TERMINATING A MULTICAST SESSION WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090080358A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: SONG, Bongyong
• Granted Patent: US 9,344,290 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/30 Connection release
• 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

Abstract

A wireless communication system and methods thereof are disclosed. A server (e.g., a push-to-talk (PTT) server) determines a multicast message to be a final multicast message for a multicast session having an indeterminate end time. The server inserts a flag into the multicast message, the inserted flag indicating that the flagged multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session. The server sends the flagged multicast message to a communication entity (e.g., a radio access network (RAN), a broadcast serving node (BSN), etc.) supporting the multicast session. The communication entity (e.g., RAN, BSN, etc.) receives the multicast message from the server. The communication entity determines whether the received multicast message includes a flag relating to multicast session termination. The communication entity releases at least one channel associated with the multicast session based on the determining step.

Claims

1. A method of terminating a multicast session, comprising:

determining a multicast message to be a final multicast message for a multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

inserting a flag into the multicast message, the inserted flag indicating that the flagged multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session; and

sending the flagged multicast message to a communication entity supporting the multicast session.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein inserting the flag includes setting a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the multicast message to a given value.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the communication entity is expected to interpret the DSCP value being set to the given value as an indication that the flagged multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication entity is one of a broadcast serving node (BSN) or a radio access network (RAN).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the communication entity assigns a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) to signaling packets associated with the multicast session and assigns a second BCMCS flow ID to media packets associated with the multicast session.

7. A method of terminating a multicast session, comprising:

receiving a multicast message associated with the multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

determining whether the received multicast message includes a flag relating to multicast session termination; and

releasing at least one channel associated with the multicast session based on the determining step.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the flag is a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the received multicast message set to a given value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the DSCP value being set to the given value is known to indicate that the received multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least one released channel includes at least one of (i) a broadcast channel (BC) A10 channel between a radio access network (RAN) and a broadcast serving node (BSN) or (ii) a downlink broadcast channel (BCH) from the RAN to one or more access terminals (ATs).

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving and determining steps are performed at a radio access network (RAN).

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the receiving and determining steps are performed at a broadcast serving node (BSN).

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the received multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

assigning a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) for signaling packets associated with the multicast session; and

assigning a second BCMCS flow ID for media packets associated with the multicast session.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the received multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the determining step is only performed for signaling packets.

17. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

resetting a reset inactivity timer after the receiving step; and

releasing the at least one channel associated with the multicast session if the reset inactivity timer exceeds a timer threshold and the determining step determines that the received multicast message does not include the flag relating to multicast session termination.

18. A wireless communication system, including a server comprising:

logic configured to determine a multicast message to be a final multicast message for a multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

logic configured to insert a flag into the multicast message indicating the multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session; and

logic configured to send the flagged multicast message to a communication entity supporting the multicast session.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the server is a push-to-talk (PTT) server.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the logic configured to insert the flag is configured to set a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the multicast message to a given value.

21. The wireless communication system of claim 20, wherein the communication entity is configured to interpret the DSCP value being set to the given value as an indication that the flagged multicast message is the final multicast message for the multicast session.

22. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the communication entity is one of a broadcast serving node (BSN) or a radio access network (RAN).

23. The wireless communication system of claim 18, wherein the multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

24. The wireless communication system of claim 23, wherein the communication entity assigns a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) to signaling packets associated with the multicast session and assigns a second BCMCS flow ID to media packets associated with the multicast session.

25. A wireless communication system, comprising:

a communication network entity configured to receive a multicast message associated with a multicast session having an indeterminate end time, configured to determine whether the received multicast message includes a flag relating to multicast session termination, and configured to release at least one channel associated with the multicast session based on a result of the determination.

26. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein the communication network entity is one of a radio access network (RAN) and a broadcast serving node (BSN).

27. The wireless communication system of claim 26, wherein the flag is a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the received multicast message set to a given value.

28. The wireless communication system of claim 27, wherein the communication network entity interprets the DSCP value being set to the given value as indicating that the received multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session.

29. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein the at least one released channel includes at least one of (i) a broadcast channel (BC) A10 channel between a radio access network (RAN) and a broadcast serving node (BSN) or (ii) a downlink broadcast channel (BCH) from the RAN to one or more access terminals (ATs).

30. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein the received multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

31. The wireless communication system of claim 30, wherein a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) is assigned for signaling packets associated with the multicast session and a second BCMCS flow ID is assigned for media packets associated with the multicast session.

32. The wireless communication system of claim 31, wherein the received multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

33. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein the communication network entity only determines whether flags associated with multicast message termination are present within signaling packets.

