Techniques for aggregating data from WWAN and WLAN

• US 9,722,731 B2
• Filed: 01/13/2017
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ozturk, Ozcan, Horn, Gavin Bernard, Vajapeyam, Madhavan Srinivasan, Damnjanovic, Jelena, Wei, Yongbin
• Primary Examiner(s): Onamuti, Gbemileke J
• Application Number:
  US15/405,598
• Publication Number:
  US 20170134123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1628 List acknowledgements, i.e. the acknowledgement message consisting of a list of identifiers, e.g. of sequence numbers H04L1/1614 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/1685 the supervisory signal being transmitted in response to a specific request, e.g. to a polling signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/41 by acting on aggregated flows or links
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 49/9057 Arrangements for supporting packet reassembly or resequencing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0205 at the air interface dynamic wireless traffic scheduling H04W72/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/042 Public Land Mobile systems, e.g. cellular systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/10 adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to techniques for aggregating data from a wireless wide area network (WWAN) and wireless local area network (WLAN). In some aspects, a packet convergence entity (e.g., PDCP layer entity) communicates with first and second radio access technology (RAT) links. The packet convergence entity may determine from which of the first and second RAT links a data packet is received and may monitor a sequence number value of each of the received data packets. The packet convergence entity may perform one or more actions based on a determination that one or more packets are missing based on the monitored sequence number values. The packet convergence entity may send a status report in response to one or more events on one or both of the first RAT link and the second RAT link.

Claims

1. A method for aggregating data in wireless communications, the method comprising:

communicating data packets, by a packet convergence entity, with a first radio access technology (RAT) link comprising a wireless wide area network (WWAN) link and a second RAT link comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) link;

receiving, at the packet convergence entity from each of the first RAT link and the second RAT link, an indication to enable the packet convergence entity to identify which of the first and second RAT links each of the data packets is received by the packet convergence entity;

determining, at the packet convergence entity, which data packets are received from the first RAT link and the second RAT link based on the indications from the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

monitoring, at the packet convergence entity, a sequence number value of each of the data packets received on the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

determining, at the packet convergence entity, whether one or more data packets are missing based on the monitored sequence number values of the first RAT link and the second RAT link; and

sending, by the packet convergence entity, a status report in response to one or more events on one or both of the first RAT link and the second RAT link.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report indicates which data packets have been received and which data packets are missing.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the packet convergence entity comprises a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein:

the WWAN link comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) link or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) link, and

the WLAN link comprises a Wi-Fi link.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more events is determining that a data packet is missing.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether one or more data packets are missing is based on a minimum sequence number value received on both the first RAT link and the second RAT link being greater than a largest sequence value, of a received data packet when the first RAT link and second RAT link are configured to transmit data packets in ascending order of sequence number values.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data packets received on the first RAT link are based on the indications comprising a separate first sequence number values of in-order sequence number values and the data packets received on the second RAT are based on the indications comprising a separate second sequence number values of in-order sequence number values, wherein the first sequence number values and the second sequence number values are used to identify from which of the first RAT link and the second RAT link a data packet is received from.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the packet convergence entity, a retransmission request through the second RAT link in response to determining that a data packet is missing from the first RAT link.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending, by the packet convergence entity, a retransmission request through one of the first RAT link or the second RAT link in response to determining that a data packet is missing from the second RAT link.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the status report is sent periodically.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more events is receiving a status request from a transmitter.

12. An apparatus for aggregating data in wireless communications, the method comprising:

means for communicating data packets, by a packet convergence entity, with a first radio access technology (RAT) link comprising a wireless wide area network (WWAN) link and a second RAT link comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) link;

means for receiving, at the packet convergence entity from each of the first RAT link and the second RAT link, an indication to enable the packet convergence entity to identify which of the first and second RAT links each of the data packets is received by the packet convergence entity;

means for determining, at the packet convergence entity, which data packets are received from the first RAT link and the second RAT link based on the indications from the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

means for monitoring, at the packet convergence entity, a sequence number value of each of the data packets received on the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

means for determining, at the packet convergence entity, whether one or more data packets are missing based on the monitored sequence number values of the first RAT link and the second RAT link; and

means for sending, by the packet convergence entity, a status report in response to one or more events on one or both of the first RAT link and the second RAT link.

