System and method for parallel transmission over multiple radio links

Abstract

A radio communication system and transmission method using Multi-Radio Access (MRA) interfaces are provided. The radio communication system and method include a transmitter and a receiver having at least two Radio Access (RA) interfaces capable of communicating through different frequency spectrums, in which each of the transmitter and the receiver includes a multiple radio transmission layer for activating a multiple radio transmission entity for each upper layer service and transmitting data in packet units and an RA layer for activating at least one RA entity that manages the RA interface for the multiple radio transmission entity and dividing a packet into sub-packets for transmission and reception. In the transmission method, the multiple radio transmission entity of the transmitter receives a packet transmission success indicator for a specific packet from the RA entity of the transmitter and a next packet is transmitted upon receipt of the packet transmission success indicator. In the transmission method, a link having a good channel status is selected as a retransmission channel according to the status of an RA link of the lower layer, thereby allowing efficient and rapid data transmission.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of certain embodiments of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1A schematically illustrates a system environment to which a transmission method over multiple radio links according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 1B schematically illustrates another system environment to which a transmission method over multiple radio links according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is applied;

FIG. 2 is a conceptual view for explaining a transmission method over multiple radio links, used by a radio communication system according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a conceptual view for explaining a signaling mechanism for retransmission in a transmission method over multiple radio links according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A transmission method for a radio communication system including a transmitter and a receiver comprising at least two Radio Access (RA) interfaces capable of communicating through different frequency spectrums, in which each of the transmitter and the receiver includes a Multiple Radio Transmission (MRT) layer for activating an MRT entity for each upper layer service and transmitting data in packet units and an RA layer for activating at least one RA entity that manages the RA interface for the MRT entity and dividing a packet into sub-packets for transmission and reception, the transmission method comprising: receiving, by the MRT entity of the transmitter, a packet transmission success indicator from the RA entity of the transmitter; andtransmitting a next packet upon receipt of the packet transmission success indicator.

2. The transmission method of claim 1, comprising retransmitting a requested packet by the MRT entity of the transmitter upon receipt of a request for retransmission of the packet from the receiver.

3. The transmission method of claim 1, wherein receiving the packet transmission success indicator comprises: sensing, by the MRT entity of the receiver, reception of the specific packet;transmitting the packet transmission success indicator to the RA entity of the receiver; andtransmitting, by the RA entity of the receiver, a packet transmission success indicator to the RA entity of the transmitter upon receipt of the packet transmission success indicator.

4. The transmission method of claim 3, wherein receiving the packet transmission success indicator comprises: sensing, by the MRT entity of the receiver, a failure in reception of the specific packet;transmitting a packet reception failure indicator to the RA entity of the receiver; andtransmitting, by the RA entity of the receiver, a request for retransmission of the packet to the RA entity of the transmitter upon receipt of the packet reception failure indicator.

5. The transmission method of claim 4, wherein sensing the failure in reception of the specific packet comprises: receiving sub-packets of the specific packet from the RA entity of the receiver; anddiscarding the specific packet if the order of serial numbers of the sub-packets is not correct.

6. A radio communication system comprising: a transmitter; anda receiver, wherein the transmitter and receiver each comprise at least two Radio Access (RA) interfaces capable of communicating through different frequency spectrums, in which each of the transmitter and the receiver includes a Multiple Radio Transmission (MRT) layer for activating an MRT entity for each upper layer service and transmitting data in packet units and an RA layer for activating at least one RA entity that manages the RA interface for the MRT entity and dividing a packet into sub-packets for transmission and reception.