WO2006021534A1 - Method for efficiently processing data packets, associated transmission protocol layer, communication terminal and network components comprising said type of transmission protocol layer - Google Patents

Abstract

In order to enable data packets (SDU11, SDU12, SDU21) to be processed efficiently, at least one data packet (PDU11), which is emitted by at least one transmission control unit (RLC1) at low transmission priority (PL), is inserted at least partially or entirely into the data structure (DS2) of at least one data packet (PDU21, PDU22) which is emitted by at least one transmission control unit (RLC2) at high transmission priority (PH), when a transmission capacity (PAD22) is still free in the data structure (DS2) of said data packets (PDU21, PDU22) of high transmission priority (PH).

Description

description

A method for efficient processing of data packets belonging zu¬ transmission protocol layer, the communication terminal and the network component with such a transfer protocol layer ^¬

The invention relates to a method for the efficient processing of data packets by means of transmission control units of different transmission priorities in the transmission protocol layer of a communication terminal or a network component of a communication network.

In data communication systems, particularly Mobilfunksyste- men, it is desirable that the efficiency of the processing of data packets in the respective transmission protocol layer of a communication terminal involved to increase and / or be ^¬ teiligten network component on. This Aufga ^¬ be in a method of the type mentioned DA by achieved that at least one data packet of Minim ^¬ least a transmission control unit is output lower Übertra ^¬ supply priority, at least one data packet is inserted partially or wholly in the data structure, the higher of at least a transmission control unit transmission priority is output when in the Da ^¬ tenstruktur of this data packet a higher transmission priority, there is still free transmission capacity.

By virtue of the fact that at least one data packet of lower transmission priority is partially or completely allocated to free space, ie free transmission capacity in the data structure of at least one data transmission packet of higher transmission priority, packaged there and transmitted by the latter, a further increase in the efficiency of the processing of data packets can be achieved by transmission control units of different transmission priorities in the transmission protocol layer of a communication terminal and / or a network cause component of a communication network. By such filling those parts of the data structure of a data packet or multiple data packets higher Über¬ tragungspriorität that were previously empty of payload and eg only with a wildcard such as zeros were occupied by so-called "padding", with a part or the total at least a data packet lower over ^¬ tragungspriorität be previously unused transmission ^¬ use resources.

The invention also relates to a transmission protocol layer of a communication terminal or a network component of a communication network having a plurality of transmission control units of different transmission priorities for the efficient processing of data packets, characterized in that at least one transmission control unit of lower transmission priority with at least one transmission control unit of a higher over ^¬ tragungspriorität and / or is coupled to a superordinate central control unit such that at least one, since ^¬ tenpaket lower transmission priority level partially or completely in the data structure at least one data packet ^¬ rer transmission priority is then inserted when there in the data structure of the data packet of higher transmission priority transmission capacity is free.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a communication terminal or a network component of a communication network with at least one transmission protocol layer according to the invention.

Other developments of the invention are given in the subclaims.

The invention and its developments are explained in more detail below with reference to an¬ drawings. Show it :

1 shows a partial section of a radio communication system in which radio between a communication terminal, in particular mobile ^¬, and a network component data packets according to various variants of the method according to the invention, respectively with the aid of a ent ^¬ speaking transmitting and receiving side transmission are transmitted transmission protocol layer in a schematic representation;

Figure 2 ( "Radio Link Control") in a schematic representation an RLC -Übertragungsprotokollschicht de- in the transmitter / receiver unit of the communication terminal and / or the network component of Figure 1 at ^¬ exemplary of a UMTS radio communication system,

Figure 3 shows a schematic representation of how data packets that variable at a first data structure length of one parent data link layer kom ^¬ men, packages by means of transmission control units of the transmission protocol layer of Figure 2 on data ^¬, the PRE-set a second data structure having ^¬ Bener length, to Forwarding to a subordinate transmission layer divided and incorporated into this

Figure 4 is a schematic representation of a first example of a transmission according to the invention Ausfüh¬ approximately protocol layer so ^¬ as the network component of Figure 1 to the through guide ^¬ a first variant of the inventive method in the communication terminal,

Figure 5 is a schematic representation of a second example of a transmission Ausfüh¬ approximately ^¬ protocol layer according to the invention in the communication terminal so- like the network component for carrying out a second variant of the method according to the invention,

Figure 6 shows a schematic representation of how data packets that men with a first data structure of variable length from a higher-level data link layer kom ^{¬, ¬} packages by means of the transmission control units of the transmission protocol layer of Figure 4 on data having a second data structure fixed identifier coded Bener length, split for submission to a subordinate transmission layer and provided with an indicator element indicating that a data packet of lower transmission priority has additionally been inserted in a data packet of higher transmission priority, and

Figure 7 is a schematic illustration of the data structure did a data packet of lower Übertragungspriori- which has been inserted after the transformation or segmentation ^¬ approximately principle of Figure 6 in a data packet of higher transmission priority, at least one link element is lower for the unambiguous assignment of this data packet transmission priority to an associated transmission

Control unit of lower transmission priority is added.

Elements with the same function and mode of operation are each provided with the same reference numerals in FIGS.

