Multiplexing packets in high speed downlink packet access communications

1. A method performed by a mobile device, the method comprising:

receiving via a downlink data channel in a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) communication, a multiplexed data packet utilizing a plurality of protocol layers, the multiplexed data packet including:

a header, including:

an indication of a number of multiple data packets in the multiplexed data packet;

multiple size indications each to indicate a size of a respective one of the multiple data packets; and

first padding bits to align the header with a byte boundary so that the multiple data packets are also byte aligned;

the multiple data packets following the first padding bits and including data packets for a plurality of priority queues; and

second padding bits following the multiple data packets to ensure that a sum of a size of the header and sizes of the multiple data packets is a predetermined size for the multiplexed data packet;

processing the multiplexed data packet using a first media access control (MAC) protocol layer from the plurality of protocol layers, the processing including decoding the header, removing the first padding bits from the header, and providing the multiple data packets to a re-ordering queue distribution function; and

re-ordering the multiple data packets at the re-ordering queue distribution function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple data packets include concatenated multiple MAC-hs data packets.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device via a separate signalling channel, an indicator of a size of the multiplexed data packet.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the indicator is received via a high-speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH).

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the header further includes a single bit version flag at a beginning of the header set to indicate that the multiplexed data packet includes the multiple data packets; and

the decoding includes decoding the version flag to identify that the multiplexed data packet includes the multiple data packets.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the MAC protocol layer is a high speed MAC (MAC-hs) protocol layer.

7. A mobile device comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, via a downlink data channel in a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) communication, a multiplexed data packet utilizing a plurality of protocol layers, the multiplexed data packet including:

a header, including:

an indication of a number of multiple data packets in the multiplexed data packet;

multiple size indications each to indicate a size of a respective one of the multiple data packets; and

first padding bits to align the header with a byte boundary so that the multiple data packets are also byte aligned;

the multiple data packets following the first padding bits and including data packets for a plurality of priority queues; and

second padding bits following the multiple data packets to ensure that a sum of a size of the header and sizes of the multiple data packets is a predetermined size for the multiplexed data packet; and

at least one processor configured to:

process the multiplexed data packet using a media access control (MAC) protocol layer from the plurality of protocol layers by decoding the header, removing the first padding bits from the header, and providing the multiple data packets to a re-ordering queue distribution function; and

re-order the multiple data packets using the re-ordering queue distribution function.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the multiple data packet include concatenated multiple MAC-hs data packets.

9. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein:

the receiver is further configured to receive, via a separate signalling channel, an indicator of a size of the multiplexed data packet.

10. The mobile device of claim 9 , wherein the indicator is received via a high-speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH).

11. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein:

the header further includes a single bit version flag at a beginning of the header set to indicate that the multiplexed data packet includes the multiple data packets; and

the at least one processor is configured to decode by decoding the version flag to identify that the multiplexed data packet includes the multiple data packets.

12. The mobile device of claim 7 , wherein the MAC protocol layer is a high speed MAC (MAC-hs) protocol layer.

13. A non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of a mobile device, cause the processor to:

receive via a downlink data channel in a high speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) communication, a multiplexed data packet utilizing a plurality of protocol layers, the multiplexed data packet including:

a header, including:

an indication of a number of multiple data packets in the multiplexed data packet;

multiple size indications each to indicate a size of a respective one of the multiple data packets; and

first padding bits to align the header with a byte boundary so that the multiple data packets are also byte aligned;

the multiple data packets following the first padding bits and including data packets for a plurality of priority queues; and

second padding bits following the multiple data packets to ensure that a sum of a size of the header and sizes of the multiple data packets is a predetermined size for the multiplexed data packet;

process the multiplexed data packet using a first media access control (MAC) protocol layer from the plurality of protocol layers, the instructions to cause the processor to process including instructions to cause the processor to decode the header, remove the first padding bits from the header, and provide the multiple data packets to a re-ordering queue distribution function; and

re-order the multiple data packets at the re-ordering queue distribution function.

14. The computer readable storage media of claim 13 , further comprising instructions to cause the processor to:

receive via a separate signalling channel, an indicator of a size of the multiplexed data packet.

15. The computer readable storage media of claim 14 , wherein the indicator is received via a high-speed shared control channel (HS-SCCH).

16. The computer readable storage media of claim 13 , wherein:

the header further includes a single bit version flag at a beginning of the header set to indicate that the multiplexed data packet includes the multiple data packets; and

the instructions to cause the processor to decode include instructions to cause the processor to decode the version flag to identify that the multiplexed data packet includes the multiple data packets.