Error recovery of variable-length packets without sequence numbers or special symbols used for synchronizing transmit retry-buffer pointer
US7248587B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jul 24, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 31, 2026 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04L43/0847
- WIPO fieldDigital communication
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
Variable-length packets transmitted over a serial link do not have packet-start fields or unique symbols to mark the beginning of each packet. Instead, a length field indicates the packet's length, allowing the end of the packet to be located. Packets also do not have sequence numbers. When an error is detected, the receiver sends a control symbol over a reverse channel to signal the transmitter. The control symbol never occurs in a normal packet. Packet buffers in the transmitter and receiver have read and write pointers and also have de-allocation pointers that are synchronized between receiver and transmitter. As packets are error checked, the receiver advances its de-allocation pointer and updates the transmitter's de-allocation pointer, allowing the packets to be discarded from the transmitter's buffer only after the receiver finishes error checking. The transmitter re-transmits packets from its buffer starting from the de-allocation pointer when its receives the control symbol.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.