FIG. 1 shows, in a schematic representation, a partial detail of the system architecture of a radio communication system CN. This radio communication system CN has a plurality of locally distributed radio cells such as CEl, CE2, CE3. Each radio cell CEl with CE3 is in this case spanned in each case by a Ba ^¬ sisstation BSl with BS3 radio technically, for at least one radio communication device establishes the access or the coupling via an air interface to the radio network. Each base station thus serves to transmit Funkksig ^¬ nalen via their air interface to at least one radio communication device in their radio cell (= "downlink" direction) and / or receiving radio signals via their Luft¬ interface of at least one radio communication device in their radio cell 1, by way of example, the radio communication device MP1 is located in the radio cell CE1 of the base station BS1 and communicates with the base station BS1 via the air interface LS1 Communication device MPl, ie in the "downlink" direction, as well as data packets from the radio communication device MPl to the base station BSl in so-called "uplink" direction transmit .. With the help of one or more higher-level radio network control units groups of one or more Basis¬ stations in terms of signaling and Nutzdatenüber¬ transmission on their Luftschnittstel In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the signaling and user data traffic of the three base stations BS1, BS2 and BS3 is monitored by the common, higher-level radio network control unit RNC1. For this purpose, each base station BS1, BS2, BS3, which is assigned to the higher-level radio network control unit RNCl, is connected to the latter via a separate, network-side transmission path. To the delegation ^¬ supply paths located between each base station BS with BS3 and its associated, higher-level radio network controller RNCl are dot-dash lines in the figure 1 and denoted by the reference numerals with Ll L3. The respective transmission path can preferably be formed by an electrical or optical transmission line. If necessary, a radio ^¬ transmission path can be provided as respective transmission path respectively. The radio network control unit RNCl is connected to other network components of the

Radio communication system CN, which is used here in the version Example of Figure 1 have been wegge ^¬ sake of clarity wegge ^¬ .

For transmitting / or receiving and of data packets is for example MPl and network- assigned by JE weiligen radio communication device, such as the factory, the parent radio network control unit for example RNCl a predetermined transmission ^¬ used protocol such as composed kollschichten of a plurality of transmission Proto ^¬. In the following, in particular closer kollschicht on the so-called RLC ( "Radio Link Control") proto ^¬ which is in UMTS radio communication ^¬ systems (Universal Mobile Telecommunication System) verwen¬ det. The case outlined transmitting mechanisms are correspondingly also on the components of other data communication systems such as Internet Datenkommunika ^¬ tion systems, or other wireless communication systems such as the GPRS (General Packet Radio Service), EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution) standard, etc. transferable.

From the specification 3GPP TS 25.322 procedures for An¬ adaptation of data packets to the transmission requirements over the UMTS air interface such as LSI in Figure 1 ^¬ be known. Carried out the transmission method described there in the so-called "Radio Link Control" (RLC) -Übertragungs- protocol layer in the transmitter unit of the respective Funkkom ^¬ munikationsgeräts such as MPl and / or the respective Netz¬ factory component such as RNCl after data packets particular insbeson ^¬ in UMTS standard so-called "service data units" (SDUs abbreviated hereafter), were received by higher transmission protocol layers in the respective transmission unit and before the data packets generated therefrom, in particular in the UMTS standard so-called "Packet Data Units" (PDUs) In the receiving unit of the respective radio communication device such as MPl and / or the respective network component such as RNCl the data packet processing method takes place in a corresponding manner in reverse order after the receipt of the data packets, in particular the so-called PDUs, which arrive via the air interface of lower lower ^layer transmission protocol layers. Considered in general terms, the respective transmission unit with such transmission protocol ^layers can either be in a radio communication device (UMTS standard with "user equipment" (abbreviated: UE)) or in a network ^¬ device such as a so-called "Radio Network Controller" (RNC) of a UMTS radio communication network be housed. The receiving unit can be provided in a corresponding manner in a radio communication device or in a network unit such as a "Radio Network Controller" (RNC) Of course, these transmission protocol layers and their associated transmission protocol methods can also be used in combined transmitting / receiving units of other communication terminals such as notebooks , PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants), Wi-Fi access points, etc.

The RLC described in the specification 3GPP TS 25.322

Transmission protocol ^layer is modeled such that for each logical connection of the UMTS air interface, a self-standing RLC transmission control unit exists in which the corresponding data transmission methods are used independently of other RLC transmission control units. This schematically illustrates the RLC layer architecture of Figure 2. There, separate logical connections RB1 to RBn, referred to in the UMTS standard as "Radio Bearers" (RB), are interspersed between a parent data link layer RRC and a subordinate data link layer US transmission control units connected with RLCl RLCn an intermediate transfer protocol layer and RLC provided. gen can These logical Verbindun ^¬ this example, for each advises on a Kommunikationsendge- operated application and for various signaling are constructed approximately streams. Depending on the requirements of the Übertragungsqua ^¬ notes, which are placed on a logical connection such as RBL with RBn is RLC transmission operated, the corresponding control unit such as RLCl with RLCn in one of three modes:

In the so-called "transparent mode" of UMTS, no further data are added to the data packets received from higher data transmission layers in the respective transmission unit.

- In the so-called "unacknowledged mode" of UMTS are received from higher data transfer layers Da¬ tenpaketen in the respective transmission unit data hinzuge¬ added, the ren the operating various Anpassungsverfah- for transmission over the air interface ermögli ^¬ chen.

In the so-called "acknowledged mode" of UMTS, the data packets of the respective transmission unit received from higher data transmission layers are also added to such data as in "unacknowledged mode". In the ^¬ sem fashion there is also for the respective Emp ^¬ catch unit the possibility of a so-called status packet to send to the transmitting unit to this gegebe ^¬ notify appropriate, which data packets were incorrect or not received. The respective Sendeein¬ standardize these data packets can then resend, so that in the "Acknowledged Mode" correction of errors Übertra ^¬ supply possible.

