JP2008022370A - Retransmission control method, retransmission control device, and communication device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a retransmission control method which improves a communication efficiency. <P>SOLUTION: The present invention includes an intermission instruction detecting step of a first sent packet transmission for detecting a first sent packet transmission intermission instruction, an identifying information acquisition step of stopping a transmission of a first sent packet when the first sent packet transmission intermission instruction is detected, and acquiring identifying information from a first sent packet to be transmitted, a retransmission packet selection step of selecting a retransmission waiting packet including identifying information different from the identifying information acquired at the identifying information acquisition step of from among retransmission waiting packets which are already transmitted data packets and whose transmission has not been acknowledged as a retransmission packet, and a transmission step of transmitting the retransmission packet to a destination terminal at a subsequent transmission timing. The retransmission packet selection step and the transmission step are repeated until a first sent packet transmission restart instruction is detected, and when it is detected, the transmission of the first sent packet is restarted. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a retransmission control method for controlling retransmission of a packet that has caused a transmission error, and more particularly to a retransmission control method, a retransmission control device, and a communication device for controlling retransmission of a packet to be transmitted via a wireless line. It is.

  When packet data is transmitted via a wireless line, the bit error rate deteriorates depending on the radio wave propagation environment, and the occurrence rate of packet transmission errors increases. In order to correct a packet transmission error due to the deterioration of the bit error rate, a process of retransmitting (retransmission control) packet data that has caused a transmission error is usually performed. On the other hand, when retransmission of packet data occurs, the amount of resources that can be allocated to other communications is consumed by the amount of resources used for the retransmission, and the communication efficiency of the entire system is reduced. In particular, when the mobile terminal transmits / receives packet data, the mobile terminal may move during the transmission / reception of the packet data, and as a result, the quality of the radio channel continues to deteriorate and the communication efficiency decreases.

  Therefore, various techniques for realizing efficient data retransmission and improving communication efficiency have been proposed. For example, in the technique described in Patent Document 1 below, when the deterioration of the radio channel quality is detected, the packet data transmission between the mobile terminal and the opposite device is temporarily interrupted, and the packet data is restored when the radio channel quality is recovered. Communication efficiency is improved by restarting transmission.

  In the technique described in Patent Document 2 below, when retransmission of a packet is performed, control different from the normal time is performed to shorten the time required for retransmission processing and improve communication efficiency.

JP 2002-28147 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-2224017

  As described above, when a transmission error occurs in communication on a wireless line (wireless section), retransmission control is performed in the wireless section (for example, between a mobile terminal and a base station to which the mobile terminal is wirelessly connected). The error correction is performed. On the other hand, even when a mobile terminal and a wired terminal connected to a wired network such as the Internet transmit and receive packet data, error correction is performed by performing retransmission control between the data transmission source terminal and the transmission destination terminal. ing. For this reason, when packet data is transmitted between the mobile terminal and the wired terminal, retransmission control applied to the wireless section and retransmission control between the terminals operate in duplicate.

