Granted Patent B2

US 12,647,823 · App. 18/414,378 · Granted Jun 2, 2026

Inventors: Ping-Heng Kuo (London, GB); Ralf Rossbach (Munich, DE); Sudeep Manithara Vamanan (Nuremberg, DE)

Assignee: Apple Inc.

H04W28/06

Abstract

Claims (56)

1 . A method comprising:

processing first protocol data unit (PDU) sets of a traffic flow based on a first PDU-set discarding state;

processing second PDU sets of the traffic flow based on a second PDU-set discarding state;

receiving a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) from a network device;

detecting a trigger event based on the MAC CE; and

switching, based on detecting the trigger event: from processing first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state to processing second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state; or from processing second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state to processing first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

processing first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state comprises discarding PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have one or more PDUs lost; and

processing second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state comprises continuing to transmit PDUs of PDU sets of the second PDU sets determined to have one or more PDUs lost.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first PDU-set discarding state or the second PDU-set discarding state is configured as an initial state.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first PDU-set discarding state and the second PDU-set discarding state are associated with a data radio bearer (DRB) and the MAC CE includes: a bit, associated with the DRB, to provide the trigger event.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the MAC CE includes a plurality of bits that are respectively associated with a plurality of DRBs, wherein individual bits indicate a PDU-set discarding state on an associated DRB.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein processing first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state comprises:

transmitting PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a first importance level; and

discarding PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a second importance level and determined to have one or more PDUs lost,

wherein the second importance level is less than the first importance level.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein processing the first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state comprises:

transmitting PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a first importance level; and

discarding one or more PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a second importance level without attempting to transmit any PDUs of the one or more PDU sets,

wherein the second importance level is less than the first importance level.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

processing the first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state comprises discarding PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a number of PDUs that are lost greater than a first number; and

processing the second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state comprises discarding PDU sets of the second PDU sets determined to have a number of PDUs that are lost greater than a second number, the first number different from the second number.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

processing the first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state comprises:

discarding PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a first importance level and a number of PDUs that are lost greater than a first number; and

discarding PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have a second importance level and a number of PDUs that are lost greater than a second number, the first number different from the second number and the second importance level less than the first importance level; and

processing the second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state comprises:

discarding PDU sets of the second PDU sets determined to have the first number of PDUs that are lost, wherein said discarding of PDU sets of the second PDU sets is irrespective of importance levels of discarded PDU sets.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:

processing the first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state comprises: discarding PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to reside in a buffer longer than a first predetermined length of time; and

processing the second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state comprises: discarding PDU sets of the second PDU sets determined to reside in the buffer longer than a second predetermined length of time,

the first predetermined length of time is different than the second predetermined length of time.

11 . An apparatus comprising:

processing circuitry to:

generate a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) with a command to switch a user equipment (UE) from a first protocol data unit (PDU)-set discarding state to a second PDU-set discarding state; and

output the MAC CE for transmission to the UE; and

interface circuitry coupled with the processing circuitry to enable communication.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

generate information to configure the UE to use the first PDU-set discarding state or the second PDU-set discarding state as an initial state.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first PDU-set discarding state and the second PDU-set discarding state are associated with a data radio bearer (DRB) and the command of the MAC CE includes: an activation bit that is associated with the DRB.

14 . The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the MAC CE includes a plurality of activation bits that are respectively associated with a plurality of DRBs.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the processing circuitry is further to:

generate, for transmission to the UE, information to configure the UE with the first PDU-set discarding state and the second PDU-set discarding state.

16 . One or more non-transitory, computer-readable media having instructions that, when executed, cause processor circuitry to:

process first protocol data unit (PDU) sets of a traffic flow based on a first PDU-set discarding state;

process second PDU sets of the traffic flow based on a second PDU-set discarding state;

receive a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) from a network device;

detect a trigger event based on the MAC CE; and

switch, based on the trigger event: from processing first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state to processing second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state; or from processing second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state to processing first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state.

17 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein to:

process first PDU sets based on the first PDU-set discarding state the processor circuitry is to discard PDU sets of the first PDU sets determined to have one or more PDUs lost; and

process second PDU sets based on the second PDU-set discarding state the processor circuitry is to continue to transmit PDUs of PDU sets of the second PDU sets determined to have one or more PDUs lost.

18 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 17 , wherein the first PDU-set discarding state or the second PDU-set discarding state is configured as an initial state.

19 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the first PDU-set discarding state and the second PDU-set discarding state are associated with a data radio bearer (DRB) and the MAC CE includes: a bit, associated with the DRB, to provide the trigger event.

20 . The one or more non-transitory, computer-readable media of claim 16 , wherein the MAC CE includes a plurality of bits that are respectively associated with a plurality of DRBs, wherein individual bits indicate a PDU-set discarding state on an associated DRB.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (2)

References Cited (33)