Data packets from higher data transmission layers, in particular so-called "service data units" (abbreviated SDUs) in the UMTS standard, can have almost any, ie varying or variable data packet sizes By contrast, for those data packets which are transferred to the lower data transmission layers (in the UMTS standard as "Packet Data Units" (abbreviated PDUs)) referred to SSE for transmission over the air interface a given large ^¬, ie a uniform length required.

In particular, the specification 3GPP TS 25.322 describes a method for adapting the size of data packets coming from higher transmission layers to the data structure requirements of the lower transmission layers. For size or length adaptation of the data packets, a segmentation and composition of data packets are carried out by the transmission control units in the transmission protocol layer of the respective transceiver unit of the respective radio communication device and / or the network component as follows:

In the respective transmission unit (see FIG. 3):

The PDU size is fixed as described above. This ^¬ be indicated that all PDUs generated have a uniform data length. Data packets received by higher data transmission layers, in particular SDUs of arbitrary, ie varying size, are initially buffered in the transmission control unit of the respective logical connection. To create a PDU for transmission over the air interface, be moved from the buffer of the transmission control unit starting at the beginning of the first SDU so many SDUs into a first PDU, as passed by the pre ^¬ size of these first PDU is possible. If the last of these SDUs does not fit completely into the first PDU, it is segmented or split and only its first segment is written to the first PDU. Their second segment is on at ^¬ catch the next, ie second PDU inserted. Figure 3 veran¬ this segmenter and Einpackmechanismus shows at ^¬ way of example with reference to four data packets SDUl with SDU4 that of the parent, higher data layer RRC at ^¬ play, via the logical connection RBL on to the delegation ^¬ confining control unit RLCl in the transfer protocol Layer RLC delivered and stored in their cache. The transmission control unit RLCl now forms the ^¬ se input side incoming data packets SDUl with SDU4 un ^¬ terschiedlicher, variable data size to data packets PDUL with PDU3 fixed, predetermined, uniform, ie the same Län¬ ge and returns those on the output side to the lower data ^¬ tragungsschicht further US , Expressed more generally ^¬ the thus coming in a first data structure of a higher-level data link layer reformatted data packets by means of the transmission control units of the Übertragungsprotokoll¬ layer on a second data structure of data packets for further transmission to a subordinate transfer layer or transformed. Here, in the embodiment of Figure 3, the four data packets SDUl with SDU4 different data size using the Transmission Control ^¬ unit RLCl are mapped onto the data structure of a fixed predetermined length of the data packets PDUL with PDU3 and accommodated in these under ^¬, the lower the data link layer US be forwarded ^¬ . The three output-side generated data packets PDU1 with PDU3 thus have the same payload size. The first data packet SDU1 arriving at the transmission control unit RLC1 and the second data packet SDU2 arriving there together have space in the data structure of the first data packet PDU1 to be further transmitted on the output side. In order to allow the respective receiving unit, the end of the f ^¬ th data packet SDUl and the second data packet SDU2 in ^¬ nerhalb the data structure of to further identify data to be sent packet PDUL so that this receiving unit first, the original data packets SDUl, SDU2 from the received data packet PDUL can recover, will package for each Daten¬ SDUl, SDU 2, which is stored in the output side, the sent data packet ^¬ PDUL, an indicator element lIl, LI2, the special ^¬ a specific length indicator stored. The length indicators LI1, LI2 are provided in the first outgoing data packet PDU1 after its header field, ie "header field" KIK1 and before the embedded data packets SDU1, SDU2 The length indicator LI1 indicates at which point the data structure of the first outgoing data packet PDUl ends in this filed, arrived first data packet SDUl. In a corresponding manner, the second length indicator LI2 indicates the end of the second stored data packet SDU2 within the data structure of the first outgoing data packet PDU1.

After the packing of the two, in the transmission control RLCl incoming data packets SDUl, SDU2 unit in the first abzusendende data packet PDUL remains a free, ie, non ^¬ inserted remainder portion in the container of the data structure of outgoing calls, the first data packet PDUL left. There is a first portion of the third incoming data packet SDU3 abge ^¬ sets. This proportion is designated in FIG. 3 by SDU31. The remaining part of the third incoming data packet SDU3 is introduced into the data structure of the subsequent, second outgoing data packet PDU2. There, the end of the third data packet SDU3 is also indicated by a preceding frame ^¬ th length indicator LI3, that is specified. The length indicator LI3 is inserted by the transmission control unit RLC1 after the header field KIK2 of the second outgoing data packet PDU2 and before the remaining part of the third incoming data packet SDU3 introduced there. Since the rest part of the third package data to be processed within the SDU3 Since ^¬ tenstruktur the second outgoing data packet PDU2 occupies only the part section, a void as Endab- remains cut for further use for data transmission left. In this empty area, a portion or initial portion of the fourth arriving, to be processed data packet SDU4 is stored. This is in the figure 3 with SDU41 bezeich¬ net. The remaining part or remaining section SDU42 of the fourth incoming data packet SDU4, which no longer fits into the data structure of the second outgoing data packet PDU2, is finally packed or inserted into the data structure of the third outgoing data packet PDU3. The end of the four ^¬ th data packet SDU4 in the data structure of the third outgoing calls, data packet PDU3 is in this case also indicated by a County ^¬ genindikator LI4, of which, after the head box of the third KIK3 abzuschickenden data packet and before PDU3 Residue SDU42 of the fourth packaged data packet SDU4 is added by the transmission control unit RLCl. In this way, the four data packets SDU1 with SDU4, which arrive from a higher data transmission layer RRC at the transmission protocol unit RLC1 in the transmission protocol layer RLC, are segmented in this way and fed to fixedly identical data structures of outgoing data packets PDU1 PDU3 that the data containers of these data structures are as completely as possible occupied by the incoming data packets in order to ensure the most efficient transfer capacity utilization. In order to enable the respective receiving unit, at which the outgoing data packets PDU1 arrive with PDU3, to determine the end of each packaged data packet in the respectively outgoing data packet, and thereby unambiguously the segmented and packaged data packets for retrieval For each data packet ending in an outgoing data packet, a length indicator ("Length Indicator") is additionally added in this outgoing data packet for each data packet originally to be processed, the respective length indicator indicating at which point of the respective outgoing data packet In this case, the length indicators are preferably preceded, as a group, by the subsequent data packets which have been integrated into the respective outgoing data packet m end of the respective packed data packet. Specifically, the length indicator LIl is assigned to the packed data packet SDU1, the length indicator LI2 to the packed data packet SDU2, the length indicator LI3 to the packed data packet SDU3, and the length indicator LI4 to the packaged data packet SDU4. The segmentation ^¬ tion and distribution of the incoming data packets with SDUl SDU4 is featuring in the figure 3 each ge by two broken lines ^¬ that the mark respectively the beginning and end, respectively to be packaged data packet. In the respective receiving unit:

The corresponding to the transmission side transmission control unit in the respective receiving unit receives the data ^¬ packets having a fixed predetermined data structure - as here in Aus¬ PDUL operation example with PDU3 - and cuts the data packets contained therein or wrapped, such as SDUl with SDU4 according to the information the length indicators such as LIl with LI4 in these received data packets such as PDUl with PDU3 in the original data packets SDUl with SDU4. A boxed data packet extends such as SDU3, sets several despatched data packets such as PDUL and PDU2 so the receiving unit the received segments such as SDU31, SDU32 this cut in the corresponding transmission unit data packet such as SDU3 together until they reach a Längenindi ^¬ er such as LI3 receives that marks the end of this wrapped data packet, such as SDU3. Only then is the Emp ^¬ can drip on the uniform number of data packets Datenstruk- structure such as PDUL such SDU3 completely composed PDU2 divided data package like, that is regenerate, and pass it on to higher communication protocol layers.

"Padding", that is filling up of unoccupied portions of the fixed data structure of outgoing data packets by means of defined wildcards, such as zeros:

If there are not enough packaged data packets in the buffer of the respective transmission control unit, such as RLC1, to fill the given data structure of an outgoing data packet of a defined length, it is possible that the last data packet generated in the chain or sequence of outgoing data packets of the Segmentation and packaging process can not be sufficiently filled with payload from higher transmission protocol layers in order to achieve the fixed size of its data structure. In this case, the free space in the data Structure of the not fully occupied, now outgoing data packet after the last data packet inserted there up to the end of the data structure of the outgoing data packet filled with placeholders such as zeros. This is referred to as a so-called "padding". In the embodiment of Fi ^¬ gur 3, the switch pack data packet SDU4 is only an initial portion, and thus a fraction of the data structure of the third, outgoing data packet PDU3 This Leerab is ^¬ cut. By the transmission protocol unit RLCl in the transmission protocol layer RLC filled the transmitter unit in de ^¬ finierter way with placeholders such as zeros. in order for the receiving end competent receiving unit can recognize that this is not to useful data to the transmission control unit RLCl adds an additional indi- cator LIP3 by the length indicator LI4 before the start of the remaining portion SDU42 the fourth packed data packet SDU4 in to the lower protocol layer US for sending pre see ^¬ NEN data packet PDU3 a this indicator LIP3 is signaled that the rest region of the third outbound data packet PDU3 consists of wildcards and. not from N utzda ^¬ th. This indexing by the indicator LIP3 is indicated in Figure 3 by an arrow within the data structure of the third abgehen¬ points to the Platzhal ^¬ terfeld PAD3 the data packet PDU3. This "padding" indicator may, in particular, by a specific value from the Ge ^¬ samtwertebereich a length indicator may be formed. This specific value of the length indicator is then in terms of its significance for "Padding".

For transmission control units in the transmission protocol layer, there is the possibility, in the so-called "acknowledged mode", of sending status messages (status PDUs) from the receiver to the transmitter in order to signal non-received data packets and trigger a renewed transmission of these packets. These status PDUs are eg (for the downlink, ie from the respective base station in the direction of the radio communication device in its radio cell) in the terminal in RLC receiver generated and sent to send (in the uplink, ie from the radio communication device to the base station in its current radio cell) the RLC transmitter in the terminal. There, the status PDUs are enqueued in the uplink packet data stream, thereby reducing the bandwidth available for uplink payload. In order to minimize this reduction in bandwidth, it is possible to replace any necessary "padding" in the data PDUs (eg in the uplink) with status PDUs (as confirmation of the data traffic in the downlink) Data PDUs in the uplink are not populated with meaningless data, but instead with at least one status PDU, which is signaled to the receiver by the PDU using a special length indicator with the meaning "The rest of the PDU consists of a status PDU" instead of the normal PDU. paint meaning of the length indicator is attached. Only status PDUs of the same RLC transmission control unit are transported in a data PDU.

However, if no data PDU with sufficient padding needs is available for sending a status PDU, the status PDU is sent as a stand-alone PDU with the above bandwidth penalties. Even for status PDUs as called for data PDUs a ge of protocol layers ^¬ nau be complied configuration size, which is why status PDUs "padding" may contain. The structure of the Sta¬ tus PDU makes up a special signaling the "pad recently "unnecessary. The receiver of a status PDU recognizes the end of the status data in a status PDU and it is agreed that "Padding" is always set to this end.

