Multiplex communications – Communication techniques for information carried in plural... – Adaptive
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-21
2004-08-03
Rao, Seema S. (Department: 2666)
Multiplex communications
Communication techniques for information carried in plural...
Adaptive
C370S324000, C370S312000, C370S349000, C370S465000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06771659
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to telecommunications and, more particularly, to acknowledgement by a receiving side to a transmitting side of receipt of a message over a communications link.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A transmitting side communicating with a receiving side over a communications link will often require acknowledgement of messages and therefore provide for an “acknowledge mode”. Messages, for instance, packets, signaling sequences, or the like are identified to the receiving side as requiring acknowledgement. An acknowledgement in the form of one or more bits of a signaling sequence, packet or the like in the reverse direction from the receiving side to the transmitting side indicates receipt of the message. Provision may also be made for positively indicating, one way or the other, whether the message was received correctly or not. The transmitting side waits for the acknowledgement message and takes further steps contingent upon receipt or non-receipt thereof. Similarly, an “unacknowledge mode” can be defined for such communications links, wherein for a given sequence of messages it is negotiated by signaling between the transmitting and receiving sides that such messages are not to be acknowledged. For instance, important data messages might use the “acknowledge mode”, while other types of messages, such as voice, might not, and instead use the “unacknowledge mode”.
With certain types of applications some of the transmitted protocol data units are more important than others to be received correctly. Thus, acknowledgements are needed to get the information whether important packets were lost or not, while acknowledging unimportant packets would simply increase delay, waste capacity and decrease throughput.
Unfortunately, both the known “acknowledge mode” and “unacknowledge mode” require that all messages, packets, or the like be either acknowledged or not acknowledged.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to provide a selective acknowledgement scheme for a wireless interface between a transmitting side and a receiving side.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, a method for use in a telecommunications system having the capability to exchange information packets over a communications link in both an acknowledge mode in which reception by a receiver of all information packets transmitted by a transmitter over the communications link are acknowledged by the receiver sending at least one acknowledge message over the communications link back to the transmitter and in an unacknowledge mode in which none of the information packets transmitted by the transmitter over the communications link are acknowledged by the receiver, is characterized by said transmitter in said unacknowledge mode nevertheless determining from among a plurality of packets destined for transmission to the receiver in said unacknowledge mode a selected packet for which an acknowledgement of receipt from the receiver is required, and signaling said receiver that said acknowledgement of receipt of said selected packet is required from the receiver.
In further accord with to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter after transmitting said selected packet, waits during a set time period thereafter for receipt of said acknowledgement from said receiver before taking further steps contingent on said acknowledgement of receipt by said receiver.
Still according to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter stores the selected packet during said set time period at least until said receipt of said acknowledgement from said receiver.
Still further according to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter, after said selected packet is transmitted to the receiver, also stores during said set time period packets for which acknowledgement is not required at least until said receipt of said acknowledgement from said receiver.
According still further to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter retransmits to said receiver said stored selected packet and said stored packets for which acknowledgement was not required after said set time elapses without receipt of said acknowledgement from said receiver.
Further still according to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter retransmits to said receiver said stored selected packet after said set time elapses without receipt of said acknowledgement from said receiver.
In further accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the transmitter receives over said communications link from said receiver an acknowledgement of receipt of said selected packet and notifies a higher layer in a protocol stack of the transmitter of said receipt of said selected packet by said receiver.
Yet further still according to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter waits for at least one further set time period after said step of retransmitting said stored selected packet for an acknowledgement of receipt thereof from the receiver before finally concluding that said retransmitted stored selected packet was not received by the receiver.
According further to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter waits for at least one further set time period after said step of retransmitting said stored selected packet and said stored packets for which acknowledgement was not required, for an acknowledgement of receipt of the stored selected packet from the receiver before finally concluding that said retransmitted stored selected packet was not received by the receiver.
According still further to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter concludes after lapse of said set time period without receiving said acknowledgement that said selected packet was not received by said receiver.
According yet further to the first aspect of the invention, said receiver in said unacknowledge mode determines reception over said communications link of said selected packet for which acknowledgement of receipt is required, and signals said acknowledgement of receipt to said transmitter over said communications link.
Further still according to the first aspect of the invention, said receiver determines whether said received selected packet was received correctly or not wherein said step of signaling said acknowledgement of receipt to said transmitter indicates correct or incorrect reception.
Yet still further according to the first aspect of the invention, said transmitter stores the selected packet during said set time period at least until receipt of said acknowledgement from said receiver and upon receipt by said transmitter of said acknowledgement indicative of incorrect reception of said selected packet, retransmits said selected packet.
Still further according to the first aspect of the invention, said receiver, after determining the selected packet was received incorrectly, continues to process incoming packets without any change in processing method therefor.
Yet further still according to the first aspect of the invention, said receiver saves packets received after determining the selected packet was received incorrectly until receiving the selected packet correctly after which the receiver processes incoming packets according to a method identified by said selected packet.
Still in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, the transmitter receives over said communications link from said receiver an acknowledgement of receipt of said selected packet and by notifying a higher layer in a protocol stack of the transmitter of said receipt of said selected packet by said receiver.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a transceiver having a receiving section and a transmitting section for use on both a receiving side and a transmitting side in a telecommunications system having the capability to exchange information packets over a communications link in both an acknowledge mode in which reception by a receiver section of a transceiver on the receiving side of all information packets transmitted by the transmitter section of a transceiver on the transmitting side over
Forssell Mika
Parantainen Janne
Abelson Ronald
Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd.
Rao Seema S.
LandOfFree
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