REGULATING BROADCAST OVERHEAD MESSAGES WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS NETWORK

• US 20090080362A1
• 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 8,625,501 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/06 Optimizing the usage of the radio link, e.g. header compression, information sizing , discarding information system modifying transmission characteristic according to link quality by modifying frame length H04L1/0007; dynamic adaptation of the packet size for flow control or congestion control H04L47/365
• 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 48/08 Access restriction or access information delivery, e.g. discovery data delivery signalling during connection H04W76/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

Aspects of regulating broadcast overhead messages within a wireless communications network are disclosed. In an example, an access network periodically sends a message advertising an announced multicast session on each of a plurality of carriers, the message indicating that the announced multicast session is being carried on a target carrier among the plurality of carriers. The access network determines whether to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier based on a number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers, and ceases transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier based on the determining step.

Claims

1. A method of advertising a multicast session within a wireless communications network, comprising:

periodically sending a message advertising an announced multicast session on each of a plurality of carriers, the message indicating that the announced multicast session is being carried on a target carrier among the plurality of carriers;

determining whether to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on a number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers; and

ceasing transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on the determining step.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining step includes:

comparing the number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers with a given threshold value; and

determining to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier if the comparing step indicates that the number of times the periodic message has been sent is greater than the given threshold value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the periodic message is a broadcast overhead message (BOM).

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceasing step ceases transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier for the duration of the announced multicast session.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the ceasing step ceases transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier after a given number of periodic sending steps.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first two periodically sent messages are sent on the two earliest available control channel capsules of a downlink control channel.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the two earliest available control channel capsules include two synchronous control channel capsules, two sub-synchronous control channel capsules of the downlink control channel or one synchronous control channel capsule and one sub-synchronous control channel capsule.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, in the target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates an interlace-multiplex pair on the target carrier that is carrying media associated with the announced multicast session, and, within each non-target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates the target carrier.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, after the ceasing transmission step, from an access terminal, a request for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

re-transmitting the periodic message at least once on the carrier to which the access terminal is tuned.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the re-transmitting step repeats the periodically repeating step, the determining step and the ceasing step within the carrier to which the access terminal is tuned.

11. A method of advertising a multicast session within a wireless communications network, comprising:

determining, at an access terminal, that an access network has ceased transmission, on a carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned, of a periodic message advertising an announced multicast session that is being carried on a target carrier other than the carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned;

sending, to the access network, a request for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

receiving at least one re-transmission of the periodic message.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the request is a broadcast multicast service (BCMCS) flow registration message for the announced multicast session.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the periodic message is a broadcast overhead message (BOM) that is sent on a downlink control channel.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the receiving step receives the re-transmission of the periodic message in a slot earlier than a slot reserved for BOMs on the downlink control channel.

15. An access network, comprising:

means for periodically sending a message advertising an announced multicast session on each of a plurality of carriers, the message indicating that the announced multicast session is being carried on a target carrier among the plurality of carriers;

means for determining whether to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on a number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers; and

means for ceasing transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on the determination of the means for determining.

16. The access network of claim 15, wherein the means for determining includes:

means for comparing the number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers with a given threshold value; and

means for determining to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier if the comparison indicates that the number of times the periodic message has been sent is greater than the given threshold value.

17. The access network of claim 15, wherein the means for periodically sending sends the first two periodically sent messages on the two earliest available control channel capsules of a downlink control channel.

18. The access network of claim 15, wherein, in the target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates an interlace-multiplex pair on the target carrier that is carrying media associated with the announced multicast session, and, within each non-target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates the target carrier.

19. The access network of claim 15, further comprising:

means for receiving, after the means for ceasing ceases transmission, a request from an access terminal for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

means for re-transmitting the periodic message at least once on the carrier to which the access terminal is tuned.

20. An access terminal, comprising:

means for determining that an access network has ceased transmission, on a carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned, of a periodic message advertising an announced multicast session that is being carried on a target carrier other than the carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned;

means for sending, to the access network, a request for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

means for receiving at least one re-transmission of the periodic message.

21. An access network, comprising:

logic configured to periodically send a message advertising an announced multicast session on each of a plurality of carriers, the message indicating that the announced multicast session is being carried on a target carrier among the plurality of carriers;

logic configured to determine whether to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on a number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers; and

logic configured to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on the determination of the logic configured to determine.

22. The access network of claim 21, wherein the logic configured to determine includes:

logic configured to compare the number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers with a given threshold value; and

logic configured to determine to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier if the comparison indicates that the number of times the periodic message has been sent is greater than the given threshold value.

23. The access network of claim 21, wherein the logic configured to periodically send sends the first two periodically sent messages on the two earliest available control channel capsules of a downlink control channel.

24. The access network of claim 21, wherein, in the target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates an interlace-multiplex pair on the target carrier that is carrying media associated with the announced multicast session, and, within each non-target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates the target carrier.

25. The access network of claim 21, further comprising:

logic configured to receive, after the logic configured to cease ceases transmission, a request from an access terminal for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

logic configured to re-transmit the periodic message at least once on the carrier to which the access terminal is tuned.

26. An access terminal, comprising:

logic configured to determine that an access network has ceased transmission, on a carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned, of a periodic message advertising an announced multicast session that is being carried on a target carrier other than the carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned;

logic configured to send, to the access network, a request for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

logic configured to receive at least one re-transmission of the periodic message.

27. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, the program code configured to operate within a wireless communications system including an access network, comprising:

program code to periodically send a message advertising an announced multicast session on each of a plurality of carriers, the message indicating that the announced multicast session is being carried on a target carrier among the plurality of carriers;

program code to determine whether to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on a number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers; and

program code to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier of the plurality of carriers based on the determination of the program code to determine.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the program code to determine includes:

program code to compare the number of times the periodic message has been sent in each of the plurality of carriers with a given threshold value; and

program code to determine to cease transmission of the periodic message within each non-target carrier if the comparison indicates that the number of times the periodic message has been sent is greater than the given threshold value.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein the program code to periodically send sends the first two periodically sent messages on the two earliest available control channel capsules of a downlink control channel.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, wherein, in the target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates an interlace-multiplex pair on the target carrier that is carrying media associated with the announced multicast session, and, within each non-target carrier, the periodically sent message indicates the target carrier.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 27, further comprising:

program code to receive, after the program code to cease ceases transmission, a request from an access terminal for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

program code to re-transmit the periodic message at least once on the carrier to which the access terminal is tuned.

32. A computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, the program code configured to operate within a wireless communications system including an access terminal, comprising:

program code to determine that an access network has ceased transmission, on a carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned, of a periodic message advertising an announced multicast session that is being carried on a target carrier other than the carrier to which the access terminal is currently tuned;

program code to send, to the access network, a request for the access network to retransmit the periodic message; and

program code to receive at least one re-transmission of the periodic message.