13. A network device for aggregating data in wireless communications, comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled with the processor, wherein the memory includes instructions being executable by the processor to;

communicate data packets, by a packet convergence entity, with a first radio access technology (RAT) link comprising a wireless wide area network (WWAN) link and a second RAT link comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) link;

receiving, at the packet convergence entity from each of the first RAT link and the second RAT link, an indication to enable the packet convergence entity to identify which of the first and second RAT links each of the data packets is received by the packet convergence entity;

determine, at the packet convergence entity, which data packets are received from the first RAT link and the second RAT link based on the indications from the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

monitor, at the packet convergence entity, a sequence number value of each of the data packets received on the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

determine, at the packet convergence entity, whether one or more data packets are missing based on the monitored sequence number values of the first RAT link and the second RAT link; and

send, by the packet convergence entity, a status report in response to one or more events on one or both of the first RAT link and the second RAT link.

14. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the status report indicates which data packets have been received and which data packets are missing.

15. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the packet convergence entity comprises a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity.

16. The network entity of claim 14, wherein:

the WWAN link comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) link or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) link, and

the WLAN link comprises a Wi-Fi link.

17. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the one or more events is determining that a data packet is missing.

18. The network entity of claim 13, wherein determine whether one or more data packets are missing is based on a minimum sequence number value received on both the first RAT link and the second RAT link being greater than a largest sequence value of a received data packet when the first RAT link and second RAT link are configured to transmit data packets in ascending order of sequence number values.

19. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the data packets received on the first RAT link are based on the indications comprising a separate first sequence number values of in-order sequence number values and the data packets received on the second RAT are based on the indications comprising a separate second sequence number values of in-order sequence number values, wherein the first sequence number values and the second sequence number values are used to identify from which of the first RAT link and the second RAT link a data packet is received from.

20. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the instructions executable by the processor further send a retransmission request through the second RAT link in response to determining that a data packet is missing from the first RAT link.

21. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the instructions executable by the processor further send a retransmission request through one of the first RAT link or the second RAT link in response to determining that a data packet is missing from the second RAT link.

22. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the status report is sent periodically.

23. The network entity of claim 13, wherein the one or more events is receiving a status request from a transmitter.

24. A computer program product, comprising:

a non-transitory computer-readable medium, comprising;

code for communicating data packets, at a packet convergence entity, with a first radio access technology (RAT) link comprising a wireless wide area network (WWAN) link and a second RAT link comprising a wireless local area network (WLAN) link;

code for receiving, at the packet convergence entity from each of the first RAT link and the second RAT link, an indication to enable the packet convergence entity to identify which of the first and second RAT links each of the data packets is received by the packet convergence entity;

code for determining, at the packet convergence entity, which data packets are received from the first RAT link and the second RAT link based on the indications from the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

code for monitoring, at the packet convergence entity, a sequence number value of each of the data packets received on the first RAT link and the second RAT link;

code for determining, at the packet convergence entity, whether one or more data packets are missing based on the monitored sequence number values of the first RAT link and the second RAT link; and

code for sending, by the packet convergence entity, a status report in response to one or more events on one or both of the first RAT link and the second RAT link.

25. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the status report indicates which data packets have been received and which data packets are missing.

26. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the packet convergence entity comprises a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity.

27. The computer program product of claim 25, wherein:

the WWAN link comprises a Long Term Evolution (LTE) link or a Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) link, and

the WLAN link comprises a Wi-Fi link.

28. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the one or more events is determining that a data packet is missing.

29. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein determining whether one or more data packets are missing is based on a minimum sequence number value received on both the first RAT link and the second RAT link being greater than a largest sequence value of a received data packet when the first RAT link and second RAT link are configured to transmit data packets in ascending order of sequence number values.

30. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the data packets received on the first RAT link are based on the indications comprising a separate first sequence number values of in-order sequence number values and the data packets received on the second RAT are based on the indications comprising a separate second sequence number values of in-order sequence number values, wherein the first sequence number values and the second sequence number values are used to identify from which of the first RAT link and the second RAT link a data packet is received from.

31. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising code for sending, by the packet convergence entity, a retransmission request through the second RAT link in response to determining that a data packet is missing from the first RAT link.

32. The computer program product of claim 24, further comprising code for sending, by the packet convergence entity, a retransmission request through one of the first RAT link or the second RAT link in response to determining that a data packet is missing from the second RAT link.

33. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the status report is sent periodically.

34. The computer program product of claim 24, wherein the one or more events is receiving a status request from a transmitter.