Device and method for reliable and low-delay packet transmission

Claim 2

Communication device according to claim 1 characterized by said first predetermined protocol supporting at least two transmission reliability modes according to which data packets are sent, where said transmission reliability modes are distinguishable at least with respect to rules regarding the retransmission of data packets, and where each generated data packet contains information on the transmission reliability mode according to which said each data packet is to be sent, such that a receiver of said each data packet may determine according to which of said transmission reliability modes said each data packet was sent, and said information on the transmission reliability mode is set in said each data packet by said communication device prior to sending said each data packet, and said discriminator means (1) being arranged to discriminate a given data packet of said second structure according to said predetermined rules, such that the information on the transmission reliability mode in the one or more data packets of said first structure containing said given data packet of said second structure is set in accordance with the discrimination result.

Claim 3

Communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets.

Claim 4

Communication device according to claim 1,2 or 3, characterized in that said communication device is arranged to segment said data packets of said second structure in said data packets of said first structure.

Claim 5

Communication device according to claim 1,2 or 3, characterized in that said communication device is arranged to encapsulate said data packets of said second structure in said data packets of said first structure.

Claim 6

Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by an output buffer (5), into which the data packets of said first structure are passed, and from which said packets are sent out.

Claim 7

Communication device according to claim 2, characterized by an output buffer (5), into which the data packets of said first structure are passed and said output buffer (5) being arranged to place each data packet of said first structure in a queue associated with the transmission reliability mode set in said each packet.

Claim 8

Communication device according to claim 7, characterized in that said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets, and said output buffer (5) is arranged to send out data packets of said first mode that are to be retransmitted with a higher priority than other data packets.

Claim 9

Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said data packets of said second structure transport one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discriminator means (1) is arranged to analyze said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents.

Claim 10

Communication device according to claim 9, characterized in that said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated.

Claim 11

Communication device according to claim 2, characterized in that said data packets of said second structure have one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discriminator means (1) is arranged to analyze said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents, where said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated, and said packet headers form a hierarchy in accordance with the protocol layers, and, for a packet to be discriminated, said discriminator means (1) is arranged to first determine the protocol identification in the header associated with said second protocol and then compare said protocol identification with stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode to predetermined protocol identifications, set the transmission reliability mode for said packet to be discriminated in accordance with a determined allocation if said protocol identification is among the stored rules, and if said protocol identification is not among the stored rules, then determine the protocol identification in the header associated with the next protocol one layer up in the hierarchy and then compare said protocol identification of said next protocol with said stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode, where said process of determining and comparing is repeated until one of a determined protocol identification in said packet to be discriminated is allocated to a predetermined transmission reliability mode according to one of the rules, in which case said transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated, and a fail-safe condition is met, in which case a default transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated.

Claim 12

Communication device according to claim 3, characterized in that said first protocol specifies performing segmentation in order to embed said packets of said second data structure in said packets of said first structure.

Claim 13

Communication device according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link.

Claim 14

Communication device according to claim 13, characterized in that said link is a radio link.

Claim 15

Communication device according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that said communication device is arranged to also receive data packets of said first structure over said link.

Claim 16

Communication device according to claim 12, characterized in that said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link and said communication device is arranged to also receive data packets of said first structure over said link, and in that a receiving buffer means is provided for receiving said data packets of said first structure over said link, where said receiving buffer means comprises a first part associated with said first transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said first transmission reliability mode, and a second part associated with said second transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said second transmission reliability mode.

Claim 17

Communication device according to claim 16, characterized by being adapted to determine the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure, and by said receiving buffer being adapted to store said received packets of said first data structure until one of a complete packet of said second data structure has been received, which is determined by the receipt of packet delimiters belonging to packets of said second data structure, and, for packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, a predetermined buffer limit is exceeded.

Claim 18

Communication device according to claim 12, characterized by being adapted to determine the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in packets of said second data structure that are to be embedded, and to duplicate said packet delimiters prior to embedding.

Claim 19

Communication device according to claim 16, characterized by said first transmission reliability mode being such that packets of said first transmission reliability mode are numbered to thereby specify a correct order, and said communication device being adapted to determine the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure belonging to said first transmission reliability mode, said receiving buffer being adapted to immediately release received packets of said first data structure, both those belonging to said first and said second transmission reliability mode, to the next higher layer, except if packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode need to be retransmitted, in which case the received packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are buffered until they can be released in the correct order, and packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are followed by packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, in which case said receiving buffer is adapted to immediately release received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if no packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, and to store received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, until a complete packet of said second data structure and first transmission reliability mode has been received and released, after which the stored packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode are released.

Claim 20

Communication device according to one of claims 17 to 19, characterized by said predetermined packet delimiter being specified by a message received over said link.

Claim 21

Communication device according to claim 12, characterized in that said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link, the retransmission of packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode is decided on the basis of acknowledgment packets for packets already sent over said link, and an output buffer means is provided that is adapted to send out packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode only if the receipt of all previously sent packets of said first transmission reliability mode has been acknowledged.

Claim 22

Method for generating data packets having a first data structure determined by a first predetermined protocol, comprising: discriminating (S2) received data packets of a second structure determined by a second predetermined protocol according to predetermined rules, on the basis of the contents of said data packets of said second structure, and embedding (S3) data packets of said second structure in data packets of said first structure.

