Patent Description:
The present invention relates to the field of wireless communications, and particularly to a method and device for transmitting data.

With development of the mobile Internet and Internet of Things, there is an explosively growing demand for the amount of service data, and a great number of connected devices, and a great diversity of services over the Internet of Things also pose new technology challenges to mobile communication. The delay in and the reliability of an existing communication system has been designed for human-to-human communication, and a future wireless mobile communication system intended to further satisfy better the demand for communication between human users in terms of its delay and reliability also needs to accommodate real-time and highly reliable Machine Type Communication (MTC) as required so as to promote applications thereof in the industry fields of traffic security, traffic efficiency, intelligent power grids, etc., thus making the concept of our intelligent society and intelligent planet possible in the future. A shorter delay in and high reliability of the future wireless mobile communication system will be required in the new application fields thereof.

In the standard of Quality of Service (QoS) Class Identifier characteristics defined by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), generally there is no strict delay as required. Even the strictest delays as required are <NUM> for a session application, and <NUM> for a real-time game application.

However as new applications, e.g., remote industry control, augmented reality, etc., are emerging constantly, a shorter delay and high reliability of the wireless communication system has been required.

In the prior art, the reliability of transmission is guaranteed by retransmitting a data packet, and taking a Long Term Evolution (LTE) system as an example, there are physical layer Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request (HARQ), high-layer Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ), higher-layer, e.g., Internet Protocol (IP) layer, retransmission, and other technologies. The HARQ technology which relates to physical layer retransmission is such a technology to guarantee the reliability that has the shortest delay in the LTE system.

At present, the retransmission mechanisms in the LTE system can accommodate the general delay and reliability as required in the LTE specification, but these retransmission mechanisms may fail to accommodate a shorter delay and higher reliability as required in the new service applications.

Existing methods are disclosed in <CIT>, <CIT>, <CIT>, and <CIT>.

Embodiments of the invention provide a method and device for transmitting data so as to address such a problem in the prior art that the retransmission mechanisms in the LTE system can accommodate the general delay and reliability as required in the LTE specification, but these retransmission mechanisms may fail to accommodate a shorter delay and higher reliability as required in the new service applications.

In the embodiments of the invention, the data are transmitted between the transmitting side and the receiving side over the multiple paths, over each of which the same data are transmitted, for the purpose of transmitting the data repeatedly for a number of times to thereby make full use of the different wireless channel connections, and guarantee the reliability in transmitting the data at the short delay as required.

In the embodiments of the invention, data are transmitted over multiple paths between the transmitting side and the receiving side, over each of which the same data are transmitted, for the purpose of transmitting the data repeatedly for a number of times to thereby make full use of the different wireless channel connections, and guarantee the reliability in transmitting the data at the short delay as required.

The embodiments of the invention will be described below in further details with reference to the drawings.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a method for transmitting data according to a first embodiment of the invention includes the following steps:.

If the data are transmitted in the uplink, then the transmitting side is the terminal side, and the receiving side is the network side; and
If the data are transmitted in the downlink, then the transmitting side is the network side, and the receiving side is the terminal side.

These two instances will be introduced below respectively.

The first instance relates to uplink transmission where the transmitting side is the terminal side, and the receiving side is the network side.

Particularly the receiving side includes a plurality of first receiving units participating in transmission over the multiple paths; and
The receiving side receives the data from the transmitting side over the multiple paths as follows:.

Each first receiving unit receives the data from the transmitting side over respective one of the paths.

In the embodiment of the invention, each first receiving unit is connected with the transmitting side, and each first receiving unit receives the same data transmitted by the transmitting side over respective one of the paths for the purpose of transmitting the data repeatedly for a number of times to thereby make full use of the different wireless channel connections, and guarantee the reliability in transmitting the data at the short delay as required.

In an implementation, each of the first receiving units can be located in a base station or a cell of a wireless communication system.

If each of the first receiving units is located in a base station of a wireless communication system, then each first receiving unit is located in respective one of base stations, and the base stations including the first receiving units are located in the same wireless communication system; or the base stations are located in different wireless communication systems; or a part of the base stations are located in the same wireless communication system.

After each of the first receiving units receives the same data, the data over the multiple paths can be further combined. In an embodiment of the invention, a function of combining the data over the multiple paths can be centralized in some first receiving unit, or the function of combining the data over the multiple paths can be arranged in a new unit, as introduced below in details.

First scheme: the function of combining the data over the multiple paths is centralized in some first receiving unit.

