MBMS bearer enhancements for push to talk or push to everything via eMBMS

• US 10,277,415 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2013
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Zhang, Xiaoxia, Wang, Jun, Zhu, Xipeng, Naik, Nagaraju
• Primary Examiner(s): Ko, Sithu
• Application Number:
  US14/785,292
• Publication Number:
  US 20160087810A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,203 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/062 applying encryption of the keys cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution using key encryption key H04L9/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/065 for group communications cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management involving conference or group key H04L9/0833
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/037 of the control plane, e.g. signalling traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/04 Key management, e.g. using generic bootstrapping architecture [GBA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for wireless communication are provided. The apparatus may be a UE that performs a PTT/PTX call setup for communication via MBMS. In a first configuration, the UE sets up a unicast bearer with an eNB, and sends group call setup signaling to the eNB while setting up the unicast bearer. In a second configuration, the UE sets up a unicast bearer with an eNB, and receives group call setup signaling from the eNB while setting up the unicast bearer. In a third configuration, the UE receives a group page while in an RRC idle state, and receives group call setup signaling based on information in the group page.

Claims

1. A method of operating a user equipment (UE), comprising:

determining group identifying information that identifies a given Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) group to which the UE is registered, the given MBMS group being supported by a MBMS session that is maintained while the MBMS session is not being used to support any group calls associated with the given MBMS group;

receiving a group page for a given group call with the given MBMS group that includes the group identifying information that identifies the given MBMS group;

setting up the given group call in response to the group page over the MBMS session based on the group identifying information;

obtaining a first set of MBMS traffic keys (MTKs) for encrypting control data that is exchanged between the UE and a network component after the UE has joined the given group call while the given group call is in progress; and

obtaining a second set of MTKs for encrypting media to be transmitted by the UE during the given group call.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the group identifying information includes a group identifier (ID) for the given MBMS group, a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) for the given MBMS group and/or a MBMS user service ID for the given MBMS group.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the group identifying information includes the TMGI for the given MBMS group.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the group identifying information includes the MBMS user service ID for the given MBMS group.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein resources supporting the MBMS session are allocated to unicast traffic when the MBMS session is not being used to support any group calls associated with the given MBMS group.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the MBMS session is an Always-On MBMS session.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein setting up the given group call includes:

tuning to an MBMS bearer or multicast traffic channel (MTCH) corresponding to the group identifying information to receive media for the given group call.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the given group call is a push to talk (PTT) or push to everything (PTX) call.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the second set of MTKs includes:

generating the second set of MTKs at the UE.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining of the first set of MTKs includes:

receiving the first set of MTKs at the UE from a remote server.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the remote server is a PTT over cellular (PoC) server or a Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC).

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sending a first talk burst control message for the given group call encrypted based on the first set of MTKs;

receiving a second talk burst control message for the given group call encrypted based on a third set of MTKs different than the first set of MTKs; and

sending media for the given group call based on the second set of MTKs different than the first set of MTKs and the third set of MTKs.

13. The method of claim 12,

wherein the first set of MTKs is generated by the UE,

wherein the third set of MTKs is generated by another UE participating in the given group call, and

wherein the second set of MTKs is generated by a remote server.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the remote server is a PTT over cellular (PoC) server or a Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC).

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the UE is in a Radio Resource Control (RRC) Idle state when the group page is received.

16. A method of operating a network component, comprising:

transmitting, to one or more target user equipments (UE) that are registered to a given Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) group, a group page for a given group call with the given MBMS group that includes group identifying information that identifies the given MBMS group, the given MBMS group being supported by a MBMS session that is maintained while the MBMS session is not being used to support any group calls associated with the given MBMS group;

setting up the given group call over the MBMS session; and

transmitting control data and call media over an MBMS bearer or multicast traffic channel (MTCH) corresponding to the group identifying information,

wherein the control data is exchanged between the one or more target UEs and the network component after the one or more target UEs have joined the given group call while the given group call is in progress, and is encrypted by a first set of MBMS traffic keys (MTKs), and

wherein the call media is encrypted by a second set of MTKs.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the component is an enhanced Node B (eNB) of an access network.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the group identifying information includes a group identifier (ID) for the given MBMS group, a temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) for the given MBMS group and/or a MBMS user service ID for the given MBMS group.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the group identifying information includes the TMGI for the given MBMS group.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the group identifying information includes the MBMS user service ID for the given MBMS group.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein resources supporting the MBMS session are allocated to unicast traffic when the MBMS session is not being used to support any group calls associated with the given MBMS group.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein the MBMS session is an Always-On MBMS session.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the given group call is a push to talk (PTT) or push to everything (PTX) call.

24. A user equipment (UE), comprising:

a processor coupled to memory and configured to;

determine group identifying information that identifies a given Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) group to which the UE is registered, the given MBMS group being supported by a MBMS session that is maintained while the MBMS session is not being used to support any group calls associated with the given MBMS group;

receive a group page for a given group call with the given MBMS group that includes the group identifying information that identifies the given MBMS group;

set up the given group call in response to the group page over the MBMS session based on the group identifying information;

obtain a first set of MBMS traffic keys (MTKs) for encrypting control data that is exchanged between the UE and a network component after the UE has joined the given group call while the given group call is in progress; and

obtain a second set of MTKs for encrypting media to be transmitted by the UE during the given group call.

25. A network component, comprising:

a processor coupled to memory and configured to;

transmit, to one or more target user equipments (UE) that are registered to a given Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) group, a group page for a given group call with the given MBMS group that includes group identifying information that identifies the given MBMS group, the given MBMS group being supported by a MBMS session that is maintained while the MBMS session is not being used to support any group calls associated with the given MBMS group;

set up the given group call over the MBMS session; and

transmit control data and call media over an MBMS bearer or multicast traffic channel (MTCH) corresponding to the group identifying information,

wherein the control data is exchanged between the one or more target UEs and the network component after the one or more target UEs have joined the given group call while the given group call is in progress, and is encrypted by a first set of MBMS traffic keys (MTKs), and

wherein the call media is encrypted by a second set of MTKs.

26. The component of claim 25, wherein the network component is an enhanced Node B (eNB) of an access network.