  Here, the unit of retransmission control between terminals is an IP packet when TCP / IP is used. On the other hand, the unit of retransmission control in the wireless section is set for each system depending on the characteristics of the wireless line, and in many cases, a data block size smaller than that of the IP packet is used. Therefore, when error correction cannot be performed in the retransmission control in the wireless section, an IP packet including a data block for which error correction could not be performed is transmitted to the counterpart terminal, and an IP packet transmission error occurs. As a result, in response to a retransmission request from the counterpart terminal, the transmission source terminal retransmits the IP packet in which a transmission error has occurred. In this case, there has been a problem that the data block once successfully transmitted in the wireless section is transmitted again from the transmission source terminal, and the communication efficiency deteriorates.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above, and under the condition that the retransmission control between the data transmission source terminal and the destination terminal and the retransmission control applied to the radio section are operated in duplicate, the unnecessary retransmission is performed. An object of the present invention is to obtain a retransmission control method, a retransmission control device, and a communication device that suppress the occurrence frequency and improve communication efficiency.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the present invention divides a data unit received from a higher-level protocol having a retransmission control function into data blocks that are transmission data units on a wireless line, and each data A retransmission control method for transmitting a data packet generated by adding a header including identification information for identifying the data unit and an error correction code to a block via a wireless line, Initial transmission packet for detecting an initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction for instructing transmission interruption of the initial transmission packet sent from the transmission destination terminal (destination terminal) of the data packet when the state deteriorates from a reference value A transmission interruption instruction detection step and an initial transmission packet scheduled to be transmitted at the next transmission timing when the initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction is detected. An identification information acquisition step for canceling transmission and acquiring identification information included in the header from the initial transmission packet to be transmitted, and data that has already been transmitted and for which delivery confirmation has not been completed A retransmission packet selection step for selecting, as a retransmission packet, a retransmission wait packet having a header including identification information different from the identification information acquired in the identification information acquisition step from among the retransmission wait packets that are packets, A transmission step of transmitting the selected retransmission packet to the counterpart terminal at a transmission timing, and is transmitted from the counterpart terminal when a transmission path state is improved from a reference value. The retransmission packet selection process is performed until an initial transmission packet transmission resumption instruction that instructs transmission resumption of transmission packets is detected. Tsu repeatedly executes the flop and the transmission step, when detecting an initial transmission packet transmission resumption instruction, characterized in that to resume the transmission of the initial transmission packet.

  According to the present invention, when the radio channel quality is deteriorated, the transmission of the data block, which is the data transmission unit in the upper protocol, is interrupted and retransmitted on the radio channel among the data units that have been transmitted so far. Since only the re-transmission of necessary data units is performed, it is possible to suppress unnecessary re-transmissions in the upper protocol and to reduce the bandwidth necessary for re-transmission control and improve the communication efficiency. Play.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of a retransmission control method and a retransmission control device according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

Embodiment.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a retransmission control apparatus that implements a retransmission control method according to the present invention. This retransmission control apparatus includes a dividing unit 11, an error correction code adding unit 12, a control information adding unit 13, a transmission buffer 14, a retransmission buffer 15, a transmission unit 16, a transmission control unit 17, and a received signal analysis. Part 18. Note that this retransmission control device constitutes a wireless communication device on the data transmission side, and a wireless communication device configured to include a transmitter and a receiver constitutes a transmitter.

  Hereinafter, the operation of the retransmission control apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described. First, normal packet data transmission operation will be described with reference to FIG.

  The division unit 11 divides an SDU (Service Data Unit), which is a data block received from a higher-level protocol, into data blocks (data blocks transmitted in one transmission process) as a transmission data unit on the wireless line, It outputs to the correction code | symbol provision part 12. FIG. Further, the dividing unit 11 outputs information (SDU identification information) for identifying the SDU before being divided and information about the number of divided SDUs (divided number information) to the control information adding unit 13. The error correction code adding unit 12 adds an error correction code to the data block received from the dividing unit 11 and outputs the data block to the control information adding unit 13.

  The control information adding unit 13 generates header information including the SDU identification information received from the dividing unit 11 and a sequence number for the data block, and adds an error correction code to the generated header information to generate a header. Then, the control information adding unit 13 adds the generated header to the data block (data block to which the error correction code is added) received from the error correction code adding unit 12, and transmits a PDU (transmission unit on the radio channel). Packet Data Unit) is generated. Further, the control information adding unit 13 stores the generated PDU in the transmission buffer 14. When a new PDU is stored in the transmission buffer, information related to the PDU is notified to the transmission control unit 17.

  The transmission control unit 17 issues a PDU transmission instruction to the transmission unit 16 at a timing when the PDU is ready for transmission. The transmission unit 16 reads out the PDU stored in the transmission buffer 14 in accordance with the PDU transmission instruction received from the transmission control unit 17 and transmits it as an initial transmission PDU to the counterpart terminal that is the transmission counterpart of the PDU. The partner terminal here is a partner wireless communication apparatus to which a wireless communication apparatus including the retransmission control device according to the present invention is wirelessly connected. In addition, the transmission unit 16 moves the PDU from the transmission buffer 14 to the retransmission buffer 15 when the PDU is transmitted to the counterpart terminal.