Particularly each of the first receiving units transmits the received data to the same first receiving unit participating in transmission over the multiple paths, or the first receiving unit in a primary connection; and
The first receiving unit receiving the data transmitted by the other first receiving units combines the received data from the transmitting side with the received data from the other first receiving units over the multiple paths.

The primary connection (referred to a primary link) refers to a primary connection over which a user equipment communicates with the network side, where typically underlying control signaling is transmitted over the primary connection to keep the terminal connected, and control information related to transmission over the multiple paths may only be transmitted over the primary connection.

In an implementation, particularly the first receiving unit to combine the data over the multiple paths can be any one of the first receiving units, and each first receiving unit can negotiate about and determine to which first receiving unit the received data are currently transmitted. For example, lightly loaded one of the first receiving units can be selected as the first receiving unit to combine the data over the multiple paths, according to current loads of the first receiving units.

Optionally since each first receiving unit is connected with the transmitting side, in an implementation, one of the connections can be selected as the primary connection, where the first receiving unit corresponding to the connection is the first receiving unit in the primary connection, and each first receiving unit receiving the data can transmit the data to the first receiving unit in the primary connection, so that the first receiving unit in the primary connection combines the data over the multiple paths.

For different data, the data over the multiple paths can be combined by different schemes. Since not all the first receiving units can receive the complete data, whatever data over the multiple paths are combined for the purpose of obtaining the complete data in the embodiment of the invention. Stated otherwise, any scheme to obtain the complete data by combining the data over the multiple paths can be applicable to the embodiment of the invention.

The scheme according to the invention is to detect the received data for duplication.

Particularly there are different duplication detection schemes at different transport layers. According to the invention, if there are a plurality of duplicated data packets, then only one of them can be maintained while discarding the other duplicated data packets.

Optionally after the data are detected for duplication, the data packets can be further sorted by the identifiers of the data packets for convenient submission to a higher layer.

In the first scheme, there is further provided a feedback upon reception of a plurality of pieces of data in an embodiment of the invention.

Particularly for a data packet in the data, the one of the first receiving units which is connected with the transmitting side over the primary connection receives the data packet, and instructs the transmitting side to stop the data packet from being transmitted, when a part or all of the following conditions are satisfied:
At least one of the first receiving units receives correctly the data packet of the transmitting side, or the first receiving unit receiving the data transmitted by the other first receiving units determines that the data packet is received correctly, after combining the data over the multiple paths;.

Second scheme: the function of combining the data over the multiple paths is arranged in a new unit.

Particularly each first receiving unit transmits the received data to a first data interface unit in the receiving side; and
The first data interface unit combines the received data from the plurality of first receiving units over the multiple paths.

In an implementation, the first data interface unit and the first receiving unit can be located in the same entity, or can be located in different entities.

If the first data interface unit and the first receiving unit can be located in different entities, then the first data interface unit in the embodiment of the invention has a powerful capability to process data rapidly, and is connected with the first receiving unit rapidly and reliably (e.g., in a wired mode over a short distance), where one first data interface unit can be connected with a plurality of first receiving units.

In the second scheme, there is further provided a feedback upon reception of a plurality of pieces of data in an embodiment of the invention.

Particularly for a data packet in the data, the one of the first receiving units which is connected with the transmitting side over the primary connection, or the first data interface unit receives the data packet, and instructs the transmitting side to stop the data packet from being transmitted, when a part or all of the following conditions are satisfied;.

The second instance relates to downlink transmission where the transmitting side is the network side, and the receiving side is the terminal side.

Particularly the receiving side includes one second data interface unit and one second receiving unit; and
The receiving side receives the data from the transmitting side over the multiple paths as follows:.

For downlink transmission, there are typically one second data interface unit and one second receiving unit in an implementation.

Typically the second data interface unit receives a plurality of pieces of the same data over the multiple paths, and then combines these data over the multiple paths.

For different data, the data over the multiple paths can be combined by different schemes. Since the second data interface unit may not receive the complete data over each path, whatever data over the multiple paths are combined for the purpose of obtaining the complete data in the embodiment of the invention. Stated otherwise, any scheme to obtain the complete data by combining the data over the multiple paths can be applicable to the embodiment of the invention.

In an implementation, the second data interface unit and the second receiving unit are located in a terminal, and the terminal is capable of receiving and combining the data by itself.

However for a less capable terminal, the second data interface unit can alternatively be arranged separately in an entity in an embodiment of the invention, so that a plurality of terminals can be connected with the second data interface unit, so that the second data interface unit combines the data over the multiple paths, and then transmits the processed data to the corresponding terminal. Stated otherwise, the second data interface unit and the second receiving unit are located in different entities, and the second receiving unit is located in the terminal.

