Method and apparatus for performing coverage control for multicast services in a wireless network

• US 6,633,765 B1
• Filed: 08/28/2000
• Issued: 10/14/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Maggenti, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Trost, William
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly, Nghi H.
• Application Number:
  US09/649,267
• Time in Patent Office: 1,142 Days
• Field of Search: 455/450, 455/452, 455/517, 455/503, 455/453, 455/411, 370/432, 370/312, 370/346, 370/390, 370/408, 370/347, 370/280, 370/238
• US Class Current: 455/503
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/185 with management of multicast group membership
• 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 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 40/248 Connectivity information update

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing coverage control for multicast service in a wireless network. The present invention comprises a central transceiver for receiving a membership report from a plurality of wireless communication devices, the membership report identifying a multicast group to which at least one wireless communication device belongs. The central transceiver transmits an indication of the multicast group identified in the membership report to at least a portion of the plurality of wireless communication devices. The wireless communication devices use the information contained within the indication to determine whether or not to transmit a membership report identifying a multicast group to which it currently belongs.

Claims

1. An apparatus for providing coverage control for multicast service in a wireless network, said wireless network comprising a central transceiver and a plurality of wireless communication devices, said apparatus comprising:

said central transceiver comprising;

a receiver for receiving a membership report from a wireless communication device, said membership report identifying a multicast group, said membership report provided to a processor;

said processor for generating an indication of said multicast group identified in said membership report; and

a transmitter for transmitting said indication to at least a portion of said plurality of wireless communication devices.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

an interface for providing a second indication to a routing device connected to said central transceiver, said second indication generated by said processor and for identifying at least one multicast group identified in at least one of said membership reports.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a storage device connected to said processor for storing said membership report;

wherein said processor is further for storing said membership report and for generating said indication based on said membership report stored in said storage device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second indication is provided to said routing device upon the occurrence of a predefined event.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said predefined event is a expiration of a central transceiver countdown timer.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said predefined event is a receipt of said membership report.

7. A method for providing coverage control for multicast service in a wireless network, said wireless network comprising a central transceiver and a plurality of wireless communication devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a membership report from a first wireless communication device, said membership report identifying a multicast group;

generating an indication of said received membership report by a processor associated with said central transceiver; and

transmitting said indication to at least a portion of said plurality of wireless communication devices, said indication identifying said multicast group identified in said received membership report.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising the steps of:

generating a membership query by said processor, said membership query for determining said membership report of said portion of said plurality of wireless communication devices; and

transmitting said membership query to at least a portion of said plurality of wireless communication devices.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising the steps of:

generating a second indication by said processor, said second indication identifying at least one multicast group identified in at least one of said membership report; and

providing said second indication to a routing device connected to said central transceiver.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein said indication is transmitted to at least one wireless communication device upon the occurrence of a predefined event.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said predefined event comprises an expiration of a central transceiver countdown timer.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said predefined event comprises a receipt of said membership report.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said predefined event comprises a receipt of a predefined number of received membership report.

14. An apparatus for providing coverage control for multicast service in a wireless network, said wireless network comprising a central transceiver and a plurality of wireless communication devices, said apparatus comprising:

a wireless communication device comprising;

a processor for generating a membership report identifying at least one multicast group upon the occurrence of a predefined event;

a receiver for receiving an indication of a membership report transmitted by said central transceiver, said indication identifying at least one multicast group to which a second wireless communication device belongs; and

a transmitter for transmitting said membership report to said central transceiver.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a storage device for storing information identifying a multicast group to which said wireless communication device currently belongs;

wherein said processor is further for determining whether said multicast group identified in said indication matches said multicast group stored in said storage device.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said membership report is not transmitted if said multicast group identified in said indication matches said multicast group stored in said storage device.

17. A method for providing coverage control for multicast service in a wireless network, said wireless network comprising a central transceiver and a plurality of wireless communication devices, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of a membership report transmitted by said central transceiver, said indication identifying a multicast group to which a second wireless communication device belongs;

determining whether said multicast group identified in said indication matches a multicast group to which said wireless communication device currently belongs;

generating a second member report identifying a multicast group to which said wireless communication device currently belongs; and

transmitting said second membership report upon the occurrence of a predefined event if said multicast group identified in said indication does not match said multicast group to which said wireless communication device currently belongs.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said predefined event comprises an expiration of a countdown timer, said countdown timer initiated upon receiving a membership query, said membership query for determining said membership report of said wireless communication device.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said predefined event comprises an expiration of a countdown timer, said countdown timer associated with a single multicast group to which said wireless communication device currently belongs.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said predefined event comprises an expiration of a countdown timer, said countdown timer associated with all multicast groups to which said wireless communication device currently belongs.

21. A system for providing coverage control for multicast service in a wireless network, said wireless network comprising a central transceiver and a plurality of wireless communication devices, said system comprising:

said central transmitter for receiving a membership report, said membership report identifying a multicast group that a wireless communication device currently belongs, said central transmitter further for transmitting an indication of said membership report to said plurality of wireless communication devices upon a predetermined event, said indication identifying said received multicast group; and

a second wireless communication device for receiving said indication of membership report and for generating a second membership report if said indication does not identify a multicast group that said second wireless communication device currently belongs.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said second membership report comprises identification of at least one multicast group that said second wireless communication device currently belongs.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said central transmitter is further for transmitting a second indication of membership report to a router connected to said central transceiver.

24. The system of claim 21 wherein said predetermined event comprises reception of said membership report.

25. The system of claim 21 wherein said predetermined event comprises expiration of a central receiver countdown timer.

26. The system of claim 21 wherein said predetermined event comprises reception of more than one membership report.