  When the received signal analysis unit 18 receives a signal from the counterpart terminal, it analyzes the content. As a result of the analysis, if the received signal is a delivery confirmation, the identification information of the SDU configured by the PDU indicated by the delivery confirmation and the sequence number of the PDU are stored. Here, when a delivery confirmation indicating the last PDU that has not been acknowledged before is received among the PDUs constituting the same SDU, the transmission control unit 17 selects all the PDUs constituting the SDU. Erase from retransmission buffer 15. That is, when PDUs are erased from the retransmission buffer, all PDUs constituting the same SDU are erased at the same time, not individually.

  As a result of the analysis, if the received signal is a retransmission request (not reached notification), the received signal analysis unit 18 instructs the transmission control unit 17 to transmit the PDU indicated by the retransmission request. In this case, the transmission control unit 17 instructs the transmission unit 16 to transmit a PDU instructed from the reception signal analysis unit 18 at a timing when the PDU is ready for transmission. The transmission unit 16 reads out the PDU stored in the retransmission buffer 15 according to the instruction content from the transmission control unit 17 and transmits it to the counterpart terminal as a retransmission PDU. As a result of executing these operations, the contents of the retransmission buffer 15 become empty if delivery confirmation of all PDUs is obtained.

  Next, the packet data transmission operation when the partner terminal detects that the wireless transmission path state has deteriorated from the reference value and receives a data unit transmission interruption instruction from the partner terminal will be described with reference to FIG. The received signal analyzing unit 18 that performs the operation as the initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction detecting unit analyzes the signal received from the counterpart terminal of the wireless communication in the above-described normal operation state. When it is determined that the received signal is a data unit transmission interruption instruction signal as a result of the analysis of the received signal, the reception signal analysis unit 18 issues a transmission interruption instruction to the transmission control unit 17. When receiving the transmission interruption instruction, the transmission control unit 17 that performs the operations as the identification information acquisition unit and the retransmission packet selection unit receives SDU identification information from the header of the first PDU in the transmission buffer 14 at the timing when the PDU is ready for transmission. Read. Then, the transmission control unit 17 selects a PDU having the SDU identification information different from the read SDU identification information (transmitted earlier than the read one) as header information from the retransmission buffer 15, and selects the selected PDU. The transmission unit 16 is instructed to retransmit. In other words, the transmission control unit 17 instructs the transmission unit 16 to select and transmit from the retransmission buffer 15 a PDU that constitutes an SDU that is transmitted before the SDU that the first PDU of the transmission buffer 14 constitutes. Do.

  The same processing is performed at the timing when the next and subsequent PDUs are ready to be transmitted until a data unit transmission restart instruction is received.

  Even when transmission is interrupted, the received signal analyzing unit 18 receives a signal from the receiving side and analyzes the signal. When the analysis result of the received signal is a delivery confirmation, if the PDU indicated by the delivery confirmation is a PDU to be retransmitted, the same processing as the normal operation is performed (the PDU indicated by the delivery confirmation is retransmitted). Here, the PDU to be retransmitted is a PDU that constitutes an SDU that is transmitted before the SDU that is constituted by the head PDU of the transmission buffer 14 and that is stored in the retransmission buffer 15.

  When the delivery confirmation of all the PDUs constituting the same SDU is obtained, the transmission control unit 17 deletes all the PDUs constituting the SDU from the retransmission buffer 15. On the other hand, when the PDU indicated by the delivery confirmation is not a PDU to be retransmitted, the transmission control unit 17 keeps the PDU in the retransmission buffer 15 and is included in the header information of the PDU. SDU identification information is held.