If the second data interface unit and the second receiving unit are located in different entities, and the second receiving unit is located in a terminal, then the second data interface unit in the embodiment of the invention will have a powerful capability to process data rapidly, and be connected with the terminal rapidly and reliably (e.g., in a wired mode over a short distance), where one second data interface unit can be connected with a plurality of terminals.

There is further provided a feedback upon reception of a plurality of pieces of data in an embodiment of the invention.

Particularly for a data packet in the data, the second data interface unit or the second receiving unit instructs the transmitting side to stop the data packet from being transmitted, when a part or all of the following conditions are satisfied;.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a method for transmitting data according to a second embodiment of the invention includes the following steps:.

If the data are transmitted in the downlink, then the transmitting side is the network side, and the receiving side is the terminal side; and
If the data are transmitted in the uplink, then the transmitting side is the terminal side, and the receiving side is the network side.

The first instance relates to downlink transmission where the transmitting side is the network side, and the receiving side is the terminal side.

Particularly the transmitting side includes a plurality of first transmitting units participating in transmission over the multiple paths; and
The transmitting side transmits the data to the receiving side over the multiple paths as follows:
Each first transmitting unit transmits the same data to the receiving side over respective one of the paths.

In the embodiment of the invention, each first transmitting unit is connected with the receiving side, and each first transmitting unit transmits the same data to the receiving side over respective one of the paths for the purpose of transmitting the data repeatedly for a number of times to thereby make full use of the different wireless channel connections, and guarantee the reliability in transmitting the data at the short delay as required.

In an implementation, each of the first transmitting units can be located in a base station or a cell of a wireless communication system.

If each of the first transmitting units is located in a base station of a wireless communication system, then each first transmitting unit can be located in respective one of base stations, and the base stations including the first transmitting units can be located in the same wireless communication system; or the base stations can be located in different wireless communication systems; or a part of the base stations can be located in the same wireless communication system.

Each of the first transmitting units backs up the data for the multiple paths before transmitting the same data. In an embodiment of the invention, a function of backing up the data for the multiple paths can be centralized in a first data processing unit.

Particularly the first data processing unit in the transmitting side backs up the data to be transmitted for the multiple paths, and transmits a plurality of duplicated data packets obtained as a result of backing up respectively to the respective first transmitting units.

The data can be backed up by backing-up, encoding jointly, etc., the data. For example, the first data processing unit duplicates the data to be transmitted into a plurality of copies, each of which is transmitted over one of the transmission paths; or the first data processing unit network-encodes the data to be transmitted into copies, each of which is transmitted over respective one of the paths, and the receiving side combines and encodes the data transmitted over the multiple paths thus further improving the reliability in transmitting the data.

In an implementation, the first data processing unit and the first transmitting units can be located in the same entity, or can be located in different entities.

If they are located in the same entity, then a plurality of first data processing units can be arranged, where only one of the first data processing units processes the data, and then transmits the processed data respectively to the first transmitting units in the other entities.

If they are located in different entities, then only one first data processing unit can be arranged, where the first data processing unit processes the data, and then transmits the processed data respectively to the first transmitting units in the other entities.

If the first data processing unit and the first transmitting units are located in different entities, then the first data processing unit in the embodiment of the invention will have a powerful capability to process data rapidly, and be connected with the first transmitting unit rapidly and reliably (e.g., in a wired mode over a short distance), where one first data processing unit can be connected with a plurality of first transmitting units.

Optionally the transmitting side stops the data from being transmitted over all the paths, upon reception of a feedback from the receiving side that the data are received correctly or stopped from being transmitted.

For example, the first data processing unit instructs the other first data processing units to stop the data from being processed, and the data from being transmitted over their transmission paths, upon reception of the feedback from the receiving side that the data are received correctly or stopped from being transmitted.

The second instance relates to uplink transmission where the transmitting side is the terminal side, and the receiving side is the network side.

Particularly the transmitting side includes one second data processing unit and one second transmitting unit;
Before the transmitting side transmits the data to the receiving side over the multiple paths, the method further includes:.

The data can be backed up by backing-up, encoding jointly, etc., the data. For example, the second data processing unit duplicates the data to be transmitted into a plurality of copies, each of which is transmitted over one of the transmission paths; or the second data processing unit network-encodes the data to be transmitted into copies, each of which is transmitted over respective one of the paths, and the receiving side combines and encodes the data transmitted over the multiple paths thus further improving the reliability in transmitting the data.

In an implementation, the second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in a terminal capable of backing up and transmitting the data over the multiple paths by itself.

