Polling method and apparatus for long term evolution multimedia broadcast multicast services

• US 8,111,644 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2010
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Research In Motion Limited (Blackberry Limited)
• Inventors: Cai, Zhijun
• Primary Examiner(s): Ajibade Akonai, Olumide T
• Application Number:
  US12/966,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20110080862A1
• Time in Patent Office: 421 Days
• Field of Search: 455/414.1, 455/450, 455/451, 455/452.1, 455/452.2, 455/458, 455/509, 455/518, 455/519, 370/312, 370/315, 370/310, 370/328, 370/329, 370/338, 370/432
• US Class Current: 370/312
• 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: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A device for wirelessly communicating a service to user equipment is provided. The device includes a transmitter, a receiver, and a processor. The processor is programmed to promote the transmitter polling to determine whether user equipment desire a service and responsive to receiving, via the receiver, at least one user equipment request for the service, the processor programmed to promote the transmitter providing a point-to-multipoint (PTM) broadcast of the service.

Claims

1. A user equipment (UE) comprising:

one or more components configured to receive a service via a broadcast signal and to receive the same service via a point to point (PTP) communication, wherein the one or more components further configured to;

determine whether the service received via the broadcast signal is at a low quality;

request a PTP communication of the service when the service received via the broadcast signal is at a low quality;

receive the same service via the PTP communication; and

increase the quality of the service by combining the service received via the broadcast signal with the service received via the PTP communication, wherein the service comprises a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS).

2. The UE of claim 1, wherein the UE is one of the group consisting of mobile devices, mobile handsets, cellular telephones, mobile telephones, dual mode handsets, wireless telephones, laptop computer, tablet computers, portable computers, desktop and personal computers, televisions, set-top boxes, and personal digital assistants (PDAs).

3. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more components are further configured to analyze the service received via the broadcast signal and PTP communication to increase the quality of service.

4. The UE of claim 1, wherein the one or more components are further configured to receive a polling request regarding the service.