MXPA06007429A - Transmitting and receiving control protocol data unit having processing time information - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to transmitting and receiving control protocol data. A transmitter transmits a control protocol data unit having processing time information, wherein the processing time information indicates to a receiver of when to process the control protocol data unit. Accordingly, the receiver processes the control protocol data unit according to the processing time information.

Description

TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF CONTROL PROTOCOL DATA UNITS THAT HAVE TIME-TO-TIME INFORMATION PROSECUTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to transmitting and receiving control protocol data, and more particularly to transmitting and receiving a control protocol data unit having processing time information, wherein the processing time information informs a receiver when to process the control protocol data unit.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND A universal mobile telecommunications system (UMTS) is a third-generation mobile communications system that evolved from a global system to a mobile communication system (GSM) that is the European standard. The UMTS seeks to provide enhanced mobile communications services based on the central GSM network and multiple access technology with broadband code division (W-CDMA). In December 1998, ETSI of Europe, ARIB TTC of Japan, T1 of the United States and TTA of Korea formed a joint third generation project (3GPP) to create detailed specifications of UMTS technology. Within the 3GPP to achieve rapid and efficient technical development of the UMTS, five technical specification groups (TSG) have been created to determine the UMTS specification considering the independent nature of the network elements and their operations. Each TSG develops, approves and manages the specification within a related region. Among these groups, the radio access network (RAN) group (TSG-RAN) develops the specifications for the functions, requirements and interface of the UMTS terrestrial radio access network (UTRAN), which is an access network to new radio to support W-CDMA access technology in the UMTS. A UMTS network structure of the related art 1 is illustrated in Figure 1. As shown, a mobile terminal, or user equipment (UE) 2 is connected to a central network (CN) 4 through an access network UMTS terrestrial radio (UTRAN) 6. The UTRAN 6 configures, maintains and manages a radio access bearer for communications between the UE 2 and the core network 4 to comply with the end-to-end quality of the service requirements. The UTRAN 6 includes a plurality of radio network subsystems (RNS) 8, each of which comprises a radio network controller (RNC) 10 for a plurality of base stations or B nodes 12. The RNC connected to a given base station 12 is the control RNC for assigning and handling the common resources provided to any number of UE 2 operating in a cell. One or more cells exist in a node B. The control RNC 10 controls the traffic load, cell congestion and the acceptance of new radio links. Each node B 12 can receive an uplink signal from a UE 2 and can transmit a downlink signals to the UE 2. Each node B 12 serves as an access point allowing a UE 2 to connect to the UTRAN 6, while an RNC 10 serves as an access point for connecting the nodes B corresponding to the core network 4. Among the radio network subsystems 8 of the UTRAN 6, the serving RNC 10 is the RNC that handles dedicated radio resources for the provision of service to a UE 2 and is the access point to the core network 4 for the transfer of data to the specific UE. All the other RNCs 10 connected to the UE 2 are drift RNCs, such that there is only one service RNC connecting the UE to the core network 4 via the UTRAN 6. The drift RNCs 10 facilitate the routing of user data and assign codes as common resources. The interface between UE 2 and UTRAN 6 is carried out through a radio interface protocol established in accordance with radio access network specifications that describe a physical layer (L1), a data link layer. (L2) and a network layer (L3) described, for example, in 3GPP specifications. These strata are based on the three lower strata of an open system interconnection (OSI) model that is well known in communication systems.