However for a less capable terminal, the second data processing unit can alternatively be arranged separately in an entity in an embodiment of the invention, so that a plurality of terminals can be connected with the second data interface unit, and transmit the data to be transmitted, to the second data processing unit. For a terminal, the second data interface unit backs up the data transmitted by the terminal for the multiple paths, and transmits the processed data to the receiving side over the multiple paths. Stated otherwise, the second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in different entities, and the second transmitting unit is located in the terminal.

If the second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in different entities, and the second transmitting unit is located in a terminal, then the second data processing unit in the embodiment of the invention has a powerful capability to process data rapidly, and be connected with the terminal rapidly and reliably (e.g., in a wired mode over a short distance), where one second data transmitting unit can be connected with a plurality of terminals.

For example, the second data processing unit stops the data from being transmitted over their transmission paths, upon reception of the feedback from the receiving side that the data are received correctly or stopped from being transmitted.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a method for transmitting data according to a third embodiment of the invention includes the following steps:.

The control unit determines that the data need to be transmitted over multiple paths between the transmitting side and the receiving side as follows:.

For example, the control unit can start transmission over the multiple paths because transmission through a primary connection system fails to accommodate the performance of the receiving side, or the reliability and a delay as required for the service.

Optionally after the control unit determines that the data need to be transmitted over the multiple paths, the method further includes:
The control unit instructs the receiving side to transmit the data over the multiple paths, so that the receiving side receives the same data respectively over the different paths.

For example, the control unit instructs the transmitting side and the receiving side to participate in transmission over the multiple paths, and notifies them of various configured parameters for transmission over the multiple paths (e.g., a feedback mode, the number of retransmissions, etc.), by interacting with the transmitting side and the receiving side via signaling.

Optionally after the control unit determines that the data need to be transmitted over the multiple paths between the transmitting side and the receiving side, and before the control unit instructs the transmitting side to transmit the data over the multiple paths, the method further includes:
The control unit selects such ones of the paths between the transmitting side and the receiving side that can accommodate a required delay, as paths for transmission between the transmitting side and the receiving side over the multiple paths, and determines the transmitting side and the receiving side corresponding to the transmission paths.

Optionally the control unit is located in the transmitting side or the receiving side, or is a separate unit entity.

The structures of the respective units as described above will be described below in details.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first receiving unit according to a fourth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally each of the first receiving units <NUM> is located in a base station or a cell of a wireless communication system.

Optionally the first receiving module <NUM> is further configured:
To transmit the received data to a first data interface unit, so that the first data interface unit combines the received data from the plurality of first receiving units over the multiple paths.

Optionally the first receiving module <NUM> is further configured:
For a data packet in the data, to instruct the transmitting side to stop the data packet from being transmitted, when a part or all of the following conditions are satisfied:.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first data interface unit according to a fifth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally each of the first receiving units is located in a base station or a cell of a wireless communication system.

Optionally the first data interface unit and the first receiving unit are located in the same entity or different entities.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a second receiving unit according to a sixth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally the third receiving module <NUM> is further configured:
For a data packet in the data, to instruct the transmitting side to stop the data packet from being transmitted, when a part or all of the following conditions are satisfied:.

Optionally the second data interface unit and the second receiving unit are located in a terminal; or
The second data interface unit and the second receiving unit are located in different entities, and the second receiving unit is located in a terminal.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a second data interface unit according to a seventh embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally the fourth receiving module <NUM> is further configured:
For a data packet in the data, to instruct the transmitting side to stop the data packet from being transmitted, when a part or all of the following conditions are satisfied:.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first transmitting unit according to an eighth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally each of the first transmitting unit is located in a base station or a cell of a wireless communication system.

Optionally the first transmitting module <NUM> is further configured:
To receive second specific data from a first data processing unit, and to determine the second specific data as data to be transmitted, where the second specific data are obtained by the first data processing unit backing up the data to be transmitted, for the multiple paths.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first data processing unit according to a ninth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally each of the first transmitting units is located in a base station or a cell of a wireless communication system.

Optionally the first data processing unit and the first transmitting unit are located in the same entity or different entities.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a second transmitting unit according to a tenth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally the second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in a terminal; or.

The second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in different entities, and the second transmitting unit is located in a terminal.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a second data processing unit according to an eleventh embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally the second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in a terminal; or
The second data processing unit and the second transmitting unit are located in different entities, and the second transmitting unit is located in a terminal.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a control unit according to a twelfth embodiment of the invention includes:.

Optionally the transmission mode determining module <NUM> is configured:.

