RLC TCP ACK Interception for Wireless Efficiency
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current data transmission methods result in uncertainty and inefficiency due to multiple TCP ACKs being generated and sent, leading to unreliable and uncontrollable TCP acknowledgement processing, especially in wireless connections where RLC ACKs cannot accurately generate TCP ACKs for data packet losses or errors.
Innovation Solution
A method where the data receive end determines whether the RLC protocol entity unit needs to generate a TCP ACK, sending indication information to the RLC protocol entity unit of the data transmit end, ensuring only one accurate TCP ACK is received by the TCP protocol entity unit, by analyzing the content of the TCP ACK, including checks for SYN, FIN, window size, and other options, and using RLC control PDUs or MAC control elements for communication.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If the data receive end intercepts all TCP ACKs to reduce air interface resource waste, then air interface resource utilization improves, but TCP ACK processing reliability deteriorates due to loss of information exchange functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments TCP ACK processing into two parts: simple acknowledgment ACKs are intercepted and handled by the RLC layer, while control function ACKs (containing timestamps, window size adjustments, etc.) are allowed to pass through to the TCP layer. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by selectively intercepting only those ACKs that do not carry control information, thereby reducing air interface resource waste while preserving TCP ACK processing reliability for critical control functions.
2Reliability
If both RLC layer and TCP layer send acknowledgement messages to ensure correct data transmission, then data transmission reliability improves, but air interface resource consumption increases due to multiple ACK messages
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the RLC ACK and TCP ACK functions by allowing the RLC layer to intercept and process TCP ACKs. The RLC layer uses the TCP ACK to update its acknowledgment state, effectively combining the acknowledgment functions of both layers into a single message exchange. This merging reduces the number of ACK messages on the air interface while maintaining the reliability benefits of both RLC and TCP acknowledgment mechanisms.
3Loss of energy
If the RLC protocol entity unit generates TCP ACKs based on RLC ACKs, then air interface resource utilization improves, but accuracy deteriorates when data packet loss or error occurs in the wired TCP connection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces the TCP protocol entity unit at the receive end as an intermediary that generates accurate TCP ACKs based on actual TCP data packet reception status. This intermediary ensures TCP ACK accuracy by basing acknowledgments on real TCP layer reception information rather than RLC layer status. The RLC layer then intercepts these accurate TCP ACKs, resolving the contradiction between reducing air interface resource waste and maintaining TCP ACK accuracy in wired connection scenarios.
Data Source
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AI summary
A data transmission method, a data receiving device, and a data sending device are disclosed. A Radio Link Control (RLC) protocol entity unit of a data receive end receives a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) acknowledgement data packet sent by a TCP protocol entity unit of the data receive end; and the RLC protocol entity unit of the data receive end sends indication information to an RLC protocol entity unit of a data transmit end, where the indication information is used to indicate whether the RLC protocol entity unit of the data transmit end needs to construct a TCP acknowledgement data packet. The RLC protocol entity unit of the data transmit end receives the indication information sent by the RLC protocol entity unit of the data receive end, and sends the TCP acknowledgement data packet to a TCP protocol entity unit of the data transmit end based on the indication information, to ensure that the TCP protocol entity unit of the data transmit end ultimately receives only one TCP ACK for one TCP data packet.