Method and Apparatus for Improving Reordering Functionality in a Wireless Communications System

• US 20080259832A1
• Filed: 04/18/2008
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Innovative Sonic Limited
• Original Assignee: Innovative Sonic Limited
• Inventors: Tseng, Li-Chih
• Granted Patent: US 8,130,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/310
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/10 Flow control; Congestion control
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/27 Evaluation or update of window size, e.g. using information derived from acknowledged [ACK] packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/32 by discarding or delaying data units, e.g. packets or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/34 ensuring sequence integrity, e.g. using sequence numbers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]

Abstract

A method for improving a reordering functionality in a wireless communications system comprises configuring a reset timer, utilized for controlling the reset of a reordering functionality of a protocol entity, reassembling all received protocol data units in the protocol entity with previously stored protocol data unit segments, and discarding all protocol data unit segments that cannot be reassembled in the protocol entity.

Claims

1. A method for improving a reordering functionality in a user equipment of a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

configuring a reset timer, the reset timer controlling a reset of a reordering functionality in a protocol entity;

reassembling all received protocol data units with previously stored protocol data unit segments in the protocol entity when the reset of the reordering functionality is required by expiry of the reset timer; and

discarding all protocol data unit segments stored in the protocol entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the reset timer is used when the user equipment is not in a CELL_DCH state.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein reassembling the received protocol data units with the previously stored protocol data unit segments in the protocol entity further comprises delivering complete upper layer protocol data units of the received protocol data units to an upper layer protocol entity of the protocol entity.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising delivering complete upper layer protocol data units successfully reassembled to an upper layer protocol entity of the protocol entity.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the protocol entity is a MAC-ehs protocol entity.

6. A communications device for improving a reordering functionality in a wireless communications system, the communications device comprising:

a control circuit for realizing functions of the communications device;

a processor installed in the control circuit, for executing a program code to command the control circuit; and

a memory installed in the control circuit and coupled to the processor for storing the program code;

wherein the program code comprises;

configuring a reset timer, the reset timer controlling a reset of a reordering functionality in a protocol entity;

reassembling all received protocol data units with previously stored protocol data unit segments in the protocol entity when the reset of the reordering functionality is required by expiry of the reset timer; and

discarding all protocol data unit segments stored in the protocol entity.

7. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the reset timer is used when the communications device is not operated in a CELL_DCH state.

8. The communications device of claim 6, wherein reassembling the received protocol data units with the previously stored protocol data unit segments in the protocol entity further comprises delivering complete upper layer protocol data units of the received protocol data units to an upper layer protocol entity of the protocol entity.

9. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the program code further comprises delivering complete upper layer protocol data units successfully reassembled to an upper layer protocol entity of the protocol entity.

10. The communications device of claim 6, wherein the protocol entity is a MAC-ehs protocol entity.

11. A method for improving a reordering functionality in a user equipment of a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

configuring a first timer, the first timer controlling a receiver window of a reordering functionality to release received protocol data units;

activating the first timer when the user equipment conforms to a default situation; and

restarting the first timer and resetting the receiver window according to a transmission sequence number of a protocol data unit if the protocol data unit is received by the reordering functionality when the first timer expires and there is no received protocol data unit in the receiver window.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the default situation is when a first protocol data unit with a transmission sequence number greater than a next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window is received by the reordering functionality and the first timer is not activated, or when the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window is a transmission sequence number next to an upper edge of the receiver window.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first timer is stopped when the first protocol data unit is delivered to an upper layer.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

restarting the first timer when the first timer is stopped and there still exist received protocol data units in the receiver window.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

delivering all received protocol data units with transmission sequence numbers lower than that of the first protocol data unit and that of a next not-received protocol data unit in the receiver window to an upper layer and updating the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window to be a transmission sequence number of the next not-received protocol data unit when the first timer expires and there still exist received protocol data units in the receiver window.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein resetting the receiver window according to the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit further comprises:

setting an upper edge of the receiver window to be the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit; and

setting the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window to be a lower edge of the receiver window.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first timer is used when the user equipment is not in a CELL_DCH state.