A related art architecture of the radio interface protocol is illustrated in Figure 2. As shown, the radio interface protocol is divided horizontally into a physical stratum, a data link layer and a network layer. , and it is vertically divided into a user plane to carry data traffic such as voice signals and Internet protocol packet transmissions and a control plane for carrying control information for the maintenance and management of the interface. The physical stratum (PHY) provides information transfer service to a higher stratum and is linked through transport channels to a stratum of medium access control (MAC). The data moves between the MAC stratum and the physical stratum via a transport channel. The transport channel is divided into a dedicated transport channel and a common transport channel depending on whether the channel is shared or not. The transmission of data is also carried out through a physical channel between different physical strata, namely between physical strata of a sender side (transmitter) and a receiver side (receiver). The second stratum includes a MAC stratum, a radio link control stratum (RLC), a diffusion / multicast control stratum (BMC), and a packet data convergence protocol stratum (PDCP). The MAC layer traces several logical channels to several transport channels. The MAC stratum also multiplexes logical channels by tracing several logical channels to a transport channel. The MAC layer is connected to a higher RLC layer via the logical channel. The logical channel can be divided into a control channel for transmitting control plane information to a traffic channel for transmitting user plane information in accordance with the type of information transmitted. The MAC layer is divided into a sub-stratum MAC-b, a sub-stratum MAC-d, a sub-stratum MAC-c / sh, a sub-stratum MAC-hs and a sub-stratum MAC-e in accordance with the type of transport channel that is being handled. The sub-stratum MAC-b manages a broadcast channel (BCH) which is a transport channel that handles the dissemination of system information. The sub-stratum MAC-c / sh handles common transport channels such as a FACH (Front Access Channel) or a DSCH (Downlink Shared Channel) that is shared by other terminals. The MAC-d sub-stratum handles the management of a DCH (Dedicated Channel) namely a dedicated transport channel for a specific terminal. To support high-speed uplink and downlink data transmissions, the MAC-hs sub-layer handles an HS-DSCH (High-Speed Downlink Shared Channel) namely a transport channel for the transmission of link data. High-speed descending and the MAC-e sub-stratum handles an E-DCH (Enhanced Dedicated Channel) namely a transport channel for high-speed uplink data transmissions. The RLC layer guarantees a quality of service (QoS) of each radio bearer (RB) and handles the corresponding data transmission. The RLC layer includes one or two RLC entities independently for each RB to guarantee a particular QoS of each RB. The RLC layer also provides three RLC modes, namely a transparent mode (TM), an unknown mode (UM) and a recognized mode (AM) for supporting various types of QoS. Also, the RLC controls the size of the data to be suitable for a lower stratum to be transmitted over a radio interface. For this purpose, the RLC segments and concatenates data received from the upper stratum. A stratum PDCP (Parallel Data Convergence Protocol) is an upper stratum of the RLC stratum and allows data to be transmitted through a network protocol (such as IPv4 or IPv6) to be transmitted effectively over a radio interface with a width of relatively small band. To achieve this, the PDCP layer performs a header compression function where only necessary information is transmitted in a part of the data header in order to increase the transmission efficiency over the radio interface. Since the PDCP layer performs header compression as a basic function, it exists only in a packet switched domain (PS). A PDCP entity is provided by RB to provide an effective header compression function with respect to each PS service. A stratum BMC (Broadcast / Multicast Control), located in a higher portion of the RLC layer in the Second stratum (L2), programs a cell broadcast message and broadcasts the message to terminals located in a specific cell.

A radio resource control stratum (RRC) located in the lower portion of the third stratum (L3) is defined in the control plane and controls the parameters of the first and second strata with respect to the establishment, reconfiguration and release of RB. The RRC stratum also controls logical channels; transport channels and physical channels. Here, RB refers to a logical path provided by the first and second strata of the radio protocol for data transmission between the terminal and the UTRAN. In general, the establishment of RB refers to stipulating the characteristics of a protocol stratum and a channel required to provide a specific data service and to set its corresponding detailed parameters and operation methods. The detail of the RLC extract will now be explained. The RLC extract guarantees QoS of each RB and transmits data in accordance with QoS. Since the second extract of the radio protocol provides the Rb service to a superior extract, all the second extract has QoS; in particular RLC in QoS. The RLC establishes an independent RLC entity for each RB to ensure intrinsic (unique) QoS of RB. Several types of QoS are supported when using TM, UM and AM modes. The three RLC modes support different QoS and different operating methods are used for each mode. The detailed functions of these are also different. Each RLC operation mode (TM, UM and AM) will now be explained. First TM RLC is a modem in which an RLC SDU transferred from a superior extract has no general cost to build an RLC PDU. That is, the RLC passes the SDU transparently and undoubtedly is called RLC in a "transparent" manner. TM RLC with this feature performs the following functions in the user plane and control plane. In the user plane, due to a short data handling time in RLC, the TM RLC handles a real-time circuit data transmission such as voice or data transmission of a circuit service domain (CS domain). While in this control plane, there is no general cost in RLC such that TM RLC handles a transmission of an RRC message from a non-specific UE in the uplink and a transmission of an RRC message is transmitted to all the UE within of a cell in the downlink. Unlike TM mode, a modem which a general cost is added to RLC is known as a non-transparent mode. The non-transparent mode includes an unrecognized mode (UM), which does not receive a recognized response for transmitted data and an acknowledgment mode (AM), which does receive a recognized response. UM RLC sends PDUs, each of which has a PDU header containing a PDU sequence number added to it to allow a receiver to know which PDU has been lost during data transmission. By means of this function, UM RLC manages in the user plane a transmission of broadcast / multicast data or packet data in real time such as voice (for example VolP) or data transmission of a PS domain. Simultaneously, UM RLC in the control plane transmits an RRC message that does not require a recognized reception response, between RRC messages transmitted to a specific UE or a specific UE group within a cell. AM RLC, similar to an UM RLC, constructs a PDU by adding a PDU header containing SN and sending PDU to a receiver. However, unlike UM RLC, the receiver sends an acknowledgment for PDU transmitted from a transmitter in AM RLC. When sending the acknowledgment, the receiver can request the transmitter to retransmit a PDU that was received without success. This is the most essential feature of AM RLC. As a result, AM RLC seeks to guarantee error-free data transmission when retransmitting. As a result, AM RLC handles real-time packet data transmission such as TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol) of PS domain in the user plane. In the control plane, AM RLC handles a transmission of an RRC message that requires a recognized reception response between the RRC messages transmitted to a UE within a cell. Furthermore, with respect to the directional properties, TM RLC and UM RLC is used in a directional area, while AM RLC is used for bidirectional communication due to feedback from the receiver. Bidirectional communication is usually used in a point-to-point communication scheme. Thus, AM RLC uses only one dedicated logical channel. Additionally, in the schematic aspect of the three modes of operation, the transmission to reception is achieved by an RLC entity in TM RLC and UM RLC. However in AM RLC, both the transmitter and the receiver each have an RLC entity. AM RLC has a complicated scheme due to its retransmission function. AM RLC includes a retransmission buffer to a transmit / receive buffer to handle retransmissions. In particular, AM RLC performs various functions such as using a transmission / receiver window for flow control, using a data collection processing whereby a transmitter requests status information from a receiver of the similar RLC entity, reporting information from status by which the receiver reports its own buffer state to the transmitter of the similar RLC entity using a state PDU that carries the status information, using a semi-trailer processing to insert state PDUs into data PDUs to increase the efficiency of data transmissions as well as other functions. In AM RLC, when a serious error is encountered during an operation of the AM RLC entity, a re-establishment PDU is used to request the AM RLC entity of a counterparty to re-establish one or all operations and parameters, an ACK is used Re-establishment PDU to provide a response regarding re-establishment PDU or similar. To support these functions, AM RLC must have several protocol parameters, state variables and a synchronizer.

