Header compression in wireless links

A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing a computer program product for header compression in a data packet in a point-to-multi point (PTMP) connection, said computer program product comprising computer program segments that when executed on a computer configures the computer to:

• transmit an announcement message announcing a PTMP data packet service;
• receive one or more interest messages indicative of a number of entities interested in the announced PTMP data packet service and the state of de-compressors of the interested entities, as a response to the transmitted announcement message;
• responsive to any of the one or more interest messages indicating that, for its corresponding interested entity, the transmitted announcement message is a first announcement message received by the interested entity for the PTMP service, transmit uncompressed data packet headers to the interested entities;
• and
• responsive to each of the one or more interest messages indicating that, for its corresponding interested entity, the transmitted announcement message is not a first announcement message received by the interested entity for the PTMP service, compress the header for the PTMP data packet service in the PTMP connection using a compressor state selected based on the state of de-compressors indicated by the received interest messages;
• wherein each compressor and de-compressor state refers to an amount of compression that a corresponding compressor or de-compressor is presently configured to use.

A compressor for header compression of data packets in a point-to-multi point (PTMP) connection comprising one or more processing circuits configured to:

• transmit an announcement message announcing a PTMP data packet service;
• receive one or more interest messages indicative of a number of entities interested in the announced PTMP data packet service and the state of de-compressors of the interested entities, as a response to the transmitted announcement message;
• responsive to any of the one or more interest messages indicating that, for its corresponding interested entity, the transmitted announcement message is a first announcement message received by the interested entity for the PTMP service, transmitting uncompressed data packet headers to the interested entities;
• and
• responsive to each of the one or more interest messages indicating that, for its corresponding interested entity, the transmitted announcement message is not a first announcement message received by the interested entity for the PTMP service, compress the header for the PTMP data packet service in the PTMP connection, using a compressor state selected based on the state of de-compressors indicated by the received interest messages;
• wherein each compressor and de-compressor state refers to an amount of compression that a corresponding compressor or de-compressor is presently configured to use.

A node for use in a wireless communication network, said node comprising:

• a communication interface for sending and receiving messages associated with point-to-multipoint data packet services provided by the wireless communication network;
• and
• a processing unit operatively associated with the communication interface, said processing unit comprising a compressor configured to compress data packet headers in data packets transmitted for the point-to-multipoint data packet services;
• wherein said processing unit is configured to:
• send an announcement message to announce a particular point-to-multipoint data packet service and send a polling message to poll for the number of receiving entities interested in receiving the particular point-to-multipoint data packet service;
• and
• control data packet header compression by the compressor, for the point-to-multipoint data packet service, such that data packet header compression is not used, at least temporarily, if the node receives a first information message indicating that an interested receiving entity has received the polling message for the first time, or receives a second information message indicating that one of the interested receiving entities has experienced a data packet header decompression error;
• and
• resume compressing data packet headers for the particular data packet service, in response to receiving a subsequent status message from the interested receiving entity that sent the first or second information message.