Wireless Device Receive Window Adjustment for Connection Interruption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wireless communication devices experience packet loss during connection interruptions, such as when transitioning between radio access technologies, leading to degraded throughput and unnecessary TCP flow control mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The device leverages local knowledge of impending connection interruptions to preemptively signal an updated receive window size, allowing the sender to adjust packet flow and avoid packet loss by signaling a zero window or an appropriate window size based on the new RAT's data rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the device tunes its radio from a first network to a second network during a tune-away period, then the device can listen for paging messages on the second network, but packets transmitted to the device during the tune-away period are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device preemptively signals an updated receive window size to the sender before the connection interruption occurs. This preliminary action allows the sender to adjust its packet transmission rate in advance, preventing packet loss during the tune-away period while maintaining the ability to listen for paging messages on the second network
Solution Approach 2:
The device uses feedback about its upcoming radio tuning activity to inform the sender about the impending connection interruption. By providing this feedback through updated receive window size signals, the sender can proactively adjust its transmission behavior to match the receiver's upcoming unavailability
2Productivity
If the sender continues transmitting packets at the original rate during connection interruption, then the data transfer throughput is maintained, but packet loss increases and TCP flow control mechanisms are triggered
Solution Approach 1:
The sender adjusts its packet transmission rate in advance of the connection interruption based on the updated receive window size signal. This preliminary rate adjustment prevents packet loss before it occurs, avoiding TCP timeouts and maintaining high throughput after the interruption when the connection is restored
Solution Approach 2:
The sender takes preliminary counter-action by reducing its transmission rate before the connection interruption occurs. This preemptive rate reduction prevents the harmful effect of packet loss and subsequent TCP flow control activation, allowing the data transfer to resume at high throughput immediately after the interruption
Data Source
AI summary
A method for reducing packet loss during data transfer from a network to a wireless communication device over a connection is disclosed. The method can include the wireless communication device signaling a first receive window size for a data transfer; determining occurrence of an event resulting in an interruption of the connection; and, in response to determining occurrence of the event, signaling a second receive window size for the data transfer prior to the event to trigger an adjustment of a data rate of the data transfer in preparation for the event.