Patent ID: 8472475

Claim:
A method for fragmenting a protocol data unit for transmission from a source node in a communication network to another node of the network, the method comprising: a) the source node determining a quantity of a plurality of subpackets in which to send the protocol data unit, wherein the protocol data unit comprises one or more service data units; b) the source node creating a data unit header for a first of the plurality of subpackets; c) the source node identifying one or more fragments of the protocol data unit for inclusion in each of the plurality of subpackets; d) the source node creating an aggregation subheader for the first of the plurality of subpackets, wherein the aggregation subheader comprises data identifying the one or more fragments; and e) the source node concatenating the data unit header, one or more fragments and aggregation subheader to build the first of the plurality of subpackets; wherein the one or more fragments in the first of the plurality of subpackets comprise a portion of a service data unit if the source node determines there is not enough bandwidth to transmit the entire service data unit in the first of the plurality of subpackets.