Multicast Data Sending Method and Apparatus, Device, and Storage Medium

• US 20200137529A1
• Filed: 12/20/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. (Huawei Investment & Holding Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yu, Jian, Liao, Xiangbai, Liu, Yingzhuang
• Application Number:
  US16/723,625
• Publication Number:
  US 20200137529A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/04 using frequency diversity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0618 Space-time coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 1/0643 block codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0093 Point-to-multipoint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2001/0097 Relays
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/2607 Cyclic extensions
• 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 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0229 where the received signal is a wanted signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 74/0808 using carrier sensing, e.g. carrier sense multiple access [CSMA]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 30/70 in wireless communication networks

Abstract

A method includes obtaining multicast-broadcast single-frequency network MBSFN information, where the MBSFN information indicates a same first data sending manner, a same first channel, and a same first time point that are used when a plurality of forwarding devices send multicast data, where the multicast data is received from a control device; and forwarding the multicast data to at least one station device in the first data sending manner on the first channel at the first time point.

Claims

1. A multicast data sending method implemented by a forwarding device of a plurality of forwarding devices, wherein the method comprises:

receiving multicast data from a control device;

obtaining multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (MBSFN) information, wherein the MBSFN information indicates a first data sending manner, a first channel, and a first time point that are used by a plurality of forwarding devices to forward multicast data; and

forwarding the multicast data to at least one station device in the first data sending manner, on the first channel, and at the first time point.

2. The multicast data sending method of claim 1, wherein the MBSFN information instructs the forwarding devices to send a wake-up data packet (WUP) to a station device of the at least one station device and indicate a second data sending manner, a second channel, and a second time point for the WUP, and wherein after obtaining the MBSFN information, the multicast data sending method further comprises:

sending the WUP to the at least one station device in the second data sending manner, on the second channel, and at the second time point; and

sending the multicast data to the at least one station device on the first channel and at the first time point.

3. The multicast data sending method of claim 1, wherein the MBSFN information comprises first channel information, first time information, and the first data sending manner, and wherein the first data sending manner comprises a physical layer packet format, a transmitter address (TA), a receiver address (RA), bandwidth, a guard interval (GI), a scrambler seed, a space-time block coding (STBC) identifier, or a dual carrier modulation (DCM) identifier, wherein the first channel information indicates the first channel, wherein the first time information indicates the first time point, wherein the physical layer packet format indicates a same physical layer packet format to send the multicast data, wherein the TA indicates a same TA to send the multicast data, wherein the RA indicates a same RA to send the multicast data, wherein the bandwidth indicates a same bandwidth to send the multicast data, wherein the GI indicates a same GI to send the multicast data, wherein the scrambler seed indicates a same scrambler seed to send the multicast data, wherein the STBC identifier indicates whether the multicast data is sent in an STBC manner, and wherein the DCM identifier indicates whether the multicast data is sent in a DCM manner.

4. The multicast data sending method according to claim 1, wherein before obtaining MBSFN information, the multicast data sending method further comprises:

receiving device information of a first station device the at least one station device that is coupled to the forwarding device, wherein the device information comprises at least one of a supported wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol, a first indicator that indicates whether STBC is supported, and a second indicator that indicates whether DCM is supported, and wherein the device information indicates a data sending manner that is supported by the first station device; and

sending device statistical information to the control device, wherein the device statistical information indicates either;

at least one of whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device does not support the STBC, or whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device does not support the DCM;

or

at least one of whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device is in a first quantity of station devices that supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device is in a second quantity of station devices that do not support the STBC, or whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device is in a third quantity of station devices that do not support the DCM.

5. The multicast data sending method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the MBSFN information comprises:

parsing the multicast data to obtain the MBSFN information;

receiving a beacon frame from the control device and parsing the beacon frame to obtain the MBSFN information;

receiving the MBSFN information from the control device after sending device statistical information to the control device, wherein the MBSFN information is based on the device statistical information;

receiving connection information from the control device and parsing the connection information to obtain the MBSFN information, wherein the connection information instructs the forwarding device to establish a connection to the control device;

or

obtaining prestored default MBSFN information.

