Communications device, infrastructure equipment and methods

Access stratum infrastructure equipment for use in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising a core network, the access stratum infrastructure equipment and another access stratum infrastructure equipment, the access stratum infrastructure equipment connected to the core network and to the other access stratum infrastructure equipment, the other access stratum infrastructure equipment providing a wireless access interface, wherein the wireless access interface is for the transmission of data to and the reception of data from a communications device, the access stratum infrastructure equipment comprising:

• a network interface configured to transmit signals to and receive signals from the other infrastructure equipment and to transmit signals to and receive signals from the core network, and
• a controller, configured to control the network interface so that the access stratum infrastructure equipment is configured:
• to receive downlink data for transmission to the communications device via the wireless access interface from the core network,
• to determine that the downlink data corresponds to an end-to-end protocol providing reliable, in-order delivery of data, to an endpoint,
• to determine that the downlink data comprises a positive acknowledgement indication generated by the endpoint, the positive acknowledgement indication indicating that uplink data transmitted by the communications device has been successfully received at an endpoint, the downlink data associated with an end-to-end connection between the communications device and the endpoint, and
• in response to determining that the downlink data comprises the positive acknowledgement indication, to discard, at the access stratum infrastructure equipment, the downlink data and to not forward the downlink data for transmission to the communications device,
• wherein both the access stratum infrastructure equipment and the other access stratum infrastructure equipment communicate with the communications device.

A communications device for use in a wireless communications network, the wireless communications network comprising a first access stratum infrastructure equipment connected to a core network, and a second access stratum equipment providing a wireless access interface and connected to the first access stratum infrastructure equipment, the communications device comprising:

• a transmitter configured to transmit uplink data associated with an end-to-end connection via the wireless access interface, the uplink data having as a destination an endpoint,
• a receiver configured to receive signals, and
• a controller configured to control the transmitter and the receiver so that the communications device is configured:
• to determine that the transmitter is to transmit the uplink data in accordance with an end-to-end protocol providing reliable, in-order delivery of data,
• to determine an estimated maximum round-trip time, the maximum round trip time comprising a total time from the transmission of data by the communications device using the end-to-end connection to the reception by the communications device of an acknowledgement indication generated and transmitted by the endpoint in response to receiving the data,
• to transmit via the wireless access interface the uplink data in accordance with the end-to-end protocol providing reliable, in-order delivery of data, wherein the end-to-end connection was established in accordance with the end-to-end protocol,
• to determine that the estimated maximum round-trip time has passed since transmitting the uplink data without receiving downlink data indicating a positive acknowledgement of receipt of the uplink data,
• in response to determining that the estimated maximum round-trip time has passed since transmitting the data, to update stored state information associated with the end-to-end connection to indicate that the uplink data has been successfully received at the endpoint, and
• to transmit second uplink data associated with the end-to-end connection in accordance with the end-to-end protocol and the updated stored state information,
• wherein both the first access stratum infrastructure equipment and the second access stratum infrastructure equipment communicate with the communications device.