A PDU used to control a data transmission in AM RLC, such as the status information report or PDU status and PDU, re-establishment, is known as control PDU. A PDU used to transfer user data is referred to as a data PDU. Here, the PDUs used in AM RLC are generally divided into data PDUs and control PDUs. Control PDUs are further classified into four different PDUs namely a state PDU, a semi-trailed state PDU, a re-establishment PDU and an ACK reset PDU. In general, a re-establishment processing corresponds to a situation that requires the use of the control AM RLC. Re-establishment processing is used to resolve erroneous situations in an AM RLC operation such as situations where different numbers of sequences are used or where a PDU (or SDU) has been unsuccessfully transmitted in more than a certain number of times. When re-establishment processing is used, AM RLC of the transmitter and the receiver initialize their environment variables to enter a state that again allows communication. First, a party deciding to initiate reset processing, namely AM RLC of the transmitter, transmits to the receiver a reset PDU containing an HFN value (number of hyperframes) of its transmitting address that is currently being used. When the re-establishment PDU is delivered, AM RLC of the receiver resets the HFN value of its receiving address and initializes the environment variables as a sequence number. In addition, AM RLC of the receiver transmits an ACK re-establishment PDU containing HFN from its transmit address to the AM RLC of the transmitter. When the ACK re-establishment PDU is received, AM RLC of the transmitter restores the HFN value of its receiving address and then initializes the environment variables. In the following, the format of an RLC PDU used in an AM RLC entity will be described. Figure 3 illustrates a format of an AM RLC PDU, a data PDU used when transmitting data. Referring to Figure 3, AM RLC PDU is used when the AM RLC entity wishes to transmit user data or semi-trailed state information and an information gathering bit. A portion of the user data comprises 8 bits or integer multiples thereof. An AM PLC PDU header comprises a sequence number that has a size of two octets. In addition, a portion of the AM RLC PDU header includes a length indicator. Figure 4 illustrates a format of a state PDU (STATE PDU). The state PDU comprises plurality of SUFIs (super fields), each of which may be different from one another. A state PDU size is variable or restricted to be the same size as the PDU size larger than a logical channel through which the status PDU is transmitted. Here, SUFIs perform the function of reporting information about which AM RLC has been unsuccessfully or successfully received at the receiving end or may contain indications necessary to vary a size or position of a receiving window. Each SUFI is formed by three parts of parameters that includes a type, a length and a value. Figure 5 illustrates a format of a semi-mounted state PDU. The semi-trailed state PDU has a format similar to that of the state PDU, but is different from this in that a D / C field is replaced by a reserved bit (R2). This semi-trailer state PDU is inserted into AM RLC PDU when AM RLC PDU has enough remaining space. Here, the value of type PDU is always defined as 000. Figure 6 illustrates a format of a re-establishment PDU / ACK re-establishment PDU. Re-establishment PDU contains a sequence number called 'RSN' that has a size of one bit. The reset PDU is transmitted as a response to a received reset PDU, with which ACK reset PDU is transmitted together with RSN which is contained in received reset PDU. In this case, the parameters used in the PDU format can be indicated as follows. D / C field: this value informs if a corresponding PDU is a control PDU or a data PDU. PDU type: this value reports a type of control PDU.