6. The multicast data sending method of claim 1, wherein the MBSFN information comprises first time information, wherein the first time information indicates the first time point, and wherein after obtaining the MBSFN information, the multicast data sending method further comprises:

obtaining a specified time interval that is part of the first time information, and using a first time point at an end of the specified time interval starting from a second time point at which the multicast data is received as the first time point;

or

obtaining a specified time interval that is part of the first time information, receiving a synchronization frame from the control device and using a third time point at the end of the specified time interval starting from a fourth time point at which the synchronization frame is received as the first time point;

or

obtaining the first time point that is part of the first time information.

7. The multicast data sending method of claim 1, wherein after obtaining the MBSFN information, the method further comprises:

sending the multicast data to the at least one station device in the first data sending manner on the first channel and at the first time point when the first channel is in an idle state.

8. The multicast data sending method of claim 1, wherein:

the control device is an access point (AP) and the forwarding devices are a plurality of relays that are coupled to the AP;

the control device is a specified AP in a first plurality of APs and the forwarding devices are a second plurality of APs other than the specified AP in the first APs;

or

the control device is an access controller (AC) and the forwarding devices are a third plurality of APs that are coupled to the AC.

9. A multicast data sending method implemented by a control device, wherein the multicast data sending method comprises:

determining multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (MBSFN) information, wherein the MBSFN information indicates a first data sending manner, a first channel, and a first time point that are used by a plurality of forwarding devices to forward multicast data; and

sending the MBSFN information and the multicast data to a plurality of forwarding devices to prompt each of the forwarding devices to send the multicast data to at least one station device in the first data sending manner on the first channel and at the first time point.

10. The multicast data sending method of claim 9, wherein the MBSFN information comprises first channel information, first time information, and the first data sending manner, wherein the first data sending manner comprises a physical layer packet format, a transmitter address (TA), a receiver address (RA), bandwidth, a guard interval (GI), a scrambler seed, a space-time block coding (STBC) identifier, a dual carrier modulation (DCM) identifier;

wherein the MBSFN information is further used to instruct the forwarding devices to send a wake-up data packet (WUP) to a station device and indicate a second data sending manner, a second channel, and a second time point for the WUP, wherein the first channel information indicates the first channel, wherein the first time information indicates the first time point, wherein the physical layer packet format indicates a same physical layer packet format in the multicast data, wherein the TA indicates a same TA in the multicast data, wherein the RA is indicates a same RA in the multicast data, wherein the bandwidth indicates a same bandwidth in the multicast data, wherein the GI indicates a same GI in the multicast data, wherein the scrambler seed indicates a same scrambler seed in the multicast data, wherein the STBC identifier indicates whether the multicast data is received in an STBC manner, and wherein the DCM identifier indicates whether the multicast data is received in a DCM manner.

11. The multicast data sending method of claim 9, wherein before determining the MBSFN information, the multicast data sending method further comprises:

(1) receiving device statistical information from each of the forwarding devices, wherein the device statistical information indicates either;

at least one of whether a first station device that is coupled to a related forwarding device supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device does not support a space-time block coding (STBC), or whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device does not support a dual carrier modulation (DCM);

or

at least one of whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device is in a first quantity of station devices that supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device is in a second quantity of station devices that do not support the STBC, and whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device is in a third quantity of station devices that do not support the DCM;

determining, based on the device statistical information from each of the forwarding devices, a data sending manner that is supported by at least one station device that is connected to the forwarding devices; and

determining the MBSFN information based on the data sending manner that is supported by all station devices that are coupled to the forwarding devices;

or

(2) determining the MBSFN information based on a data sending manner that is supported by more than a specified quantity of station devices in the station devices that are coupled to the forwarding devices.

