Method and system for controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services

• US 20040184438A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 09/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Terry, Stephen E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,869,399 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/349
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 16/10 Dynamic resource partitioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/04 Error control
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/16 Central resource management; Negotiation of resources or communication parameters, e.g. negotiating bandwidth or QoS [Quality of Service]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/24 Accounting or billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/34 TPC management, i.e. sharing limited amount of power among users or channels or data types, e.g. cell loading
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/23 in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/006 in the downlink, i.e. towards the terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A wireless multi-cell communication system and method of controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS). The system includes at least one network, e.g., a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (UTRAN), which distributes the MBMS to one or more wireless receive/transmit units (WTRUs). In one embodiment, the MBMS are activated and deactivated based on whether periodic cell updates are provided for a particular cell. In another embodiment, MBMS transmission is terminated when receipt of the MBMS are confirmed. In yet another embodiment, the MBMS are segmented to reduce the resources used by the network and/or the WTRUs during MBMS distribution.

Claims

1. In a wireless multi-cell communication system including at least one network in communication with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a method of controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS) from the network to the WTRU, the method comprising:

(a) the network segmenting the MBMS into a plurality of individual data segments and transmitting each of the MBMS data segments to the WTRU;

(b) the WTRU storing in a memory therein each MBMS data segment that is properly received by the WTRU;

(c) the WTRU identifying to the network at least one MBMS data segment that was not properly received by the WTRU; and

(d) the network only retransmitting the identified MBMS data segment to the WTRU.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) the network indicating to the WTRU, prior to step (a), when each of the MBMS data segments is to be transmitted to the WTRU and how many data segments the MBMS comprise.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each MBMS data segment includes at least one cyclic redundancy check (CRC) used to validate the successful delivery of the MBMS data segment by the WTRU.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(e) an operator of the network determining whether or not the WTRU has received all of the data segments of the MBMS so as to facilitate billing.

7. In a wireless multi-cell communication system including at least one network in communication with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a method of controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS) from the network to the WTRU, the method comprising:

(a) the network segmenting the MBMS into a plurality of individual MBMS data segments scheduled to be transmitted at different times to the WTRU;

(b) the network indicating to the WTRU the different scheduled times and how many data segments the MBMS comprise;

(c) the network transmitting the MBMS data segments to the WTRU at the different scheduled times;

(d) the WTRU activating a receiver therein at the different scheduled times to receive the MBMS data segments transmitted by the network;

(e) the WTRU identifying to the network at least one MBMS data segment that was not properly received by the WTRU;

(f) the network indicating to the WTRU an allocated time when the identified MBMS data segment is to be retransmitted to the WTRU;

(g) the network only retransmitting the identified MBMS data segment to the WTRU; and

(h) the WTRU activating the receiver therein at the allocated time to receive the identified MBMS data segment.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein each of the MBMS data segments includes at least one cyclic redundancy check (CRC) used to validate the successful delivery of the MBMS data segment by the WTRU.

11. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

(i) an operator of the network determining whether or not the WTRU has received all of the data segments of the MBMS so as to facilitate billing.

12. In a wireless multi-cell communication system including at least one network in communication with a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), a method of controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS) from the network to the WTRUs, the method comprising:

(a) the WTRUs, operating in a specific one of the cells of the communication system, activating the MBMS;

(b) the network determining the number of WTRUs operating in the specific cell that activated the MBMS;

(c) the network allocating resources to the specific cell based on the determined number of WTRUs;

(d) the network distributing the MBMS to the WTRUs using the allocated resources; and

(e) the network terminating the MBMS at the WTRUs and reallocating the resources of the network when all of the WTRUs deactivate the MBMS.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

15. In a wireless multi-cell communication system including at least one network in communication at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a method of controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the method comprising:

(a) the WTRU activating the MBMS;

(b) the WTRU providing a periodic update to the network indicating a first one of the cells of the communication system that the WTRU is operating in; and

(c) the network distributing the MBMS to the WTRU; and

(d) the network terminating the MBMS at the WTRU when the WTRU either ceases to provide the periodic update or operates in a cell of the communication system that is different than the first cell.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

18. In a wireless multi-cell communication system including at least one network in communication with at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), a method of controlling the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the method comprising:

(a) the network distributing the MBMS to the WTRU by transmitting a plurality of MBMS data transmissions;

(b) the WTRU indicating to the network that all of the MBMS data transmissions have been received; and

(c) the network terminating the MBMS data transmissions.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

21. A wireless multi-cell communication system which controls the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the communication system comprising:

(a) at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU); and

(b) at least one network in communication with the WTRU, wherein;

(i) the network segments the MBMS into a plurality of individual data segments and transmits each of the MBMS data segments to the WTRU;

(ii) the WTRU stores in a memory therein each MBMS data segment that is properly received by the WTRU;

(iii) the WTRU identifies to the network at least one MBMS data segment that was not properly received by the WTRU; and

(iv) the network only retransmits the identified MBMS data segment to the WTRU.

