Method for transmitting data from an emitter to a plurality of receivers

• US 20050066034A1
• Filed: 07/26/2002
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Hans, Martins, Beckmann, Mark, Otte, Andreas, Eckert, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,200,835 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• 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 76/28 Discontinuous transmission [DTX]; Discontinuous reception [DRX]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method is provided for transmitting data from a sender to a number of receivers. Also provided are an emitting and/or receiving unit and a communication system. The present invention seeks to provide a method, an emitting and/or receiving unit and a communication system for the efficient, resource saving and energy saving transmission of data to a group of receivers of a point-to-multipoint service. To this end, a point-to-multipoint service is carried out as an extension of a broadcast service CBS in a multi-layer protocol system, providing a multimedia transmission and/or a multicast service, preferably in the form of a multimedia broadcast/multicast service MBMS, during the distribution and/or planning of the use of system resources and the use of a discontinuous reception DRX.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled).

21. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a point-to-multipoint service as an extension to a broadcast service in a multilayer protocol system by at least one of a multimedia transmission and a multicast service; and

using the point-to-multipoint service provided as an extension to a broadcast service for at least one of (a) planning of use of system resources and use of discontinuous reception, and (b) allocation of use of system resources and use of discontinuous reception.

22. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 21, wherein the point-to-multipoint service provided as an extension to a broadcast service is a multimedia broadcast/multicast service.

23. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 21, wherein the planning is carried out in two stages.

24. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 23, wherein an MC DRX level 1 message is used to signal where, how many and when resources are assigned for transmission of planning information.

25. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 24, wherein an MC DRX level 1 message is used to transmit information elements regarding one of which resources of transport channels and which frames of physical channels are respectively reserved or assigned.

26. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 25, wherein a recipient is notified, via one of scheduling messages and planning messages, of planning regarding at least one of which physical channels, which transport channels, which frames and which resources for multicast services are made available, and when, as well as when the respective physical channels, transport channels, frames and resources for the multicast services actually transport multicast messages.

27. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 25, wherein a common traffic channel is mapped, based on a requirement by the sender, onto transport channels other than a forward access channel and onto physical channels other than a secondary common control physical channel.

28. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 21, wherein various protocol layers are configured based on planning messages from discontinuous reception via a radio resource monitoring unit in a receiver.

29. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 21, wherein notification is provided at a physical level regarding the resources in which one of data in a multicast message and further planning messages can be expected.

30. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 21, wherein information about a respective multicast group is attached to messages regarding at least one of planning and allocation of resources.

31. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 30, wherein multicast groups are indicated by one of a multicast group address and a multicast group identity.

32. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 30, wherein further information in a message is identified in a monitoring layer for deciding whether a multicast message with payload data should be received.

33. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 32, wherein the further information is signaled via an MC DRX level 2 message.

34. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 33, wherein an MC DRX level 2 message is used to signal the resources to which multicast messages actually can be transmitted as physical channels and transport channels.

35. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 34, wherein previously assigned indices are used as a basis for one of (a) assigning resources of physical channels and transport channels, and (b) notifying when multicast messages are actually transmitted to resources of physical channels and transport channels.

36. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 35, wherein at least one of an offset with respect to a first frame which is used for a multicast transmission is indicated and a cell broadcast service planning period is indicated.

37. A method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers as claimed in claim 25, wherein an information element is transmitted in order to decide on reserved resources with respect to one of broadcast services and multicast services.

38. A unit for at least one of transmitting and receiving data, the unit being used in connection with a method for transmitting data from a sender to at least two receivers, the unit comprising parts for communicating with a point to multi-point service provided as an extension to a broadcast service in a multilayer protocol system by at least one of a multimedia transmission and a multicast service, for at least one of (a) planning of use of system resources and use of discontinuous reception and (b) allocation of use of system resources and use of discontinuous reception, wherein the unit represents one of the at least two receivers.

39. A unit for at least one of transmitting and receiving data as claimed in claim 38, wherein the point to multi-point service provided as an extension to a broadcast service is a multimedia broadcast/multicast service.

40. A unit for at least one of transmitting and receiving data as claimed in claim 38, wherein the unit is a mobile telephone.

41. A unit for at least one of transmitting and receiving data as claimed in claim 38, wherein the unit is designed for at least one of sending and receiving multimedia messages.

42. A communications system, comprising:

a point to multi-point service provided as an extension to a broadcast service in the communications system by at least one of a multimedia transmission and a multicast service, for at least one of (a) planning of use of system resources and use of discontinuous reception and (b) allocation of use of system resources and use of discontinuous reception, wherein the communications system has a multi-layer protocol architecture; and

a unit for at least one of transmitting and receiving data, the unit communicating with the point to multi-point service provided as an extension to a broadcast service, wherein the unit represents one of the at least two receivers to which the sender transmits data.