Claim 23

Method for generating data packets according to claim 22 characterized by said first predetermined protocol supporting at least two transmission reliability modes according to which data packets may be sent, where said transmission reliability modes are distinguishable at least with respect to rules regarding the retransmission of data packets, and where each generated data packet contains information on the transmission reliability mode according to which said each data packet is to be sent, such that a receiver of said each data packet may determine according to which of said transmission reliability modes said each data packet was sent, and by the information on the transmission reliability mode in a data packet of said first structure containing a given data packet of said second structure being set in accordance with the result of said discriminating step for said given data packet of said second structure.

Claim 24

Method according to claim 23, wherein said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets.

Claim 25

Method according to claim 22, 23 or 24, characterized in that said data packets of said second structure are encapsulated in said data packets of said first structure.

Claim 26

Method according to claim 22, 23 or 24, characterized in that said data packets of said second structure are segmented in said data packets of said first structure.

Claim 27

Method according to one of claims 22 to 26, characterized by said data packets of said first structure being passed into an output buffer (5).

Claim 28

Method according to claim 23, characterized by said data packets of said first structure being passed into an output buffer (5) and by said output buffer (5) placing each data packet of said first structure in a queue associated with the transmission reliability mode set in said each packet.

Claim 29

Method according to claim 28, characterized in that said first protocol supports two transmission reliability modes, which are a first mode that comprises rules for the retransmission of data packets under predetermined conditions, and a second mode that does not provide for the retransmission of data packets, and said output buffer (5) sends out data packets of said first mode that are to be retransmitted with a higher priority than other data packets.

Claim 30

Method according to claim 22, characterized in that said data packets of said second structure transport one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discrimination step (S2) comprises analyzing said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents.

Claim 31

Method according to claim 30, characterized in that said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated.

Claim 32

Method according to claim 23, characterized in that said data packets of said second structure have one or more sections carrying information on the contents of the packet, and said discrimination step (S2) comprises analyzing said one or more sections to thereby discriminate said data packets of said second structure in accordance with their contents, said one or more sections are packet headers associated with respective protocol layers and containing protocol identification information identifying the protocol with which the contents of the packet are associated, and said packet headers form a hierarchy in accordance with the protocol layers, and, for a packet to be discriminated, said discrimination step (S2) includes first determining the protocol identification in the header associated with said second protocol and then comparing said protocol identification with stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode to predetermined protocol identifications, setting the transmission reliability mode for said packet to be discriminated in accordance with a determined allocation if said protocol identification is among the stored rules, and if said protocol identification is not among the stored rules, then determining the protocol identification in the header associated with the next protocol one layer up in the hierarchy and then comparing said protocol identification of said next protocol with said stored rules that allocate a predetermined transmission reliability mode, where said process of determining and comparing is repeated until one of - a determined protocol identification in said packet to be discriminated is allocated to a predetermined transmission reliability mode according to one of the rules, in which case said transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated, and - a fail-safe condition is met, in which case a default transmission reliability mode is set for said packet to be discriminated.

Claim 33

Method according to claim 24, characterized in that said first protocol specifies performing segmentation in order to embed said packets of said second data structure in said packets of said first structure.

Claim 34

Method according to one of claims 22 to 33, characterized in that said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link.

Claim 35

Method according to claim 34, characterized in that said link is a radio link.

Claim 36

Method according to claim 34 or 35, characterized by also receiving data packets of said first structure over said link.

Claim 37

Method according to claim 33, characterized in that said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link, data packets of said first structure are also received over said link, and a receiving buffer means is used, for receiving said data packets of said first structure over said link, where said receiving buffer means comprises a first part associated with said first transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said first transmission reliability mode, and a second part associated with said second transmission reliability mode for storing data packets sent in accordance with said second transmission reliability mode.

Claim 38

Method according to claim 37, characterized by determining the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure, and by said receiving buffer storing said received packets of said first data structure until one of a complete packet of said second data structure has been received, which is determined by the receipt of packet delimiters belonging to packets of said second data structure, and, for packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, a predetermined buffer limit is exceeded.

Claim 39

Method according to claim 33, characterized by determining the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in packets of said second data structure that are to be embedded, and duplicating said packet delimiters prior to embedding.

Claim 40

Method according to claim 37, characterized by said first transmission reliability mode being such that packets of said first transmission reliability mode are numbered to thereby specify a correct order, and determining the occurrence of a packet delimiter belonging to a packet of said second data structure in received packets of said first data structure belonging to said first transmission reliability mode, said receiving buffer immediately releasing received packets of said first data structure, both those belonging to said first and said second transmission reliability mode, to the next higher layer, except if packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode need to be retransmitted, in which case the received packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are buffered until they can be released in the correct order, and packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode are followed by packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode, in which case said receiving buffer is adapted to immediately release received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if no packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, and to store received packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode if packets of said first transmission reliability mode are being stored, until a complete packet of said second data structure and first transmission reliability mode has been received and released, after which the stored packets of said first data structure belonging to said second transmission reliability mode are released.

Claim 41

Method according to one of claims 38 to 40, characterized by said predetermined packet delimiter being specified by a message received over said link.

Claim 42

Method according to claim 33, characterized in that said first protocol is a protocol for sending packets over a link, the retransmission of packets belonging to said first transmission reliability mode is decided on the basis of acknowledgment packets for packets already sent over said link, and an output buffer means is provided that sends out packets belonging to said second transmission reliability mode only if the receipt of all previously sent packets of said first transmission reliability mode has been acknowledged.