Specifically, this value reports whether the corresponding PDU is a reset PDU or a state PDU.

Sequence number: this value refers to AM RLC PDU sequence number information. Information collection bit: this value is set when a status report is requested from a receiver. Extension bit (E): This value refers to whether the next octet is a length indicator or not. Reserved Bit (R1): This value is used for a reset PDU or an ACK reset PDU and coded as 000. Header extension bit (HE): this value refers to whether the next octet is a length indicator or data. Length indicator: this value reports a position of the boundary between different SDUs, if such exists within a data portion of a PDU. PAD: this portion refers to a margin region that is not used in AM RLC PDU. In the following, HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) will be explained. As wireless Internet access technology becomes more popular and subscribers continue to increase, various services related to it are being provided. Thus, the techniques and systems that allow higher transmission speeds are necessary to support these services. In 3GPP, research to improve UMTS network technologies and provide higher transmission speeds is being realized. In particular, the HSDPA system (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) is getting a lot of attention. Several new techniques have been introduced to support HSDPA. One of these techniques or techniques HARQ (Request for Automatic Hybrid Repetition). The HARQ technique is a retransmission method that is different from the retransmission method for packets registered by the RLC stratum. The HARQ method is used in connection with a physical stratum and combines retransmitted data with a previously received data to guarantee a higher restoration rate (decoding). Specifically, in the HARQ technique, an unsuccessfully transmitted packet is not scrapped but reset and then combined with a retransmitted packet prior to a coding step to reset (decode) that packet. To support the HARQ function more effectively, a HARQ block exists in the MAC-hs sub-stratum of a Node B. The HARQ block includes HARQ entities to handle the HARQ operation of a UE to be supported. In addition, an HARQ entity exists with respect to each UE. Furthermore, each HARQ entity has several intrinsic HARQ processes, each process being used to handle the control of operations and used to transmit specific data. Each HARQ process can share and use a plurality of data units but only one is processed for a TTI (Transmission Time Interval).

Therefore, when data transmission is successful, the process HARQ is emptied and then it can be used to transmit other data. However, when data transmission is unsuccessful, the HARQ process continues to store the corresponding data until it is successfully transmitted or discarded. Considering the data transmission in MAC-hs of Node B in more detail, Node B reconstructs (decodes) data units received from RNC to generate MAC-hs PDUs. The corresponding PDUs are then assigned to each HARQ process. In this case, the MAC-hs PDUs transmitted from each HARQ process can be successfully sent to a UE all at once; however, this is not always the case. For example, assume that a previously generated MAC-hs PDU # 1 is assigned to a HARQ process A and a subsequently generated MAC-hs PDU # 2 is assigned to a HARQ B process. In general, each HARQ process does not perform the transmission simultaneously but it operates respectively independent. Therefore, when the HARQ A process is continuously unsuccessful in transmitting the MAC-hs PDU # 1 and the HARQ B process, it successfully transmits the MAC-hs PDU # 2 before the HARQ A process, it may happen that the MAC-hs PDU # 2 that contains the general data later (namely the data arriving at the Node B afterwards) can be received and processed by UE before MAC-hs PDU # 1 previously and then processed. That is, in accordance with the HARQ process, MAC-hs PDUs may not always be delivered to the UE in the order in which they were generated in Node B. As a result, the RLC PDU contained in MAC-hs PDU may also not necessarily be delivered to the RLC in sequential order. The related technique has been designed to allow PDU to reach AM RLC from a receiver in the order they were transmitted by the AM RLC of a transmitter. That is, in the related art, when AM RLC of the receiver received a control PDU, that received control PDU was determined as having been transmitted subsequent to a last received RLC PDU and the received control PDU was immediately processed. However, as mentioned above, a technique such as HSDPA transmits PDUs by using several HARQ processes at the same time, such that the PDUs are not delivered to the AM RLC of the receiver in the order they were transmitted from the AM RLC of the transmitter. This situation is recognized as "out of sequence delivery". In other words, PDUs that must have been delivered later may reach the receiver before the previously generated PDU. Despite this, if AM RLC of the receiver immediately processes a corresponding control PDU as delivered, as in the related art, proper communication may not continue, thus leading to serious problems. For example, assume that AM RLC performs restoration processing. In the reset processing, AM RLC of the transmitter first transmits to the receiver a reset PDU which is a type of control PDU containing the HFN value currently being used for this transmit address. Then, upon receiving delivery of the reset PDU, the AM RLC of the established receiver sets the HFN value of its reception address and also initializes a sequence number thereof. However, for AM RLC PDUs transmitted prior to the reset PDU, the HFN values before performing restoration processing are used. Furthermore, sequence numbers before initialization are used. If the AM RLC PDUs, which have been generated and transmitted prior to the reset PDUs, reach the receiver after the reset PDUs, then the AM RLC PDUs arriving later could be interpreted as having arrived after the tone variables of the receiver would have been updated to new values by the reset PDU. Therefore, AM RLC of the receiver can not properly reset (decode) the AM RLC PDUs that used previous environment variables before any update. Furthermore, the AM RLC of the receiver undesirably continues to update the environment variables while in an erroneous state and also continues to reset (decode) AM RLC PDU to subsequently transmit the erroneous environment variables to it. As a result, proper communication can not be continued properly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical problem The present invention is directed to transmitting and receiving a control protocol data unit having processing time information wherein the processing time information informs a receiver of when to process the control protocol data unit.