  Subsequently, after receiving the data unit transmission interruption instruction, the partner terminal detects that the wireless transmission line condition has improved from the reference value, and performs packet data transmission operation when receiving a data unit transmission restart instruction from the partner terminal. This will be described with reference to FIG. If the signal is received from the counterpart terminal in a state where the transmission is suspended and the signal is analyzed by the received signal analyzing unit 18, if it is a data unit transmission restart instruction signal, the received signal analyzing unit 18 To resume transmission. When receiving the retransmission start instruction, the transmission control unit 17 acquires the SDU identification information included in the header of the first PDU of the transmission buffer 14. When the transmission control unit 17 holds PDUs having SDU identification information younger (transmitted earlier) than the acquired SDU identification information in the retransmission buffer 15, the transmission control unit 17 holds them in the retransmission buffer 15. The transmission unit 16 is instructed to transmit, as a retransmission data unit, a PDU that has not been acknowledged in the PDU. On the other hand, when retransmitting a PDU that includes the same SDU identification information as the SDU identification information included in the header of the first PDU of the transmission buffer 14, whether or not a delivery confirmation has been received so far (transmission is suspended) Regardless, the data is read from the retransmission buffer 15 and transmitted in order from the first PDU constituting the SDU. Then, after the transmission of all the PDUs in the retransmission buffer 15 is completed, the transmission unit 16 is instructed to transmit the PDUs in the transmission buffer 14.

  Here, FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a PDU transmission operation. In FIG. 2, “SDU #” (M−2, M−1, M, M + 1) indicates an SDU identifier, and “PDU #” (N, N + 1,..., N + 13, N + 14) indicates a PDU identifier. In the operation example shown in FIG. 2, an error has occurred in PDU transmission of PDU # N + 6 to PDU # N + 8 and PDU # N + 10. Further, the receiving terminal determines that the radio channel quality has deteriorated, and transmits a transmission interruption signal (data unit transmission interruption instruction signal) to the transmitting terminal after receiving the PDU # N + 9 PDU. After that, the reception side terminal transmits a transmission resumption signal (data unit transmission resumption instruction signal) to the transmission side terminal when it is determined that the radio channel quality has been recovered, and resumes normal operation. . The wireless channel quality is determined using a general method, such as determination based on a comparison result between a measurement result such as a signal reception level and a data packet (PDU) reception error rate, and a reference value. To do.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a PDU transmission result in the PDU transmission operation example illustrated in FIG. In FIG. 3, PDUs of PDU # N to PDU # N + 11 indicate transmitted PDUs, and PDUs of PDU # + 12 to PDU # N + 17 indicate untransmitted PDUs. Also, since all PDUs of PDU # N to PDU # N + 3 have been transmitted normally, they have already been deleted from the retransmission buffer 15, while PDUs of PDU # N + 4 to PDU # N + 11 are held in the retransmission buffer 15. State. The PDUs of PDU # + 12 to PDU # N + 17 are in a state of being held in the transmission buffer 14.

  By performing the processing as described above, while the data unit transmission is suspended (after the transmission side receives the data unit transmission suspension instruction signal and until the data unit transmission resume instruction signal is received) Only the PDUs that failed to be transmitted are retransmitted among the PDUs constituting the SDU) in which the PDU has been moved to the retransmission buffer 15. Further, for a PDU that constitutes an SDU that is being transmitted at the time when the data unit transmission suspension instruction signal is received (SDU in which a part of the PDUs constituting the data unit remains in the transmission buffer 14), the data unit transmission suspension instruction The transmission is interrupted after the signal is received. As a result, when the wireless environment deteriorates, only the packet intended to complete the transmitted SDU is retransmitted.

  On the other hand, the receiving side (the partner terminal) continues to issue retransmission requests for data units (PDUs) received after transmission of the data unit transmission interruption instruction signal until all PDUs constituting the SDU are normally received. For a PDU that has been successfully received, a delivery confirmation is notified to the transmitting side, but the identifiers of all the PDUs that have been successfully received after transmitting the data unit transmission interruption instruction signal are notified. This is to avoid the loss of the delivery confirmation signal due to the deterioration of the quality of the radio channel. Note that after the data unit transmission resumption instruction signal is transmitted, the normal operation is resumed.

