Method and Apparatus for Reinforcement of Broadcast Transmissions in MBSFN Inactive Areas

• US 20100056166A1
• Filed: 11/06/2007
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Tenny, Nathan Edward
• Granted Patent: US 8,391,878 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/450
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/42 Arrangements for resource management
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/67 Common-wave systems, i.e. using separate transmitters operating on substantially the same frequency
• 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 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A method for a wireless communication system includes broadcasting that a first service is available in a first MBSFN and a second service is available in a second MBSFN. The method includes supporting a service not broadcasted as available. For example, supporting the first service with the second MBSFN and/or supporting the second service with the first MBSFN. The supporting or reinforcing can be done by echoing. The echoing is scheduled along with the owned service.

Claims

1. A method for a wireless communication system including a plurality of cells, the method comprising:

reusing otherwise idled radio resources in an MBSFN inactive area including a plurality of cells to contribute to an adjacent MBSFN transmission; and

carrying additional transmissions in at least one of the cells.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carrying additional transmissions in at least one of the cells comprises transmitting a service that the MBSFN does not advertise as having.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carrying additional transmissions in at least one of the cells comprises transmitting both a service that the MBSFN does not advertise as having and a service that the MBSFN does advertise as having.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carrying additional transmissions in at least one of the cells comprises transmitting a service that the MBSFN does not advertise as having but that the adjacent MBSFN does advertise as having.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carrying additional transmissions in at least one of the cells comprises transmitting a MBMS service that the MBSFN does not advertise as having.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the carrying additional transmissions in at least one of the cells comprises transmitting a MBMS service that the MBSFN does not advertise as having but that the adjacent MBSFN does advertise as having.

7. A method comprising:

broadcasting that a first service is available from a first MBSFN;

broadcasting that a second service is available from a second MBSFN;

reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the broadcasting that a first service is available comprises broadcasting that a first MBMS service is available.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the broadcasting that a first service is available comprises broadcasting that a first MBMS service is available and the broadcasting that a second service is available comprises broadcasting that a second MBMS service is available.

10. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising dynamically changing the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN.

11. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising dynamically scheduling the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN along with a transmission of the second service from the second MBSFN.

12. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising dynamically changing the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN based on a network condition.

13. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising dynamically scheduling the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN along with a transmission of the second service from the second MBSFN based on a network condition.

14. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising dynamically changing the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN based on a subscriber factor.

15. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising dynamically changing the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN based on a subscriber factor comprising a demographic, a number of current subscribers, and a location of a subscriber.

16. A method in accordance with claim 7 further comprising:

broadcasting that a third service is available from a third MBSFN;

reinforcing the third service with the second MBSFN.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16 further comprising dynamically scheduling the reinforcing the first service and the second service based on a network condition.

18. An apparatus operable in a wireless communication system, the apparatus comprising:

a processor configured for using a border area between at least two adjacent MBSFN transmission areas, the border area belonging to a first MBSFN and configured to support a transmission from another MBSFN; and

a memory coupled to the processor for storing data.

19. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein the processor is configured to dynamically change the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN based on a subscriber factor comprising a demographic, a number of current subscribers, and a location of a subscriber.

20. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein the processor is configured to dynamically schedule the reinforcing the first service with the second MBSFN along with a transmission of the second service from the second MBSFN based on a network condition.

21. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein the processor is configured to transmit a service that the first MBSFN does not advertise as having.

22. An apparatus in accordance with claim 18 wherein the processor is configured to transmit a MBMS service that the first MBSFN does not advertise as having but that the another MBSFN does advertise as having.

23. An apparatus operable in a wireless communication system including a plurality of cells, the apparatus comprising:

means for reusing an idled radio resource in a MBSFN inactive area to contribute to an adjacent MBSFN transmission; and

means for carrying additional transmissions in each of the cells.

24. Apparatus comprising:

a mobile device comprising a processor configured to receive from a border area belonging to a first MBSFN a transmission echoing a second MBSFN.

25. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

code for reusing an idled radio resource in a MBSFN inactive area to contribute to an adjacent MBSFN transmission.