Method and apparatus for performing handover in a digital broadcasting system

• US 7,817,600 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2006
• Issued: 10/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Hye-Young, Song, Jae-Yeon, Lee, Kook-Heui, Lee, Jong-Hyo
• Primary Examiner(s): Afshar; Kamran
• Application Number:
  US11/526,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20080225799A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 370328-335, 455436-444, 455/432.1, 455/525
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/26 Arrangements for switching distribution systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0007 for multicast or broadcast services, e.g. MBMS multicast or broadcast application services H04W4/06; resource management for broadcast services H04W72/30; connection management for selective distribution or broadcast H04W76/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/302 due to low signal strength
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/305 Handover due to radio link failure control signalling for hand-off failure H04W36/0079
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A method is provided for performing handover by a terminal in a digital broadcasting system. The method includes measuring strength of a received signal from a serving broadcast transmitter while receiving a broadcast service, and comparing the measured strength of the received signal with a predetermined reference value; periodically measuring strength of the received signal while continuously receiving the broadcast service when the measured strength of the received signal is greater than the reference value; sending a handover start request message for the broadcasting system to a base station of a mobile communication system when the measured strength of the received signal is less than or equal to the reference value; and performing handover from the serving broadcast transmitter to a target broadcast transmitter upon receipt of an accept message for the handover start request for the broadcasting system from the base station.

Claims

1. A method for performing handover by a terminal in a digital broadcasting system, the method comprising the steps of:

measuring strength of a received signal from a serving broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system while receiving a broadcast service from the serving broadcast transmitter, and comparing the measured strength of the received signal with a predetermined reference value;

periodically measuring strength of the received signal while continuously receiving the broadcast service from the serving broadcast transmitter, when the measured strength of the received signal is greater than the reference value;

sending a handover start request message for the broadcasting system to a base station of a mobile communication system when the measured strength of the received signal is less than or equal to the reference value; and

performing a handover from the serving broadcast transmitter to a target broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system, upon receipt of an accept message for the handover start request for the broadcasting system from the base station.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing handover comprises:

detecting information on an ensemble of the target broadcast transmitter from the accept message received from the base station; and

moving to a service area of the target broadcast transmitter using the detected information on the ensemble.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising acquiring service data of the broadcast service by demodulating a main service channel (MSC) without demodulating a fast information channel (FIC) from the target broadcast transmitter after moving to the service area of the target broadcast transmitter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing a handover comprises:

searching for candidate ensembles including the currently received broadcast service;

determining priorities of the candidate ensembles using region definition information indicating positions of ensembles in service information (SI) received through FIC from the serving broadcast transmitter if the candidate ensembles exist;

selecting the highest-priority ensemble, and comparing strength of a received signal for the selected ensemble with the reference value;

performing a handover to a target broadcast transmitter having the selected ensemble when the strength of the received signal for the selected ensemble is greater than the reference value; and

measuring strength of a received signal for the next-highest priority ensemble, and determining whether to perform a handover when the strength of the received signal for the selected ensemble is less than or equal to the reference value.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining priorities assigns higher priorities in order of an ensemble located nearer to the serving broadcast transmitter.

6. A method for supporting a handover of a terminal by a base station of a mobile communication system in a digital broadcasting system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a request message for requesting a handover of the broadcasting system from the terminal that is receiving a broadcast service from a serving broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system in its own cell coverage;

detecting a position of the terminal in response to the request message, and determining whether the terminal is located in a position where it should perform a handover of the broadcasting system, using a predetermined broadcast transmitters'"'"' position map;

transmitting an accept message for accepting the handover request to the terminal when it is determined that the terminal is located in the position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system; and

transmitting a reject message for rejecting the handover request to the terminal when it is determined that the terminal is not located in the position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising transmitting information on an ensemble of a target broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system to the terminal along with the accept message when it is determined that the terminal is located in the position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising transmitting a parameter for data demodulation along with the accept message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the parameter for data demodulation includes multiplex configuration information (MCI) for demodulating main service channel (MSC) data of a target broadcast transmitter in the broadcasting system.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a position of the terminal is detected using information on a time at which the terminal receives signals of other adjacent base stations, or using a global positioning system (GPS) device included in the terminal.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the determining step determines whether the position of the terminal is out of a service area of the serving broadcast transmitter.

12. An apparatus for performing handover by a terminal in a digital broadcasting system, the apparatus comprising:

a signal strength measurer for receiving a broadcast service signal from a serving broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system, and measuring strength of the received signal; and

a controller configured to carry out steps comprising;

comparing the measured strength of the received signal with a predetermined reference value;

transmitting a request message for requesting handover of the broadcasting system to a base station of a mobile communication system, to which the terminal belongs when the strength of the received signal is less than the reference value; and

performing a handover from the serving broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system to a target broadcast transmitter of the digital broadcasting system, upon receipt of an accept response for the handover request for the broadcasting system from the base station.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller receives information on an ensemble of the target broadcast transmitter from the base station, and moves to a service area of the target broadcast transmitter using the information on the ensemble.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein after moving to the service area of the target broadcast transmitter, the terminal acquires service data of the broadcast service by demodulating a main service channel (MSC) without demodulating a fast information channel (FIC) from the target broadcast transmitter.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller is configured to carry out steps comprising:

searching for candidate ensembles including the currently received broadcast service, and determining priorities of the candidate ensembles using region definition information indicating positions of ensembles in service information (SI) received through FIC from the serving broadcast transmitter if the candidate ensembles exist;

selecting a highest-priority ensemble, comparing strength of a received signal for the selected ensemble, measured by the signal strength measurer, with the reference value, and performing a handover to a target broadcast transmitter having the selected ensemble when the strength of the received signal for the selected ensemble is greater than the reference value; and

measuring strength of a received signal for the next-highest priority ensemble, and determining whether to perform handover when the strength of the received signal for the selected ensemble is not greater than the reference value.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the priorities are assigned so higher priorities are assigned in order of an ensemble located nearer to the serving broadcast transmitter.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising:

a control data processor for demodulating the broadcast signal data, dividing the demodulated data into main service channel (MSC) data and fast information channel (FIC) data, and detecting multiplex configuration information (MCI) and service information (SI) using the FIC data;

a data processor for decoding the MCS data for each individual service using the MCI and the SI provided from the control information processor; and

an application module for receiving the decoded data and outputting the data in the form for a screen of the terminal.

18. An apparatus for supporting handover of a terminal by a base station of a mobile communication system in a digital broadcasting system, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver for receiving a request message for requesting handover of the broadcasting system from the terminal in a cell coverage, and transmitting a response message for accepting the handover request to the terminal;

a memory for storing a broadcast transmitters'"'"' position map in which positions of adjacent broadcast transmitters are listed; and

a controller configured to carry out steps comprising;

detecting a position of the terminal in response to the request message, determining whether the terminal is located in a position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system, using the predetermined broadcast transmitters'"'"' position map;

transmitting an accept message for accepting the handover request to the terminal via the transceiver when it is determined that the terminal is located in the position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system; and

transmitting a reject message for rejecting the handover request to the terminal via the transceiver when it is determined that the terminal is not located in the position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controller transmits information on an ensemble of a target broadcast transmitter to the terminal along with the accept message when it is determined that the terminal is located in the position where it should perform handover of the broadcasting system.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the transmitter further transmits a parameter for data demodulation along with the accept message.

21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein a position of the terminal is detected using information on a time at which the terminal receives signals of other adjacent base stations, or using a global positioning system (GPS) device included in the terminal.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein controller determines whether the position of the terminal is out of a service area of the serving broadcast transmitter, to determine whether to perform a handover.