Radio multiplexer aware TCP layer

摘要

Improving transmission control protocol (TCP) uplink performance of a wireless user equipment (UE) device which multiplexes radio resources between multiple radio access technologies (RATs). Radio control may be provided to a radio resource control (RRC) entity that operates according to a first RAT at a first time. The first RAT may utilize TCP packet-switched (PS) communications. As a second time, radio control may be provided to an RRC entity that operates according to a second RAT which utilizes circuit-switched communications in order to check for paging messages. Radio control by the first RAT's RRC entity may be suspended while radio control is provided to the second RAT's RRC entity. An indication that radio control by the first RAT's RRC entity is suspended may be provided to a TCP entity that operates according to the first RAT. The TCP entity may suspend an uplink retransmission timer in response to the indication.

主权项

1. A wireless user equipment (UE) device, the UE comprising:
a radio, comprising one or more antennas for performing wireless communication; a processing element operatively coupled to the radio; wherein the radio and the processing element are configured to:
communicate with a first network according to a first radio access technology (RAT) using the radio, wherein the first network provides packet-switched (PS) communications using transmission control protocol (TCP);communicate with a second network according to a second RAT using the radio, wherein the second network provides circuit-switched (CS) communications, wherein the UE is configured to interrupt communicating with the first network according to the first RAT to communicate with the second network according to the second RAT using the radio;provide an indication that communicating with the first network according to the first RAT is being interrupted to a TCP layer of a protocol stack operating according to the first RAT in the UE,wherein the TCP layer is configured to suspend an uplink retransmission timer based on the indication that communicating with the first network according to the first RAT is being interrupted;provide an indication that communicating with the first network according to the first RAT is resumed to the TCP layer;wherein the TCP layer is configured to resume the uplink retransmission timer based on the indication that communicating with the first network according to the first RAT is resumed,wherein the TCP layer is configured to resume the uplink retransmission timer based on expiration of a retransmission timeout guard interval timer if no indication that communicating with the first network according to the first RAT is resumed is received prior to expiration of the retransmission timeout guard interval timer,wherein the retransmission timeout guard interval timer is initiated based on the indication that communicating with the first network according to the first RAT is being interrupted.