Technical solution Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description that follows, and in particular will be apparent from the description or may be learned by putting the invention into practice. The objects and other advantages of the invention will be specified and understood by the particular structure indicated in the written description and claims thereof as well as the attached drawings. In order to achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as it is modalized and broadly described, the present invention is modalized in a receiver to receive a control protocol data unit on a receiving side of a transmission system. wireless communication, the receiver comprising means for receiving the control protocol unit data unit having processing time information associated with the control data unit in a radio link control module and means for processing the control unit. control protocol data in accordance with the processing time information, wherein the processing time information indicates when to process the control protocol data unit by the receiving side. Preferably, the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit from a transmitter side to the receiver side. The data unit and the control protocol data unit are used for at least one of a downlink communication and uplink communication. The radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having the same sequence number included in the processing time information of the control protocol data unit. Alternatively, the radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having a sequence number that is one smaller than the sequence number included in the processing time information of the control protocol data unit. In one aspect of the present invention, the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. The processing time information may also comprise a sequence number that is subsequent to a sequence number of a transmitted data unit before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Additionally, the processing time information may comprise a sequence number of a transmitted data unit after the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Preferably, the processing time information is positioned in any one of a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. The processing time information can be positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. In another aspect of the present invention, the radio link control module is operated in a recognition mode. In addition, the control protocol data unit is at least one of a state protocol data unit, a semi-trailer state protocol data unit, a reset protocol data unit, and a data unit of recovery recognition protocol. In a further aspect of the invention, the receiver further comprises means for receiving an instruction from a higher layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to process the control protocol data unit immediately or in accordance with the time information of processing.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a transmitter for transmitting a control protocol data unit from a transmitting side of a wireless communication system comprises means for generating a data unit in a radio link control module using blocks of data received from a higher stratum, means for generating the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the control protocol data unit in the radio link control module, wherein the processing time indicates to a radio link control module of a receiving side when to process the control protocol data unit and means to transmit the control protocol data unit and the data unit to the receiving side in minus one of a downlink address and an uplink address. Preferably the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit from a transmitter side to the receiver side. In one aspect of the present invention the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. The processing time information may also comprise a sequence number that is subsequent to a sequence number of a transmitted data unit before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Additionally, the processing time information may comprise a sequence number of a transmitted data unit after the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Preferably, the processing time information is positioned in any one of a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. The processing time information can be positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. In another aspect of the present invention, the link control module of the radio is operated in a recognition mode. Also, the control protocol data unit is at least one of a state protocol data unit, a semi-trailer state protocol data unit, a reset protocol data unit unit, and a unit reset recognition protocol data. In a further aspect of the invention, the transmitter further comprises means for receiving an instruction from a higher layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to include the processing time information in the control protocol data unit. In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for receiving a protocol data unit on a receiving side of a wireless communication system comprises receiving the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the control unit. control data in a radio link control module and process the control protocol data unit in accordance with the processing time information, wherein the processing time information indicates when to process the protocol data unit of control by the receiving side. Preferably, the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit from a transmitter side to the receiver side. The data unit and the control protocol data unit are used for at least one of a downlink communication and uplink communication. The radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having the same sequence number included in the processing time information of the control protocol data unit. Alternatively, the radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having a sequence number that is one less than the sequence number included in the processing time information of the control protocol data unit.

