Abstract: An Automatic Repeat-reQuest (ARQ) Reset method for an ARQ transmitter disables (120) transmission, starts (130) an ARQ transmitter window at a first unacknowledged block, and discards (140) service data units (SDUs) in the ARQ transmitter window having zero blocks in a ‘not-sent’ state. Thus, for all SDUs having no blocks in a ‘not-sent’ state, the blocks in an ‘outstanding’ or ‘waiting-for-retransmission’ state are changed to a ‘discard’ state. Next, the ARQ transmitter sets (150) the state of all blocks in partially unsent SDUs of the ARQ transmitter window to ‘not-sent.’ So, any remaining blocks in an ‘outstanding,’ ‘waiting-for-transmission’ or ‘discard’ state are changed to ‘not-sent.’ After the ARQ transmitter enables (160) transmission and ends (190) the ARQ Reset procedure, the ARQ transmitter will send blocks in the ‘not-sent’ state. This ARQ Reset method avoids retransmitting blocks that might cause duplicate packets at the ARQ receiver, which some protocols cannot handle.

Abstract: A method (100) of operating an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) transmitter (102) and an ARQ receiver (104) suspends an ARQ reset under circumstances where an ARQ reset would be superfluous. When a transmitter has a final currently-available data block, it deactivates its transmitter ARQ sync loss timer (172) and transmits a ‘suspend ARQ reset’ signal (122). Upon receipt of the ‘suspend ARQ reset’ signal (122), the receiver deactivates its receiver ARQ sync loss timer (176) and sends ARQ feedback (128). At this point, the ARQ connection can be maintained without superfluous ARQ resets even when no ARQ data blocks are being sent. When resuming transmission of ARQ data blocks, the transmitter activates its transmitter ARQ sync loss timer (182) and transmits an ARQ data block (142). The receiver receives the ARQ data block, activates its receiver ARQ sync loss timer (186) and sends ARQ feedback (148).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processes a downlink frame within a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer (348) where the downlink frame includes a plurality of fragments constituting one or more MAC Service Data Unit (MSDU)s. The MAC layer pre-processes the plurality of fragments of the downlink frame by reordering the fragments to reassemble one or more of the MSDUs (910) until an end-of-frame signal is detected (912). The end-of-frame signal indicates that all of the plurality of fragments for a downlink frame have been received. The MAC layer post-processes the plurality of fragments (916) in response to detecting the end-of-frame signal (912), then delivers the reassembled MSDUs to a next layer (918).

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a downlink frame is provided which includes receiver circuitry (324), a physical layer processor (346) coupled to the receiver circuitry (324) and a MAC layer processor (348) coupled to the physical layer processor (346) is provided. The receiver circuitry (324) receives radio frequency (RF) signals and demodulates the RF signals to recover the downlink frame. The physical layer processor (346) processes the downlink frame to recover a plurality of MPDUs (704), each MPDU (500) including a CID (508). And the MAC layer processor (348) receives one of the plurality of MPDUs (806, 810) from the physical layer processor (346), processes it to recover its CID (812), and determines in response to the CID whether to process a next one of the MPDUs or whether to cease processing of the MPDUs (816).

Abstract: An Automatic Repeat-reQuest (ARQ) Reset method for an ARQ transmitter disables (120) transmission, starts (130) an ARQ transmitter window at a first unacknowledged block, and discards (140) service data units (SDUs) in the ARQ transmitter window having zero blocks in a ‘not-sent’ state. Thus, for all SDUs having no blocks in a ‘not-sent’ state, the blocks in an ‘outstanding’ or ‘waiting-for-retransmission’ state are changed to a ‘discard’ state. Next, the ARQ transmitter sets (150) the state of all blocks in partially unsent SDUs of the ARQ transmitter window to ‘not-sent.’ So, any remaining blocks in an ‘outstanding,’ ‘waiting-for-transmission’ or ‘discard’ state are changed to ‘not-sent.’ After the ARQ transmitter enables (160) transmission and ends (190) the ARQ Reset procedure, the ARQ transmitter will send blocks in the ‘not-sent’ state. This ARQ Reset method avoids retransmitting blocks that might cause duplicate packets at the ARQ receiver, which some protocols cannot handle.

Abstract: An ARQ feedback message provides feedback information on a series of sequential data blocks received by a receiver (26). The ARQ feedback message comprises an information element (900). The information element (900) indicates for each sequence of a plurality of sequences of the series of sequential data blocks whether each sequence of data blocks has been received. The information element comprises at least one bit for indicating that the information element provides feedback information only for sequences of data blocks beginning with a first data block of a first sequence of the plurality of sequences. The information element is a Block Sequence type information element without cumulative acknowledgement.

Abstract: A method (100) of operating an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) transmitter (102) and an ARQ receiver (104) suspends an ARQ reset under circumstances where an ARQ reset would be superfluous. When a transmitter has a final currently-available data block, it deactivates its transmitter ARQ sync loss timer (172) and transmits a ‘suspend ARQ reset’ signal (122). Upon receipt of the ‘suspend ARQ reset’ signal (122), the receiver deactivates its receiver ARQ sync loss timer (176) and sends ARQ feedback (128). At this point, the ARQ connection can be maintained without superfluous ARQ resets even when no ARQ data blocks are being sent. When resuming transmission of ARQ data blocks, the transmitter activates its transmitter ARQ sync loss timer (182) and transmits an ARQ data block (142). The receiver receives the ARQ data block, activates its receiver ARQ sync loss timer (186) and sends ARQ feedback (148).

Abstract: A wireless transceiver apparatus (201, 203) and a method of operation in an Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) mode is disclosed. On the transmitter side a packet of data (113) is fragmented into a series of sequential data blocks and each data block is assigned a block sequence number (601). At least a first data block of the series of sequential data blocks is sent to the receiver (603), and also a first block sequence number corresponding to the first data block. An acknowledgment timer is set (605) specifying a time interval in which to receive an acknowledgment message from the remote transceiver. If the acknowledgment timer has timed out, the transmitter side sends a discard message (607) to the receiver specifying at least a second block sequence number corresponding to at least a second data block, and specifying that said second data block is to be discarded.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processes a downlink frame within a Medium Access Control (MAC) layer (348) where the downlink frame includes a plurality of fragments constituting one or more MAC Service Data Unit (MSDU)s. The MAC layer pre-processes the plurality of fragments of the downlink frame by reordering the fragments to reassemble one or more of the MSDUs (910) until an end-of-frame signal is detected (912). The end-of-frame signal indicates that all of the plurality of fragments for a downlink frame have been received. The MAC layer post-processes the plurality of fragments (916) in response to detecting the end-of-frame signal (912), then delivers the reassembled MSDUs to a next layer (918).

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a downlink frame is provided which includes receiver circuitry (324), a physical layer processor (346) coupled to the receiver circuitry (324) and a MAC layer processor (348) coupled to the physical layer processor (346) is provided. The receiver circuitry (324) receives radio frequency (RF) signals and demodulates the RF signals to recover the downlink frame. The physical layer processor (346) processes the downlink frame to recover a plurality of MPDUs (704), each MPDU (500) including a CID (508). And the MAC layer processor (348) receives one of the plurality of MPDUs (806, 810) from the physical layer processor (346), processes it to recover its CID (812), and determines in response to the CID whether to process a next one of the MPDUs or whether to cease processing of the MPDUs (816).