12. The multicast data sending method of claim 9, wherein sending the MBSFN information and the multicast data to the forwarding devices comprises:

adding the MBSFN information to the multicast data and sending the multicast data to the forwarding devices;

or

adding the MBSFN information to a beacon frame and sending the beacon frame and the multicast data to the forwarding devices;

or

adding the MBSFN information to connection information and sending the connection information and the multicast data to the forwarding devices, wherein the connection information instructs each of the forwarding devices to establish a connection to the control device.

13. The multicast data sending method of claim 9, further comprising:

the control device is an access point (AP), and the forwarding devices are a plurality of relays that are coupled to the AP;

or

the control device is a specified AP in a first plurality of APs and the forwarding devices are a second plurality of APs other than the specified AP in the first APs;

or

the control device is an access controller (ACA) and the forwarding devices are a third plurality of APs that are coupled to the AC.

14. A multicast data sending apparatus, applied to a forwarding device, wherein the multicast data sending apparatus comprises:

a receiver configured to obtain multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (MBSFN) information, wherein the MBSFN information indicates a first data sending manner, a first channel, and a first time point that are used by a plurality of forwarding devices to send multicast data, and wherein the multicast data is received from a control device; and

a transmitter coupled to the receiver and configured to forward the multicast data to at least one station device in the first data sending manner on the first channel at the first time point.

15. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the multicast data sending apparatus uses the MBSFN information to instruct the forwarding devices to send a wake-up data packet (WUP) to a station device of the at least one station device and indicate a second data sending manner, a second channel, and a second time point for the WUP, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

send the WUP to the at least one station device in the second data sending manner on the second channel and at the second time point; and

send the multicast data to the at least one station device on the first channel at the first time point.

16. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the MBSFN information comprises first channel information, first time information, and the first data sending manner, and wherein the first data sending manner comprises a physical layer packet format, a transmitter address (TA), a receiver address (RA), bandwidth, a guard interval (GI), a scrambler seed, a space-time block coding STBC identifier, or a dual carrier modulation (DCM) identifier;

wherein the first channel information indicates the first channel, wherein the first time information indicates the first time point, wherein the physical layer packet format indicates a same physical layer packet format to send the multicast data, wherein the TA indicates a same TA that is used to send the multicast data, wherein the RA indicates a same RA to send the multicast data, wherein the bandwidth indicates a same bandwidth to send the multicast data, wherein the GI indicates a same GI to send the multicast data, wherein the scrambler seed indicates a same scrambler seed to send the multicast data, wherein the STBC identifier indicates whether the multicast data is sent in an STBC manner, and wherein the DCM identifier indicates whether the multicast data is sent in a DCM manner.

17. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the receiver is further configured to receive device information of a first station device of the at least one station device that is coupled to the forwarding device, wherein the device information comprises at least one of a supported wireless local area network (WLAN) protocol, a first indicator that indicates whether STBC is supported, and a second indicator that indicates whether DCM is supported, and wherein the device information indicates a data sending manner that is supported by the first station device, and wherein the transmitter is further configured to send device statistical information to the control device, wherein the device statistical information indicates either:

at least one of whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device does not support the STBC, or whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device does not support the DCM;

or

at least one of whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device is in a first quantity of station devices that supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device is in a second quantity of station devices that do not support the STBC, or whether the first station device that is coupled to the forwarding device is in a third quantity of station devices that do not support the DCM.

18. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the receiver is further configured to:

parse the multicast data to obtain the MBSFN information that is part of the multicast data;

or

receive a beacon frame from the control device and parse the beacon frame to obtain the MBSFN information that is part of the beacon frame;

or

receive the MBSFN information from the control device after sending device statistical information to the control device, wherein the MBSFN information is based on the device statistical information;

or

receive connection information from the control device and parse the connection information to obtain the MBSFN information, wherein the connection information instructs the forwarding device to establish a connection to the control device;

or

obtain prestored default MBSFN information.

19. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the MBSFN information comprises first time information, wherein the first time information indicates the first time point, and wherein the receiver is further configured to:

obtain a specified time interval that is part of the first time information and use a first time point at an end of the specified time interval starting from a second time point at which the multicast data is received as the first time point;

or

obtain a specified time interval that is part of the first time information, receive a synchronization frame from the control device and use a third time point at the end of the specified time interval starting from a fourth time point at which the synchronization frame is received as the first time point;

or

obtain the first time point that is part of the first time information.

20. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein the transmitter is further configured to send the multicast data to the at least one station device in the first data sending manner on the first channel and at the first time point when the first channel is in an idle state.

21. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the control device is an access point (AP), and the forwarding devices are a plurality of relays that are coupled to the AP;

or

the control device is a specified AP in a first plurality of APs, and the forwarding devices are a second plurality of APs other than the specified AP in the APs;

or

the control device is an access controller (AC) and the forwarding devices are a third plurality of APs that are coupled to the AC.

22. A multicast data sending apparatus applied to a control device, wherein the multicast data sending apparatus comprises:

a processor configured to determine multicast-broadcast single-frequency network (MBSFN) information, wherein the MBSFN information indicates a first data sending manner, a first channel, and first time point that are used by a plurality of forwarding devices to send multicast data; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor and configured to send the MBSFN information and the multicast data to the forwarding devices to prompt each of the forwarding devices to send the multicast data to at least one station device in the first data sending manner on the first channel and at the first time point.

23. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 22, wherein the MBSFN information comprises first channel information, first time information, and the first data sending manner, wherein the first data sending manner comprises a physical layer packet format, a transmitter address (TA), a receiver address (RA), bandwidth, a guard interval (GI), a scrambler seed, a space-time block coding (STBC) identifier, or a dual carrier modulation (DCM) identifier, wherein the MBSFN information is further used to instruct the forwarding devices to send a wake-up data packet (WUP) to a station device and indicate a second data sending manner, a second channel, and a second time point for the WUP, wherein the first channel information indicates the first channel, wherein the first time information indicates the first time point, wherein the physical layer packet format indicates a same physical layer packet format in the multicast data, wherein the TA indicates a same TA in the multicast data, wherein the RA in the multicast data, wherein the bandwidth is indicates a same bandwidth in the multicast data, wherein the GI indicates a same GI in the multicast data, wherein the scrambler seed indicates a same scrambler seed in the multicast data, wherein the STBC identifier indicates whether the multicast data is received in an STBC manner, and wherein the DCM identifier indicates whether the multicast data is received in a DCM manner.

24. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 22, wherein the multicast data sending apparatus further comprises a receiver configured to:

(1) receive device statistical information from each of the forwarding devices, wherein the device statistical information indicates either;

at least one of whether a first station device that is coupled to a related forwarding device supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device does not support a space-time block coding (STBC), whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device does not support a dual carrier modulation (DCM);

or

at least one of whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device is in a first quantity of station devices that supports each WLAN protocol, whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device is in a second quantity of station devices that do not support the STBC, and whether the first station device that is coupled to the related forwarding device is in a third quantity of station devices that do not support the DCM, and wherein the processor is further configured to;

determine, based on the device statistical information from each of the forwarding devices, a data sending manner that is supported by all station devices that are coupled to the forwarding devices; and

determine the MBSFN information based on the data sending manner that is supported by all of the station devices that are coupled to the forwarding devices;

or

(2) determine the MBSFN information based on a data sending manner that is supported by more than a specified quantity of station devices in the station devices that are coupled to the forwarding devices.

25. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 22, wherein the transmitter is further configured to:

add the MBSFN information to the multicast data and send the multicast data to the forwarding devices;

or

add the MBSFN information to a beacon frame and send the beacon frame and the multicast data to the forwarding devices;

or

add the MBSFN information to connection information and send the connection information and the multicast data to the forwarding devices, wherein the connection information instructs each of the forwarding devices to establish a connection to the control device.

26. The multicast data sending apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the control device is an access point (AP) and the forwarding devices are a plurality of that are coupled to the AP;

or

the control device is a specified AP in a first plurality of APs and the forwarding devices are a second plurality of APs other than the specified AP in the first APs;

or

the control device is an access controller (AC) and the forwarding devices are a third plurality of APs that are coupled to the AC.