In one aspect of the present invention, the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. The processing time information may also comprise a sequence number that is subsequent to a sequence number of a transmitted data unit before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Additionally, the processing time information may comprise a sequence number of a transmitted data unit after the protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Preferably the processing time information is positioned in either a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. The processing time information can be positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. In another aspect of the present invention the radio link control module is operated in a recognition mode. Also the control protocol data unit is at least one of a state protocol data unit, a semi-trailer state protocol data unit, a reset protocol data unit and a protocol recognition unit. restoration.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the method further comprises receiving an instruction from a higher stratum which indicates to the radio link control module whether to process the control protocol data unit immediately or in accordance with the time information of prosecution. In another embodiment of the present invention, a method for transmitting a control protocol data unit of a transmitting side of a wireless communication system comprises generating a data unit in a radio link control mode using radio using blocks of data received from a higher layer, generating the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the control protocol data unit in the radio link control module, wherein the time information The processing means indicates to a radio link control module of a receiver side when to process the control protocol data unit and to transmit the control protocol data unit and the data unit to the receiver side to at least one of a downlink direction and an uplink direction. Preferably, the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit from a transmitter side to a receiver side.

In one aspect of the present invention, the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. The processing time information may also comprise a sequence number that is subsequent to a sequence number of a transmitted data unit before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Additionally, the processing time information may comprise a sequence number of a transmitted data unit once the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. Preferably the processing time information is positioned in any one of a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. The processing time information can be positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. In another aspect of the present invention, the radio link control module is operated in a recognition mode. Also, the control protocol data unit is at least one of the state protocol data unit, a semi-trailer state protocol data unit, a reset protocol data unit and a protocol data unit of Recognition of reestablishment.

In a further aspect of the invention, the method further comprises receiving an instruction from a higher layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to include the processing time information in the control protocol data unit. It is to be understood that both the above general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are merely examples and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention. Figure 1 illustrates a UMTS network structure of the related art. Figure 2 illustrates a radio protocol architecture used in a UMTS. Figure 3 illustrates a format of an AM RLC PDU. Figure 4 illustrates a format of a state PDU. Figure 5 illustrates a format of a semi-trailed state PDU.

Figure 6 illustrates a format of a reset PDU / ACK reset PDU. Figure 7 illustrates a format of a state PDU in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 8 illustrates a format of a semi-trailed state PDU in accordance with the first of the present invention. Figure 9 illustrates a format of a re-establishment PDU / ACK re-establishment PDU in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 10 illustrates a format of a state PDU in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 11 illustrates a format of a semi-trailed state PDU in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 illustrates a format of a re-establishment PDU / ACK PDU in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, the examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The present invention can be implemented in a mobile communications system such as a UMTS developed by 3GPP. However, it can also be applied to other types of communication systems. A problem occurs when a control PDU is delivered to a receiver before the previously generated RLC PDU because the receiver can not know when the control PDU was generated and transmitted. Specifically, the receiver can not determine the particular RLC PDU after which the control PDU was generated and transmitted. The problem occurs because a transmitter does not inform the receiver of the exact RLC PDU that comes before the PDU. To solve the problem, the present invention provides a method for transmitting a control PDU together with the processing time information. The processing time information informs a receiver of when the control PDU receiver should process. Preferably an AM RLC of a transmitter transmits the control PDU having operation control information therein by including the processing time information An AM RLC of the receiver processes the control PDU using the processing time information such that a communication Error-free is achieved even if RLC PDU is transmitted out of sequence. Here, it is stipulated that the receiver and the transmitter are a mobile terminal and a network, respectively or vice versa. Preferably, the processing time information may indicate an AM RLC PDU sequence number transmitted immediately before the control PDU is transmitted.

Alternatively, the processing time information may indicate a sequence number subsequently after the AM RLC PDU sequence number transmitted immediately before the control PDU is transmitted. The processing time information may also indicate a sequence number of an AM RLC PDU transmitted immediately after the control PDU is transmitted. Figures 7 to 9 illustrate formats of a control PDU in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The formats of the Control PDU shown in the first mode can be used when the processing time information is positioned in front of the PDU. In this mode, sequence numbers have been used as the processing time information; however, other types of processing time information may be used as long as the processing time information is indicated. Furthermore, the sequence numbers used for the first mode have the same size (length) as that of an existing AM RLC PDU. However, the sequence number of the control PDU does not have to be of the size (ie, 12 bits) of the sequence number used for AM RLC PDU in a data transmission. Preferably, a sequence number of the control PDU having a size smaller than 12 bits can be used to improve transmission efficiency. Figures 10 to 12 illustrate formats of a control PDU in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The control PDU formats shown in the second mode can be used when the processing time information is positioned on the back of the control PDU. The above embodiments are merely exemplary such that the present invention may include different formats of the control PDU having the processing time information located anywhere in a middle part of the PDU as well as being in a first last part of the PDU . Further, in the present invention, in the case of a state PDU and a semi-trailed state PDU, the processing time information is preferably not included in a header part of the state.