  On the receiving side, the completed SDU is transferred to the upper protocol when the SDU is completed. However, after transmitting the data unit transmission resumption instruction signal, the PDU that has already been normally received may be received again. In such a case, the receiving side discards the re-received PDU.

  Since the data unit transmission interruption instruction signal is transmitted when the radio channel quality is deteriorated, the probability that a retransmission packet (PDU) transmitted during the subsequent data unit transmission interruption can be normally received on the receiving side is reduced. To do. Therefore, in a state where data unit transmission is interrupted, the transmission side may transmit data with enhanced correction capability of an error correction code provided to the PDU or SDU. As a result, it is possible to cope with a change in the environment of the wireless line and suppress the transmission error occurrence rate. In order to realize this, the retransmission control device, for example, takes out the PDU held in the retransmission buffer 15 by the transmission control unit 17 and deletes the header and error correction code (immediately after being output from the dividing unit 11). The state is returned to the error correction code assigning unit 12. Then, control is performed so that the PDU is generated again. Further, the regenerated PDU is directly stored in the retransmission buffer 15 from the control information adding unit 13. Such a process can be executed. In this case, the error correction code adding unit 12, the control information adding unit 13, and the transmission control unit 17 constitute a packet regeneration unit.

  Further, while the data unit transmission is interrupted, the data unit to be transmitted may be continuously transmitted a plurality of times. As a result, the time required to complete the transmission of the data unit can be shortened in response to a change in the environment of the wireless line. In this case, you may make it use together with the process which strengthens the error correction code mentioned above.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, when the radio channel quality deteriorates, transmission of a new data unit (transmission of the data unit held in the transmission buffer) is interrupted, and the data units transmitted so far Therefore, only the data blocks received from the upper protocol and constituting the transmitted data block are retransmitted. As a result, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of retransmission in the upper protocol more than necessary, reduce the bandwidth necessary for retransmission control, and improve communication efficiency.

  In addition, after returning to normal operation from data unit transmission interruption, if the receiving side receives the same data unit (PDU) that was previously received normally, it will discard the re-received one. . Thereby, it is possible to prevent data loss from occurring in SDU units.

  In addition, during data unit transmission interruption, the error correction capability is enhanced to transmit PDU (or SDU), the same PDU is transmitted multiple times, etc. to improve the delivery probability. Can do.

  As described above, the retransmission control method according to the present invention is useful for data packet transmission performed via a radio channel, and is particularly suitable for a data packet transmission retransmission control method performed when radio channel quality is deteriorated. Yes.

It is a figure which shows the structural example of the retransmission control apparatus which implement | achieves the retransmission control method concerning this invention. It is a figure which shows an example of PDU transmission operation | movement. It is a figure which shows the PDU transmission result in the PDU transmission operation example shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Division part 12 Error correction code provision part 13 Control information provision part 14 Transmission buffer 15 Retransmission buffer 16 Transmission part 17 Transmission control part 18 Received signal analysis part

Claims (11)

