MULTICAST MESSAGING WITHIN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

• US 20170034671A1
• Filed: 10/13/2016
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Gill, Harleen, Song, Bongyong, Ananthanarayanan, Arulmozhi
• Granted Patent: US 11,026,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• 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 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 15/00 Thermoelectric devices without a junction of dissimilar materials; Thermomagnetic devices, e.g. using the Nernst-Ettingshausen effect integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/702 based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive fibres

Abstract

Methods and systems for sending multicast messages are disclosed. A multicast message is received to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals at a radio access network (RAN), the received multicast message having a first format. The first format may correspond to a conventional multicast message format. The RAN determines whether the received multicast message requires special handling. If the RAN determines the received multicast message requires special handling, the radio access network converts the received multicast message from the first format into a second format. The RAN transmits the converted multicast message with the second format (e.g., a data over signaling (DOS) message) on a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals. The access terminals receiving the converted multicast message interpret the message as a multicast message.

Claims

1. A method of receiving multicast messages within a wireless communication system, comprising:

receiving a first message in a first message format on a first channel carrying both unicast and multicast messages at an access terminal;

determining whether the first message includes a multicast message;

extracting the multicast message from the first message based on the determining; and

receiving a second message in a second message format on a second channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message is a data over signaling (DOS) message.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the multicast message includes a multicast access terminal identifier (MATI) that identifies the plurality of access terminals.

4. The method of claim 1,

wherein the first channel is a control channel, and

wherein the first message is received on at least one of a synchronous control channel capsule (SC) or a sub-synchronous control channel capsule (SSC).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second channel is dedicated for multicast and broadcast messages.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast message is targeted to one particular multicast communication group.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the second message is also targeted to the particular multicast communication group.

10. The method of claim 9, the first message is received while a multicast session associated with the particular multicast communication group is inactive.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the multicast message is configured to announce the multicast session to the particular multicast communication group.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the first message format is a unicast message format and the second message format is a broadcast or multicast message format.

5. (canceled)

6. An access terminal, comprising:

at least one transceiver configured to receive a first message in a first message format on a first channel carrying both unicast and multicast messages; and

at least one processor configured to determine whether the first message includes a multicast message, and

to extract the multicast message from the first message based on the determination,

wherein the at least one transceiver is further configured to receive a second message in a second message format on a second channel.

13. The access terminal of claim 6, wherein the second channel is dedicated for multicast and broadcast messages.

14. The access terminal of claim 6, wherein the multicast message is targeted to one particular multicast communication group.

18. The access terminal of claim 6, wherein the first message format is a unicast message format and the second message format is a broadcast or multicast message format.

19. A method of transmitting multicast messages within a wireless communication system, comprising:

transmitting, to at least one group of access terminals, a first message in a first message format on a first channel carrying both unicast and multicast messages at a base station, wherein the first message includes a multicast message; and

transmitting, to the at least one group of access terminals, a second message in a second message format on a second channel.

15. The access terminal of claim 20, wherein the second message is also targeted to the particular multicast communication group.

16. The access terminal of claim 21, wherein the first message is received while a multicast session associated with the particular multicast communication group is inactive.

17. The access terminal of claim 22, wherein the multicast message is configured to announce the multicast session to the particular multicast communication group.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second channel is dedicated for multicast and broadcast messages.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the multicast message is targeted to one particular multicast communication group.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second message is also targeted to the particular multicast communication group.

23. The method of claim 22, the first message is transmitted while a multicast session associated with the particular multicast communication group is inactive.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the multicast message is configured to announce the multicast session to the particular multicast communication group.

25. The method of claim 32, wherein the first message format is a unicast message format and the second message format is a broadcast or multicast message format.

26. A base station, comprising:

at least one transceiver configured to;

transmit, to at least one group of access terminals, a first message in a first message format on a first channel carrying both unicast and multicast messages at a base station, wherein the first message includes a multicast message, and

to transmit, to the at least one group of access terminals, a second message in a second message format on a second channel.

27. The base station of claim 26, wherein the second channel is dedicated for multicast and broadcast messages.

28. The base station of claim 26, wherein the multicast message is targeted to one particular multicast communication group.

29. The base station of claim 28, wherein the second message is also targeted to the particular multicast communication group.

30. The base station of claim 29, the first message is transmitted while a multicast session associated with the particular multicast communication group is inactive.

31. The base station of claim 26, wherein the first message format is a unicast message format and the second message format is a broadcast or multicast message format.