PDU. Rather, the processing time information is informed to the receiver when indicated as a new SUFI (super field). The SUFI comprises three fields of a type, a length and a value. Preferably a new value that is known as processing time information can be indicated in the type field and the processing time information can be indicated in the value field. As a result, the processing time information can be flexibly positioned within the state PDU or the semi-trailed state PDU. When AM RLC of the receiver receives the control PDU, the processing of the control PDU is performed by using the processing time information contained in the control PDU. Preferably the AM RLC of the receiver does not process the control PDU as soon as it is received but rather uses the processing time information included in the control PDU to perform the processing of the time indicated by the corresponding processing time information. For example, when RLC PDU is a data PDU, AM RLC of the receiver sequentially processes a received RLC PDU in accordance with the sequence numbers included in the data PDU. When the RLC PDU is received is a control PDU, the receiver AM RLC processes control PDU in accordance with the processing time information included in the control PDU. After AM RLC receives the control PDU, if the processing time information included in the control PDU is a sequence number, the following method of data processing can be performed. Preferably, AM RLC of the receiver initially handles the processing time information. Preferably, RLC PDU corresponding to a indicated sequence number is processed first and then the contents included in the control PDU are subsequently processed. Alternatively, RLC PDU corresponding to a sequence number that is one less than the indicated sequence number is processed first and then the contents included in the control PDU are subsequently processed. In the previous processing, when receiver AM RLC processes the processing time information, namely when RLC PDU corresponding to the indicated sequence number is processed first and then the contents included in the control PDU are subsequently processed, the processing time information corresponds to the RLC PDU sequence number transmitted just before the PDU of control. Alternatively, when AM RLC of the receiver handles the processing time information, namely when RLC PDU corresponding to a sequence number that is one less than the indicated sequence number is processed first, and then the contents in the control PDU are processed further, the processing time information corresponds to the sequence number that is one greater than the RLC PDU sequence number transmitted just before the control PDU. Even more, when the AM RLC of the receiver processes the processing time information, namely, when the RLC PDU corresponds to the sequence number that is one less than the indicated sequence number and then the contents indicated in the control PDU are processed subsequently, the processing time information may correspond to an RLC PDU sequence number transmitted immediately after the control PDU. However, in a system such as the HSDPA system, techniques are used such that an out-of-sequence delivery does not occur. Therefore, including the processing time information, such as the sequence number, in the control PDU can cause overhead costs and thereby degrade the transmission efficiency. Accordingly, the present invention additionally provides a method for processing AM RLC data in accordance with instructions of a higher stratum. Preferably, when the upper layer indicates that a corresponding AM RLC requires the use of processing time information, the AM RLC includes such processing time information when it sends control PDU. Once the control PDU is received, AM RLC handles the control PDU using processing time information included in the control PDU. On the other hand, when the upper layer indicates that AM RLC does not need to use the processing time information, the processing time information is not included in the transmitted control PDU. When the control PDU reaches the receiver, AM RLC can immediately process the control PDU using information included in the control PDU. Although the present invention is described in the context of mobile communication, the present invention can also be used in any wireless communication systems using mobile devices, such as PDAs and laptops equipped with wireless communication capabilities. Still further, the use of certain terms to describe the present invention should not limit the scope of the present invention to certain types of wireless communication systems. The present invention also applies to other wireless communication systems using different air interfaces and / or physical layers, for example TDMA, CDMA, FDMA, WCDMA, etc. Preferred embodiments may be implemented as a method, apparatus or article of manufacture using standard programming and / or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware or any combination thereof. The term "article of manufacture" as used herein refers to logic or code implemented in hardware logic (e.g., an integrated microcircuit, field-programmable gate arrangement (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) , etc.) or a computer-eligible medium (eg magnetic storage medium (eg, hard disk, floppy disks, tapes, etc.), optical storage (CD-ROM, optical discs, etc.), volatile devices and non-volatile memory (for example, EEPROM, ROM, PROM, RAM, DRAM, SRAM, firmware, programmable logic, etc.) The code in the computer readable medium is accessed and executed by a processor. The preferred modes can also be accessed through a transmission medium or from a file server in a network., the article of manufacture in which the code is implemented may comprise a transmission medium, such as a transmission line by network, means of wireless transmission, signals that propagate through space, radio waves, infrared signals, etc. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications can be made to this configuration without departing from the scope of the present invention and that the article of manufacture may comprise any information carrier medium known in the art. The foregoing embodiments and advantages are merely exemplary and should not be construed as restrictive of the present invention.

The present teaching can be easily applied to other types of apparatus. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. In the claims, the media clauses plus function are intended to cover the structure described herein as performing the function described and not only structural equivalents but also equivalent structures.

