Method communication system, radio base station, mobile terminal and delivery method

• US 7,710,917 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2007
• Issued: 05/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kato, Shugo
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): KELLEY, STEVEN SHAUN
• Application Number:
  US11/654,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,202 Days
• Field of Search: 370/328, 370/331, 455/436, 455/561
• US Class Current: 370/328
• 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: H04L 45/16 Multipoint routing
• 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 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A mobile communication system uses efficiently a radio band of a previously-connected base station, when a mobile terminal that executes multicast communication moves among radio base stations. The mobile communication system includes a layer-2 switch. Upon switching from one radio base station over to the other radio base station, the mobile terminal transmits a path formation request related to a multicast group via the connected radio base station. The path formation request reaches the wired port of the one radio base station through the layer-2 switch. Here, “leave” of the mobile terminal from the control of the one radio base station is detected, and the delivery of multicast is halted. The other radio base station, on the other hand, starts delivering the multicast.

Claims

1. A mobile communication system comprising:

a relay device capable of delivering data signals that are received to a network in response to data signals addressed to a predetermined multicast group transmitted from a transmitter, and of delivering various kinds of requests received from the network to a transmitter side and to the network;

a plurality of radio base stations connected to the relay device, and capable of delivering the data signals delivered from the relay device to the network; and

a mobile terminal that receives the data signals delivered from the radio base station, the mobile terminal including means for transmitting a path formation request which includes group identification data for identifying a predetermined multicast group at the time of taking part in the predetermined multicast group and at the time of switching over a radio base station to which it is connected while receiving data signals transmitted being addressed to the predetermined multicast group, the path formation request further requesting formation of a path for receiving the delivery of the data signals,

wherein each of the radio base stations includes,

first means for detecting various kinds of requests inclusive of the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal,

means for transmitting various kinds of requests detected by the first detecting means to the relay device,

second means for detecting various kinds of requests delivered from various-requests transmission means in another radio base station,

means for registering the group identification data included in the path formation request to a multicast delivery table thereof when the first detecting means detects the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal, and deletes the group identification data included in the path formation request from the multicast delivery table thereof immediately without further communication in the network when the second detecting means detects the path formation request transmitted from the transmitting means in the another radio base station, the registering means inhibiting deletion of the group identification data when there remains in the multicast delivery table another mobile terminal in the predetermined multicast group that wishes to continue to receive a multicast packet in the network, and

means for transmitting a multicast packet received from the relay device to the network only when the multicast packet received from the relay device is a multicast packet addressed to the multicast group which is the same as the multicast group registered to the multicast delivery table thereof as the group identification data.

4. The mobile communication system according to claim 1,

wherein each of the radio base stations include means for detecting the leave of the mobile terminal from its control based on connection strength to the mobile terminal, and

wherein the registering means deletes, from the multicast delivery table thereof, the group identification data corresponding to the multicast group to which the mobile terminal is belonging when the means for detecting the leave has detected the leave of the mobile terminal.

5. The mobile communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the mobile terminal includes means for transmitting a leave request that includes group identification data corresponding to the multicast group to which the mobile terminal belongs and requests the leave from the multicast group based on an external instruction, and

wherein the registering means in the radio base station deletes, from the multicast delivery table thereof, the group identification data included in the leave request even when the first detecting means has received the leave request transmitted from the mobile terminal.

6. The mobile communication system according to claim 1,

wherein the relay device includes a plurality of relay means connected in a tree form.

2. A mobile communication system comprising:

a relay device capable of delivering data signals that are received to a network in response to data signals addressed to a predetermined multicast group transmitted from a transmitter, and of delivering various kinds of requests received from the network to a transmitter side and to the network;

a plurality of radio base stations connected to the relay device, and capable of delivering the data signals delivered from the relay device to the network; and

a mobile terminal that receives the data signals delivered from at least one of the radio base stations,

wherein the mobile terminal includes

first means for transmitting a path formation request which includes group identification data for identifying a predetermined multicast group at the time of taking part in the predetermined multicast group and at the time of switching over a radio base station to which it is connected while receiving data signals transmitted being addressed to the predetermined multicast group, the path formation request further requesting formation of a path for receiving the delivery of the data signals, and

second means for transmitting which, at the time of switching over the radio base station to the another radio base station, transmits a departure notice expressing leave to the radio base station via the another radio base station which is connected after having been switched over, and

wherein each of the radio base stations includes,

first means for detecting various kinds of requests inclusive of the path formation request and departure notice, and transmitted from the middle terminal,

