MULTICAST MESSAGING WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20090080357A1
• Filed: 09/17/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Ananthanarayanan, Arul, Gill, Harleen, SONG, Bongyong
• Granted Patent: US 8,570,911 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• 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 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 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 15/00 Thermoelectric devices without a junction of dissimilar materials; Thermomagnetic devices, e.g. using the Nernst-Ettingshausen effect integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/1061 based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive fibres
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/702 based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive fibres

Abstract

Methods and systems for sending multicast messages are disclosed. A multicast message is received to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals at a radio access network (RAN), the received multicast message having a first format. The first format may correspond to a conventional multicast message format. The RAN determines whether the received multicast message requires special handling. If the RAN determines the received multicast message requires special handling, the radio access network converts the received multicast message from the first format into a second format. The RAN transmits the converted multicast message with the second format (e.g., a data over signaling (DOS) message) on a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals. The access terminals receiving the converted multicast message interpret the message as a multicast message.

Claims

1. A method of sending multicast messages within a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, the received multicast message having a first format;

determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling;

converting the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the determining step determines the received multicast message requires special handling; and

transmitting the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step determines whether the received multicast message requires special handling based on a BCA10 identifier associated with the received multicast message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the determining step includes:

comparing the BCA10 identifier associated with the received multicast message with a reserved list of BCA10 identifiers; and

determining the received multicast message to require special handling if the comparing step indicates that the BCA10 identifier associated with the received multicast message matches one of the BCA10 identifiers in the reserved list.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step determines whether the multicast message requires special handling based on an internet protocol (IP) header of the multicast message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining step determines whether the multicast message requires special handling based on a Difserv Code Point (DSCP) value within the IP header.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the determining step determines whether the multicast message requires special handling based on one or more multicast internet protocol (IP) addresses and a port range.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first format corresponds to a conventional message format and the second format corresponds to a data over signaling (DOS) message format.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the converting step converts the multicast message into the DOS message format such that the resultant DOS message is addressed to a multicast access terminal identifier (MATI) that is associated with at least a portion of the plurality of access terminals.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the converting step sets the MATI to a broadcast multicast service (BCMCS) flow Identifier (ID) for a given BCMCS flow.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

decoding, at one or more of the plurality of access terminals, the DOS message based on whether the one or more of the plurality of access terminals is interested in the BCMCS flow indicated by the MATI.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

decoding, at each of the plurality of access terminals, any DOS message addressed to the MATI.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step transmits at a next available control channel capsule on a downlink control channel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the next available control channel is one of a synchronous control channel capsule (SC) and a sub-synchronous control channel capsule (SSC).

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the transmitting step transmits the multicast message with the second format within a given media access control (MAC) layer packet of the next available control channel capsule.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the given MAC layer packet is an earliest MAC layer packet within the next available control channel capsule.

16. A method of receiving multicast messages within a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a message on a control channel at an access terminal;

determining whether the message includes a multicast message; and

extracting the multicast message from the message if the message includes a multicast message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is a data over signaling (DOS) message.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the multicast message includes a multicast access terminal identifier (MATI) that identifies the plurality of access terminals.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the message is received on at least one of a synchronous control channel capsule (SC) or a sub-synchronous control channel capsule (SSC).

20. A method of configuring a wireless communication system for special handling of multicast messages, comprising:

selecting at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

instructing an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols; and

generating a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier to associate the generated multicast message with the special handling protocols to be applied by the access network.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the multicast flow identifier is a broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID).

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

transmitting the generated multicast message to the access network.

23. The method of claim 20, further comprising, at the access network,

receiving the transmitted multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, the received multicast message having a first format;

determining whether the transmitted multicast message requires special handling;

converting the transmitted multicast message from the first format into a second format if the determining step determines the transmitted multicast message requires special handling; and

transmitting the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

24. A wireless communication system including a broadcast serving node (BSN), comprising:

logic configured to select at least one of a plurality of reserved multicast flow identifiers; and

logic configured to generate a multicast message including the selected reserved multicast flow identifier, wherein the selected reserved multicast flow identifier is configured to trigger special handling protocols for the multicast message at an access network.

