MULTICAST DISTRIBUTION TREE ESTABLISHMENT AND MAINTENANCE IN A WIRELESS MULTI-HOP RELAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20100046400A1
• Filed: 04/04/2007
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital CE Patent Holdings SAS (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Wu, Mingquan, Liu, Hang
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,628 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/256
• 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 45/16 Multipoint routing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 45/48 Routing tree calculation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/22 using selective relaying for reaching a BTS [Base Transceiver Station] or an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/24 Connectivity information management, e.g. connectivity discovery or connectivity update
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/10 Connection setup
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/26 Network addressing or numbering for mobility support
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/04 adapted for relaying to or from another terminal or user

Abstract

A method and apparatus for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network are described including sending an extended request message, wherein the request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification and receiving an extended response message. Correspondingly, a method and apparatus for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network are described including receiving an extended request message, wherein said request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification and sending an extended response message.

Claims

1. A method for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network, said method comprising:

sending an extended request message, wherein said request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification; and

receiving an extended response message.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a message requesting multicast and broadcast service along a path connection;

recording a number of end devices and identification information for said end devices that require said multicast and broadcast service;

sending a response message; and

receiving an acknowledgment.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said multi-hop relay network is a mobile wireless multi-hop relay communications network.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein said extended request message is one of a request for an addition of said path connection, a request for a deletion of said path connection and a request to change quality of service information of said path connection, and further wherein said extended request message optionally includes service flow parameters.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

adding said path connection to said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said addition of said path connection; and

further wherein said adding act further comprises;

determining if said request for multicast and broadcast service can be accepted;

determining if said multicast connection identification has already been assigned, if said request for said multicast and broadcast service can be accepted;

creating a multicast connection, assigning said multicast connection identification to said multicast connection and creating a multicast distribution tree if said multicast connection identification has not already been assigned;

determining if said path connection is already included in said multicast distribution tree, if said multicast connection identification has already been assigned;

updating said multicast tree information if said path connection is included in said multicast distribution tree information;

attempting to bind said path connection to said multicast connection identification;

determining if said path connection has been bound to said multicast connection identification;

sending a multicast and broadcast service denial message if one of said path connection has not been bound to said multicast connection identification and said request for said multicast and broadcast service cannot be accepted; and

adding said path connection to said multicast distribution tree.

6. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

deleting said path connection from said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said deletion of said path connection; and

further wherein said deleting act further comprises;

updating information for said path connection in a multicast distribution tree;

determining if said path connection has been unbound from said multicast connection identification; and

determining if any end devices remain that require said multicast and broadcast service.

7. The method according to claim 4, further comprising updating said service flow parameters for said multicast connection identification.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein said extended response message is one of a response to said extended request message for an addition of said path connection, a response to said extended request message for a deletion of said path connection and a response to said extended request message to change service flow parameters of said path connection.

9. An apparatus for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network, comprising:

means for sending an extended request message, wherein said request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification; and

means for receiving an extended response message.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving a message requesting multicast and broadcast service along a path connection;

means for recording a number of end devices and identification information for said end devices that require said multicast and broadcast service;

means for sending a response message; and

means for receiving an acknowledgment.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said multi-hop relay network is a mobile wireless multi-hop relay communications network.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said extended request message is one of a request for an addition of said path connection, a request for a deletion of said path connection and a request to change quality of service information of said path connection, and further wherein said extended request message optionally includes service flow parameters.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for adding said path connection to said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said addition of said path connection; and

further wherein said means for adding further comprises;

means for determining if said request for multicast and broadcast service can be accepted;

means for determining if said multicast connection identification has already been assigned, if said request for multicast and broadcast service can be accepted;

means for creating a multicast connection, means for assigning said multicast connection identification to said multicast connection and means for creating a multicast distribution tree if said multicast connection identification has not already been assigned;

means for determining if said path connection is already included in said multicast distribution tree, if said multicast connection identification has already been assigned;

means for updating said multicast tree information if said path connection is included in said multicast distribution tree information;

