Variable Abort Timer for Wireless Packet Retransmission

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication systems lack effective mechanisms for managing missing data packets, particularly in MIMO systems, where channel conditions vary, leading to inefficiencies in data transmission and reception.

Innovation Solution

A variable abort timer system is introduced, which sets a time duration for receiving missing data packets based on channel conditions, allowing for dynamic adjustment of the timer length based on evaluations of channel quality and other factors, enabling efficient retransmission and packet management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a fixed abort timer is used for receiving missing data packets, then the system is simple to implement, but it cannot adapt to varying channel conditions leading to inefficiency

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability to channel conditionsVSAvoidcomplexity of timer management system
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a variable abort timer that dynamically adjusts its duration based on evaluated channel conditions. Instead of using a fixed timer value, the system modifies the timer length according to current channel quality, thereby achieving adaptability to varying wireless environments while managing complexity through structured evaluation mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the parameter of timer duration based on channel condition evaluations. By adjusting the abort timer value according to measured channel quality metrics, the system achieves adaptability without requiring complete system redesign, simply modifying the temporal parameter based on environmental feedback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the abort timer is set to a long duration to ensure receipt of missing packets, then packet reception reliability improves, but data transmission efficiency deteriorates due to increased wait times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvereliability of packet receptionVSAvoidefficiency of data transmission
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system employs feedback mechanisms where channel conditions are continuously evaluated and used to adjust the abort timer duration. This closed-loop approach ensures that the timer is neither too long (hurting efficiency) nor too short (compromising reliability), but optimally adapted to current channel conditions, balancing both reliability and transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The abort timer transitions from a static fixed value to a dynamic variable that responds to real-time channel conditions. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to extend the timer only when necessary for reliability while maintaining shorter durations during good channel conditions to preserve transmission efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Productivity

If the abort timer is set to a short duration to improve transmission efficiency, then data transmission speed improves, but packet reception reliability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvespeed of data transmissionVSAvoidreliability of packet reception
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system adjusts the timer duration parameter based on channel quality assessments. During favorable channel conditions, the timer is set to shorter values to maximize transmission speed, while during poor conditions, the timer extends to ensure reliable packet reception, thus dynamically optimizing the speed-reliability tradeoff.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

4Productivity

If a variable abort timer system is implemented to adapt to channel conditions, then transmission efficiency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveefficiency of packet retransmissionVSAvoidcomplexity of channel evaluation and timer management
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary evaluation of channel conditions before setting the abort timer duration. By assessing channel quality in advance and pre-determining appropriate timer values based on evaluation results, the system achieves efficient adaptive timing without requiring complex real-time adjustments during packet reception, thereby managing complexity through proactive decision-making.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2250765B1Variable abort timer
Publication Date: 2015.01.21 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2250765B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2250765B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2250765B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Depending on channel conditions, a variable abort timer can be set in relation to wireless communication of data packets. Additionally, available buffer size can be evaluated and used to set a length of the variable abort timer. When a packet sequence is sent, packets can become lost in communication. When a lost packet is recognized, the timer can be initiated and a request for re-transmission of the lost packet can is sent. If the lost packet does not arrive during running of the variable abort timer, then the packet sequence can be processed without the missing packet.