Method for dynamically adjusting the number of retransmissions and NAKs in a communications system implementing TCP/IP

1. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a method of increasing a number of NAKs to be transmitted in a transmission round to a sending device when a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) detects that an error in transmission has occurred, the method comprising the steps of:

estimating a speed of transmission into the receiving device by measuring a number of bytes sent through RLP during a predetermined time frame; and

if the speed is greater than a threshold and the transmission round is a first transmission round, increasing the number of NAKs sent in response to the error in transmission.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the number of NAKs to be sent in response to the error in transmission comprises increasing the number of NAKs from one to two.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of increasing the number of NAKs to be sent in response to the error in transmission comprises increasing the number of NAKs from one to three.

4. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a method of increasing a number of NAKs to be transmitted in a transmission round to a sending device when a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) detects that an error in transmission has occurred, the method comprising the steps of:

determining the maximum TCP window size of the sending device;

determining the current TCP window size of the sending device; and

if the maximum TCP window size less the current TCP window size is less than a threshold, increasing the number of NAKs to be transmitted in response to the error in transmission.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of increasing the number of NAKs sent in response to the error in transmission comprises increasing the number of NAKs from one to two.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the step of increasing the number of NAKs sent in response to the error in transmission comprises increasing the number of NAKs from one to three.

7. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a method of increasing a number of NAKs to be transmitted in a transmission round to a sending device when a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) detects that an error in transmission has occurred, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether an RLP miss situation is occurring at the sending device; and

if the RLP miss situation is occurring, increasing the number of NAKs sent in response to the error in transmission.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of determining whether an RLP miss situation is occurring at the sending device comprises the steps of:

determining a percent of first transmission round NAKs transmitted to the sending device that result in a retransmission received by the receiving device;

determining a percent of last transmission round NAKs transmitted to the sending device that result in a retransmission received by the receiving device;

determining a percent of all NAKs transmitted to the sending device that are last transmission round NAKs; and

determining that the RLP miss situation is occurring if the percent of last transmission round NAKs transmitted to the sending device that result in a retransmission received by the receiving device divided by the percent of first transmission round NAKs transmitted to the sending device that result in a retransmission received by the receiving device is less than a first predetermined threshold and the percent of all NAKs transmitted to the sending device that are last transmission round NAKs is greater than a second threshold.

9. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), an apparatus for increasing a number of NAKs to be transmitted in a transmission round to a sending device when a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) detects that an error in transmission has occurred, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving device having a processor operative to estimate a speed of transmission into the receiving device by measuring a number of bytes sent through RLP during a predetermined time frame; and if the speed is greater than a threshold and the transmission round is a first transmission round, increase the number of NAKs to be transmitted in response to the error in transmission.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the receiving device is a selection and distribution unit and wherein the apparatus further comprises a base transceiver station coupled to the selection and distribution unit for transmitting the NAKs to the sending device.

11. The infrastructure equipment of claim 9 wherein the receiving device is a mobile station.

12. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), an apparatus for increasing a number of NAKs transmitted in a transmission round to a sending device when a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) detects that an error in transmission has occurred, the apparatus comprising:

a mobile station having a processor operative to determine a current TCP window size into the mobile station and a maximum TCP window size into the mobile station; and if the maximum TCP window size less the current TCP window size is less than a threshold, increase the number of NAKs to be transmitted in response to the error in transmission.

13. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), an apparatus for increasing a number of NAKs to be transmitted in a transmission round to a sending device when a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) detects that an error in transmission has occurred, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving device having a processor operative to determine whether an RLP miss situation is occurring at the sending device; and if the RLP miss situation is occurring, increase the number of NAKs sent in response to the error in transmission.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the receiving device is a selection and distribution unit and wherein the apparatus further comprises a base transceiver station coupled to the selection and distribution unit for transmitting the NAKs to the sending device.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the receiving device is a mobile station.

16. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a method of increasing a number of retransmissions to be transmitted to a receiving device in a transmission round when a sending device receives a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) NAK, the method comprising the steps of:

estimating a speed of transmission out of the sending device by measuring a number of bytes sent through RLP during a predetermined time frame; and

if the speed is greater than a first threshold and the transmission round is a first transmission round, increasing the number of retransmissions to be transmitted in response to the RLP NAK.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of detecting a percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein if either the speed is not greater than the first threshold or the transmission round is not the first transmission round, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful is less than a second threshold; and

if the percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful is less than the second threshold, increasing the number of retransmissions to be transmitted in response to the RLP NAK.

19. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), a method of increasing a number of retransmissions to be transmitted to a receiving device in a transmission round when a sending device receives a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) NAK, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a maximum TCP window size of the sending device;

determining the device's current TCP window size of the sending device; and

if the maximum TCP window size less the current TCP window size is less than a first threshold, increasing the number of retransmissions to be transmitted in response to the RLP NAK.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising the step of detecting a percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein if the maximum TCP window size less the current TCP window size is not less than the first threshold, the method further comprises the steps of:

determining whether the percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful is less than a second threshold; and

if the percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful is less than the second threshold, increasing the number of retransmissions to be transmitted in response to the RLP NAK.

22. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), an apparatus for increasing a number of retransmissions to be transmitted to a receiving device in a transmission round when the apparatus receives a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) NAK, the apparatus comprising:

a sending device having a processor operative to estimate a speed of transmission into the sending device by measuring a number of bytes sent through RLP during a predetermined time frame; and if the speed is greater than a threshold and the transmission round is a first transmission round, increase the number of retransmissions to be sent in response to the RLP NAK.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein if the speed is not greater than the threshold or if the transmission round is not the first transmission round, the processor is further operative to detect a percentage of NAKs received for which retransmissions were successful, and if the percentage is greater than a threshold, increase the number of retransmissions to be sent in response to the RLP NAK.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sending device is a selection and distribution unit and wherein the apparatus further comprises a base transceiver station coupled to the selection and distribution unit for transmitting the retransmissions to the receiving device.

25. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the sending device is a mobile station.

26. In a communications system implementing Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), an apparatus for increasing a number of retransmissions to be transmitted in a transmission round to a receiving device when the apparatus receives a Radio Link Protocol (RLP) NAK, the apparatus comprising:

a sending device having a processor operative to determine a maximum TCP window size of the sending device and a current TCP window size of the sending device; and if the maximum TCP window size less the current TCP window size is less than a threshold, increase the number of retransmissions to be transmitted in response to the RLP NAK.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the sending device is a selection and distribution unit and wherein the apparatus further comprises a base transceiver station coupled to the selection and distribution unit for transmitting the retransmissions to the receiving device.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the sending device is a mobile station.