Data Packet Structure with Fragment Flags for Signaling Overhead Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for signaling segmentation and concatenation in packet communications suffer from high overhead, lack of flexibility, and increased complexity, particularly in systems with highly variable data rates and error propagation issues.
Innovation Solution
A data packet structure with a header containing two flags (FFF and SFF) indicating whether the packet payload begins or ends with a fragment of a service data unit, along with a sequence number indicator, is used to efficiently convey protocol data units, allowing dynamic adaptation to transmission conditions and reducing overhead.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If detailed segmentation and concatenation signaling is implemented, then transmission accuracy is improved, but signaling overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential segmentation information (first and last fragment indicators) from the complete packet structure, placing these indicators in the MAC header rather than including full segmentation details in every packet, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining transmission accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of signaling segmentation status for every fragment in a concatenated packet, the patent applies partial action by only indicating the presence of first and last fragments, which is sufficient for the receiver to reconstruct the original packets without requiring excessive signaling information
2Device complexity
If fixed packet structures are used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to variable data rates deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic packet structures where the MAC layer can concatenate multiple RLC packets into single MAC PDUs based on current data rate conditions and buffer status, allowing the system to adapt to variable data rates while maintaining manageable device complexity through standardized concatenation rules
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs nested structures where RLC packets are nested within MAC PDUs, and multiple MAC PDUs can be nested within a single MAC PDU, creating a hierarchical packet structure that provides both organizational simplicity and adaptability to varying transmission requirements
3Reliability
If error checking is performed on each packet, then transmission reliability is improved, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges error checking operations by performing MAC layer error validation on concatenated packet structures as unified units rather than individually on each RLC packet, thereby maintaining transmission reliability while reducing processing complexity through consolidated error checking
Data Source
AI summary
A receiver receives a data packet with a header and a payload. The payload includes at least one full service data unit, one or two service data unit fragments, or at least one full service data unit and at least one service data unit fragment, where a service data unit fragment is only located (i) at the beginning of the payload or at the end of the payload or (ii) at the beginning of the payload and at the end of the payload. The header includes a single field consisting of a first bit and a second bit, even when a number of full service data units and service data unit fragments in the payload is more than two, the single field indicating whether (i) the payload begins with a fragment of a service data unit and (ii) the payload ends with a service data unit fragment. Digital signal processing circuitry processes the header to determine processing for the payload.