25. The wireless communication system of claim 24, further comprising:

logic configured to receive the generated multicast message from the BSN, the received multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals and having a first format;

logic configured to determine whether the received multicast message requires special handling based on the selected multicast flow identifier included within the received multicast message;

logic configured to convert the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the multicast message requires special handling; and

logic configured to transmit the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

26. A wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, the received multicast message having a first format;

means for determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling,

means for converting the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the multicast message requires special handling; and

means for transmitting the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the means for determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling uses a BCA10 identifier associated with the received multicast message.

28. The wireless communication system of claim 27, further comprising:

means for comparing the BCA10 identifier associated with the received multicast message with a reserved list of BCA10 identifiers, wherein the received multicast message requires special handling if the BCA10 identifier associated with the received multicast message matches one of the BCA10 identifiers in the reserved list.

29. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the means for determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling uses an internet protocol (IP) header of the multicast message.

30. The wireless communication system of claim 29, wherein the IP header includes a Difserv Code Point (DSCP) value to indicate special handling.

31. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the means for determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling uses one or more multicast internet protocol (IP) addresses and a port range.

32. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the first format corresponds to a conventional message format and the second format corresponds to a data over signaling (DOS) message format.

33. The wireless communication system of claim 32, further comprising:

means to convert the multicast message into a DOS message format such that the resultant DOS message is addressed to a multicast access terminal identifier (MATI) that is associated with at least a portion of the plurality of access terminals.

34. The wireless communication system of claim 33, wherein the MATI is set to a broadcast multicast service (BCMCS) flow Identifier (ID) for a given BCMCS flow.

35. The wireless communication system of claim 34, further comprising:

a means for decoding, at one or more of the plurality of access terminals, the DOS message.

36. The wireless communication system of claim 33, wherein the means for decoding decodes, at each of the plurality of access terminals, any DOS message addressed to the MATI.

37. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein means for transmitting transmits at a next available control channel capsule on a downlink control channel.

38. The wireless communication system of claim 37, wherein the next available control channel is one of a synchronous control channel capsule (SC) or a sub-synchronous control channel capsule (SSC).

39. The wireless communication system of claim 37, wherein the means for transmitting transmits the multicast message with the second format within a given media access control (MAC) layer packet of the next available control channel capsule.

40. A wireless communication system, comprising:

means for selecting at least one of a plurality of reserved multicast flow identifiers; and

means for generating a multicast message including the selected reserved multicast flow identifier, wherein the selected reserved multicast flow identifier is configured to trigger special handling protocols for the multicast message at an access network.

41. The wireless communication system of claim 40, further comprising:

means for receiving the generated multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals from the first means, wherein the received multicast message has a first format;

means for determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling based on the selected multicast flow identifier included within the received multicast message and

means for converting the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the received multicast message requires special handling; and

means for transmitting the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

42. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to receive a multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, the received multicast message having a first format;

program code to determine whether the received multicast message requires special handling;

program code to convert the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the received multicast message requires special handling; and

program code to transmit the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

43. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to determine whether a message received on a control channel at an access terminal includes a multicast message; and

program code to extract the multicast message from the message if the message includes a multicast message.

44. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to select at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

program code to instruct an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols; and

program code to generate a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier to associate the generated multicast message with the special handling protocols to be applied by the access network.

45. An access network, comprising:

logic configured to receive a multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, the received multicast message having a first format;

logic configured to determine whether the received multicast message requires special handling;

logic configured to convert the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the received multicast message requires special handling; and

logic configured to transmit the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

46. An access terminal, comprising:

logic configured to determine whether a message received on a control channel includes a multicast message; and

logic configured to extract the multicast message from the message if the message includes a multicast message.

47. A broadcast serving node, comprising:

logic configured to select at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

logic configured to instruct an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols; and

logic configured to generate a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier to associate the generated multicast message with the special handling protocols to be applied by the access network.