Claims (44)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS 1. - A receiver for receiving a control protocol data unit on a receiving side of a wireless communication system, the receiver comprising: means for receiving the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the unit of control data in a radio link control module; and means for processing the control protocol data unit in accordance with the processing time information, wherein the processing time information indicates when to process a control protocol data unit by the receiving side.
2. 2. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit from a transmitter side to the receiver side .
3. 3. The receiver according to claim 2, further characterized in that the data unit and the control protocol data unit are used for at least one of a downlink communication and uplink communication. 4. - The receiver according to claim 2, further characterized in that the radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having the same sequence number included in the time information of processing the control protocol data unit. 5. The receiver according to claim 2, further characterized in that the radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having a sequence number that is one less than the sequence number included in the processing time information of the control protocol data unit. 6. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. 7. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number that is subsequent to a data unit sequence number transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitter side. 8. - The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted after the protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. 9. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in any one of a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. 10. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. 11. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the radio link control module is operated in a recognition mode. 12. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that the control protocol data unit is at least one of: a state protocol data unit; a semi-trailer state protocol data unit, a reset protocol data unit, and a reset recognition protocol data unit. 13. The receiver according to claim 1, further characterized in that it also comprises means for receiving an instruction from an upper layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to process the control protocol data unit immediately or in accordance with processing time information. 14.- A transmitter to transmit a data unit of control protocol of a transmitter side of a wireless communication system, the transmitter comprises: means for generating a data unit in a radio link control module using blocks of data received from a higher layer; means for generating the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the control protocol data unit in the radio link control module, wherein the processing time information indicates a module radio link control of a receiver side when processing the control protocol data unit; and means for transmitting the control protocol data unit and the data unit to the receiver side in at least one of a downlink address and an uplink address. 15. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit to the receiving side. 16. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted. 17. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number that is subsequent to a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit. be transmitted. 18. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted after the control protocol data unit is transmitted. 19. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in either a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. 20. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the radio link control module is operated in a recognition mode. 22. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that the control protocol data unit is at least one of: a state protocol data unit; a semi-towed state protocol data unit; a reset protocol data unit; and a reset recognition protocol data unit. 23. The transmitter according to claim 14, further characterized in that it also comprises means for receiving an instruction from an upper layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to include processing time information in the protocol data unit. of control. 24. A method for receiving a control protocol data unit on a receiving side of a wireless communication system, the method comprising: receiving the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the unit of control data in a radio link control module; and processing the control protocol data unit in accordance with the processing time information, wherein the processing time information indicates when to process the control protocol data unit by the receiving side. 25. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit from a transmitter side to the receiver side . 26. - The method according to claim 25, further characterized in that the data unit and the control protocol data unit are used for at least one of a downlink communication and uplink communication. 27. The method according to claim 25, further characterized in that the radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having the same sequence number included in the information. of processing time of the control protocol data unit. 28. The method according to claim 25, further characterized in that the radio link control module processes the control protocol data unit after processing a data unit having a sequence number that is one less than the sequence number included in the processing time information of the control protocol data unit. 29. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number that is subsequent to a sequence number of a transmitted data unit before the control protocol data unit be transmitted from a transmitter. 31. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted after the control protocol data unit is transmitted from a transmitting side. 32. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in any one of a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. 33. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. 34.- The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the radio link control module is operated in a recognition mode. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that the control protocol data unit is at least one of: a state protocol data unit; a semi-towed state protocol data unit; a reset protocol data unit; and a reset recognition protocol data unit. 36. The method according to claim 24, further characterized in that it also comprises receiving an instruction from a higher layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to process the control protocol data unit immediately or in accordance with information of processing time. 37.- A method for transmitting a control protocol data unit of a transmitting side of a wireless communication system, the method comprising: generating a data unit in a radio link control module using blocks of data received from a higher stratum; generating the control protocol data unit having processing time information associated with the control protocol data unit in the radio link control module, wherein the processing time information indicates a control module radio link from a receiver side when processing the control protocol data unit; and transmitting the control protocol data unit and the data unit to the receiver side in at least one of a downlink address and an uplink address. 38.- The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number associated with a data unit sequentially transmitted with the control protocol data unit to the receiving side. 39. The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted before the control protocol data unit is transmitted. The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number that is subsequent to the sequence number of a transmitted data unit before the control protocol data unit is transmitted. 41. The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the processing time information comprises a sequence number of a data unit transmitted after the control protocol data unit is transmitted. 42. The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in any one of a first, a last or a middle part of the control protocol data unit. 43.- The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the processing time information is positioned in a super field of the control protocol data unit. 44. - The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the radio link control module is operated in a recognition module. 45. The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that the protocol data unit is at least one of: a state protocol data unit; a semi-towed state protocol data unit; a reset protocol data unit; and a reset recognition protocol data unit. 46. The method according to claim 37, further characterized in that it also comprises receiving an instruction from a higher layer indicating to the radio link control module whether to include the processing time information in the protocol data unit. of control.