Trans-layer robust header-compression technique

A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for compressing and transmitting packets, the method comprising:

• obtaining packets-to-be-compressed at a compressor located at a transmitter that transmits packets through a channel over a network link to a decompressor located at a receiver;
• obtaining cross-layer information regarding the network link from lower-layer network entities in the transmitter;
• generating estimations for a state of the channel and a state of the decompressor based, in part, on the cross-layer information;
• determining a compression level for the packets-to-be-compressed based on a compression policy and the estimations for the state of the channel and the state of the decompressor;
• generating packets-to-be-transmitted by compressing headers of the packets-to-be-compressed, wherein the headers are compressed at different levels based on the determined compression level;
• and
• transmitting the packets-to-be-transmitted across a network to the receiver.

A system that compresses and transmits packets, comprising:

• a transmitter that transmits packets through a channel over a network link to a receiver;
• and
• a compressor within the transmitter that compresses the packets prior to transmission;
• wherein during operation, the transmitter is designed to:
• obtain packets-to-be-compressed at a compressor located at a transmitter that transmits packets through a channel over a network link to a decompressor located at a receiver;
• obtain cross-layer information regarding the network link from lower-layer network entities in the transmitter;
• generate estimations for a state of the channel and a state of the decompressor by utilizing the cross-layer information;
• determine a compression level for the packets-to-be-compressed based on a compression policy and the estimations for the state of the channel and the state of the decompressor;
• and
• generate packets-to-be-transmitted by compressing headers of the packets-to-be-compressed, wherein the headers are compressed at different levels based on the determined compression level.