means for attempting to bind said path connection to said multicast connection identification;

means for determining if said path connection has been bound to said multicast connection identification;

means for sending a multicast and broadcast service denial message if one of said path connection has not been bound to said multicast connection identification and said request for said multicast and broadcast service cannot be accepted; and

means for adding said path connection to said multicast distribution tree.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

means for deleting said path connection from said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said deletion of said path connection; and

further wherein said means for deleting further comprises;

means for updating information for said path connection in a multicast distribution tree;

means for determining if said path connection has been unbound from said multicast connection identification; and

means for determining if any end devices remain that require said multicast and broadcast service.

15. The apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising means for updating said service flow parameters for said multicast connection identification.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said extended response message is one of a response to said extended request message for an addition of said path connection, a response to said extended request message for a deletion of said path connection and a response to said extended request message to change service flow parameters of said path connection.

17. A method for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network, said method comprising:

receiving an extended request message, wherein said request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification; and

sending an extended response message.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising:

receiving a message requesting multicast and broadcast service along a path connection;

forwarding said request for multicast and broadcast service along said path connection;

receiving a response message;

forwarding said response message along said path connection;

receiving an acknowledgment; and

forwarding said acknowledgement along said path connection.

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein said multi-hop relay network is a mobile wireless multi-hop relay communications network.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said extended request message is one of a request for an addition of said path connection, a request for a deletion of said path connection and a request to change quality of service information of said path connection, and further wherein said extended request message optionally includes service flow parameters.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

adding said path connection to said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said addition of said path connection; and

further wherein said adding act further comprises;

determining if said multicast connection identification can be bound to said path identification;

sending said extended response message denying said request for multicast and broadcast service, if said multicast connection identification cannot be bound to said path identification;

binding said multicast connection identification to said path identification; and

forwarding said extended request message along said path connection.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

deleting said path connection from said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said deletion of said path connection; and

further wherein said deleting act further comprises;

unbinding said multicast connection identification from said path identification; and

forwarding said extended request message along said path connection.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising updating said service flow parameters for said multicast connection identification.

24. The method according to claim 17, wherein said extended response message is one of a response to said extended request message for an addition of said path connection, a response to said extended request message for a deletion of said path connection and a response to said extended request message to change service flow parameters of said path connection.

25. An apparatus for multicast communications in a multi-hop relay network, comprising:

means for receiving an extended request message, wherein said request message includes a multicast connection identification, multicast distribution tree information and a path identification; and

means for sending an extended response message.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, further comprising:

means for receiving a message requesting multicast and broadcast service along a path connection;

means for forwarding said request for multicast and broadcast service along said path connection;

means for receiving a response message;

means for forwarding said response message along said path connection;

means for receiving an acknowledgment; and

means for forwarding said acknowledgement along said path connection.

27. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said multi-hop relay network is a mobile wireless multi-hop relay communications network.

28. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said extended request message is one of a request for an addition of said path connection, a request for a deletion of said path connection and a request to change quality of service information of said path connection, and further wherein said extended request message optionally includes service flow parameters.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

means for adding said path connection to said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said addition of said path connection; and

further wherein said means for adding further comprises;

means for determining if said multicast connection identification can be bound to said path identification;

means for sending said extended response message denying said request for said multicast and broadcast service, if said multicast connection identification cannot be bound to said path identification;

means for binding said multicast connection identification to said path identification; and

to means for forwarding said extended request message along said path connection.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising:

means for deleting said path connection from said multicast distribution tree, if said request is for said deletion of said path connection; and

further wherein said means for deleting further comprises;

means for unbinding said multicast connection identification from said path identification; and

means for forwarding said extended request message along said path connection.

31. The apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising means for updating said service flow parameters for said multicast connection identification.

32. The apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said extended response message is one of a response to said extended request message for an addition of said path connection, a response to said extended request message for a deletion of said path connection and a response to said extended request message to change service flow parameters of said path connection.