Method for processing traffic data in a wireless communications system

A method of discarding data in a radio link control (RLC) layer of a wireless communications system, comprising the steps of:

• triggering at the RLC layer a data discard operation in a first transmission time interval (TTI);
• in response to said triggering, sending a traffic data volume report from the RLC layer to a medium access control ‘MAC’ layer informing the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• determining at the MAC layer for a next TTI whether the RLC layer is permitted to transmit data;
• and
• where the determination is made that the RLC layer is not permitted to transmit data in the next TTI, the method includes the steps of:
• the MAC layer informing the RLC layer that data is not required;
• and
• the RLC layer performing the data discard operation.

A radio network controller (RNC) for a wireless communications system for processing traffic data in a medium access control (MAC) layer thereof, comprising:

• means for receiving a traffic data volume report at the MAC layer from a radio link control (RLC) layer during a first transmission time interval ‘TTI’, said traffic data volume report being initiated in response to a data discard event in the RLC layer and informing the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• means for determining at the MAC layer if said RLC layer is permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in a next transmission time interval (TTI);
• and
• means for issuing an acknowledgement message to said RLC layer where it is determined that said RLC layer is not permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in the next transmission time interval (TTI).

A radio network controller (RNC) for a wireless communications network, comprising:

• means for triggering at a Radio Link Control (RLC) layer a data discard operation in a first transmission time interval (TTI);
• means for sending a traffic data volume report from the RLC layer to a medium access control ‘MAC’ layer in response to said triggering to inform the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• means for determining at the MAC layer for a next TTI whether the RLC layer is permitted to transmit data;
• means at the MAC layer responsive to said determining means for informing the RLC layer that the data is not required for that TTI where said determining means determines that the RLC layer is not permitted to transmit the data in the next TTI;
• and
• means at the RLC layer for performing the data discard operation.

User equipment (UE) for a wireless communications network for processing traffic data in a medium access control (MAC) layer thereof, comprising:

• means for receiving a traffic data volume report at the MAC layer from a radio link control (RLC) layer during a first transmission time interval ‘TTI’, said traffic data volume report being initiated in response to a data discard event in the RLC layer and informing the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• means at the MAC layer for determining if said RLC layer is permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in a next transmission time interval (TTI);
• and
• means for issuing an acknowledgement message to said RLC layer where it is determined that said RLC layer is not permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in the next transmission time interval (TTI).

User equipment (UE) for a wireless communications network, comprising:

• means at the RLC layer for triggering a data discard operation in a first transmission time interval (TTI);
• means for sending a traffic data volume report from the RLC layer to a medium access control ‘MAC’ layer in response to said triggering and to inform the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• means at the MAC layer for determining for a next TTI whether the RLC layer is permitted to transmit data;
• means at the MAC layer responsive to said determining means for informing the RLC layer that the data is not required for that TTI where said determining means determines that the RLC layer is not permitted to transmit the data in the next TTI;
• and
• means at the RLC layer for performing the data discard operation.

A tangible computer readable medium comprising program code executable on a processor of a radio network controller (RNC) of a wireless communications system to process traffic data in a medium access control (MAC) layer of the wireless communications system, the program code enabling said RNC to:

• receive a traffic data volume report from the RLC layer at the MAC layer from a radio link control (RLC) layer during a first transmission time interval ‘TTI’, said traffic data volume report being initiated in response to a data discard event in the RLC layer and informing the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• determine at the MAC layer if said RLC layer is permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in a next transmission time interval (TTI);
• and
• issue an acknowledgement message to said RLC layer where it is determined that said RLC layer is not permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in the next transmission time interval (TTI).

A tangible computer readable medium comprising program code executable on a processor of a user equipment (UE) a wireless communications system to process traffic data in a medium access control (MAC) layer of the wireless communications system, the program code enabling said UE to:

• receive a traffic data volume report from the RLC layer at the MAC layer from a radio link control (RLC) layer during a first transmission time interval ‘TTI’, said traffic data volume report being initiated in response to a data discard event in the RLC layer and informing the MAC layer of a reduced amount of traffic data available for transmission;
• determine at the MAC layer if said RLC layer is permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in a next transmission time interval (TTI);
• and
• issue an acknowledgement message to said RLC layer where it is determined that said RLC layer is not permitted to transmit the traffic data to the MAC layer in the next transmission time interval (TTI).