Method and system for organizing the cells of a wireless communication system and allocating resources to provide multimedia broadcast services

• US 20040228301A1
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Published: 11/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Dick, Stephen G., Rudolf, Marian
• Granted Patent: US 7,586,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• 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 system and method for configuring the system for configuring a wireless multi-cell communication to provide multimedia broadcast services (MBMS) to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs). The cells of the communication system are organized into a plurality of sets of one or more cells. Resource units are assigned to each set of cells in the communication system. The assigned resource units are allocated in each cell of the communication system for MBMS transmission. The WTRUs receive information indicating how to access the resource units allocated for MBMS transmission. The WTRUs receive the MBMS from one or more of the cells of the communication system.

Claims

1. In a wireless multi-cell communication system, a method of configuring the system to provide multimedia broadcast services (MBMS) to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), the method comprising:

(a) organizing the cells of the communication system into a plurality of sets of one or more cells;

(b) assigning resource units to each set of cells in the communication system;

(c) allocating the assigned resource units in each cell of the communication system for MBMS transmission;

(d) the WTRUs receiving information indicating how to access the resource units allocated for MBMS transmission; and

(e) the WTRUs receiving MBMS from one or more of the cells of the communication system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(f) establishing MBMS requirements for the communication system;

(g) determining resource units for each cell in the communication system that are available for MBMS; and

(h) repeating steps (a)-(g) when there is a change in the MBMS requirements or the MBMS requirements cannot be fulfilled.

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

(f) using multi-frame allocations in the communication system;

(g) establishing a repetition period for all of the cells in the communication system; and

(h) establishing a subset of frames to be used for MBMS transmission per repetition period for each of the sets of cells.

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

(f) determining whether to use multi-frame allocations in the communication system; and

(g) when it is determined in step (f) to use multi-frame allocations;

(i) establishing a repetition period for all of the cells in the communication system; and

(ii) establishing a subset of frames to be used for MBMS transmission per repetition period for each of the sets of cells.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) system, the method further comprising:

(f) determining whether to use multi-frame allocations in the communication system; and

(g) when it is determined in step (f) not to use multi-frame allocations, providing different combinations of timeslots for each set of cells, wherein the same combination of timeslots in each frame is used.

6. A wireless multi-cell communication system configured to provide multimedia broadcast services (MBMS) to a plurality of wireless transmit/receive units (WTRUs), the communication system comprising:

(a) means for organizing the cells of the communication system into a plurality of sets of one or more cells;

(b) means for assigning resource units to each set of cells in the communication system;

(c) means for allocating the assigned resource units in each cell of the communication system for MBMS transmission;

(d) first receiving means, located in each of the WTRUs, for receiving information indicating how to access the resource units allocated for MBMS transmission; and

(e) second receiving means, located in each of the WTRUs, for receiving MBMS from one or more of the cells of the communication system.

7. The communication system of claim 6 further comprising:

(f) means for establishing MBMS requirements for the communication system;

(g) means for determining resource units for each cell in the communication system that are available for MBMS; and

(h) means for determining whether there is a change in the MBMS requirements or whether the MBMS requirements cannot be fulfilled.

8. The communication system of claim 6 wherein the communication system is a frequency division duplex (FDD) communication system.

9. The communication system of claim 8 further comprising:

(f) means for using multi-frame allocations in the communication system;

(g) means for establishing a repetition period for all of the cells in the communication system; and

(h) means for establishing a subset of frames to be used for MBMS transmission per repetition period for each of the sets of cells.

10. The communication system of claim 6 wherein the communication system is a time division duplex (TDD) communication system.

11. The communication system of claim 10 further comprising:

(f) means for determining to use multi-frame allocations in the communication system;

(g) means for establishing a repetition period for all of the cells in the communication system; and

(h) means for establishing a subset of frames to be used for MBMS transmission per repetition period for each of the sets of cells.

12. The communication system of claim 10 further comprising:

(f) means for determining not to use multi-frame allocations in the communication system; and

(g) means for providing different combinations of timeslots for each set of cells, wherein the same combination of timeslots in each frame is used.