18. A communications device for improving a reordering functionality in a wireless communications system, the communications device comprising:

a control circuit for realizing functions of the communications device;

a processor installed in the control circuit, for executing a program code to command the control circuit; and

a memory installed in the control circuit and coupled to the processor for storing the program code;

wherein the program code comprises;

configuring a first timer, the first timer controlling a receiver window of a reordering functionality to release received protocol data units;

activating the first timer when the user equipment conforms to a default situation; and

restarting the first timer and resetting the receiver window according to a transmission sequence number of a protocol data unit if the protocol data unit is received by the reordering functionality when the first timer expires and there is no received protocol data unit in the receiver window.

19. The communications device of claim 18, wherein the default situation is when a first protocol data unit with a transmission sequence number greater than a next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window is received by the reordering functionality and the first timer is not activated, or when the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window is a transmission sequence number next to an upper edge of the receiver window.

20. The communications device of claim 19, wherein the first timer is stopped when the first protocol data unit is delivered to an upper layer.

21. The communications device of claim 20, wherein the program code further comprises:

restarting the first timer when the first timer is stopped and there still exist received protocol data units in the receiver window.

22. The communications device of claim 19, wherein the program code further comprises:

delivering all received protocol data units with transmission sequence numbers lower than that of the first protocol data unit and that of a next not-received protocol data unit in the receiver window to a upper layer and updating the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window to be a transmission sequence number of the next not-received protocol data unit when the first timer expires and there still exist received protocol data units in the receiver window.

23. The communications device of claim 18, wherein resetting the receiver window according to the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit further comprises:

setting an upper edge of the receiver window to be the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit; and

setting the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window to be a lower edge of the receiver window.

24. The communications device of claim 18, wherein the first timer is used when the user equipment is not in a CELL_DCH state.

25. A method for improving a reordering functionality in a user equipment of a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

configuring a first timer, the first timer controlling a receiver window of a reordering functionality to release received protocol data units;

activating a second timer when a next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window is a transmission sequence number next to an upper edge of the receiver window; and

restarting the first timer and resetting the receiver window according to a transmission sequence number of a protocol data unit if the protocol data unit is received by the reordering functionality after the second timer expires.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the second timer is the first timer.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein resetting the receiver window according to the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit further comprises:

setting the upper edge of the receiver window to be the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit; and

setting the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window to be a lower edge of the receiver window.

28. A communications device for improving a reordering functionality in a wireless communications system, the communications device comprising:

a control circuit for realizing functions of the communications device;

a processor installed in the control circuit, for executing a program code to command the control circuit; and

a memory installed in the control circuit and coupled to the processor for storing the program code;

wherein the program code comprises;

configuring a first timer, the first timer controlling a receiver window of a reordering functionality to release received protocol data units;

activating a second timer when a next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window is a transmission sequence number next to an upper edge of the receiver window; and

restarting the first timer and resetting the receiver window according to a transmission sequence number of a protocol data unit if the protocol data unit is received by the reordering functionality after the second timer expires.

29. The communications device of claim 28, wherein the second timer is the first timer.

30. The communications device of claim 28, wherein resetting the receiver window according to the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit further comprises:

setting the upper edge of the receiver window to be the transmission sequence number of the protocol data unit; and

setting the next expected transmission sequence number of the receiver window to be a lower edge of the receiver window.

31. A method for improving a reordering functionality in a network end of a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

stopping use of a transmission sequence number series, the transmission sequence number series comprising a plurality of successive transmission sequence numbers; and

allocating a plurality of transmission sequence numbers in a same side of the transmission sequence number series to a plurality of protocol data units of a same user data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the user data is a radio resource control message intended for a user equipment.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the user data is a complete upper layer service data unit intended for a user equipment.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the transmission sequence number series corresponds to an initial range of a receiver window of the reordering functionality defined in the wireless communications system.

35. A communications device for improving a reordering functionality in a wireless communications system, the communications device comprising:

a control circuit for realizing functions of the communications device;

a processor installed in the control circuit, for executing a program code to command the control circuit; and

a memory installed in the control circuit and coupled to the processor for storing the program code;

wherein the program code comprises;

stopping use of a transmission sequence number series, the transmission sequence number series comprising a plurality of successive transmission sequence numbers; and

allocating a plurality of transmission sequence numbers in a same side of the transmission sequence number series to a plurality of protocol data units of a same user data.

36. The communications device of claim 35, wherein the user data is a radio resource control message intended for a user equipment.

37. The communications device of claim 35, wherein the user data is a complete upper layer service data unit intended for a user equipment.

38. The communications device of claim 35, wherein the transmission sequence number series corresponds to an initial range of a receiver window of the reordering functionality defined in the wireless communications system.