means for transmitting various kinds of requests detected by the first detecting means to the relay device,

second means for detecting various kinds of requests delivered from various-requests transmission means in another radio base station,

means for registering the group identification data included in the path formation request to a multicast delivery table thereof when the first detecting means detects the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal, and deletes the group identification data included in the path formation request from the multicast delivery table thereof immediately without further communication in the network when the second detecting means detects the departure notice addressed thereto transmitted from the another radio base station, the registering means inhibiting deletion of the group identification data when there remains in the multicast delivery table another mobile terminal in the predetermined multicast group that wishes to continue to receive a multicast packet in the network, and

means for transmitting a multicast packet received from the relay device to the network only when the multicast packet received from the relay device is a multicast packet addressed to the multicast group which is the same as the multicast group registered to the multicast delivery table thereof as the group identification data.

3. The mobile communication system according to claim 2,

wherein the relay device includes

a multicast router capable of delivering the data signals that are received to the network in response to data signals addressed to the predetermined multicast group transmitted from the transmitter when the mobile terminal belonging to the multicast group is present, and of transmitting the path formation request received through the network to a unit only that is connected to the transmitter side and of transmitting the departure notice that is received to a previously-connected radio base station;

and

a layer-2 switch arranged downstream of the multicast router capable of transmitting the data signals received via the multicast router to the network and of delivering the various requests received from the network to the transmitter side and to the network.

7. A base station for a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including

a relay device capable of delivering data signals that are received to a network in response to data signals addressed to a predetermined multicast group transmitted from a transmitter, and of delivering various kinds of requests received from the network to a transmitter side and to the network,

a radio base station connected to the relay device, and capable of delivering the data signals delivered from the relay device to the radio network, and

a mobile terminal that receives the data signals delivered from the radio base station, and transmits a path formation request which includes group identification data for identifying a predetermined multicast group at the time of taking part in the predetermined multicast group and at the time of switching over a radio base station to which it is connected while receiving data signals transmitted being addressed to the predetermined multicast group, the path formation request further requesting formation of a path for receiving the delivery of the data signals,

the base station comprising:

first means for detecting various kinds of requests inclusive of the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal;

means for transmitting various kinds of requests detected by the first detecting means to the relay device;

second means for detecting various kinds of requests delivered from various-requests transmission means in another radio base station;

means for registering the group identification data included in the path formation request to a multicast delivery table thereof when the first detecting means detects the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal, and deletes the group identification data included in the path formation request from the multicast delivery table thereof immediately without further communication in the network when the second detecting means detects the path formation request transmitted from the various-requests transmission means in the another radio base station, the registering means inhibiting deletion of the group identification data when there remains in the multicast delivery table another mobile terminal in the predetermined multicast group that wishes to continue to receive a multicast packet in the network; and

means for transmitting a multicast packet received from the relay device to the network only when the multicast packet received from the relay device is a multicast packet addressed to the multicast group which is the same as the multicast group registered to the multicast delivery table thereof as the group identification data.

8. A radio base station for a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including

a relay device capable of delivering data signals that are received to a network in response to data signals addressed to a predetermined multicast group transmitted from a transmitter, and of delivering various kinds of requests received from the network to a transmitter side and to the network,

a radio base station connected to the relay device, and capable of delivering the data signals delivered from the relay device to the network, and

a mobile terminal that receives the data signals delivered from the radio base station, transmits a path formation request which includes group identification data for identifying a predetermined multicast group at the time of taking part in the predetermined multicast group and at the time of switching over a radio base station to which it is connected while receiving data signals transmitted being addressed to the predetermined multicast group, the path formation request further requesting formation of a path for receiving the delivery of the data signals, and, at the time of switching over the radio base station to the another radio base station, transmits a departure notice expressing leave to the radio base station via the another radio base station which is connected after having been switched over,

the radio base station comprising:

first detecting means for detecting various kinds of requests inclusive of the path formation request and departure notice, and transmitted from the mobile terminal;

means for transmitting various kinds of requests detected by the first detecting means to the relay device;

second means for detecting various kinds of requests delivered from various-requests transmission means in another radio base station;

means for registering the group identification data included in the path formation request to a multicast delivery table thereof when the first detecting means detects the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal, and deletes the group identification data included in the path formation request from the multicast delivery table thereof immediately without further communication in the network when the second detecting means detects the departure notice addressed thereto transmitted from the another radio base station, the registering means inhibiting deletion of the group identification data when there remains in the multicast delivery table another mobile terminal in the predetermined multicast group that wishes to continue to receive a multicast packet in the network; and

means for transmitting a multicast packet received from the relay device to the network only when the multicast packet received from the relay device is a multicast packet addressed to the multicast group which is the same as the multicast group registered to the multicast delivery table thereof as the group identification data.

