Automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol employing a first information element indicating whether to perform retransmission of an uplink data packet and a second information element indicates a transport format for the retransmission

1. A transmission apparatus for controlling a transport format for retransmission of data packets transmitted uplink to a receiving apparatus via at least one data channel using an automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol, the transmission apparatus comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit an uplink data packet via the data channel to the receiving apparatus,

a receiver configured to receive a first information element along with a second information element from the receiving apparatus,

wherein the first information element indicates whether to perform a retransmission of the uplink data packet at the transmission apparatus, and the second information element indicates a transport format for the retransmission, and

wherein the transmitter is configured to transmit the retransmission from the transmission apparatus to the receiving apparatus according to the transport format indicated in the second information element using a transmission timing based on the ARQ protocol.

2. The transmission apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the ARQ protocol is a synchronous hybrid ARQ (HARQ) protocol.

3. The transmission apparatus in claim 1 , wherein the transmission apparatus is a user equipment, the transmitter is a radio transmitter, and the receiver is a radio receiver, and wherein the receiving apparatus is a radio base station.

4. The transmission apparatus in claim 3 , wherein the transport format indicates a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for a retransmission.

5. The transmission apparatus in claim 3 , wherein the transport format is indicated in a transmission format combination (TFC) control message.

6. A method for controlling a transport format for retransmission of data packets transmitted uplink to a receiving apparatus via at least one data channel using an automatic repeat request (ARQ) protocol, the transmission apparatus comprising:

transmitting an uplink data packet via the data channel to the receiving apparatus,

receiving a first information element along with a second information element from the receiving apparatus,

wherein the first information element indicates whether to perform a retransmission of the uplink data packet at the transmission apparatus, and the second information element indicates a transport format for the retransmission, and

retransmitting to the receiving apparatus according to the transport format indicated in the second information element using a transmission timing based on the ARQ protocol.

7. The method in claim 6 , wherein the ARQ protocol is a synchronous hybrid ARQ (HARQ) protocol.

8. The method in claim 6 , wherein the method is implemented in a user equipment, the transmitting step is performed using a radio transmitter in the user equipment, and the receiving step is performed using a radio receiver, and wherein the receiving apparatus is a radio base station.

9. The method in claim 8 , wherein the transport format indicates a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for a retransmission.

10. The method in claim 8 , wherein the transport format is indicated in a transmission format combination (TFC) control message.