Multi-carrier radio link protocol supervision in a radio communication system

A first communication station of a radio communication system, the radio communication system also including a second communication station operable to receive, over a plurality of subchannels of the radio communication system, packet-formatted data having an overall sequence, the packet-formatted data being divided into a plurality of portions receivable by the communication station over respective subchannels, each portion having a respective link sequence, the first communication station comprising:

• a controller for receiving, from the second communication station, a request for retransmission of missing packet-formatted data, the request for retransmission being received following the second communication station:
• detecting missing packet-formatted data at the second communication station based upon the overall sequence or at least one of the link sequences;
• and
• when the missing packet-formatted data is detected based upon the overall sequence,
• timing a time period,
• wherein the controller is adapted to receive the request for retransmission when the second communication station fails to receive the missing packet-formatted data before the step of timing times out, and
• wherein the controller is adapted to retransmit the missing packet-formatted data to the second communication station in response to the request for retransmission.

A method of facilitating efficient usage of radio capacity in a radio communication system including a communication station operable to receive, over a plurality of subchannels of the radio communication system, the packet-formatted data having an overall sequence, packet-formatted data being divided into a plurality of portions receivable by the communication station over respective subchannels, each portion having a respective link sequence, the method comprising:

• detecting missing packet-formatted data at the communication station based upon the overall sequence or at least one of the link sequences;
• and when the missing packet-formatted data is detected based upon the overall sequence,
• timing a time period;
• and
• requesting retransmission of the missing packet-formatted data when the communication station fails to receive the missing packet-formatted data before the step of timing times out.

A method of facilitating efficient usage of radio capacity in a radio communication system including a communication station operable to receive, over a plurality of subchannels of the radio communication system, packet-formatted data having an overall sequence, the packet-formatted data being divided into a plurality of portions receivable by the communication station over respective subchannels, each portion having a respective link sequence, the method comprising:

• receiving, from the communication station, a request for retransmission of missing packet-formatted data, the request for retransmission being received following the communication station:
• detecting missing packet-formatted data at the communication station based upon the overall sequence or at least one of the link sequences;
• and when the missing packet-formatted data is detected based upon the overall sequence,
• timing a time period,
• wherein the receiving step comprises receiving the request for retransmission when the communication station fails to receive the missing packet-formatted data before the step of timing times out;
• and
• retransmitting the missing packet-formatted data to the communication station in response to the request for retransmission.

A method for communicating between a first device and a second device using at least one variable parameter, the method comprising:

• transmitting a message from the first device to the second device, the message including information indicating a length of a sequence number field included in each of a plurality of transmission frames;
• receiving the message at the second device;
• storing, in response to receiving the message, the information in the second device;
• transmitting the plurality of transmission frames from the first device;
• and
• receiving the plurality of transmission frames at the second device and processing each sequence number field of the plurality of transmission frames according to the information stored in the second device.

A method for transmitting data between a mobile station and a base station in a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

• prior to transmitting data, exchanging communications control information between the mobile station and the base station, the control information comprising a first field for specifying a length of a variable length data frame sequence;
• storing the exchanged information in both the mobile station and the base station;
• and
• subsequently transmitting frames of data in accordance with the stored information.

A method of operation of a device in a wireless communications system, the method comprising:

• receiving a message at the device, the message comprising information indicating the length of a sequence number field included in each of a sequence of transmission frames;
• receiving the sequence of transmission frames at the device, subsequent to receiving the message;
• and
• processing each sequence number field of the sequence of transmission frames according to the information.