CELL RESELECTION AND HANDOVER WITH MULTIMEDIA BROADCAST/MULTICAST SERVICE

• US 20080287129A1
• Filed: 04/25/2008
• Published: 11/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sammour, Mohammed, Miller, James M., Wang, Jin, Somasundaram, Shankar, Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises, Mukherjee, Rajat P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,712,414 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• 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 36/0007 for multicast or broadcast services, e.g. MBMS multicast or broadcast application services H04W4/06; resource management for broadcast services H04W72/30; connection management for selective distribution or broadcast H04W76/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0055 Transmission or use of information for re-establishing the radio link
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0833 Random access procedures, e.g. with 4-step access

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing wireless communication services, (e.g., multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS)), are disclosed. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) detects a plurality of target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor a serving cell eNodeB. The WTRU evaluates cell reselection criteria and determines a neighboring target cell eNodeB to reselect. The WTRU receives and reads master information block (MIB) and system information messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB, and confirms that the determined neighboring target cell eNodeB is not part of a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN). The WTRU identifies the neighboring target cell eNodeB to the serving cell eNodeB. The WTRU then receives and reads MIB messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB again to determine whether the system information has changed and, if so, the WTRU reads the system information and reselects to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, which provides the wireless communication services.

Claims

1. A method of providing wireless communication services, the method comprising:

receiving, from a serving cell eNodeB, cell information associated with target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor the serving cell eNodeB;

evaluating cell reselection criteria;

determining a neighboring target cell eNodeB to reselect;

transmitting, to the serving cell eNodeB, a random access channel (RACH) preamble or RACH message indicating the neighboring target cell eNodeB;

receiving and reading master information block (MIB) and system information messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB; and

confirming that the determined neighboring target cell eNodeB is not part of a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN).

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

reselecting to the neighboring target cell eNodeB;

transmitting, to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update message including capability information and service requirements; and

receiving, from the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update confirmation message indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

reselecting to the neighboring target cell eNodeB; and

receiving a signal from the neighboring target cell eNodeB indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

6. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from a serving cell eNodeB, cell information associated with target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor the serving cell eNodeB;

a processor configured to evaluate cell reselection criteria and determine a neighboring target cell eNodeB to reselect; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, to the serving cell eNodeB, a random access channel (RACH) preamble or RACH message indicating the neighboring target cell eNodeB, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive and read master information block (MIB) and system information messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB, and the processor is further configured to confirm that the determined neighboring target cell eNodeB is not part of a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN).

7. The WTRU of claim 6 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update message including capability information and service requirements, and the receiver is further configured to receive, from the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update confirmation message indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

8. The WTRU of claim 7 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

9. The WTRU of claim 6 wherein the processor is further configured to reselect the neighboring target cell eNodeB, and the receiver is further configured to receive an indication indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

10. The WTRU of claim 9 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

11. A method of providing wireless communication services, the method comprising:

receiving neighbor cell information and capability information for a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) area;

transmitting, to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), cell information associated with target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor a serving cell eNodeB;

receiving, from the WTRU, a random access channel (RACH) preamble or RACH message indicating a neighboring target eNodeB; and

transmitting, to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a signal including the identity of the WTRU and required services information.

12. A serving cell evolved Node-B (eNodeB) for providing wireless communication services, the eNodeB comprising:

a receiver configured to receive cell information associated with target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) for a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) area; and

a transmitter configured to transmit, to a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU), the received cell information, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the WTRU, a random access channel (RACH) preamble or RACH message indicating a neighboring target eNodeB, and the transmitter is further configured to transmit, to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a signal including the identity of the WTRU and required services information.

13. A method of providing wireless communication services, the method comprising:

detecting a plurality of target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor a serving cell eNodeB;

evaluating cell reselection criteria;

determining a neighboring target cell eNodeB to reselect;

receiving and reading master information block (MIB) and system information messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB;

transmitting, to the serving cell eNodeB, a random access channel (RACH) preamble or RACH message indicating the neighboring target cell eNodeB;

receiving and reading MIB messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB again to determine whether the system information has changed; and

if it is determined that the system information has changed, reading the system information and reselecting to the neighboring target cell eNodeB.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if reselection to the neighboring target cell eNodeB occurs, transmitting, to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update message including capability information and service requirements; and

receiving, from the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update confirmation message indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if reselection to the neighboring target cell eNodeB occurs, receiving, from the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a signal indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

confirming that the determined neighboring target cell eNodeB is not part of a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN).

19. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a receiver configured to detect a plurality of target cell evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) that neighbor a serving cell eNodeB;

a processor configured to evaluate cell reselection criteria and determine a neighboring target cell eNodeB to reselect;

the receiver further configured to receive and read master information block (MIB) and system information messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB;

a transmitter configured to transmit, to the serving cell eNodeB, a random access channel (RACH) preamble or RACH message indicating the neighboring target cell eNodeB; and

the processor being further configured to read MIB messages of the neighboring target cell eNodeB again to determine whether the system information has changed, and if it is determined that the system information has changed, the processor reads the system information and reselects to the neighboring target cell eNodeB.

20. The WTRU of claim 19 wherein if reselection to the neighboring target cell eNodeB occurs, the transmitter is further configured to transmit, to the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update message including capability information and service requirements, and the receiver is further configured to receive, from the neighboring target cell eNodeB, a cell update confirmation message indicating that the neighboring target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

21. The WTRU of claim 20 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

22. The WTRU of claim 20 wherein the processor is further configured to confirm that the determined neighboring target cell eNodeB is not part of a multimedia broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN)

23. A target cell evolved Node-B (eNodeB) for providing wireless communication services, the target cell eNodeB comprising:

a receiver configured to receive, from a serving cell eNodeB, a signal including the identity of a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) and required services information;

a processor configured to determine whether the target cell eNodeB has the required services; and

a transmitter configured to transmit master information block (MIB) and system information messages, and if the target cell eNodeB does not have the required services, the transmitter is further configured to transmit a first message requesting that the target eNodeB be joined to a multicast distribution tree for providing the required services.

24. The target cell eNodeB of claim 23 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive, from the WTRU, a cell update message including capability information and service requirements, and the transmitter is further configured to transmit, to the WTRU, a cell update confirmation message indicating that the target cell eNodeB is ready to provide a wireless communication service.

25. The target cell eNodeB of claim 24 wherein the wireless communication service is multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS).

26. The target cell eNodeB of claim 24 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive a second message acknowledging the first message requesting that the target cell eNodeB be joined to a multicast distribution tree for providing the required services.