Header compression for cell relay communications

Abstract

Systems and methodologies are described that facilitate compressing packet headers for cell relay communications. Since cell relays can support a number of evolved packet system (EPS) bearers over a given dedicated radio bearer (DRB), robust header compression (RoHC) can be multiplexed for communications to/from a given cell relay. Thus, an upstream node compressing one or more packet headers can indicate a RoHC context, which can be represented by a RoHC context identifier in a RoHC header. A receiving entity can decompress the headers based on determining the RoHC context. Alternatively, the RoHC context can be associated with an identifier of a related UE bearer such as a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), a relay identifier, and/or the like, that is received in a tunneling protocol header to facilitate packet routing.

1 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a packet with a robust header compression (RoHC) compressed header from at least one of a plurality of evolved packet system (EPS) bearers mapped to a dedicated radio bearer (DRB);   determining a RoHC context for the RoHC compressed header; and   decompressing the RoHC compressed header based at least in part on the RoHC context.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the determining the RoHC context includes obtaining a RoHC context identifier from a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising obtaining an identifier for routing the packet from a tunneling protocol header, wherein the packet or the RoHC compressed header is encapsulated in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the determining the RoHC context includes determining the RoHC context based at least in part on the identifier. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header and the identifier is a relay identifier assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB). 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing an internet protocol (IP) header and a related IP packet to a downstream user equipment (UE), wherein decompressing the RoHC compressed header yields the IP header. 
   
   
       8 . A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 obtain a packet with a robust header compression (RoHC) compressed header from one of a plurality of evolved packet system (EPS) bearers mapped to a dedicated radio bearer (DRB) of the wireless communications apparatus; 
 discern a RoHC context used for compression of the RoHC compressed header; and 
 decompress the RoHC compressed header according to the RoHC context; and 
   a memory coupled to the at least one processor.   
   
   
       9 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor discerns the RoHC context based at least in part on a RoHC context identifier in a header of the packet with the RoHC compressed header. 
   
   
       10 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to extract an identifier having at least a portion relating to a corresponding user equipment (UE) bearer from a tunneling protocol header within which the packet or the RoHC compressed header is encapsulated. 
   
   
       11 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the at least one processor discerns the RoHC context based at least in part on the identifier. 
   
   
       12 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       13 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header and the identifier is a relay identifier assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB). 
   
   
       14 . An apparatus, comprising:
 means for receiving a packet with a robust header compression (RoHC) compressed header from at least one of a plurality of evolved packet system (EPS) bearers mapped to a dedicated radio bearer (DRB);   means for determining a RoHC context for the RoHC compressed header; and   means for decompressing the RoHC compressed header based at least in part on the RoHC context.   
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the means for determining the RoHC context determines the RoHC context based at least in part on a RoHC context identifier in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising means for extracting an identifier relating to a user equipment (UE) bearer that corresponds to the at least one of the plurality of EPS bearers from a tunneling protocol header that encapsulates the packet. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the means for determining the RoHC context determines the RoHC context based at least in part on the identifier. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       19 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header and the identifier is a relay identifier. 
   
   
       20 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to receive a packet with a robust header compression (RoHC) compressed header from at least one of a plurality of evolved packet system (EPS) bearers mapped to a dedicated radio bearer (DRB); 
 code for causing the at least one computer to determine a RoHC context for the RoHC compressed header; and 
 code for causing the at least one computer to decompress the RoHC compressed header based at least in part on the RoHC context. 
   
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 20 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the RoHC context obtains a RoHC context identifier from a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 20 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to obtain a local identifier from a tunneling protocol header, wherein the packet is encapsulated in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       23 . The computer program product of  claim 22 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to determine the RoHC context determines the RoHC context based at least in part on the local identifier. 
   
   
       24 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header and the local identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       25 . The computer program product of  claim 23 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header and the local identifier is a relay identifier assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB). 
   
   
       26 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a bearer communicating component that receives a packet with a robust header compression (RoHC) compressed header from at least one of a plurality of evolved packet system (EPS) bearers mapped to a dedicated radio bearer (DRB);   a RoHC context determining component that discerns a RoHC context for the RoHC compressed header; and   a RoHC decompressing component that decompresses the RoHC compressed header based at least in part on the RoHC context.   
   