Optionally the instructing module <NUM> is further configured:
To instruct the receiving side to receive over the multiple paths, so that the receiving side receives the same data respectively over the different paths.

Optionally the transmission mode determining module <NUM> is further configured:
To select such ones of the paths between the transmitting side and the receiving side that can accommodate a required delay, as the paths for multipath transmission between the transmitting side and the receiving side, and to determine the transmitting side and the receiving side corresponding to the transmission paths.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a system for downlink transmission according to a thirteenth embodiment of the invention includes a control unit <NUM>, a first transmitting unit <NUM>, a second receiving unit <NUM>, a first data processing unit <NUM>, and a second data interface unit <NUM>.

Reference can be made to the respective embodiments above for particular functions of the respective units above, so a repeated description thereof will be omitted here.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a system for uplink transmission according to a fourteenth embodiment of the invention includes a control unit <NUM>, a first receiving unit <NUM>, a second transmitting unit <NUM>, a first data interface unit <NUM>, and a second data processing unit <NUM>.

The solution according to the embodiments of the invention will be further described below in connection with several examples thereof.

In a first example, the control unit centrally controls a plurality of wireless communication systems.

As illustrated in <FIG> which is a schematic diagram of a control unit centrally controlling a plurality of wireless communication systems according to a fifteenth embodiment of the invention, the control unit can be located in some wireless communication system (e.g., a <NUM> wireless communication system, and particularly some network node (e.g., a gateway (GW)) or a base station in a core network of the <NUM> wireless communication system); or some node (e.g., a PDN GW (PGW)) or a base station in a core network of an existing wireless communication system), or can be a separate entity.

In downlink transmission, wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> transmit, and a terminal receives; and
In uplink transmission, the terminal transmits, and the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> receive.

In the first step, the control unit determines the type of the terminal, or a service to be transmitted for the terminal, and the reliability and a delay as required for the terminal, and selects those wireless communication systems which can satisfy the required delay in one or more transmissions, e.g., the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>.

In the second step, the control unit notifies or negotiates with the selected wireless communication systems, and the wireless communication systems decide to participate in transmission over multiple paths.

In the third step, the control unit or the selected wireless communication systems notifies or notify the terminal of which wireless communication systems are to participate in transmission over the multiple paths, and the terminal prepares for transmission over the multiple paths, such as setup connection, synchronization, etc..

In the fourth step, the plurality of wireless communication systems transmit service data for the terminal.

In downlink transmission, when higher-layer service data of the network side (e.g., service data from an IP network) is arrived, then the selected wireless communication systems (e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM>) transmit service data packets respectively to the terminal. The wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM> can transmit separately from each other, or can interact with each other via related signaling and data.

In uplink transmission, when service data arrive, then the terminal transmits the same service data to all the selected wireless communication systems (e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM>).

In the fifth step, the receiving side receives and processes the data, including detecting the data for duplication.

In downlink transmission, the terminal receives data packets from the plurality of wireless communication systems, and detects the data packets for duplication, and sorts the data packets (optionally the terminal detects the data packets over the different transmission paths, and if there are a plurality of same data packets, then the terminal maintains only one of them while discarding the other duplicated data packets; and thereafter the terminal sorts the data packets by the identifiers of the data packets for convenient submission to a higher layer).

Optionally the terminal can make a necessary feedback to thereby reduce the number of duplicated transmissions so as to avoid resources from being wasted. For example, the terminal transmits correct reception feedbacks to both the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM>, or only one of the wireless communication systems, upon accurate reception of a data packet, and in the latter case, the wireless communication systems can interact with each other via signaling to stop transmission.

In uplink transmission, the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> receive uplink data packets separately from each other, and notify the terminal upon correct reception thereof or after the largest number of transmissions and/or the longest transmission delay is reached.

Preferably the data received by the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> can be combined (by one of the wireless communication systems, or the control unit), and the terminal can be notified after the data are received correctly.

In a second example, the control unit controls a plurality of cells in a wireless communication system.

As illustrated in <FIG> which is a schematic diagram of a control unit centrally controlling a plurality of cells in a wireless communication system according to a sixteenth embodiment of the invention, the control unit can be a node in the wireless communication system, e.g., a base station or a core network node, or can be a separate entity.

In the first step, the control unit determines the type of the terminal, or a service to be transmitted for the terminal, and the reliability and a delay as required for the terminal, and selects a plurality of cells to participate in transmission over multiple paths, e.g., the cell <NUM> and the cell <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>.