In order to use previously unused transmission capacities, which are incurred by the above-mentioned segmentation method and the "padding" even for data transmission, the architecture of the RLC transmission protocol layer RLC ^¬ art changed that it is possible payload of at least a first logical Connection via their first transmission Control unit to at least a second transmission control unit of this transmission protocol layer to carry over ^¬ whose task is the user data transmission via a second logical connection. In this way, user data of the first logical connection can be transmitted via unused transmission capacities of the second logical connection. Thus, an efficient processing of data packets by means of transmission control units of different transmission priorities in the transmission protocol layer of a communication terminal and / or a network component of a communication network is made possible. For this purpose, at least one data packet ty of at least a transmission control unit of lower Übertragungspriori¬ is output, inserted partially or totally in the data structure at least one data packet, which is output from at least a transmission control unit of a higher Übertragungsprio ^¬ rity, when there in the data structure this data packet higher transmission ^priority nor transmission ^¬ capacity is free.

FIG. 4 shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the architecture of a transmission protocol layer RLC * for efficient processing of data packets according to a first variant of the method according to the invention. The transmission protocol layer RLC * of Figure 4 has at ^¬ way of example four transmission control units RLCl with RLC4 on. These represent separately and parallel to one another dedi- ed logical connections Lkl with LK4 between the so-called "radio bearers" RBL with RB4, that is, logical transmission channels of a superordinate transfer Protokoll¬ layer RRC and the subordinate transfer protocol ^¬ layer US forth however. in contrast to the original transmission protocol concept of Figure 2 is now in Ar ^¬ tecture of the transmission protocol layer RLC * of 4, the transmission control unit RLCl no direct logical connection LKL more to lower transmission protocol layer US, on the the data packet transmission via the UMTS air cutting parts is made. This omission of the logical connection LK1 is indicated in FIG. 4 by outcrossing lines. Instead of the logical connection LK1, the transmission protocol unit RLC1 now has a logical transmission channel K12 to the transmission control unit RLC2 of the second, parallelly arranged logical connection LK2. Here, the first transmission control unit RLCl is a lower transmission priority PL of the transmission protocol layer RLC * assigned for the processing of incoming data packets, such as ^¬ SDUlI, SDU12 as all other transmission control units such as RLC2 with RLC4. The second transmission control unit RLC2 thus has Since ^¬ tenpakete such as SDU21 than the first transmission control unit RLCl for the incoming data packets with her, such as SDUlI, SDU12 to a higher processing or transmission priority for incoming. In a corresponding manner, the other two transmission control units RLC3, RLC4 operate on arriving data packets with a higher transmission priority than the first transmission control unit RLC1. The first transmission control unit is RLCl unit via a logical transmission path K13 with the third transfer control ^¬ RLC3 and supply path via a further logical Übertra¬ K14 with the fourth transmission control unit RLC4 coupled. Through this coupling means of logical cross connections or cross transmission paths K12, K13, K14 data packets such as SDUlI, SDU12 that of the higher protocol-transfer layer RRC can arrive in the first Übertra ^¬ confining control unit RLCl lower transmission priority to outgoing data packets of the other transmission Control units RLC2 be split with RLC4 higher transmission priority PH. In the process, these transmission control units RLC2 with RLC4 of higher transmission priority PH substitute the data packets arriving at the transmission control or control unit of lower transmission priority RLC1, such as SDU1, SDU12, into their lower protocol transmission layer US instead of the previous "padding" ^¬ sending data ^packets.The previous "Padding" areas The outgoing data packets are thus used for packing up incoming data packets which arrive at the transmission control unit of lower transmission priority, such as RLC1.

The first transmission control unit receives the off RLCl ^¬ operation example of Figure 4 data streams, particularly the low requirements with respect to their transmission quality, and in particular its transmission delay are provided. Therefore, such data packets lower About ^¬ blank tragungspriorität on availability in the data structures of the outgoing data packets of the other neighbor transmission control units RLC2 split with RLC4 higher transmission priority and channels via their dedicated logical transmission LK2 with LK4 to the lower transmission protocol layer Forward US.

In summary, the architecture of the transmission protocol layer RLC * of FIG. 4 has a logical connection RB1 from the higher, higher transmission layer RRC to the first transmission control unit RLC1, the incoming and to be reformatted data packet such as SDU1, SDU12 with lower transmission priority PL does not forward via a dedicated logical connection such as LKl directly to the lower transmission layer US as before, but these incoming data packets such as SDUlI, SDU12 then one or more of the remaining, adjacent transmission control units RLC2 with RLC4 higher Übertragungs¬ priority PH transfers, if at least one data packet with "padding" area is present for transmission to the lower protocol layer US The cross channels K12, K13, K14 thus serve as logical connections for data exchange between the first transmission control unit RLC1 nied ^¬ rigerer transfer Priority PL and the other transmission control units RLC2 with RLC4 higher Übertragungs¬ priority PH. The data packets ready on the dedicated, se ^¬ co-existing logical connections RB2, RB3 and RB4 are received by the higher protocol layer RRC from the transmission control units RLC2 with RLC4 in the transmission protocol layer RLC *, where they are cached and processed as before, in particular segmented and distributed to outgoing data packets.