   
       27 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the RoHC context determining component discerns the RoHC context based at least in part on a RoHC context identifier in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       28 . The apparatus of  claim 26 , further comprising an identifier receiving component that extracts an identifier relating to a user equipment (UE) bearer that corresponds to the at least one of the plurality of EPS bearers from a tunneling protocol header that encapsulates the packet. 
   
   
       29 . The apparatus of  claim 28 , wherein the RoHC context determining component discerns the RoHC context based at least in part on the identifier. 
   
   
       30 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       31 . The apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header and the identifier is a relay identifier. 
   
   
       32 . A method, comprising:
 compressing a header of a packet received over an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer using robust header compression (RoHC) based at least in part on a RoHC context;   indicating an identifier related to the RoHC context in the packet; and   transmitting the packet over a dedicated radio bearer (DRB) to which the EPS bearer and one or more additional EPS bearers are mapped.   
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising selecting a RoHC context identifier for the packet, wherein the compressing the header using RoHC is based at least in part on the RoHC context identifier. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the indicating the identifier includes specifying the RoHC context identifier in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising encapsulating the header or the packet in a tunneling protocol header, wherein the indicating the identifier includes specifying the identifier in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header, and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header, and the identifier is a relay identifier assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB). 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the packet is an IP packet received from a core network for communicating to a user equipment (UE). 
   
   
       39 . A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 compress a header of a packet received over an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer based at least in part on a selected robust header compression (RoHC) context; 
 specify an identifier related to the selected RoHC context in the packet; and 
 communicate the packet over a dedicated radio bearer (DRB) to which the EPS bearer and one or more disparate EPS bearers in a core network are mapped; and 
   a memory coupled to the at least one processor.   
   
   
       40 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to select a RoHC context identifier for the packet and the selected RoHC context relates to the RoHC context identifier. 
   
   
       41 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 40 , wherein the identifier is a RoHC context identifier in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       42 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to encapsulate the header or the packet in a tunneling protocol header, and the identifier is related to a relay evolved Node B (eNB) that provides the DRB specified in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       43 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header, and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       44 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header, and the identifier is a relay identifier. 
   
   
       45 . An apparatus, comprising:
 means for compressing a header of a packet received over an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer based at least in part on a robust header compression (RoHC) context;   means for indicating an identifier related to the RoHC context in the packet; and   means for transmitting the header over a dedicated radio bearer (DRB) to which the EPS bearer and one or more additional EPS bearers are mapped.   
   
   
       46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising means for selecting the RoHC context. 
   
   
       47 . The apparatus of  claim 46 , wherein the means for indicating the identifier specifies an identifier of the RoHC context in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       48 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , further comprising means for encapsulating the header or the packet in a tunneling protocol header, wherein the means for indicating the identifier specifies the identifier in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header, and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       50 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header, and the identifier is a relay identifier. 
   
   
       51 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to compress a header of a packet received over an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer using robust header compression (RoHC) based at least in part on a RoHC context; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to indicate an identifier related to the RoHC context in the packet; and 
 code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the packet over a dedicated radio bearer (DRB) to which the EPS bearer and one or more additional EPS bearers are mapped. 
   
   
   
       52 . The computer program product of  claim 51 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to select a RoHC context identifier for the packet, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to compress the header using RoHC compresses the header based at least in part on the RoHC context identifier. 
   
   
       53 . The computer program product of  claim 52 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to indicate the identifier specifies the RoHC context identifier in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       54 . The computer program product of  claim 51 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to encapsulate the header or the packet in a tunneling protocol header, wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to indicate the identifier specifies the identifier in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       55 . The computer program product of  claim 54 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header, and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       56 . The computer program product of  claim 54 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header, and the identifier is a relay identifier assigned by a donor evolved Node B (eNB). 
   
   
       57 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a robust header compression (RoHC) compressing component that compresses a header of a packet received over an evolved packet system (EPS) bearer using RoHC based at least in part on a RoHC context;   a context identifying component that specifies an identifier related to the RoHC context in the packet; and   a bearer communicating component that transmits the header over a dedicated radio bearer (DRB) to which the EPS bearer and one or more additional EPS bearers are mapped.   
   
   
       58 . The apparatus of  claim 57 , further comprising a RoHC context selecting component that determines the RoHC context. 
   
   
       59 . The apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein the context identifying component is a RoHC context indicating component that specifies an identifier of the RoHC context in a RoHC header of the packet. 
   
