Method for implementing Iu-Flex based MBMS

• US 20030189914A1
• Filed: 03/17/2003
• Published: 10/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honor Device Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhao, Jianguo
• Granted Patent: US 7,457,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• 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 47/15 in relation to multipoint traffic arrangements for broadcast or multicast in data networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/70 Admission control; Resource allocation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/762 triggered by the network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/806 Broadcast or multicast traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/822 Collecting or measuring resource availability data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/824 Applicable to portable or mobile terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/8016 based on quality of service [QoS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/2073 Multipoint, e.g. messaging, broadcast or group SMS
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/22 Bandwidth or usage-sensitve billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/32 Involving wireless systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2215/7414 QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/10 Flow control between communication endpoints
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/04 Registration at HLR or HSS [Home Subscriber Server]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/14 between access point controllers and backbone network device

Abstract

A method is provided for implementing Iu-Flex-Based MBMS. A SGSN sends an RAB request to an RNC. The RNC establishes a corresponding RAB for the multicast traffic according to the request and the SGSN sending the request. At the same time, if the RNC detects that a plurality of multicast traffics from other SGSNs correspond to a multicast traffic, the RNC will choose an SGSN as the primary SGSN, take the RAB between the primary SGSN and itself as the primary path to receive the multicast traffic, and maintain the connections to other SGSN. Transmission of the multicast traffic is then performed through the primary SGSN, during the multicast traffic transmission process. The RNC may change the primary SGSN when necessary, receive multicast traffic through the RAB of the new primary SGSN, and maintain the connections to other SGSNs. In this method, multicast traffics can be implemented simply and reliably. The method also helps to reduce consumption of network resources and improve network security and accounting management.

Claims

1. A method for implementing a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) in a network environment having an intra-domain connection of Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes to multiple Core Network (CN) nodes, the method comprising:

a Serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) Support Node (SGSN) sending an RAB request for a Radio Access Bearer (RAB) connection to a Radio Network Controller (RNC);

the RNC establishing a corresponding RAB request for multicast traffic, the corresponding RAB request corresponding to the RAB request, the SGSN sending the corresponding RAB request according to the RAB request;

the RNC detecting when a plurality of multicast traffics are requested by other SGSNs;

when a plurality of multicast traffics are requested by the other SGSNs, the RNC choosing an SGSN as a primary SGSN and deeming the RAB between the primary SGSN and the RNC as a primary path to receive multicast traffic and to maintain connections to secondary SGSNs; and

transmitting the multicast traffic through the primary SGSNs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting the multicast traffic comprises the RNC determining when to change the primary SGSN, and when the RNC determines that the RNC chooses one of the SGSNs as primary SGSN, multicast data being received through the RAB between the new primary SGSN and the RNC, and the connections to secondary SGSNs being maintained.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the RAB connections maintained between the RNC and the secondary SGSNs are implemented through sending a minimum or zero data stream from the secondary SGSNs to the RNC.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the changing of the primary SGSN by the RNC is performed when the network requires releasing the RAB between the RNC and the primary SGSN.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the changing of the primary SGSN by the RNC is performed when an SGSN that has not established an RAB connection to the RNC initiates an RAB request.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the choosing one of the SGSNs as the primary SGSN is performed according to factors including multicast data packets received by the RNC through RABs to SGSNs, the quality of the transmission links, the load on the transmission links, links established, and QoS requirements of the SGSNs for the multicast traffic.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the choosing one of the SGSNs as the primary SGSN is performed according to factors including multicast data packets received by the RNC through RABs to SGSNs, the quality of the transmission links, the load on the transmission links, links established, and QoS requirements of the SGSNs for the multicast traffic.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein before determining the primary SGSN, the RNC consults with the SGSNs for the QoS requirements of multicast RAB to ensure the multicast RAB of the primary receiving path satisfies the requirements of all primary SGSNs and secondary SGSNs.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising when an amount of data packets received by a secondary SGSN from a Gateway GPRS support node (GGSN) does not exceed a restriction of the RNC, the SGSN does not forward the data packets received from the GGSN to the RNC or forward compressed messages to the RNC, and the RNC is deemed to have already received the multicast data.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

when a secondary SGSN forwards only compressed messages to the RNC or does not forward multicast data packets, the RNC sends statistical information about the multicast data packets received from the primary SGSN to the primary SGSN and to an individual secondary SGSN.