Is now used as the logical transmission channel RB2 for Übertra ^¬ supply of data a Web browser in the "uplink", so there occur data packets - such as th through single clicks on a web page, new so by brief needs websites ^¬ - with data packet sizes (SDU size), for example 50 octets in. here, in the embodiment of Figure 4, the data packet monitoring unit transmission RLC2 comes SDU21 via the logical transmission channel RB21 from the higher, the higher-level protocol layer RRC in the second on. These two ^¬ th transmission control unit RLC2 takes then temporarily stores the received data packet SDU21 before. Since the size of which is determined by its output data packets on a fixed length of, for example, 40 octets, the incoming data packet SDU21 can not on a single branch off ^¬ of the data packet are mapped, but two abge ^¬ immediate data packets PDU21, PDU22 of 40 octets erfor ^¬ Derli For internal control data within the second transmission control unit RLC2 2 octets are occupied in the data structure of the first outgoing data packet PDU21, so that 38 octets of this first data packet PDU21 with a first segment DP211 from the first, to be processed or transformed data packet SDU21 can be filled. This segmentation of the first, to be transformed Datenpa- kets SDU21 ter lines in the figure 6 schematically by gestrichel ^¬ shown. With this first segment or part DP211 ^¬ portion of the data packet SDU21 is completely filled, the data structure of the first, RLC2 abge ^¬ transmitted data packet PDU21 frame from the transmission control unit after the header field and header KDK21. The data packet PDU21 completed in this way is subsequently transmitted to the lower protocol layer US by the transmission control unit RLC2. sandt. The second (and last) segment DP212 of this first data packet SDU21 to be transmitted has not yet been transmitted and has the length of 12 octets (50-38 octets). For the transmission of this second segment DP212 of the first data to be transmitted packet SDU21 from the second transmission confining control unit RLC2 is a second data packet PDU2 riert gene ^¬, in turn 2 octets for internal control data and additionally 1 octet for indicating the end of the first stored data packet SDU21. In this data packet PDU2, the second segment DP212 inserted there is preceded by a length indicator LI21, which denotes the end of this second segment DP212 of the first data packet SDU21 to be transmitted. This length indicator LI21 is arranged downstream of the header field KDK22 of the second outgoing data packet PDU22. Of the 40 octets of the specified size of the data structure of the second data packet PDU22 to be sent to the lower protocol layer US, 40 - 2 - 1 - 12 = 25 octets are thus still available. Now to prove instead 1 octet with a "pad ding" indicator, and to fill the remaining 24 octets with wildcards such as zeros to the requested PDU size of 40 octets for the data structure of the two ^¬ th to occupy forwarded data packet PDU22 , the second transmission control unit RLC2 determines the remaining free transmission capacity in the data structure of the second data packet PDU22 to be forwarded.

The free transmission capacity in the data structure of the second data packet PDU22 is characterized in FIG. 6 with PAD22. This empty area PAD22 is used by the second transfer control unit RLC2 to transmit the we ^¬ niger time-critical data packets SDUlI, SDU12 that in the first transmission control unit RLCl or temporarily stored in the second control unit RLC2 have been either. The two data packets to be transmitted SDUlI, SDU12 were from the first control unit in the RLCl Since ^¬ * tenstruktur PDUlI inserted, preferably in the sum ^¬ same data length as the blank area in the data packet PAD22 Have PDU22 and complete this completely. The data structure of this ge from the first control unit RLCl ^¬ nerierten, sent to the second control unit RLC2 Since ^¬ tenpakets PDUlI * of Figure 7 is shown schematically. In this data structure of the data packet DSL PDUlI * are wrapped in ^¬ the packets to process SDUlI, SDU12. After its header KDKlI the first, added Datenpa¬ ket SDUlI a length indicator LIlI is preceded. He indi ^¬ graces the end of this first, packed data packet SDUlI. In addition, the control data KDKlI head is extended by a linking element RBID, the * lower transmission priority PL associates the data packet PDUlI Ger uniquely to its associated transmission control unit RLCl niedri ^¬ transmission priority PL. This Verknüpfungs- element RBID is the control data head KDKlI provides vorausge ^¬. The data structure DSL device by the second control ^¬ RLC2 to the empty area of the second PAD22, Denden to versen¬ data packet PDU22 inserted. To signal to the corresponding receiving unit, that this second data package PDU22 the second transmission control unit RLC2 one or as containing a plurality of data packets of another transmission control unit in this example, the first transmission unit RLCl, an indica ^¬, after the length indicator LI21 gate element LIP22 of the second control unit RLC2 inserted. This indicator element LIP22 indicates the insertion of a data packet PDU1 of lower transmission priority. In this case, when calculating the effective usable transmission capacity in the container of the second data packet PDU22, the control unit RLC2 considers that 1 octet is needed for the signaling of the fact that information of another transmission control unit RLC1 is still contained in this data packet PDU22. This signaling is performed in the embodiment such that the value range of the length indicator, which would be used for the indication of "padding", "are in the PDU payload another RLC control unit contained" by a value with the Be ^¬ importance is extended , Such an index The kator element of 1 octet is introduced after the control data head KDK22 after the length indicator LI21 before the beginning of the actual user data DP212. Then 25 - 1 = 24 octets remain free in order to be able to accommodate the data of another RLC control unit such as RLC1 in the second data packet PDU22.

Has the second control unit RLC2 determined that in the second data packet PDU22 still free transmission capacity, it signals via the logical connection K12 to the first control unit RLCl the possibility of a Datenpa ^¬ ket with the length of 24 octets to generate and to it for Send via the air interface. If the first control unit RLCl via the logical connection RBL data packets received to send, then it generates the Datenpa ^¬ ket PDUlI * with the data structure DSl adapted, desired length of Figure 7, and transfers this data packet PDUlI * to the second control unit RLC2 to insert to the lower transfer layer US. The second control unit RLC then inserts the resultant from the first control unit RLCl data packet PDUlI ^¬ * instead of "padding" at the end of the second Da ^¬ tenpakets PDU22 and sends this to the lower layer US.