A header including identification information for identifying a data unit for each data block, by dividing a data unit received from a higher-level protocol having a retransmission control function into data blocks that are transmission data units on a wireless line And a retransmission control method in the case of transmitting a data packet generated by adding an error correction code via a wireless line,
When the transmission path state deteriorates below a reference value, an initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction sent from the transmission destination terminal (destination terminal) of the data packet to instruct transmission interruption of the initial transmission packet is detected. A transmission packet transmission interruption instruction detection step;
When the initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction is detected, the transmission of the initial transmission packet scheduled for transmission is stopped at the next transmission timing, and the identification information included in the header is obtained from the initial transmission packet scheduled for transmission. An identification information acquisition step,
Retransmission having a header including identification information different from the identification information acquired in the identification information acquisition step from among the retransmission waiting packets that are data packets that have already been transmitted and whose delivery confirmation has not been completed. A retransmission packet selection step of selecting a waiting packet as a retransmission packet;
A transmission step of transmitting the selected retransmission packet to the counterpart terminal at the next transmission timing;
Including
Until the transmission packet state is improved from a reference value, the retransmission packet selection step and the retransmission packet selection step are detected until an initial transmission packet transmission resumption instruction instructing transmission resumption of the initial transmission packet sent from the counterpart terminal is detected. A retransmission control method characterized by resuming transmission of an initial transmission packet when a transmission step is repeatedly executed and an initial transmission packet transmission resumption instruction is detected.   After restarting the transmission of the initial transmission packet, all data packets including the same identification information as the identification information included in the data packet for which the transmission has been stopped are changed from the data packet including the head data of the data unit indicated by the identification information. The retransmission control method according to claim 1, wherein transmission is performed in order. Furthermore, following the retransmission packet selection step,
A packet regeneration step for regenerating the retransmission packet by changing the error correction code constituting the selected retransmission packet to an error correction code having a higher correction capability;
Including
The retransmission control method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein in the transmission step, the regenerated retransmission packet is transmitted.   The retransmission control method according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein in the transmission step, the same retransmission packet is continuously retransmitted until delivery confirmation is obtained. further,
The said counterpart terminal discards the re-received data packet when the same data packet as the data packet that has already been normally received is received again. Retransmission control method. further,
When the destination terminal receives a data packet that is different from a data packet that has already been normally received after performing the initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction, it returns a delivery confirmation or non-delivery confirmation indicating the reception result. The retransmission control method according to any one of claims 1 to 5. A data unit received from an upper protocol having a retransmission control function that constitutes a communication device is divided into data blocks that are transmission data units on a wireless line, and the data unit is identified for each data block A retransmission control device that performs retransmission control when transmitting a data packet generated by giving a header including identification information and an error correction code via a wireless line,
When the transmission path state deteriorates below a reference value, an initial transmission packet transmission interruption instruction sent from the transmission destination terminal (destination terminal) of the data packet to instruct transmission interruption of the initial transmission packet is detected. A transmission packet transmission interruption instruction detecting means;
Identification for stopping transmission of an initial transmission packet scheduled for transmission at the next transmission timing and obtaining identification information included in the header from the initial transmission packet scheduled for transmission when the instruction for interrupting transmission of the initial transmission packet is detected Information acquisition means;
Waiting for retransmission having a header containing identification information different from the identification information acquired by the identification information acquisition means from among the retransmission waiting packets that are data packets that have already been transmitted and for which delivery confirmation has not been completed. Retransmission packet selection means for selecting a packet as a retransmission packet;
Transmitting means for transmitting the selected retransmission packet to the counterpart terminal at the next transmission timing;
With
The retransmission packet selecting means and the retransmission packet selecting means, until detecting an initial transmission packet transmission resumption instruction instructing transmission resumption of the initial transmission packet sent from the counterpart terminal when the transmission path state is improved from a reference value A retransmission control apparatus, wherein transmission means resumes transmission of an initial transmission packet when a retransmission means repeatedly executes the retransmission packet selection process and the retransmission packet transmission process and detects an initial transmission packet transmission resumption instruction. After restarting the transmission of the initial transmission packet,
The transmission packet selection means selects a data packet including the same identification information as the identification information included in the data packet for which transmission has been stopped, in order from the data packet including the head data of the data unit indicated by the identification information. ,
The retransmission control apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the transmission unit transmits the data packet selected by the transmission packet selection unit. further,
A packet regeneration means for regenerating the retransmission packet by changing the error correction code constituting the selected retransmission packet to an error correction code having a higher correction capability;
With
The retransmission control apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the transmission unit transmits the regenerated retransmission packet.   The retransmission control apparatus according to claim 7, 8 or 9, wherein the transmission means continuously retransmits the same retransmission packet until delivery confirmation is completed.   A communication apparatus comprising the retransmission control apparatus according to claim 7.

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