Method and apparatus for configuring protocols for a multimedia broadcast/multicast service
First Claim
1. A method of providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells in a mobile communication system, comprising the steps of:
- receiving upper-layer protocol data including an upper-layer protocol header and user data for the MBMS service;
compressing the upper-layer protocol header by a predetermined header compression protocol that is common to the plurality of cells;
generating lower-layer protocol data by attaching a PDCP (Packet Data Control Protocol) header to the compressed header and the user data, wherein the PDCP header represents the header compression protocol; and
transmitting the lower-layer protocol data to lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for providing an MBMS service to a plurality of cells in a mobile communication system are provided. In a mobile communication system including an RNC for providing an MBMS service and a plurality of Node Bs connected to the RNC, for providing the MBMS service to UEs within a plurality of cells. The RNC is configured to have a plurality of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells. An RLC and PDCP entity that area common to the cells, receive MBMS data from an upper layer and transmit, upon receiving a request from one of the lower-layer entities, the MBMS data to the lower-layer entity. Therefore, the RNC can provide the MBMS service more efficiently, and unnecessary consumption of system resources is reduced.
87 Citations
71 Claims
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1. A method of providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells in a mobile communication system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving upper-layer protocol data including an upper-layer protocol header and user data for the MBMS service;
compressing the upper-layer protocol header by a predetermined header compression protocol that is common to the plurality of cells;
generating lower-layer protocol data by attaching a PDCP (Packet Data Control Protocol) header to the compressed header and the user data, wherein the PDCP header represents the header compression protocol; and
transmitting the lower-layer protocol data to lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of configuring a common device for a plurality of cells to provide an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within the plurality of cells in a mobile communication system, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a configuration request message having PDCP (Packet Data Control Protocol) header information and header compression information;
configuring a header compressor using the header compression information, for receiving upper-layer protocol data including an upper-layer protocol header and user data for the MBMS service;
compressing the upper-layer protocol header by a predetermined header compression protocol common to the cells; and
configuring a header attacher using the PDCP header information, for generating lower-layer protocol data by attaching a PDCP header to the compressed header and the user data, wherein the PDCP header represents the header compression protocol. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A radio network controller (RNC) for providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells, comprising:
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a plurality of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells; and
a PDCP (Packet Data Control Protocol) entity that is common to the cells and specific to the MBMS service, for receiving MBMS data and transmitting the MBMS data to the lower-layer entities. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A method of providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells, comprising the steps of:
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receiving upper-layer protocol data including user data for the MBMS service;
buffering the received upper-layer protocol data in a buffer common to the cells;
receiving request from one of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells; and
transmitting as much buffered data as requested to the lower-layer entity. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method of configuring an RLC (Radio Link Control) entity that is common to a plurality of cells to provide an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within the cells, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a list of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells that are to receive the MBMS service;
configuring a buffer common to the cells to buffer upper-layer protocol data including user data for the MBMS service;
configuring a plurality of pointers to point at positions of data to be transmitted to the lower-layer entities in the common buffer;
setting variables to an initial value, wherein the variable indicating the respective sequence numbers (SNs) of data, which was transmitted to the lower-layer entities;
configuring a switch for connecting the common buffer to the lower-layer entities; and
connecting the switch and the lower-layer entities by referring to the list. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A radio network controller (RNC) for providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells, comprising:
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a plurality of lower-layer entities corresponding to the plurality of cells that are to receive the MBMS service; and
an RLC (Radio Link Control) entity that is common to the plurality of cells and specific to the MBMS service, for receiving MBMS data, buffering the MBMS data, and transmitting, upon receiving a request from one of the lower-layer entities, the MBMS data to the lower-layer entity. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells, comprising the steps of:
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receiving upper-layer protocol data including user data for the MBMS service;
buffering the received upper-layer protocol data in a plurality of buffers corresponding to the cells; and
transmitting to one of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells as much data stored in a buffer corresponding to the lower-layer entity as requested, upon receiving a request from the lower-layer entity. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. A method of configuring an RLC (Radio Link Control) entity common to a plurality of cells to provide an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within the cells, comprising the steps of:
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receiving a list of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells that are to receive the MBMS service;
generating as many copies of upper-layer protocol data including MBMS data as the number of the cells;
distributing the copies to the lower-layer entities;
buffering the distributed data; and
connecting buffers and the lower-layer entities. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67)
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68. A radio network controller (RNC) for providing an MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) service to UEs (User Equipments) within a plurality of cells, comprising:
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a plurality of lower-layer entities corresponding to the cells that are to receive the MBMS service; and
an RLC (Radio Link Control) entity that is common to the cells and specific to the MBMS service, for receiving MBMS data, buffering the MBMS data, and transmitting, upon receiving a request from one of the lower-layer entities, the MBMS data to a buffer corresponding to the lower-layer entity among a plurality of buffers corresponding to the lower-layer entities. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71)
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Specification