Systems and methods for multicast communications
First Claim
1. A method for managing a multicast session in a communication system, comprising the steps of:
- generating a first multicast flow identifier that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows;
generating a second multicast flow identifier, smaller than the first multicast flow identifier, that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows;
establishing an inter-relationship between the first multicast flow identifier and the second multicast flow identifier;
generating a set of radio parameters to establish a communication channel to support a selected multicast session information flow;
mapping the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters;
sending the mapping of the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters to a mobile station (MS) requesting receipt of the selected multicast session information flow; and
sending the second multicast flow identifier to the MS.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided to establish multicast capabilities for communication systems including wireless communication and internet protocol (IP). An exemplary communication system may include one or more content servers (CSs), IP network, packet data serving nodes (PDSNs), IP radio-to-packet network (IP (RP)), base stations (BSs), and mobile stations (MSs) all communicatively coupled together. The content servers may provide a communication multicast on the same IP multicast address. The PDSN to MS communications may use, for example, protocols IGMP (IPv4) and/or MLD (IPv6) for control signaling of the IP multicasting. These protocols may be augmented by MCFTP. The signaling may include identifiers including the IP multicast address, a flow code that may be generated by the PDSN, a unique mapping reference identifier, and various radio parameters. Various signal flow approaches are presented for establishing and maintaining multicast communication between a content server and a mobile station.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for managing a multicast session in a communication system, comprising the steps of:
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generating a first multicast flow identifier that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows; generating a second multicast flow identifier, smaller than the first multicast flow identifier, that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows; establishing an inter-relationship between the first multicast flow identifier and the second multicast flow identifier; generating a set of radio parameters to establish a communication channel to support a selected multicast session information flow; mapping the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters; sending the mapping of the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters to a mobile station (MS) requesting receipt of the selected multicast session information flow; and sending the second multicast flow identifier to the MS. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A communication system for managing a multicast session, comprising:
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a router configured to generate a first multicast flow identifier that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows and to generate a second multicast flow identifier, smaller than the first multicast flow identifier, that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows, wherein the router is further configured to establish an inter-relationship between the first multicast flow identifier and the second multicast flow identifier; a base station (BS) configured to generate a set of radio parameters to establish a communication channel to support a select multicast session information flow and to map the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters; and wherein the BS is configured to send the mapping of the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters to a mobile station (MS), and the router is configured to send the second multicast flow identifier to the MS in a multi-channel flow treatment protocol (MCFTP) statement. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An internet protocol (IP) multicast service, comprising:
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a router configured to generate a first multicast flow identifier that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows and generate a second multicast flow identifier, smaller than the first multicast flow identifier, that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows; a base station (BS) coupled to the router, the BS stores an inter-relationship between the first multicast flow identifier and the second multicast flow identifier and generates a set of radio parameters to establish a communication channel to support a selected multicast session information flow and maps the second multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters; and a mobile station (MS) coupled to the base station that selects one of the many available multicast session information flows, receives the second multicast flow identifier from the router, receives the radio parameters from the BS, and tunes into the selected multicast session information flow using the radio parameters. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A communication system for managing a multicast session, comprising:
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a router configured to generate a first multicast flow identifier that is globally unique and used to select one of many available multicast session information flows; and a base station (BS) that generates a set of radio parameters to establish a communication channel and maps the first multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters, wherein the BS sends the mapping of the first multicast flow identifier to the set of radio parameters to a mobile station (MS), and the router sends the first multicast flow identifier to the MS in a multi-channel flow treatment protocol (MCFTP) statement wherein the router generates a locally unique second multicast flow identifier, smaller than the first multicast flow identifier, that is used to select one of many available multicast session information flows and establishes an inter-relationship between the first multicast flow identifier and the second multicast flow identifier. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification