Data processing method and apparatus to reduce an overhead in a layer two protocol

A method for processing data in a receiver, the method comprising:

• receiving data packets received via an air interface, and passed through a physical layer;
• processing the received data packets at a transport layer 2, wherein processing at the transport layer 2 during reception comprises:
• transmitting the data packets transmitted from the physical layer, to the transport layer 2;
• and
• processing the data packets processed at the transport layer 2, at a transport layer 1, wherein processing at the transport layer 1 during reception comprises:
• reordering the data packets into transmission data packets according to their Sequence Numbers, SNs, wherein the transmission data packets are data packets to be transmitted by a transmitter;
• wherein processing at the transport layer 2 during reception further comprises:
• re-assembling the data packets before transmitting them to the transport layer 1;
• wherein processing at the transport layer 2 is performed on first sub-layer protocol entities and a second sub-layer protocol entity, wherein the first sub-layer protocol entities receive the data packets processed by the second sub-layer protocol entity, and the second sub-layer protocol entity receives the data packets transmitted from the physical layer, so the data packets are re-assembled as follows:
• the second sub-layer protocol entity processes data packets of different logic channels among the data packets transmitted from the physical layer respectively, and thereafter transmits the data packets of each logic channel to corresponding one of the first sub-layer protocol entities for processing;
• and
• the respective first sub-layer protocol entities re-assemble the received data packets;
• or
• processing at the transport layer 2 during reception further comprises:
• re-assembling the data packets before transmitting them to the transport layer 1
• wherein re-assembling the data packets comprises:
• de-packaging data packets of each logic channel into different Protocol Data Unit, PDUs or PDU segments to be processed at the transport layer 1, under a packaging rule;
• and
• if the data packets are de-packaged into PDUs, passing the PDUs to the transport layer 1 for processing, or
• if the data packets are de-packaged into PDU segments, then if the transport layer 1 is configured with a PDU segmentation function, passing the PDU segments to the transport layer 1 for processing;
• otherwise, composing the PDU segments into PDUs, and passing the PDUs to the transport layer 1 for processing.

An apparatus for processing data, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor configured to read and execute program in a memory:
• to process received transmission data packets at a transport layer 1, wherein processing at the transport layer 1 during transmission comprises:
• allocating Sequence Numbers, SNs;
• and
• to process the transmission data packets processed at the transport layer 1, at a transport layer 2, wherein processing at the transport layer 2 during transmission comprises:
• passing the transmission data packets to a physical layer according to the size of a scheduled transmission resource so that they are transmitted via an air interface;
• and
• a transceiver configured to receive and transmit data under the control of the processor:
• to receive transmission the data packets passed through a higher layer, wherein the transmission data packets are data packets to be transmitted by a transmitter;
• wherein processing at the transport layer 1 during transmission further comprises at least one of:
• deciding whether to segment the data packets to be initially transmitted, at the transport layer 1 according to a configuration, or
• deciding whether to segment the data packets to be retransmitted, at the transport layer 1 according to a configuration, and if so, passing the transmission data packets segmented at the transport layer 1 to the transport layer 2 for processing, wherein the configuration for initial transmission of the data packets is the same as or different from the configuration for retransmission of the data packets.

An apparatus for processing data, comprising:

• a transceiver configured to receive and transmit data under control of a processor:
• to receive data packets received via an air interface, and passed through the physical layer;
• and
• the processor, configured to read and execute a program in a memory to implement:
• processing the received data packets at a transport layer 2, wherein processing at the transport layer 2 during reception comprises:
• transmitting the data packets transmitted from the physical layer, to the transport layer 2;
• and
• processing the data packets processed at the transport layer 2, at a transport layer 1, wherein processing at the transport layer 1 during reception comprises:
• reordering the data packets into transmission data packets according to their Sequence Numbers, SNs, wherein the transmission data packets are data packets to be transmitted by a transmitter;
• wherein processing at the transport layer 2 during reception further comprises:
• re-assembling the data packets before transmitting them to the transport layer 1;
• wherein processing at the transport layer 2 is performed on first sub-layer protocol entities and a second sub-layer protocol entity, wherein the first sub-layer protocol entities receive the data packets processed by the second sub-layer protocol entity, and the second sub-layer protocol entity receives the data packets transmitted from the physical layer, so the data packets are re-assembled as follows:
• the second sub-layer protocol entity processes data packets of different logic channels among the data packets transmitted from the physical layer respectively, and thereafter transmits the data packets of each logic channel to corresponding one of the first sub-layer protocol entities for processing;
• and
• the respective first sub-layer protocol entities re-assemble the received data packets;
• or
• processing at the transport layer 2 during reception further comprises:
• re-assembling the data packets before transmitting them to the transport layer 1, wherein re-assembling the data packets comprises:
• de-packaging data packets of each logic channel into different Protocol Data Unit, PDUs or PDU segments to be processed at the transport layer 1, under a packaging rule;
• and
• if the data packets are de-packaged into PDUs, passing the PDUs to the transport layer 1 for processing, or
• if the data packets are de-packaged into PDU segments, then if the transport layer 1 is configured with a PDU segmentation function, passing the PDU segments to the transport layer 1 for processing;
• otherwise, composing the PDU segments into PDUs, and passing the PDUs to the transport layer 1 for processing.