Is there only as here in the embodiment of Figure 4, a single logical connection RBl, which transmits their data via the RLC control units RLC2 with RLC4 other logical Verbindub gene RB2 with RB4, already the above introduced ^¬ te indicator element LIP22 is sufficient to the Receiver to signal the presence of a part or the entirety of a data packet from the first control unit RLCl in the received Datenpake ^¬ th the second, the third or the fourth control unit RLC2 with RLC4. However, if there are several such logical cross-connections, then it is expedient additionally to specify a further information as to which of these logical connections or control units the data packet PDU1 * indicated by the indicator element LIP22 is available. hear. For this purpose, the control data head of that data packet is expediently extended here optionally by a linking element which is transmitted on another logical connection by another control unit. Preferably 1 octet is sufficient. This octet then contains a reference to the logical connection to which the data packet to be packaged belongs. This octet is zweckmäßi ^¬ gerweise lower from that control unit Übertra ^¬ inserted supply priority which the data packet to Mitübermitt- lung by packaging in at least one data packet of at least one other control unit of a higher transmission priority is passed to them. Here, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, the linking element RBID is inserted by the first control unit RLC1 into the data packet PDU1 *. The interlocking that fung element RBID may preferably be followed by the UMTS specific ^¬ fied "Radio Bearer Identification" (abbreviated RBID) er¬. The task of RBID the distinction ver¬ VARIOUS logical connections (= "radio bearer" ( RB)). The RB-ID is 5 bits long and can thus distinguish 32 different logical connections (radio bearers). The number of logical connections for a communication terminal is here limited to 32, for example. With the RB-ID, an unambiguous assignment of the respectively to be transmitted Datenpa ^¬ kets such as PDUlI to a logical connection is possible. FIG. 7 shows, by way of example, the data packet PDUlI expanded in this way with the entry of the RB ID RBID, as generated by the first control unit RLC1. There are the Kontrollda ^¬ tenkopf added 8 bits of the data packet PDUlI although 5 bits for the RB-ID suffice. This has advantages for data processing in 8-bit sequence format in each Kommunikati ^¬ onsendgerät. Characterized in said respective data packet PDU22 (at predetermined PDU size) is reduced for the Nutzda ^¬ tentransport available space by 1 octet.

Traffic is now Exemplary connection via the logical Ver ^¬ RB3 considered. The control unit RLC3 belonging to the logical connection RB3 is now in "acknowledge mode". and operated bidirectionally. The next to be sent Since ^¬ is tenpaket a status PDU the payload length of 10 Octo- tetts. The length of the PDUs generated by the control unit RLC3 and transmitted to the lower layer US for transmission via the UMTS air interface is here set to 40 octets. Thus, there are still 30 octets left, which remain unused and have been filled with "padding." In contrast to this, a PDU of the logical connection RB1 is now also transmitted to such an incompletely filled PDU described beispielhaf¬ th first embodiment having the second logical Verbin¬ dung RB2 is, however, that the status PDU according to the prior art does not provide a length indicator field which may be on the Indi ^¬ the presence of cation of a PDU instead of padding extends Rather sees. The state of the art in status PDUs explicitly codes field lengths which implicitly result in the processing of the fields in the end of the payload data in the status PDU The remainder of the PDU is defined as "padding" in the prior art , By contrast, will be the data-head in the RLC-control existing status PDUs field "PDU Type" Intended ^¬ det indicative of the prior art so far, what type of status PDU is in an advantageous manner. It three types de ^¬ are finiert, namely as follows: "status", "reset", "reset ACK". Further details can be found in Specification 3GPP TS 25.322. This field is encoded with 3 bits, so there are five unused values in the value range of this field. Since the sending of data PDUs makes the logi ^¬ rule RBL connection the most sense with the status PDU type "status", another is "status plus Appended Data PDU" is defined in this field. Here in Ausführungsbei ^¬ play is believed that it is in the third control unit RLC3 to be shipped status PDU to a PDU of the "status". Now that the third control unit has sent RLC3 the information to the first control unit RLCl in that 30 octets are available for data transport to a PDU, and the first control unit RLCl has generated a corresponding PDU and passed to the third con troll ^¬ unit RLC3, this PDU is inserted into the free octets of the status PDU in the third control unit RLC3. It is then the newly defined value for the PDU type "status plus Appended Data PDU" by the third con ^¬ troll unit RLC3 set. Thus, the respective Emp may ^¬ catcher by evaluating the field "PDU Type" ursprüngli¬ che status PDU and recognize their type "status" and at the same time the remainder of the PDU as the data PDU of the first logical connection RB1.

