Apparatus and method for use in the multicast of traffic data in wireless multiple access communications systems
First Claim
1. A method for use in a wireless multiple access communications system including at least one base station and a plurality of wireless terminals to transmit multicast traffic data in a resource channel comprising the steps of:
- transmitting a multicast paging message, including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier, in a common control channel in said resource channel and associated with a traffic channel destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data;
generating said resource channel so it is defined by a bandwidth and time interval, and includes said traffic channel and an assignment channel, said traffic channel being comprised of a plurality of traffic segments and said assignment channel being said common control channel and being comprised of a plurality of assignments segments;
selecting each of said traffic segments from a first set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval;
selecting each of said assignment segments from a second set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval;
said traffic channel and said assignment channel each being generated as a separate channel in said channel resource so that there is a one-to-one association between said traffic segments of said traffic channel and individual ones of said assignment segments of said assignment channel; and
said step of transmitting including steps of transmitting either multicast traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel and a multicast paging message including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier in an associated assignment segment of said assignment channel in said corresponding channel resource destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data, or point-to-point traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel and a wireless terminal identifier in an associated assignment segment of said assignment channel, in said corresponding channel resource destined for a particular wireless terminal intended to receive said point-to-point traffic data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In a wireless communications system, multicast messages are transported to groups of wireless terminals by employing a common control channel to transmit a multicast paging message indicating that multicast traffic data is to be transmitted to a particular group of wireless terminals. In an embodiment of the invention, the essential information transmitted in the common control channel is the identifier of the group of wireless terminals intended to receive the multicast traffic data and the location of a traffic channel on which the multicast traffic is to be transported in a channel resource which may include a representation of bandwidth and time interval. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the common control channel is associated with a traffic channel in a prescribed fixed manner. Further, the traffic channel used for the purpose of multicast can be the same traffic channel used for the normal point-to-point transmission of traffic data.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A method for use in a wireless multiple access communications system including at least one base station and a plurality of wireless terminals to transmit multicast traffic data in a resource channel comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a multicast paging message, including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier, in a common control channel in said resource channel and associated with a traffic channel destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data;
generating said resource channel so it is defined by a bandwidth and time interval, and includes said traffic channel and an assignment channel, said traffic channel being comprised of a plurality of traffic segments and said assignment channel being said common control channel and being comprised of a plurality of assignments segments;
selecting each of said traffic segments from a first set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval;
selecting each of said assignment segments from a second set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval;
said traffic channel and said assignment channel each being generated as a separate channel in said channel resource so that there is a one-to-one association between said traffic segments of said traffic channel and individual ones of said assignment segments of said assignment channel; and
said step of transmitting including steps of transmitting either multicast traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel and a multicast paging message including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier in an associated assignment segment of said assignment channel in said corresponding channel resource destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data, or point-to-point traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel and a wireless terminal identifier in an associated assignment segment of said assignment channel, in said corresponding channel resource destined for a particular wireless terminal intended to receive said point-to-point traffic data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for use in a wireless terminal in a wireless multiple access communications system to detect assignment of a downlink traffic resource in a resource channel to the wireless terminal, comprising the steps of:
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generating said resource channel so it is defined by a bandwidth and time interval and includes said traffic channel and an assignment channel, said traffic channel being comprised of a plurality of traffic segments, and said assignment channel being comprised of a plurality of assignments segments, selecting each of said traffic segments from a first set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval;
selecting each of said assignment segments from a second set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval;
said traffic channel and said assignment channel each being generated as a separate channel in said channel resource so that there is a one-to-one association between said traffic segments of said traffic channel and individual ones of said assignment segments of said assignment channel, monitoring received assignment segments of said assignment channel for assignments of downlink traffic segments of said traffic channel;
determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is included in any detected assignment segments;
determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is included in any detected assignment segment;
in response to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast specific identifier is in a detected assignment segment, receiving traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier; and
in response to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is in a detected assignment segment, receiving traffic data from said downlink. traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. Apparatus for use in a wireless multiple access communications system including at least one base station and a plurality of wireless terminals to transmit multicast traffic data in a resource channel comprising:
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a transmitter for transmitting a multicast paging message, including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier, in a common control channel associated with a traffic channel destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data;
a processor for controlling a generator to generate a resource channel, said resource channel being defined by a bandwidth and time interval and including a traffic channel and an assignment channel, said traffic channel being comprised of a plurality of traffic segments and said assignment channel being comprised of a plurality of assignment segments;
said processor controlling a selector to select each of said traffic segments from a first set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval and selecting each of said assignment segments from a second set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval, said traffic channel and said assignment channel each being generated as a separate channel in said channel resource and so that there is a one-to-one association between said traffic segments of said traffic channel and individual ones of said assignment segments of said assignment channel; and
said processor controlling said transmitter to transmit either multicast traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel and a multicast paging message including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier in an associated assignment segment of said assignment channel in said corresponding channel resource destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data, or point-to-point traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel and a wireless terminal identifier in an associated assignment segment of said assignment channel in said corresponding channel resource destined for a particular wireless terminal intended to receive said point-to-point traffic data. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. Apparatus for use in a wireless terminal in a wireless multiple access communications system to detect assignment of a downlink traffic resource to the wireless terminal comprising:
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a processor for controlling a generator to generate a resource channel, said resource channel being defined by a bandwidth and time interval and including a traffic channel and an assignment channel. said traffic channel being comprised of a plurality of traffic segments and said assignment channel being comprised of a plurality of assignment segments, said processor controlling a selector to select each of said traffic segments from a first set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval and selecting each of said assignment segments from a second set of predetermined waveforms in a predetermined time interval said traffic channel and said assignment channel each being generated as a separate channel in said channel resource and so that there is a one-to-one association between said traffic segments of said traffic channel and individual ones of said assignment segments of said assignment channel;
a monitor for monitoring received assignment segments of said assignment channel for assignments of downlink traffic segments of said traffic channel;
a detector for determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is included in any detected assignment segment and for determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is included in any detected detected assignment segment; and
a receiver for receiving multicast traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier, said receiver being responsive to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast specific identifier is in a detected assignment segment to receive traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier, and said receiver being responsive to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is in a detected assignment segment to receive traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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Specification