Supporting a switch between channels for a multicast transmission
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- determining by a mobile station of a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel based on link quality related measurements on said point-to-multipoint channel, while receiving multicast data transmitted from a mobile communication network on a point-to-multipoint channel via a transceiver; and
sending from said mobile station a request to said mobile communication network to switch and thereafter continue transmitting said multicast data via a point-to-point channel so that transmission of said multicast data is continuous through the switch, in case said determined link quality lies below a given link quality.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to switching between a point-to-multipoint channel and a point-to-point channel for transmitting multicast data from a mobile communication network to a mobile station. According to a first aspect of the invention, the mobile station determines the link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel employed for the transmission and requests from the network a switch to a point-to-point channel in case the determined link quality is too low. According to a second aspect of the invention, the network estimates the link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while using at least a point-to-point channel for the transmission of multicast data, and orders the mobile station to switch to this point-to-multipoint channel, in case the estimated link quality of the point-to-multipoint channel is sufficiently high.
26 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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determining by a mobile station of a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel based on link quality related measurements on said point-to-multipoint channel, while receiving multicast data transmitted from a mobile communication network on a point-to-multipoint channel via a transceiver; and sending from said mobile station a request to said mobile communication network to switch and thereafter continue transmitting said multicast data via a point-to-point channel so that transmission of said multicast data is continuous through the switch, in case said determined link quality lies below a given link quality. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. An apparatus comprising:
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a receiver configured to receive multicast data; a measuring portion configured to perform link quality related measurements on a point-to-multipoint channel via which said receiver receives multicast data from a mobile communication network; a processing portion configured to determine a link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel based on measurement results provided by said measuring portion and for comparing a determined link quality with a given link quality; and a transmitter configured to transmit a request to said mobile communication network to switch and thereafter continue transmitting said multicast data via a point-to-point channel so that the transmission of said multicast data is continuous through the switch, in case said processing portion detects that a determined link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel employed for transmitting multicast data lies below a given link quality. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A non-transitory processor readable medium stored with code, which when executed by a processor of a mobile station, causes said processor to perform:
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determining at a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel based on link quality related measurements on said point-to-multipoint channel, while receiving multicast data transmitted from a mobile communication network on a point-to-multipoint channel via a transceiver; and sending a request to said mobile communication network to switch and thereafter continue transmitting said multicast data via a point-to-point channel so that transmission of said multicast data is continuous through the switch, in case said determined link quality lies below a given link quality.
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16. A method comprising:
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a mobile communication network requesting and receiving from a mobile station measurement results for link quality related measurements on a point-to-point channel, which point-to-point channel is currently used by said mobile communication network for transmitting multicast data to said mobile station, estimating by said mobile communication network a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while transmitting multicast data on said point-to-point channel to said mobile station via a transceiver, wherein said mobile communication network estimates said link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel based on said measurement results for said point-to-point channel, in case said estimated link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel reaches a required link quality, said mobile communication network ordering said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data.
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17. A method comprising:
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estimating by a mobile communication network a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while transmitting multicast data on a point-to-point channel to a mobile station via a transceiver; and in case said estimated link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel reaches a required link quality, ordering said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data, wherein said mobile communication network orders said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data by a switch order, which switch order releases said point-to-point connection and provides parameters for said point-to-multipoint channel to said mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An apparatus comprising:
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a transmitter configured to transmit multicast data using at least one of a point-to-point channel and a point-to-multipoint channel; and a processor configured to estimate a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while said transmitter transmits multicast data to a mobile station on a point-to-point channel, and configured to order said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data by a switch order, in case said estimated link quality lies above a required link quality; wherein said switch order releases said point-to-point connection and provides parameters for said point-to-multipoint channel to said mobile station. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A mobile communication system comprising:
- a mobile station and an apparatus comprising;
a transmitter configured to transmit multicast data using at least one of a point-to-point channel and a point-to-multipoint channel; anda processor configured to estimate a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while said transmitter transmits multicast data to a mobile station on a point-to-point channel, and configured to order said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point -to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data by a switch order, in case said estimated link quality lies above a required link quality;
wherein said switch order releases said point -to-point connection and provides parameters for said point-to-multipoint channel to said mobile station, wherein said mobile station comprises a receiver configured to receive multicast data from said apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (23)
- a mobile station and an apparatus comprising;
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24. A non-transitory processor readable medium stored with code, which when executed by a processor of a mobile communication network, causes said processor to perform:
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estimating a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while transmitting multicast data on a point-to-point channel to a mobile station via a transceiver; and in case said estimated link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel reaches a required link quality, ordering said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point -to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data, wherein said mobile communication network orders said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to -multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data by a switch order, which switch order releases said point-to-point connection and provides parameter for said point-to-multipoint channel to said mobile station.
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25. An apparatus comprising:
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means for receiving multicast data; means for performing link quality related measurements on a point-to-multipoint channel via which said means for receiving receives multicast data from a mobile communication network; means for determining a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel based on measurement results provided by said means for performing link quality related measurements, and for comparing a determined link quality with a given link quality; and means for transmitting a request to said mobile communication network to switch and thereafter continue transmitting said multicast data via a point-to-point channel to said means for receiving so that the transmission of said multicast data is continuous through the switch, in case said means for determining detects that a determined link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel employed for transmitting multicast data lies below a given link quality.
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26. An apparatus comprising:
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means for transmitting multicast data using at least one of a point-to-point channel and a point-to-multipoint channel; and means for estimating a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while said means for transmitting transmits multicast data to a mobile station on a point-to-point channel for transmitting multicast data to said mobile station, and for ordering said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for thereafter receiving multicast data by means of a switch order, in case said estimated link quality lies above a required link quality; wherein said switch order releases said point-to-point connection and provides parameters for said point-to-multipoint channel to said mobile station.
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27. A method comprising:
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performing by a mobile station link quality related measurements on a point-to-point channel, which point-to-point channel is currently used by a mobile communication network for transmitting multicast data to said mobile station via a transceiver, and transmitting measurement results from said mobile station to said mobile communication network upon request by said mobile communication network, wherein said measurement results are suited to enable said mobile communication network to estimate a link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel while transmitting multicast data on said point-to-point channel to said mobile station; receiving at said mobile station an order from said mobile communication network to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data, in case said mobile communication network determined that said estimated link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel reaches a required link quality, and switching at said mobile station from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data upon receipt of said order.
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28. An apparatus for a mobile communication network comprising:
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a communication component configured to request and receive from a mobile station measurement results for link quality related measurements on a point-to-point channel while said point-to-point channel is used by said mobile communication network for transmitting multicast data to said mobile station, a first processing component configured to estimate a link quality of a point-to-multipoint channel while said mobile communication network is transmitting multicast data on said point-to-point channel to said mobile station, wherein said first processing component is configured to estimate said link quality of said point-to -multipoint channel based on said measurement results for said point-to-point channel, and a second processing component configured to order said mobile station to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data in case said estimated link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel reaches a required link quality.
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29. An apparatus comprising:
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a measurement component configured to perform link quality related measurements on a point-to-point channel, which point-to-point channel is currently used by a mobile communication network for transmitting multicast data to said apparatus, and transmitting measurement results to said mobile communication network upon request by said mobile communication network, wherein said measurement results are suited to enable said mobile communication network to estimate a link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel while transmitting multicast data on said point-to-point channel to said mobile station; and a switching component configured to receive an order from said mobile communication network to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data, in case said mobile communication network determined that said estimated link quality of said point-to-multipoint channel reaches a required link quality, and to switch from said point-to-point channel to said point-to-multipoint channel for receiving said multicast data upon receipt of said order.
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Specification