System and Method for Information Delivery with Multiple Point Transmission

Abstract

A system and method for information delivery with multiple point transmission are provided. A method for detecting lost packets is provided. The method includes initiating a timer for a received packet at a receiving transmission point, where the timer is set according to a time value associated with the received packet. The method also includes determining that a delivery of the received packet has failed according to the timer elapsing, and transmitting a lost packet report to a primary transmission point that distributed the received packet to the receiving transmission point.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting lost packets, the method comprising:
 initiating a timer for a received packet at a receiving transmission point, wherein the timer is set according to a time value associated with the received packet;   determining that a delivery of the received packet has failed according to the timer elapsing; and   transmitting a lost packet report to a primary transmission point that distributed the received packet to the receiving transmission point.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that the delivery of the received packet has failed comprises determining that the timer has elapsed prior to receiving a positive acknowledgement for the received packet. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein determining that delivery of the received packet has failed further comprises receiving a negative acknowledgement for the received packet. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein transmitting the lost packet report comprises transmitting an aggregation of information related to failed packet deliveries for a specified time interval. 
     
     
         5 . A method for transmitting information by a primary transmission point, the method comprising:
 determining a distribution for allocating packets in a plurality of packets to N transmission points in a multiple point cooperating set, where N is an integer value greater than or equal to two, wherein the primary transmission point is one of the N transmission points;   allocating the packets in the plurality of packets to the N transmission points for transmission to a user equipment in accordance with the distribution, wherein the plurality of packets to be transmitted by the N transmission points belong to a single radio bearer;   sending the allocated packets to the N transmission points; and   transmitting primary packets allocated to the primary transmission point to the user equipment.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the distribution comprises receiving the distribution from a controller. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein determining the distribution comprises determining the distribution according to a distribution criteria. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the distribution criteria comprises a capability of each of the N transmission points, a channel condition at each of the N transmission points, a load of each of the N transmission points, a lost packet history of each of the N transmission points, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising receiving a notification of a lost packet previously allocated to a first transmission point, and wherein allocating the packets further comprises:
 altering the distribution to account for the lost packet by the first transmission point; and   redistributing the lost packet according to the altered distribution.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the distribution for the first transmission point is decreased to reduce a number of packets distributed to the first transmission point. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein allocating packets further comprises increasing the distribution for a second transmission point to increase a number of packets allocated to the second transmission point. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the notification is received from the first transmission point. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the notification is received from the user equipment. 
     
     
         14 . A primary transmission point comprising:
 a processor configured to determine a distribution for allocating packets in a plurality of packets to N transmission points in a multiple point cooperating set, where N is an integer value greater than or equal to two, wherein the primary transmission point is one of the N transmission points, and configured to allocate the packets in the plurality of packets to the N transmission points for transmission to a user equipment in accordance with the distribution, wherein the plurality of packets to be transmitted by the N transmission points belong to a single radio bearer; and   a transmitter coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured to send the allocated packets to the N transmission points, and to transmit primary packets allocated to the primary transmission point to the user equipment.   
     
     
         15 . The primary transmission point of  claim 14 , wherein the distribution is according to a capability of each of the N transmission points, a channel condition at each of the N transmission points, a load of each of the N transmission points, a lost packet history of each of the N transmission points, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The primary transmission point of  claim 14 , further comprising a receiver configured to receive a notification of a lost packet previously allocated to a first transmission point, and wherein the processor is configured to alter the distribution for the first transmission point. 
     
     
         17 . The primary transmission point of  claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to alter the distribution to account for the lost packet by the first transmission point, and to redistribute the lost packet according to the altered distribution. 
     
     
         18 . A method for operating a user equipment, the method comprising ordering the packets of a single radio bearer received from multiple transmission points according to a sequencing number associated with each packet. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein ordering the packets comprises:
 storing the packets in a memory; and   ordering the stored packets using a respective sequencing number of each respective stored packet.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sequencing number is a packet data convergence protocol sequence number. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 determining an associated packet corresponding to a missing sequence number in a sequence of sequence numbers of the ordered packets as an out of order packet; and   declaring the out of order packet as a lost packet when a lost packet threshold is met.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the lost packet threshold comprises a time threshold, and wherein declaring the out of order packet as the lost packet comprises declaring the out of order packet as the lost packet if the time threshold expires before receiving a new packet with a new sequence number corresponding to the missing sequence number in the sequence of sequence numbers. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the lost packet threshold comprises a number of received packets, and wherein declaring the out of order packet as the lost packet comprises declaring the out of order packet as the lost packet if a count of packets received since the associated packet was determined to be the out of order packet meets the number of received packets before receiving a new packet with a new sequence number corresponding to the missing sequence number in the sequence of sequence numbers.