Method and apparatus for assigning hybrid-automatic repeat request processes

1. A method for transmitting enhanced uplink (EU) data, implemented by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the method comprising:

receiving configuration parameters for EU operation, wherein the configuration parameters include a priority associated with each configured medium access control for dedicated channel (MAC-d) flow and a maximum number of hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) transmissions associated with each configured MAC-d flow;

identifying a H-ARQ process to use for transmission for a next transmission time interval (TTI);

determining whether the identified H-ARQ process is available for new data for the next TTI;

on a condition that the identified H-ARQ process is available for new data for the next TTI, selecting data for transmission over an EU channel based on the priority associated with the configured MAC-d flows, setting a transmission status to indicate a new transmission, and transmitting the selected data using the identified H-ARQ process; and

on a condition that the identified H-ARQ process is not available for new data for the next TTI, setting the transmission status to indicate a retransmission, and retransmitting data associated with the identified H-ARQ process;

wherein the retransmitting is limited to the maximum number of H-ARQ transmissions associated with a MAC-d flow from which the data for transmission was selected.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising releasing the identified H-ARQ process on a condition that the WTRU receives feedback information indicating that the transmission of the selected data was successful.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising retransmitting the selected data on a condition that the WTRU receives feedback information indicating that the transmission of the selected data was not successful.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising discarding the selected data on a condition that the selected data was unsuccessfully transmitted a maximum number of times.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising releasing the identified H-ARQ process.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the WTRU includes a transmission counter for indicating a number of transmissions associated with the identified H-ARQ process, the method further comprising incrementing the transmission counter for each data transmission.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising setting the transmission counter to zero on a condition that the selected data was unsuccessfully transmitted a maximum number of times.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected data has a priority higher than any other data available for transmission.

9. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a controller configured to receive configuration parameters for enhanced uplink (EU) operation, wherein the configuration parameters include a priority associated with each configured medium access control for dedicated channel (MAC-d) flow and a maximum number of hybrid automatic repeat request (H-ARQ) transmissions associated with each configured MAC-d flow;

the controller is further configured to indicate a transmission count, wherein the transmission count indicates a number of transmissions associated with a H-ARQ process;

the controller is further configured to identify a H-ARQ process to use for transmission for a next transmission time interval (TTI);

the controller is further configured to determine whether the identified H-ARQ process is available for new data for the next TTI;

on a condition that the identified H-ARQ process is available for new data for the next TTI, the controller is further configured to select data for transmission over an EU channel based on the priority associated with the configured MAC-d flows, the controller is further configured to set a transmission status to indicate a new transmission, and a transmitter configured to transmit the selected data using the identified H-ARQ process; and

on a condition that the identified H-ARQ process is not available for new data for the next TTI, the controller is further configured to set the transmission status to indicate a retransmission, and the transmitter is further configured to retransmit the data associated with the identified H-ARQ process; and

wherein the retransmitting is limited to the maximum number of H-ARQ transmissions associated with a MAC-d flow from which the data for transmission was selected.

10. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to release the identified H-ARQ process on a condition that the WTRU receives feedback information indicating that the transmission of the selected data was successful.

11. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to retransmit the selected data on a condition that the WTRU receives feedback information indicating that the transmission of the selected data was not successful.

12. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to discard the selected data on a condition that the selected data was unsuccessfully transmitted a maximum number of times.

13. The WTRU of claim 12 wherein the controller is further configured to release the identified H-ARQ process.

14. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the controller is further configured to increment the transmission count for each data transmission.

15. The WTRU of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to set the transmission count to zero on a condition that the selected data was unsuccessfully transmitted a maximum number of times.

16. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the data selected for transmission has a priority higher than any other data available for transmission.