Packet data communication method and system

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 comprising the additional steps of: generating at the first system a header for the data frame, the header including packet identifying information and a header error code; and utilizing the header error code in the received data frame to determine whether the header has been received error-free.

Claim 4

In a communication system, a method for transferring a frame of data, comprising the steps of: forming a data packet from the frame of data by arranging the frame of data into a plurality of subframes and generating a plurality of error codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of subframes; transmitting the data packet; receiving the data packet; utilizing the plurality of error codes to determine which subframes, if any, of the plurality of subframes have been received error-free; and causing the data packet to be retransmitted if less than all subframes of the plurality of subframes have not previously been received error-free.

Claim 5

In a communication system, a method for transferring a frame of data, comprising the steps of: forming a data packet from the frame of data by arranging the frame of data into a plurality of subframes and generating a plurality of error codes each corresponding to one of the plurality of subframes; transmitting the data packet; receiving the data packet; utilizing the plurality of error codes to determine which subframes, if any, of the plurality of subframes have been received error-free; and causing the data packet to be retransmitted if less than all subframes of the plurality of subframes have not previously been received error-free.

Claim 6

The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of: encoding the data packet.

Claim 7

The method of claim 3, wherein the step of forming a data packet includes the step of: including in the data packet identifying information to identify the data packet.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of: generating acknowledgment information after all subframes of the plurality of subframes have been received error-free.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6, wherein the step of generating an acknowledgment information includes the step of: extracting the identifying information from the data packet; and incorporating the identifying information in the acknowledgment information.

Claim 10

A system in accordance with claim 7, wherein: the first controller calculates a third error code over the data packet; and the second controller utilizes the third error code to determine if the received data packet has been received error-free.

Claim 11

A communication system comprising: a first system, comprising: a first transceiver module; a first memory; a first controller, the first controller coupled to the first system module and the first memory; the first controller receiving a data frame and assembling a data packet from the data frame by forming a plurality of subframes, and generating a plurality of first error codes, each of the first error codes being calculated over a corresponding subframe, the first controller storing the data packet in the memory, and the first controller being operational to cause the first system module to transmit the data packet; and a second system, comprising: a second transceiver module; a second memory; a second controller, the second controller coupled to the second memory and to the second module; the second controller operating on a data packet received by the second controller to identify subframes which are error-free and storing the error-free subframes in the second memory, and causing the second system to generate an acknowledgment data packet only after all subframes of the plurality of subframes have been received error-free.

Claim 12

A communication system comprising: a first system, comprising: a first transceiver module; a first memory; a first controller, the first controller coupled to the first system module and the first memory; the first controller receiving a data frame and assembling a data packet from the data frame by forming a plurality of subframes, and generating a plurality of first error codes, each of the first error codes being calculated over a corresponding subframe, the first controller storing the data packet in the memory, and the first controller being operational to cause the first system module to transmit the data packet; and a second system, comprising: a second transceiver module; a second memory; a second controller, the second controller coupled to the second memory and to the second module; the second controller operating on a data packet received by the second controller to identify subframes which are error-free and storing the error-free subframes in the second memory, and causing the second system to generate an acknowledgment data packet only after all subframes of the plurality of subframes have been received error-free.

Claim 13

A communication system in accordance with claim 9, wherein: the data packet includes a header portion; the header portion includes identification information and a second error code, the second error code being calculated by the first controller over the header; and the second controller utilizing the second error code in the received data packet to determine whether the header has been received error-free and inhibiting the second system from generating the acknowledgment data packet in the event that the header is not error-free.

Claim 14

A communication system in accordance with claim 10, further comprising: a communication link coupling the first system to the second system.

Claim 15

A communication system in accordance with claim 10, wherein the communication link is a radio frequency link.

Claim 16

A communication system in accordance with claim 10, wherein: the first controller includes a means for retransmitting the data packet unless the acknowledgment data packet is received within a predetermined time period.

Claim 17

A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein: the first controller calculates a third error code over the data packet; and the second controller utilizes the third error code to determine if the received data packet has been received error-free.