Method and apparatus for tracking data packets in a packet data communication system
US6134237A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 30, 1997 |
| Grant date | Oct 17, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L2001/125
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A packet data communication system (100) employs a method and apparatus for tracking data packets in the packet data communication system. A sending communication device (e.g., 101) transmits a data packet (130) to a receiving communication device (e.g., 105), wherein the data packet includes a respective packet sequence number (131). Responsive to the transmission, the sending device increases a transmit tracking number (V(S)) that is used to indicate the packet sequence number of the data packet that is next in sequence to be transmitted. Upon receiving the data packet, the receiving device transmits an acknowledgment data packet (140) to the sending device, wherein the acknowledgment data packet includes a receive tracking number (139). The receive tracking number indicates the packet sequence number of the data packet that the receiving device expects to receive next. Upon receiving the acknowledgment data packet, the sending device determines whether a communication error occurred based on the receive tracking number and the transmit tracking number.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.