Method and apparatus for enhancing quality of experience in case of dropped or delayed packets

A network node operating in a wireless communication network, the network node comprising:

• at least one memory configured to store computer program code;
• and
• at least one processor configured to access said at least one memory and operate as instructed by said computer program code, said computer program code including:
• receiving code configure to cause at least one of said at least one processor to receive, from at least one user equipment (UE), a data stream including one or more data packets associated with an uplink transmission between the UE and the network node,
• analyzing code configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to analyze the data stream to determine whether the at least one UE transmitted one or more data packets not received by the network node,
• in response to determining the at least one UE transmitted the one or more data packets not received by the network node, performing code configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to perform a corrective action on the data stream, and
• completing code configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to complete the uplink transmission based on the data stream after the corrective action is performed,
• wherein the network node includes a plurality of antennas and:
• in response to a determination a first antenna from the plurality of antennas did not receive one or more data packets without repetition, the performing code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to perform one of (i) copying the data stream from a second antenna from the plurality of antennas that received the data stream to the first antenna or (ii) zeroing out the data on the first antenna, and
• in response to a determination the first antenna from the plurality of antennas did not receive a repetition from among one or more data packets with repetition, the performing code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to perform one of (i) zeroing out the repetition that was not received on the first antenna, (ii) discarding data on the first antenna corresponding to the repetition that was not received, or (iii) copying data corresponding to the repetition that was not received from a second antenna from the plurality of antennas that received the repetition not received by the first antenna;
• or
• wherein a number of antennas of the network node is one and:
• in response to a determination the antenna of the network node does not receive a repetition from among one or more data packets with repetitions, the performing code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to perform one of (i) zeroing out the repetition that was not received on the antenna, or (ii) discarding data on the antenna corresponding to the repetition that was not received, and
• in response to a determination the antenna of the network nodes does not receive a data packet without repetition, the performing code is further configured to cause at least one of said at least one processor to perform a corrective action at a Media Access Control (MAC) layer.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor in a network node operating in a wireless communication network cause the processor to execute a method comprising:

• receiving, from at least one user equipment (UE), a data stream including one or more data packets associated with an uplink transmission between the UE and the network node;
• analyzing the data stream to determine whether the at least one UE transmitted one or more data packets not received by the network node;
• in response to determining the at least one UE transmitted the one or more data packets not received by the network node, performing a corrective action on the data stream;
• and
• completing the uplink transmission based on the data stream after the corrective action is performed,
• wherein the network node includes a plurality of antennas and:
• in response to a determination a first antenna from the plurality of antennas did not receive one or more data packets without repetition, the performing the corrective action on the data stream includes one of (i) copying the data stream from a second antenna from the plurality of antennas that received the data stream to the first antenna or (ii) zeroing out the data on the first antenna, and
• in response to a determination the first antenna from the plurality of antennas did not receive a repetition from among one or more data packets with repetition, the performing the corrective action on the data stream includes one of (i) zeroing out the repetition that was not received on the first antenna, (ii) discarding data on the first antenna corresponding to the repetition that was not received, or (iii) copying data corresponding to the repetition that was not received from a second antenna from the plurality of antennas that received the repetition not received by the first antenna;
• or
• wherein a number of antennas of the network node is one and:
• in response to a determination the antenna of the network node does not receive a repetition from among one or more data packets with repetitions, the performing the corrective action on the data stream includes one of (i) zeroing out the repetition that was not received on the antenna, or (ii) discarding data on the antenna corresponding to the repetition that was not received, and
• in response to a determination the antenna of the network nodes does not receive a data packet without repetition, the performing the corrective action on the data stream includes performing a corrective action at a Media Access Control (MAC) layer.