Method and apparatus for transmitting data packets and method and apparatus for receiving data packets

An apparatus for transmitting a data packet having a header and a radio link control protocol data unit, comprising:

• one or more computing devices to:
• configure the radio link control protocol data unit to transport at least one full radio link control service data unit, one or two radio link control service data unit fragments, or at least one full radio link control service data unit and at least one radio link control service data unit fragment, where a radio link control service data unit fragment is only located (i) at the beginning of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit or at the end of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit or (ii) at the beginning of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit and at the end of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit;
• configure a single field in the header consisting of a first bit and a second bit even when a number of full radio link control service data units and radio link control service data unit fragments in the radio link control protocol data unit is more than two, the single field indicating whether (i) the data packet radio link control protocol data unit begins with a fragment of a radio link control service data unit and (ii) the data packet radio link control protocol data unit ends with a radio link control service data unit fragment;
• and
• form the data packet including the configured header and the configured radio link control protocol data unit;
• and
• a transmitter to transmit the data packet.

A method for receiving a data packet, comprising steps of:

• receiving the data packet that includes a data packet header and a data packet radio link control protocol data unit,
• the data packet header including a single field consisting of a first bit and a second bit even when a number of full radio link control service data units and radio link control service data unit fragments in the data packet radio link control protocol data unit is more than two, the single field indicating whether (i) the data packet radio link control protocol data unit begins with a fragment of a radio link control service data unit and (ii) the data packet radio link control protocol data unit ends with a radio link control service data unit fragment;
• and
• the data packet radio link control protocol data unit including at least one full radio link control service data unit, one or two radio link control service data unit fragments, or at least one full radio link control service data unit and at least one radio link control service data unit fragment, where a radio link control service data unit fragment is only located (i) at the beginning of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit or at the end of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit or (ii) at the beginning of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit and at the end of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit;
• and
• restructuring radio link control service data unit(s) and/or radio link control service data unit fragment(s) in the received data packet based on the single field.

An apparatus for receiving a data packet, comprising:

• a receiver to receive the data packet that includes a data packet header and a data packet radio link control protocol data unit,
• the data packet header including a single field consisting of a first bit and a second bit even when a number of full radio link control service data units and radio link control service data unit fragments in the data packet radio link control protocol data unit is more than two, the single field indicating whether (i) the data packet radio link control protocol data unit begins with a fragment of a radio link control service data unit and (ii) the data packet radio link control protocol data unit ends with a radio link control service data unit fragment;
• and
• the data packet radio link control protocol data unit including at least one full radio link control service data unit, one or two radio link control service data unit fragments, or at least one full radio link control service data unit and at least one radio link control service data unit fragment such that a radio link control service data unit fragment is only located (i) at the beginning of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit or at the end of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit or (ii) at the beginning of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit and at the end of the data packet radio link control protocol data unit;
• and
• one or more computing devices to restructure radio link control service data unit(s) and/or radio link control service data unit fragment(s) in the received data packet based on the single field.