9. The radio base station according to claim 8, further comprising:

means for detecting the leave of the mobile terminal based on connection strength to the mobile terminal,

wherein the means for registering deletes, from the multicast delivery table thereof, the group identification data corresponding to the multicast group to which the mobile terminal is belonging when the means for detecting the leave has detected the leave of the mobile terminal.

10. A delivery method of a base station in a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including

a relay device capable of delivering data signals that are received to a network in response to data signals addressed to a predetermined multicast group transmitted from a transmitter, and of delivering various kinds of requests received from the network to a transmitter side and to the network,

a radio base station connected to the relay device, and capable of delivering the data signals delivered from the relay device to the network, and

a mobile terminal that receives the data signals delivered from the radio base station, and transmits a path formation request which includes group identification data for identifying a predetermined multicast group at the time of taking part in the predetermined multicast group and at the time of switching over a radio base station to which it is connected while receiving data signals transmitted being addressed to the predetermined multicast group, the path formation request further requesting formation of a path for receiving the delivery of the data signals,

the delivery method comprising:

detecting various kinds of first requests inclusive of the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal;

transmitting various kinds of first requests detected by the detecting step to the relay device;

detecting various kinds of second requests delivered from another radio base station;

registering the group identification data included in the path formation request to a multicast delivery table thereof when the detecting step detecting various kinds of first requests detects the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal, and for deleting the group identification data included in the path formation request from the multicast delivery table thereof immediately without further communication in the network when the detecting step detecting various kinds of second requests detects the path formation request transmitted from the another radio base station; and

transmitting a multicast packet received from the relay device to the network only when the multicast packet received from the relay device is a multicast packet addressed to the multicast group which is the same as the multicast group registered to the multicast delivery table thereof as the group identification data.

13. The delivery method according to claim 10,

wherein the registering step inhibits deletion of the group identification data when there remains in the multicast delivery table another mobile terminal in the predetermined multicast group that wishes to continue to receive a multicast packet.

11. A delivery method of a radio base station in a mobile communication system, the mobile communication system including

a relay device capable of delivering data signals that are received to a network in response to data signals addressed to a predetermined multicast group transmitted from a transmitter, and of delivering various kinds of requests received from the network to a transmitter side and to the network,

a radio base station connected to the relay device, and capable of delivering the data signals delivered from the relay device to the network, and

a mobile terminal that receives the data signals delivered from the radio base station, transmits a path formation request which includes group identification data for identifying a predetermined multicast group at the time of taking part in the predetermined multicast group and at the time of switching over a radio base station to which it is connected while receiving data signals transmitted being addressed to the predetermined multicast group, the path formation request further requesting formation of a path for receiving the delivery of the data signals, and, at the time of switching over the radio base station to the another radio base station, transmits a departure notice expressing leave to the radio base station via the another radio base station which is connected after having been switched over,

the delivery method comprising:

detecting various kinds of first requests inclusive of the path formation request and departure notice, and transmitted from the mobile terminal;

transmitting various kinds of first requests detected by the detecting step to the relay device;

detecting various kinds of second requests delivered from another radio base station;

registering the group identification data included in the path formation request to a multicast delivery table thereof when the detecting step detecting various kinds of first requests detects the path formation request transmitted from the mobile terminal, and for deleting the group identification data included in the path formation request from the multicast delivery table thereof immediately without further communication in the network when the detecting step detecting various kinds of second requests detects the departure notice addressed thereto transmitted from the another radio base station; and

transmitting a multicast packet received from the relay device to the network only when the multicast packet received from the relay device is a multicast packet addressed to the multicast group which is the same as the multicast group registered to the multicast delivery table thereof as the group identification data.

12. The delivery method according to claim 11, further comprising:

detecting the leave of the mobile terminal based on connection strength to the mobile terminal,

wherein the registering step deletes, from the multicast delivery table thereof, the group identification data corresponding to the multicast group to which the mobile terminal is belonging when the leave detecting means has detected the leave of the mobile terminal.

14. The delivery method according to claim 11,

wherein the registering step inhibits deletion of the group identification data when there remains in the multicast delivery table another mobile terminal in the predetermined multicast group that wishes to continue to receive a multicast packet.