In the second step, the control unit interacts with the base station and the terminal via signaling to notify the base station and the terminal of the cells to participate in transmission over the multiple paths, and various parameters for transmission over the multiple paths (e.g., a feedback mode, the number of retransmissions, etc.).

In the third step, the plurality of cells transmit service data for the terminal.

In downlink transmission, when service data arrive, then the selected cells (e.g., the cell <NUM> and the cell <NUM>) transmit service data packets to the terminal. The cell <NUM> and the cell <NUM> can be controlled by the same node (e.g., the base station), or different nodes (e.g., base stations).

In uplink transmission, when service data arrive, then the terminal transmits the same service data to all the selected cells.

In the fourth step, the receiving side receives and processes the data, including detecting the data for duplication.

In downlink transmission, the terminal receives data packets from the plurality of cells, and detects the data packets for duplication, and sorts the data packets (optionally the terminal detects the data packets over the different transmission paths, and there are a plurality of duplicated data packets, then the terminal will maintain only one of them while discarding the other duplicated data packets; and thereafter the terminal sorts the data packets by the identifiers of the data packets for convenient submission to a higher layer).

Optionally the terminal can make a necessary feedback to thereby reduce the number of duplicated transmissions so as to avoid resources from being wasted. For example, the terminal transmits correct reception feedbacks to both the cell <NUM> and the cell <NUM>, or only one of the cells, upon accurate reception of a data packet.

In uplink transmission, the cells <NUM> and <NUM> receive uplink data packets separately from each other, and notify the terminal upon correct reception thereof or after the largest number of transmissions and/or the longest delay is reached.

Preferably the data received by the cells <NUM> and <NUM> can be combined, and the terminal can be notified after the data are received correctly.

In a third example, transmission over a plurality of path is started as a result of negotiation.

As illustrated in <FIG> which is a schematic diagram of starting transmission over a plurality of path as a result of negotiation according to a seventeenth embodiment of the invention, a control unit is one of wireless communication systems, which can be referred to as a primary connection system, and the control unit can be located on some core network entity (e.g., a GW) or a base station of the primary connection system.

In the first step, the wireless communication system <NUM> is the primary connection system of the terminal, which is referred to as a Primary Radio Access Technology (PRAT) system, e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>. The primary connection system determines the reliability and a delay as required for the terminal or a service, and determines whether to start transmission over multiple paths (for example, if transmission through the primary connection system fails to satisfy the reliability and the delay as required for the terminal or the service, then transmission over the multiple paths can be started), and if it is determined to start transmission over multiple paths, then the primary connection system selects those wireless communication systems with transmission paths satisfying the required delay to participate in transmission over the multiple paths (e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG>).

In the second step, the primary connection system interacts with the selected wireless communication systems via signaling (generally request and acknowledgement or request and rejection signaling) to determine the wireless communication systems to participate in transmission over the multiple paths, e.g., the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> to participate in transmission over the multiple paths as a result of negotiation in <FIG>.

In the third step, the primary connection system (the wireless communication system <NUM>) instructs the terminal to start transmission over the multiple paths, and notifies the terminal of necessary information about transmission over the multiple paths, e.g., the wireless communication system to participate in transmission over the multiple paths; and the terminal prepares for transmission over the multiple paths, such as setup connection, synchronization, etc..

In downlink transmission, when higher-layer service data of the network side (e.g., service data from an IP network) is arrived, then the selected wireless communication systems (e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM>) can transmit service data packets respectively to the terminal. The wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM> can transmit separately from each other, or can interact with each other via related signaling and data.

In uplink transmission, when service data arrive, then the terminal can transmit the same service data to all the selected wireless communication systems (e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM>).

In uplink transmission, the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> receive uplink data packets separately from each other, and notify the terminal upon correct reception thereof or after the largest number of transmissions and/or the longest transmission delay is reached. Preferably the data received by the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> can be combined (by one of the wireless communication systems, or an intermediary unit), and the terminal can be notified after the data are received correctly.

In a fourth example, a terminal controls transmission over multiple paths.

As illustrated in <FIG> which is a schematic diagram of a terminal controlling transmission over multiple paths to an eighteenth embodiment of the invention, a control unit is the terminal.

In downlink transmission, wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> transmit, and the terminal receives; and
In uplink transmission, the terminal transmits, and the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> receive.

In the first step, the terminal decides to transmit over multiple paths while guaranteeing a delay and the reliability, according to a delay and the reliability as required for the terminal or some service, and selects wireless communication systems likely to participate in transmission over the multiple paths.

In the second step, the terminal is connected with the plurality of wireless communication systems, and requests for transmission over the multiple paths. The wireless communication systems respond. For example, the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM> as illustrated in <FIG> can participate in transmission over the multiple paths.

In the third step, the plurality of wireless communication systems transmit service data for the terminal.

In downlink transmission, when higher-layer service data of the network side (e.g., service data from an IP network) arrive, then the selected wireless communication systems (e.g., the wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM>) can transmit service data packets respectively to the terminal. The wireless communication system <NUM> and the wireless communication system <NUM> can transmit separately from each other, or can interact with each other via related signaling and data.

In downlink transmission, the terminal receives data packets from the plurality of wireless communication systems, and detects the data packets for duplication, and sorts the data packets (optionally the terminal detects the data packets over the different transmission paths, and if there are a plurality of duplicated data packets, then the terminal maintains only one of them while discarding the other duplicated data packets; and thereafter the terminal sorts the data packets by the identifiers of the data packets for convenient submission to a higher layer).

Preferably the data received by the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> can be combined (by one of the wireless communication systems, or an intermediary unit), and the terminal can be notified after the data are received correctly.

In a fifth example, terminals guarantee an end-to-end delay and reliability through blindly redundant transmission.

As illustrated in <FIG> which is a schematic diagram of a terminal transmitting in a blindly redundant mode according to a nineteenth embodiment of the invention, a control unit is the terminal.

In downlink transmission, wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> transmit, and terminals receive; and
In uplink transmission, the terminals transmit, and the wireless communication systems <NUM> and <NUM> receive.

In the first step, the terminal <NUM> decides to transmit over multiple paths while guaranteeing a delay and the reliability, according to a delay and the reliability as required for the terminal or some service. The terminal can make a general decision, and select wireless communication systems likely to participate in transmission over the multiple paths.

In the second step, the terminal <NUM> transmits the same service data to the selected plurality of wireless communication systems. Transmission over the multiple paths is transparent to the wireless communication systems participating in transmission over the multiple paths, that is, the participating wireless communication systems do not know that they participate in transmission over the multiple paths.

In the third step, the terminal <NUM> receives the transmitted service data from the plurality of wireless communication systems, detects the data, combines the data, detects the data for duplication, and sorts the data.

Preferably the terminals can alternatively negotiate in advance about and determine their connected wireless communication systems, and select those wireless communication systems from them to participate in transmission over multiple paths.

The third, fourth, and fifth embodiments of the invention can also be applicable to transmission over multiple paths in a plurality cells in a wireless communication system.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a base station according to a twentieth embodiment of the invention includes a processor <NUM>, a transceiver <NUM>, and a memory <NUM>, where:.

If the base station is a receiver, then the processor <NUM> can be configured to read programs in the memory, and to perform the processes of:.

If the base station is a transmitter, then the processor <NUM> can be configured to read the data in the memory, and to perform the processes of:.

In <FIG>, the bus architecture can include any number of interconnected buses and bridges to link together various circuits including one or more processors represented by the processor <NUM>, and one or more memories represented by the memory <NUM>. The bus architecture can further link together various other circuits, e.g., peripheral devices, a voltage stabilizer, a power management circuit, etc., and all of these circuits are well known in the art, so a further description thereof will be omitted in this context. The bus interface provides an interface. The transceiver <NUM> can include a number of elements, e.g., a transmitter and a receiver, configured to provide units for communication with various other devices over a transmission medium. The processor <NUM> is responsible for managing the bus architecture and typical processes, and the memory <NUM> can store data to be used by the processor <NUM> in operation.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first data interface unit for transmitting data according to a twenty-first embodiment of the invention includes a processor <NUM>, a communication interface <NUM>, and a memory <NUM>, where:
The processor <NUM> is configured to read programs in the memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

In <FIG>, the bus architecture can include any number of interconnected buses and bridges to link together various circuits including one or more processors represented by the processor <NUM>, and one or more memories represented by the memory <NUM>. The bus architecture can further link together various other circuits, e.g., peripheral devices, a voltage stabilizer, a power management circuit, etc., and all of these circuits are well known in the art, so a further description thereof will be omitted in this context. The bus interface provides an interface. The processor <NUM> is responsible for managing the bus architecture and typical processes, and the memory <NUM> can store data to be used by the processor <NUM> in operation.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a first data processing unit for transmitting data according to a twenty-second embodiment of the invention includes a processor <NUM>, a communication interface <NUM>, and a memory <NUM>, where:
The processor <NUM> is configured to read data from the memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

The communication interface <NUM> is configured to be controlled by the processor <NUM> to transmit data to other entities at the network side, and to be controlled by the processor <NUM> to receive data transmitted by the other entities at the network side; and
The memory <NUM> is configured to store data for use by the processor <NUM> in operation.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a terminal according to a twenty-third embodiment of the invention includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a transceiver <NUM>, where:.

