System and method for performing a handover in an enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS)

• US 20100061338A1
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Ji, Baowei
• Granted Patent: US 8,644,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/32 by location or mobility data, e.g. speed data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/326 by proximity to another entity

Abstract

A wireless communication network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of the network, wherein at least one of the plurality of base stations is capable of transmitting an edge-zone indicator which indicates the proximity of the at least one base station to an edge of an enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS) zone.

Claims

1. A wireless communication network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of the network, wherein at least one of the plurality of base stations is capable of:

transmitting an edge-zone indicator which indicates the proximity of the at least one base station to an edge of an enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS) zone.

2. The network of claim 1, wherein an edge-zone indicator of a first value indicates that the at least one base station is at an edge of the E-MBS zone, and an edge-zone indicator of a second value indicates that the at least one base station is not at an edge of the E-MBS zone.

3. The network of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station transmits the zone-edge indicator in a controlling signal that is associated with a particular channel.

4. The network of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station belongs to two or more E-MBS zones and transmits an edge-zone indicator associated with each of the two or more E-MBS zones.

5. The network of claim 1, wherein the at least one base station also transmits a zone information of a neighbor E-MBS zone.

6. The network of claim 5, wherein the zone information of the neighbor E-MBS zone is linked with the edge-zone indicator.

7. The network of claim 5, wherein the zone information of the neighbor E-MBS zone is transmitted in turn with other controlling signaling.

8. A base station capable of wireless communication with a plurality of subscriber stations within a coverage area of a network, where the base station is capable of:

transmitting an edge-zone indicator which indicates the proximity of the at least one base station to an edge of an enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS) zone.

9. The base station of claim 8, wherein an edge-zone indicator of a first value indicates that the at least one base station is at an edge of the E-MBS zone, and an edge-zone indicator of a second value indicates that the at least one base station is not at an edge of the E-MBS zone.

10. The base station of claim 8, wherein the at least one base station transmits the zone-edge indicator in a controlling signal that is associated with a particular channel.

11. The base station of claim 8, wherein the at least one base station belongs to two or more E-MBS zones and transmits an edge-zone indicator associated with each of the two or more E-MBS zones.

12. The base station of claim 8, wherein the at least one base station also transmits a zone information of a neighbor E-MBS zone.

13. The base station of claim 12, wherein the zone information of the neighbor E-MBS zone is linked with the edge-zone indicator.

14. The base station of claim 12, wherein the zone information of the neighbor E-MBS zone is transmitted in turn with other controlling signaling.

15. A method of operating a base station comprising:

transmitting an edge-zone indicator which indicates the proximity of the at least one base station to an edge of an enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS) zone.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein an edge-zone indicator of a first value indicates that the at least one base station is at an edge of the E-MBS zone, and an edge-zone indicator of a second value indicates that the at least one base station is not at an edge of the E-MBS zone.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one base station transmits the zone-edge indicator in a controlling signal that is associated with a particular channel.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one base station belongs to two or more E-MBS zones and transmits an edge-zone indicator associated with each of the two or more E-MBS zones.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one base station also transmits a zone information of a neighbor E-MBS zone.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the zone information of the neighbor E-MBS zone is linked with the edge-zone indicator.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the zone information of the neighbor E-MBS zone is transmitted in turn with other controlling signaling.

22. A mobile station capable of:

receiving an edge-zone indicator; and

determining the proximity of the mobile station to an edge of an enhanced multicast broadcast system (E-MBS) zone based upon a value of the edge-zone indicator.

23. The mobile station of claim 22, wherein if the mobile station determines that the edge-zone indicator is of a first value, the mobile phone determines that the mobile station is not at an edge of the E-MBS zone.

24. The mobile station of claim 22, wherein if the mobile station determines that the edge-zone indicator is of a second value, the mobile phone determines that the mobile station is at an edge of the E-MBS zone.

25. The mobile station of claim 22, wherein if the mobile station determines that the edge-zone indicator is of a second value, the mobile phone prepares for a zone handover to a neighbor E-MBS zone and executes the handover if the signal strength from the current E-MBS zone is below a certain threshold.

26. The mobile station of claim 22, wherein if the mobile station determines that the edge-zone indicator is of a second value, the mobile station looks to a zone information of a neighbor E-MBS zone if such information is transmitted by a current base station.