Figure 5 finally shows a schematic illustration of a modified transmission protocol layer RLC ** which allows ef ^¬-efficient processing of data packets in extension of the transformation principle described above as a further variant of the inventive method. Un ^¬ each control unit RLCl terschied to Figure 4 has now RLC4 a dedicated, ie independent logical connection channel Lkl with LK4 to the lower layer to US. Additionally supply the control units with RLCl RLC4 about logi¬ cal cross-connection channels Wl cal with W4 to a common lo ^¬ bus BU are connected to a common, central control unit CT. The control units RLC1 with RLC4 are assigned different, ie different transmission priorities. The respective transmission control unit RLC1 with RLC4 respectively communicates its transmission priority via its respective logical transverse channel W1 with W4 of the common control unit CT. Now provides a transmission control unit ^¬ higher transmission priority that, in a lower layer to the US capacities to be transmitted data packet Übertragungska ^¬ are free, so it signals the common control unit CT. These shares then those control ^¬ units, which have a lower transmission priority, with that a free user data area is on a transmission channel higher priority available. Has the jeweili¬ ge transmission control unit of lower priority data ^¬ packages to send, it shall record this overall in accordance with forced size together and transmits them to the common ^¬ control unit CT. This sent the tragungspriorität to transfer ^¬ de data packet then higher to that of the control unit via ^¬ that still has enough space free in a data packet. From this the data packet low ^¬ rer transmission priority in the free space is then the abzusenden¬ pasted the data packet higher transmission priority and that the "piggyback" tokollschicht to the lower Übertragungspro ^¬ US sent. The common control unit CT thus takes control as to data packets on lo divide ^¬ cal compounds lower transmission priority in blank areas of data packets on the logical connection paths of higher transmission priority of a suitable length or to segment. Instead of a dedicated, direct passage switching of data packets over the respective logi¬ specific compound of the competent control unit durchzufüh¬ reindeer, takes the common control unit CT a redistribution of data packets of lower transmission priority into the data packets of higher transmission priority in such a way that a free subsection in the respective data packet has a higher transmission rate priority as completely as possible.

In this second embodiment, therefore, all or part of the control units such as RLCl with RLC4 in the transmission protocol layer RLC ** transmit their data packets to ^¬ addition to the transmission over their dedicated Verbin¬ dungskanäle such as LKl with LK4 via cross connections such as Wl with W4 to one or more other control units. This means that data packet cross traffic is provided between the control units. The control of the segmentation and allocation of the data packets of low priority to data packets of higher priority is thereby performed with the aid of a central control unit such as CT ^¬ .

In summary, user data of at least one first logical connection of lower transmission Transferring priority with the aid of at least one associated transmission control unit in a transmission protocol layer to at least one second transmission control unit there, the task of which is the user data transmission of at least one second logical connection. As a result, the user data of the at least first logical connection is also transmitted via unused transmission capacities of the at least second logical connection.

These are in addition to the previously already hinzugefüg¬ th control data expediently the payload of the first logi ^¬ rule connection - such as length indicators - added troll data more Kon¬ that enable accurate correlation with the Da ^¬ th logical to the first call. Furthermore, in addition to or independently of this, the control data of a data packet of the second logical connection is expediently supplemented with information enabling detection of the data of the first logical connection within the data packet containing the data of the second logical connection.

In this way, previously unused Übertragungsungskapazi¬ activities that have been laid with placeholders by so-called "Padding" be¬ be used efficiently for the actual user data transmission.

The various variants of the method according to the invention are particularly suitable for the packet-oriented transmission of discontinuous data. Because such data streams often lead to the absence of new data packets. The filling of data packets with so-called "padding" which is only partially filled with user data is thus avoided and useful data from other data streams is transferred to other logical connection channels.

The transmission protocol architecture of FIG. 4 is particularly advantageous because a single control unit such as eg RLCl can be reserved for data streams that special ^¬ DERS low demands on transmission quality, in particular ^¬ sondere the transmission delay have. The cost of implementation is low in relation to the benefits gained for corresponding applications.

Claims

claims 1. A method for the efficient processing of data packets (SDUlI, SDU12, SDU21) by means of transmission control units (RLCl, RLC2) of different transmission priorities (PL, PH) in the transmission protocol layer (RLC *) of a communi ^¬ cation terminal (MPl) or a network component (RNCl ) of a communication network (CN), characterized in that at least one data packet (PDUlI), which is output by at least one transmission control unit (RLCL) lower transmission ^¬ priority (PL), partially or completely in the data structure (DS2) at least one data packet (PDU21, PDU22) is inserted, which is output from at least a transmission control unit (RLC2) higher Übertragungsprio ^¬ rity (PH) when in the data structure (DS2) of this data packet (PDU21, PDU22) higher transmission ^¬ priority (PH) there still transmission capacity (PAD22) is free. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that of the transmission control unit (RLC2) higher transmission priority (PH) that data packet (PDU22) be ^¬ ner output data packets (PDU21, PDU22), in the at least one data packet (PDUlI) the transmission control unit (RLCl) lower transmission priority (PL) is partially completely inserted or at least an indicator element (LIP22) Ger as an indication of this inserted data packet (PDUlI) niedri ^¬ transmission priority (PDUlI) is additionally added. 3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data packet (PDUlI) lower transmission priority (PL), which is partially or completely inserted into a data packet (PDU22) higher Über¬ tragungspriorität (PH), at least one linking element ( RBID) for unequivocal Order is added to its associated transmission control unit (RLCl) of lower transmission priority (PL). 4. transmission protocol layer (RLC *) of a communication ^¬ terminal (MPl) or a network component (RNCl) of a communication network (CN) with a plurality of transmission control units (RLCl, RLC2) different Über¬ tragungsprioritäten (PL, PH) for efficient Processing of data packets (SDUlI, SDU12, SDU21), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one transmission control unit (RLCl) lower transmission priority (PL) with at least one transmission control unit (RLC2) higher Übertragungsprio ^¬ capacity (PH ) and / or with a higher-level central control unit (CT) such that at least one data packet (PDUlI) of lower transmission priority (PL) partially or completely into the data structure (DS2) of at least one data packet (PDU21, PDU22) higher transmission priority (PH) is then inserted, if there in the data structure (DS2) of the data packet ( PDU22) of higher transmission priority (PH) transmission capacity (PAD22) is free. Communication terminal (MPl) or network component (RNCl) of a communication network (CN) with at least one transmission protocol layer (RLC) according to claim 4.