Method for distribution of data packets in a single frequency mobile communication network, an access network node, a base station and a single frequency mobile communication network therefor

• US 8,005,085 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent SA (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Zeller, Dietrich, Bakker, Hajo
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan; Tri H
• Application Number:
  US11/924,532
• Publication Number:
  US 20080101334A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,398 Days
• Field of Search: 370229-238, 370310-350, 370498-524, 455/179.1, 455230-231, 455/434, 455449-453, 455/464, 455/515
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04J 3/0664 unidirectional timestamps
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/189 in combination with wireless systems selective distribution or broadcast in wireless communication networks H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/12 using signalling between network elements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/045 between access point and backbone network device

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for distribution of data packets (MBMS Data) from an access network node (aGW) via at least one base station (eNB) to at least one user terminal (UE) in a single frequency mobile communication network whereby information (T1(tx), T2(tx)) is added in the access network node (aGW) to the data packets (MBMS Data) indicating in which time intervals the data packets (MBMS Data) have to be sent from the at least one base station (eNB) to the at least one user terminal (UE), and information (SN) is added in the access network node (aGW) to the data packets (MBMS Data) indicating the order of the distribution of the data packets (MBMS Data), an access network node (aGW), a base station (eNB) and a single frequency mobile communication network therefor.

Claims

1. A method for distribution of multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) data packets from an access network node via at least one base station to at least one user terminal in a single frequency mobile communication network, comprising:

adding information in the access network node to each of the MBMS data packets indicating in which time intervals the data packets have to be sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal, and

adding information in the access network node to each of the MBMS data packets indicating the order of the distribution of the data packets;

wherein if a MBMS data packet does not occupy the whole length of a transport block in which it is transmitted, the MBMS data packet is concatenated with at least one subsequent MBMS data packet.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein information indicating a new time interval is added if the transmission of a new burst is started, a maximum time interval length has been exceeded, or the data rate of data packets that have to be transmitted within one time interval is for a time period below a maximum service data rate.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein based on said information indicating the order of the distribution of the MBMS data packets, said at least one base station performs a re-ordering of MBMS data packets received out of sequence.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein a MBMS data packet that does not completely fit in a transport block sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal is segmented.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the beginning of said time intervals is based on information about the transmission delay from the access network node to the at least one user terminal.

6. An access network node for distribution of multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) data packets from said access network node via at least one base station to at least one user terminal in a single frequency mobile communication network wherein said access network node:

adds information to each of the MBMS data packets indicating in which time intervals the MBMS data packets have to be sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal, and

adds information to each of the MBMS data packets indicating the order of the distribution of the data packets;

wherein if a MBMS data packet does not occupy the whole length of a transport block in which it is transmitted, the MBMS data packet is concatenated with at least one subsequent MBMS data packet.

7. The access network node according to claim 6, wherein information indicating a new time interval is added if the transmission of a new burst is started, a maximum time interval length has been exceeded, or the data rate of data packets that have to be transmitted within one time interval is for a certain time period below a maximum service data rate.

8. A access network node according to claim 6, wherein based on said information indicating the order of the distribution of the MBMS data packets, said at least one base station performs a re-ordering of MBMS data packets received out of sequence.

9. A access network node according to claim 6, wherein a MBMS data packet is segmented if it does not completely fit in a transport block sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal.

10. A access network node according to claim 6, wherein the beginning of said time intervals is based on information about the transmission delay from the access network node to the at least one user terminal.

13. A base station according to claim 7, wherein based on said information indicating the order of the distribution of the MBMS data packets, said at least one base station performs a re-ordering of MBMS data packets received out of sequence.

11. A base station for distribution of multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) data packets from an access network node via said base station to at least one user terminal in a single frequency mobile communication network, wherein said base station;

sends said MBMS data packets to said at least one user terminal in a respective time interval that is indicated in information added to each of the MBMS data packets, and

sends said MBMS data packets to said at least one user terminal in an order that is indicated in information added to each of the MBMS data packets;

wherein if a MBMS data packet does not occupy the whole length of a transport block in which it is transmitted, the MBMS data packet is concatenated with at least one subsequent MBMS data packet.

12. The base station according to claim 11, wherein information indicating a new time interval is added if the transmission of a new burst is started, a maximum time interval length has been exceeded, or the data rate of data packets that have to be transmitted within one time interval is for a certain time period below a maximum service data rate.

14. A base station according to claim 11, wherein a MBMS data packet is segmented if it does not completely fit in a transport block sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal.

15. A base station according to claim 11, wherein the beginning of said time intervals is based on information about the transmission delay from the access network node to the at least one user terminal.

16. A single frequency mobile communication network for distribution of multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) data packets from an access network node via at least one base station to at least one user terminal wherein said single frequency mobile communication network comprising:

at least one access network node that adds information to each of the MBMS data packets indicating in which time intervals the MBMS data packets have to be sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal, and that adds information to the MBMS data packets indicating the order of the distribution of the MBMS data packets, and

and at least one base station that sends said MBMS data packets to said at least one user terminal in a respective time interval that is indicated in information added to the MBMS data packets, and that sends said MBMS data packets to said at least one user terminal in an order that is indicated in information added to each of the MBMS data packets;

wherein if a MBMS data packet does not occupy the whole length of a transport block in which it is transmitted, the MBMS data packet is concatenated with at least one subsequent MBMS data packet.

17. The single frequency mobile communication network according to claim 16, wherein information indicating a new time interval is added if the transmission of a new burst is started, a maximum time interval length has been exceeded, or the data rate of data packets that have to be transmitted within one time interval is for a certain time period below a maximum service data rate.

18. A single frequency mobile communication network according to claim 16, wherein based on said information indicating the order of the distribution of the MBMS data packets, said at least one base station performs a re-ordering of MBMS data packets received out of sequence.

19. A single frequency mobile communication network according to claim 16, wherein a MBMS data packet is segmented if it does not completely fit in a transport block sent from the at least one base station to the at least one user terminal.

20. A single frequency mobile communication network according to claim 16, wherein the beginning of said time intervals is based on information about the transmission delay from the access network node to the at least one user terminal.