If the terminal is a receiver, then the processor <NUM> can be configured to read programs in the memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

If the terminal is a transmitter, then the processor <NUM> can be configured to read programs in the memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

In <FIG>, the bus architecture can include any number of interconnected buses and bridges to link together various circuits including one or more processors represented by the processor <NUM>, and one or more memories represented by the memory <NUM>. The bus architecture can further link together various other circuits, e.g., peripheral devices, a voltage stabilizer, a power management circuit, etc., and all of these circuits are well known in the art, so a further description thereof will be omitted in this context. The bus interface provides an interface. The transceiver <NUM> can include a number of elements, e.g., a transmitter and a receiver, configured to provide units for communication with various other devices over a transmission medium. For different user equipments, the user interface <NUM> can also be an interface via which external or internal devices are connected as appropriate, where the connected devices include but will not be limited to a keypad, a display, a speaker, a microphone, a joystick, etc..

The processor <NUM> is responsible for managing the bus architecture and typical processes, and the memory <NUM> can store data to be used by the processor <NUM> in operation.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a second data interface unit for transmitting data according to a twenty-fourth embodiment of the invention includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a communication interface <NUM>, where:
The processor <NUM> is configured to read programs in the memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

The communication interface <NUM> is configured to be controlled by the processor <NUM> to receive data of a terminal, and to be controlled by the processor <NUM> to transmit data to the terminal.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a second data processing unit for transmitting data according to a twenty-fifth embodiment of the invention includes a processor <NUM>, a memory <NUM>, and a communication interface <NUM>, where:
The processor <NUM> is configured to read program in the memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

As illustrated in <FIG>, a control unit for transmitting data according to a twenty-sixth embodiment of the invention includes:
A processor <NUM> is configured to read programs in a memory <NUM>, and to perform the processes of:.

The communication interface <NUM> is configured to be controlled by the processor <NUM> to exchange data with the transmitting side and the receiving side.

Those skilled in the art shall appreciate that the embodiments of the invention can be embodied as a method, a system or a computer program product. Therefore the invention can be embodied in the form of an all-hardware embodiment, an all-software embodiment or an embodiment of software and hardware in combination. Furthermore the invention can be embodied in the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer useable storage mediums (including but not limited to a disk memory, a CD-ROM, an optical memory, etc.) in which computer useable program codes are contained.

The invention has been described in a flow chart and/or a block diagram of the method, the device (system) and the computer program product according to the embodiments of the invention. It shall be appreciated that respective flows and/or blocks in the flow chart and/or the block diagram and combinations of the flows and/or the blocks in the flow chart and/or the block diagram can be embodied in computer program instructions. These computer program instructions can be loaded onto a general-purpose computer, a specific-purpose computer, an embedded processor or a processor of another programmable data processing device to produce a machine so that the instructions executed on the computer or the processor of the other programmable data processing device create means for performing the functions specified in the flow(s) of the flow chart and/or the block(s) of the block diagram.

These computer program instructions can also be stored into a computer readable memory capable of directing the computer or the other programmable data processing device to operate in a specific manner so that the instructions stored in the computer readable memory create an article of manufacture including instruction means which perform the functions specified in the flow(s) of the flow chart and/or the block(s) of the block diagram.

These computer program instructions can also be loaded onto the computer or the other programmable data processing device so that a series of operational steps are performed on the computer or the other programmable data processing device to create a computer implemented process so that the instructions executed on the computer or the other programmable device provide steps for performing the functions specified in the flow(s) of the flow chart and/or the block(s) of the block diagram.

Although the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, those skilled in the art benefiting from the underlying inventive concept can make additional modifications and variations to these embodiments. Therefore the appended claims are intended to be construed as encompassing the preferred embodiments and all the modifications and variations coming into the scope of the invention.

Claim 1:
A communication method, comprising:
receiving, by a receiving side, from a control unit, a notification of which wireless communication systems are to participate in data transmission over respective multiple paths, wherein the wireless communication systems are determined to participate in the data transmission according to a delay as required for a terminal;
receiving, by the receiving side, data from a transmitting side over the respective multiple paths, over each of which the same data are received; and
combining, by the receiving side, the received data over the multiple paths; wherein the combining, by the receiving side, the received data over the multiple paths comprises:
detecting received data for duplication, and in response to there being a plurality of the same data, retaining only one of the same data and discarding the other duplicated data