34. The wireless communication system of claim 25, wherein the communication network entity is:

configured to reset a reset inactivity timer after receiving the multicast message; and

configured to release the at least one channel associated with the multicast session if the reset inactivity timer exceeds a timer threshold and the determining step determines that the received multicast message does not include the flag relating to multicast session termination.

35. A wireless communication system, comprising:

means for determining a multicast message to be a final multicast message for a multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

means for inserting a flag into the multicast message, the inserted flag indicating that the flagged multicast message is the final multicast message for the multicast session; and

means for sending the flagged multicast message to a communication entity supporting the multicast session.

36. The wireless communication system of claim 35, wherein the means for inserting inserts the flag by setting a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the multicast message to a given value.

37. The wireless communication system of claim 36, wherein the communication entity is configured to interpret the DSCP value being set to the given value as an indication that the flagged multicast message is the final multicast message for the multicast session.

38. The wireless communication system of claim 35, wherein the communication entity is one of a broadcast serving node (BSN) or a radio access network (RAN).

39. The wireless communication system of claim 35, wherein the multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

40. The wireless communication system of claim 39, wherein the communication entity assigns a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) to signaling packets associated with the multicast session and assigns a second BCMCS flow ID to media packets associated with the multicast session.

41. A wireless communication system, comprising:

means for receiving a multicast message associated with a multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

means for determining whether the received multicast message includes a flag relating to multicast session termination; and

means for releasing at least one channel associated with the multicast session based on a result of the determining means.

42. The wireless communication system of claim 41, wherein the flag is a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the received multicast message set to a given value.

43. The wireless communication system of claim 42, wherein the means for determining interprets the DSCP value being set to the given value as indicating that the received multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session.

44. The wireless communication system of claim 41, wherein the at least one released channel includes at least one of (i) a broadcast channel (BC) A10 channel between a radio access network (RAN) and a broadcast serving node (BSN) or (ii) a downlink broadcast channel (BCH) from the RAN to one or more access terminals (ATs).

45. The wireless communication system of claim 41, wherein the received multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

46. The wireless communication system of claim 45, wherein a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) is assigned for signaling packets associated with the multicast session and a second BCMCS flow ID is assigned for media packets associated with the multicast session.

47. The wireless communication system of claim 41, wherein the means for determining only determines whether flags associated with multicast message termination are present within signaling packets.

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

means for resetting a reset inactivity timer after receiving the multicast message; and

wherein the means for releasing releases the at least one channel associated with the multicast session if the reset inactivity timer exceeds a timer threshold and the means for determining determines that the received multicast message does not include the flag relating to multicast session termination.

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

program code to determine a multicast message to be a final multicast message for a multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

program code to insert a flag into the multicast message, the inserted flag indicating that the flagged multicast message is the final multicast message for the multicast session; and

program code to send the flagged multicast message to a communication entity supporting the multicast session.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the program code to insert the flag sets a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the multicast message to a given value.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the communication entity is one of a broadcast serving node (BSN) or a radio access network (RAN).

52. The computer-readable medium of claim 49, wherein the multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

53. The computer-readable medium of claim 52, wherein the communication entity includes program code to assign a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) to signaling packets associated with the multicast session and program code to assign a second BCMCS flow ID to media packets associated with the multicast session.

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

program code to receive a multicast message associated with a multicast session having an indeterminate end time;

program code to determine whether the received multicast message includes a flag relating to multicast session termination; and

program code to release at least one channel associated with the multicast session based on the determining step.

55. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the flag is a differentiated service code point (DSCP) value of the received multicast message set to a given value.

56. The computer-readable medium of claim 55, wherein the program code to determine interprets the DSCP value being set to the given value as indicating that the received multicast message is a final multicast message for the multicast session.

57. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the at least one released channel includes at least one of (i) a broadcast channel (BC) A10 channel between a radio access network (RAN) and a broadcast serving node (BSN) or (ii) a downlink broadcast channel (BCH) from the RAN to one or more access terminals (ATs).

58. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, wherein the received multicast message corresponds to a signaling packet.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising:

program code to assign a first broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID) for signaling packets associated with the multicast session; and

program code to assign a second BCMCS flow ID for media packets associated with the multicast session.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 54, further comprising:

program code to reset a reset inactivity timer after the receiving step,

wherein the program code to release releases the at least one channel associated with the multicast session if the reset inactivity timer exceeds a timer threshold and the determining step determines that the received multicast message does not include the flag relating to multicast session termination.