Mobile communication terminal having multicasting function and multicasting method using the same

• US 8,160,050 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2007
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Baek Ju
• Primary Examiner(s): Cho, Un C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gao, Jing
• Application Number:
  US11/723,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20070223488A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,853 Days
• Field of Search: 370/349, 370/311, 370/312, 370/331, 370/338, 455436-439
• US Class Current: 370/349
• 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 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/18 Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 92/18 between terminal devices

Abstract

A mobile communication terminal and multicasting method using the same are disclosed, by which an inter-multiuser multicasting function can be performed without using an access point. The present invention includes a user interface unit, a multicast group management module managing subscriber information based on information delivered via the interface unit, the multicast group management module playing a role in generating and transferring a multicast packet, an internet multicast protocol module delivering a message for joining or leaving a specific group according to a control signal provided by the multicast group management module, and a wireless LAN driving unit performing a multicast traffic action of transmitting the message provided by the internet multicast protocol module in a packet format to a joining group terminal by an ad-hoc system and delivering a packet received from a group terminal to the internet multicast protocol module.

Claims

1. A method for inter-multiuser multicasting using a specific terminal including a multicast group management module, an Internet Group Multicast Protocol (IMGP) module, a wireless local area network (WLAN) driving unit and a memory storing a terminal group list and per group member, comprising:

an ad-hoc join procedure (A) comprising;

a step (a-1) of delivering an ad-hoc start message including a session ID and channel information from the multicast group management module to the WLAN driving unit;

a step (a-2) of transmitting an ad-hoc join packet to a terminal group having a same session ID among terminal groups in the terminal group list at the WLAN driving unit;

a step (a-3) of receiving an ad-hoc response packet from at least one terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID at the WLAN driving unit, wherein the at least one terminal includes the IMGP module and the WLAN driving unit; and

a step (a-4) of delivering an ad-hoc complete message from the WLAN driving unit to the multicast group management module; and

a group join procedure (B) comprising;

a step (b-1) of delivering a group join command including a group IP address and a user name from the multicast group management module to the IMGP module;

a step (b-2) of transferring a IGMP query message from the IMGP module to the WLAN driving unit;

a step (b-3) of transmitting a multicast query packet to the at least one terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID at the WLAN driving unit;

a step (b-4) of receiving a group join success packet from the at least one terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID at the WLAN driving unit;

a step (b-5) of transferring a IGMP join message from the WLAN driving unit to the IMGP module;

a step (b-6) of delivering a join success message from the IMGP module to the multicast group management module;

a step (b-7) of adding the user name into the group member of the terminal group having the same session ID; and

a step (b-8) of performing a multi-cast operation with the at least one terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID,

wherein each terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID becomes both a IMGP client and a IMGP server.

2. An inter-multiuser multicasting capable communication terminal, comprising:

a user interface unit;

a multicast group management module configured to manage subscriber information based on information delivered via the interface unit;

an Internet Group Multicast Protocol (IGMP) module configured to deliver a message for joining or leaving a specific terminal group according to a control signal provided by the multicast group management module; and

a wireless local area network (WLAN) driving unit configured to perform a multicast traffic action of transmitting the message provided by the IGMP module in a packet format to the specific terminal group by an ad-hoc system and deliver a packet received from the specific terminal group to the IGMP module; and

a memory configured to store a terminal group list and per group member,

wherein the multicast group management module is further configured to deliver an ad-hoc start message including a session ID and channel information to the WLAN driving unit,

wherein the WLAN driving unit is further configured to transmit an ad-hoc join packet to a terminal group having a same session ID among terminal groups in the terminal group list, receive an ad-hoc response packet from at least one terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID, and deliver an ad-hoc complete message to the multicast group management module, wherein the at least one terminal includes the IMGP module and the WLAN driving unit,

wherein the multicast group management module is further configured to deliver a group join command including a group IP address and a user name from to the IMGP module,

wherein the IMGP module is further configured to transfer a IGMP query message to the WLAN driving unit,

wherein the WLAN driving unit is further configured to

transmit a multicast query packet to terminals included in the terminal group having the same session ID,

receive a group join packet from terminals included in the terminal group having the same session ID, and

transfer a IGMP join message to the IMGP module,

wherein the IMGP module is further configured to deliver a join success message to the multicast group management module,

wherein the multicast group management module is further configured to add the user name into the group member of the terminal group having the same session ID and perform a multi-cast operation with terminals included in the terminal group having the same session ID, and

wherein each terminal included in the terminal group having the same session ID becomes both a IMGP client and a IMGP server.