22. The communication system of claim 21 wherein before the network transmits each of the MBMS segments, the network indicates to the WTRU when each of the MBMS data segments is to be transmitted to the WTRU and indicates to the WTRU how many data segments the MBMS comprise.

23. The communication system of claim 21 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

24. The communication system of claim 21 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

25. The communication system of claim 21 wherein each of the MBMS data segments includes at least one cyclic redundancy check (CRC) used to validate the successful delivery of the MBMS data segment by the WTRU.

26. The communication system of claim 21 wherein an operator of the network determines whether or not the WTRU has received all of the data segments of the MBMS so as to facilitate billing.

27. A wireless multi-cell communication system which controls the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the communication system comprising:

(a) at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU); and

(b) at least one network in communication with the WTRU, wherein;

(i) the network segments the MBMS into a plurality of individual MBMS data segments scheduled to be transmitted at different times to the WTRU;

(ii) the network indicates to the WTRU the different scheduled times and how many data segments the MBMS comprise;

(iii) the network transmits the MBMS data segments to the WTRU at the different scheduled times;

(iv) the WTRU activates a receiver therein at the different scheduled times to receive the MBMS data segments transmitted by the network;

(v) the WTRU identifies to the network at least one MBMS data segment that was not properly received by the WTRU;

(vi) the network indicates to the WTRU an allocated time when the identified MBMS data segment is to be transmitted to the WTRU;

(vii) the network only retransmits the identified MBMS data segment to the WTRU; and

(viii) the WTRU activates the receiver therein at the allocated time to receive the retransmitted MBMS data segment.

28. The communication system of claim 27 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

29. The communication system of claim 27 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

30. The communication system of claim 27 wherein each MBMS data segment includes at least one cyclic redundancy check (CRC) used to validate the successful delivery of the MBMS data segment by the WTRU.

31. The communication system of claim 27 wherein an operator of the network determines whether or not the WTRU has received all of the data segments of the MBMS so as to facilitate billing.

32. A wireless multi-cell communication system which controls the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the communication system comprising:

(a) a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs); and

(b) at least one network in communication with the WTRUs, wherein;

(i) the WTRUs, operating in a specific one of the cells of the communication system, activate the MBMS;

(ii) the network determines the number of WTRUs operating in the specific cell that activated the MBMS;

(iii) the network allocates resources to the specific cell based on the determined number of WTRUs;

(iv) the network distributes the MBMS to the WTRUs using the allocated resources; and

(v) the network terminates the MBMS at the WTRUs and reallocates the resources of the network when all of the WTRUs deactivate the MBMS.

33. The communication system of claim 32 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

34. The communication system of claim 32 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

35. A wireless multi-cell communication system which controls the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the communication system comprising:

(a) at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU); and

(b) at least one network in communication with the WTRU, wherein;

(i) the WTRU activates the MBMS;

(ii) the WTRU provides a periodic update to the network indicating a first one of the cells of the communication system that the WTRU is operating in;

(iii) the network distributes the MBMS to the WTRU; and

(iv) the network terminates the MBMS at the WTRU when the WTRU either ceases to provide the periodic update or operates in a cell of the communication system that is different than the first cell.

36. The communication system of claim 35 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

37. The communication system of claim 35 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

38. A wireless multi-cell communication system which controls the distribution of multimedia broadcast services (MBMS), the communication system comprising:

(a) at least one wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU); and

(b) at least one network in communication with the WTRU, wherein;

(i) the network distributes the MBMS to the WTRU by transmitting a plurality of MBMS data transmissions;

(ii) the WTRU indicates to the network that all of the MBMS data transmissions have been received; and

(iii) the network terminates the MBMS data transmissions.

39. The communication system of claim 38 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

40. The communication system of claim 38 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.