MANAGEMENT OF SESSION CONTROL SIGNALING FOR MULTICAST/BROADCAST SERVICES

• US 20100265867A1
• Filed: 03/11/2008
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sovereign Peak Ventures, LLC (Dominion Harbor Enterprises, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukui, Akito, Becker, Ralf, Kanazawa, Takeshi, Gonsa, Osvaldo
• Granted Patent: US 8,472,377 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for distributing control signaling for session control of a multicast or broadcast service within a mobile communication network. Furthermore the invention also provides a base station, mobile terminal and communication system to perform the proposed method. In order to reduce the number of signaling connections for the service, the invention proposes to avoid the initial distribution of session control signaling in the entire mobile communications network or service area. Rather than providing service related control signaling connections upon session start, the control signaling connections are set up in response to service requests of the mobile terminals requesting the service. According to one further aspect, the mobile terminals send the service requests based on service announcements available at the mobile terminals, i.e. in contrast to conventional implementations, the mobile terminals do not await a notification of the access network on the availability of the service within the cell.

Claims

1-69. -69. (canceled)

70. A method for distributing control signaling for session control of a multicast or broadcast service within a mobile communication network, the method comprising:

receiving at a base station a service request for the multicast or broadcast service from a mobile terminal, wherein the base station is associated to a tracking area of the mobile communication network and

triggering, in response to a service request of a mobile terminal, the distribution of control signaling for session control to at least one base station of the tracking area including the base station receiving the service request.

71. The method according to claim 70, wherein the service request is transmitted by the mobile terminal based on a session announcement for the multicast or broadcast service available to the mobile terminal.

72. The method according to claim 70, further comprising:

transmitting a service request from the base station receiving the service request to a mobility management entity in the core network of the mobile communication system,

in response to the service request, the mobility management entity registering for the multicast or broadcast service at a gateway connecting the core network of the mobile communication system to a service network in which the source of the multicast or broadcast service is located.

73. The method according to claim 70, wherein the mobile communication network comprises one or more tracking areas in which the multicast or broadcast service is to be provided independent from user request or presence, and the method further comprises distributing the control signaling for session control to all base stations in the one or more tracking areas in which the multicast or broadcast service is to be provided independent from user request or presence.

74. The method according to claim 73, wherein a gateway connecting the core network of the mobile communication system to a service network in which the source of the multicast or broadcast service is located addresses the control signaling for session control to the respective base stations in the one or more tracking areas in which the multicast or broadcast service is to be provided independent from user request or presence.

75. The method according to claim 70, wherein the control signaling for session control of the multicast or broadcast service comprises a session start message, and the method further comprises transmitting by the base station having received the session start message, a join message to an upstream router of the core network to join the multicast distribution tree of the multicast or broadcast service, and

wherein the method is further comprising transmitting, by the base station having received the session start message, a notification on a multicast or broadcast service related control channel within its radio cell, wherein the notification indicates the radio resource on the downlink on which the multicast or broadcast service is provided.

76. The method according claim 70, wherein the mobility management entity forwards control signaling for session control of the multicast or broadcast service received from the gateway to the base station having received the service request or to all base stations of the tracking area.

77. The method according to claim 70, wherein the service request indicates the at least one tracking area the mobile terminal is registered, and wherein the service request transmitted by the base station indicates said at least one tracking area to the mobility management entity.

78. The method according to claim 70, wherein the mobility management entity forwards control signaling for session control of the multicast or broadcast service received from the gateway to all base stations of those tracking areas the mobile terminal is registered.

79. The method according to claim 70, further comprising maintaining at the gateway a list of mobility management entities registered at the gateway for the multicast or broadcast service.

80. The method according to claim 70, further comprising:

receiving at the mobility management entity, in response to the mobility management entity'"'"'s registration at the gateway, a message indicating that the multicast or broadcast service for which the registration has been sent by the mobility management entity has not been started yet, and

informing by the mobility management entity the base station from which the service request has been received or all base stations of the tracking area on the multicast or broadcast service not having been started yet.

81. The method according to claim 80, further comprising a respective base station being informed on the multicast or broadcast service not having been started yet sending a notification in its radio cell indicating that the multicast or broadcast service has not been started yet, wherein the notification of the base station is transmitted for a predetermined period of time.

82. The method according to claim 70, wherein the service request identifies the multicast or broadcast service it is transmitted for by means of an identifier and comprises an indication of the at least one tracking area the mobile terminal is registered.

83. The method according to claim 82, wherein the service request comprises an identifier of the mobile terminal and/or the base station.

84. A base station for use in a mobile communication network, wherein the base station is associated to a tracking area of the mobile communication network and a multicast or broadcast service is provided in the communication network, the base station comprising:

a receiver unit for receiving a service request for the multicast or broadcast service from a mobile terminal, and

a transmitter unit for transmitting, in response to the service request of a mobile terminal, a service request triggering the distribution of control signaling for session control to the base station and optionally to further base stations of the tracking area.

85. The base station according to claim 84, wherein the transmitter unit is adapted to transmit the service request to a mobility management entity in the core network of the mobile communication system.

86. The base station according to claim 85, wherein the receiver unit is adapted to receive the control signaling for session control from the mobility management entity.

87. The base station according to claim 84 wherein the control signaling for session control of the multicast or broadcast service comprises a session start message, and the transmitter unit of the base station is adapted to transmit, in response to receiving a session start message, a join message to an upstream router of the core network to join the multicast distribution tree of the multicast or broadcast service.

88. The base station according to claim 87, wherein the transmitter unit is adapted to transmit a notification on a multicast or broadcast service related control channel within its radio cell, wherein the notification indicates the radio resource on the downlink on which multicast or broadcast service is provided.

89. The base station according to claim 84, wherein the receiver unit is adapted to receive, in response to the service request, an indication on the multicast or broadcast service not having been started yet and

the transmitter unit is adapted to transmit, in response to the indication, a notification in its radio cell indicating that the multicast or broadcast service has not been started yet.

90. The base station according to claim 89, wherein the transmitter unit is adapted to transmit the notification for a predetermined period of time.

91. The base station according to claim 84, wherein the base station is not located in a tracking area in which the multicast or broadcast service is to be provided independent from user request or presence.

93. The mobile terminal according to claim 86, wherein the mobile terminal is not transmitting a service request, if a notification being received by a receiver unit of the mobile terminal indicates that the multicast or broadcast service has not been started yet.

92. A mobile terminal for use within a mobile communication network, the mobile terminal comprising a transmitter unit for transmitting a service request for a multicast or broadcast service to a base station,

wherein the mobile terminal is adapted to transmit the service request based on a session announcement for the multicast or broadcast service available to the mobile terminal that is announcing the multicast or broadcast service being available.