or more access nodes corresponding to said one or more respective physical attachment points for which the physical layer connection does not already exist comprises code for receiving said signal over a communications link corresponding to said logical link with which said wireless terminal has the logical connection.

38. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising code for;

receiving a connection request from a wireless terminal, said connection request requesting establishment of a connection with a physical attachment point of a base station;

determining if said received connection request includes a logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and if said base station includes a stored state for associating a wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier; and

establishing a connection between the wireless terminal and the physical attachment point of said base station.

39. The computer program product of claim 38, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium further comprises code for:

storing information associating said physical attachment point with said wireless terminal and said logical link layer identifier when said code for determining determines that said received connection request includes the logical link layer identifier corresponding to said physical attachment point of said base station, and that said base station includes the stored state for associating the wireless terminal identifier corresponding to said wireless terminal with said logical link layer identifier.

40. The computer program product of claim 39, wherein said code for storing information causes said wireless terminal identifier to be associated in said base station with said logical link layer identifier and multiple physical attachment points through which said wireless terminal communicates with a logical link layer identified by said logical link layer identifier.