   
       60 . The apparatus of  claim 57 , further comprising a packet encapsulating component that inserts the header or the packet in a tunneling protocol header, wherein the context identifying component is an identifier specifying component that indicates the identifier in the tunneling protocol header. 
   
   
       61 . The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP)-U header, and the identifier is a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID). 
   
   
       62 . The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the tunneling protocol header is a relay protocol header, and the identifier is a relay identifier. 
   
   
       63 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a packet from an upstream node comprising a user datagram protocol (UDP), internet protocol (IP), or general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) header;   compressing the header of the packet to include a compressed serving gateway (SGW) IP address; and   transmitting the packet with the compressed header to a downstream node.   
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the compressed SGW IP address is of a smaller size than an SGW IP address specified in the header before compression. 
   
   
       65 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising generating the compressed SGW IP address based at least in part on a transport address translation request received from the downstream node. 
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the compressing the header further comprises compressing the header to include a message type, a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), a sequence number, a N-packet data unit (PDU) number, or a next extension header type. 
   
   
       67 . A wireless communications apparatus, comprising:
 at least one processor configured to:
 obtain a packet from an upstream node comprising a user datagram protocol (UDP), internet protocol (IP), or general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) header; 
 associate a compressed header with the packet that includes a compressed serving gateway (SGW) IP address; and 
 transmit the packet with the compressed header to a downstream node; and 
   a memory coupled to the at least one processor.   
   
   
       68 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the compressed SGW IP address is of a smaller size than an SGW IP address specified in the header of the packet. 
   
   
       69 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to generate the compressed SGW IP address based at least in part on a transport address translation request received from the downstream node. 
   
   
       70 . The wireless communications apparatus of  claim 67 , wherein the compressed header additionally includes a message type, a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), a sequence number, a N-packet data unit (PDU) number, or a next extension header type. 
   
   
       71 . An apparatus, comprising:
 means for receiving a packet from an upstream node comprising a user datagram protocol (UDP), internet protocol (IP), or general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) header;   means for applying compression to the header of the packet to compress at least an serving gateway (SGW) IP address; and   means for transmitting the packet with the compressed header to a downstream node.   
   
   
       72 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the means for applying compression to the header compresses the SGW IP address to a smaller byte size. 
   
   
       73 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the means for applying compression generates a compressed representation of the SGW IP address in response to a transport address translation request received from the downstream node. 
   
   
       74 . The apparatus of  claim 71 , wherein the compressed header further includes a message type, a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), a sequence number, a N-packet data unit (PDU) number, or a next extension header type. 
   
   
       75 . A computer program product, comprising:
 a computer-readable medium comprising:
 code for causing at least one computer to receive a packet from an upstream node comprising a user datagram protocol (UDP), internet protocol (IP), or general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) header; 
 code for causing the at least one computer to compress the header of the packet to include a compressed serving gateway (SGW) IP address; and 
 code for causing the at least one computer to transmit the packet with the compressed header to a downstream node. 
   
   
   
       76 . The computer program product of  claim 75 , wherein the compressed SGW IP address is of a smaller size than an SGW IP address specified in the header before compression. 
   
   
       77 . The computer program product of  claim 75 , wherein the computer-readable medium further comprises code for causing the at least one computer to generate the compressed SGW IP address based at least in part on a transport address translation request received from the downstream node. 
   
   
       78 . The computer program product of  claim 75 , wherein the code for causing the at least one computer to compress the header further compresses the header to include a message type, a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), a sequence number, a N-packet data unit (PDU) number, or a next extension header type. 
   
   
       79 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an internet protocol (IP) packet receiving component that receives a packet from an upstream node comprising a user datagram protocol (UDP), IP, or general packet radio service (GPRS) tunneling protocol (GTP) header;   a header compressing component compresses the header of the packet at least in part by compressing an serving gateway (SGW) IP address in the header; and   a bearer communicating component that transmits the packet with the compressed header to a downstream node.   
   
   
       80 . The apparatus of  claim 79 , wherein the header compressing component compresses the SGW IP address to a smaller byte size. 
   
   
       81 . The apparatus of  claim 79 , wherein the header compressing component generates a compressed representation of the SGW IP address in response to a transport address translation request received from the downstream node. 
   
   
       82 . The apparatus of  claim 79 , wherein the compressed header further includes a message type, a tunnel endpoint identifier (TEID), a sequence number, a N-packet data unit (PDU) number, or a next extension header type.