System and method for transmitting/receiving multicast/broadcast signal in a communication system

• US 8,194,578 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Dong-Soo, Kim, Ki-Back, Lim, Hae-Jung, Song, Jin-Han, Kwon, Jae-Woo, Park, Eun-Chan
• Primary Examiner(s): Kizou, Hassan
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TOAN D
• Application Number:
  US11/872,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20080089265A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,695 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370/329, 370/338, 370/350, 370/342, 370/356, 370/465, 370/519, 370/335, 370/254, 370/328, 370/401, 455/418, 455/436, 455/466, 455/502, 455/255, 709/226
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1881 with schedule organisation, e.g. priority, sequence management
• 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 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A system and method for transmitting/receiving a multicast/broadcast signal in a communication system are provided, in which if the communication system includes at least one zone to which the same service is provided and the zone includes at least one ASN_GW and at least one BS connected to the ASN_GW, the ASN_GW generates a second multicast/broadcast signal using a received first multicast/broadcast signal according to information about the zone, generates time information indicating a time when the BS is to transmit the second multicast/broadcast signal, and transmits the second multicast/broadcast signal and the time information to the BS.

Claims

1. A method for processing multicast/broadcast signals by an Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW) in a communication system, comprising:

generating a first multicast/broadcast signal using a received second multicast/broadcast signal and information about a zone in which the same service is provided;

generating a frame number using Time of Day (ToD) information; and

transmitting, to a Base Station (BS) connected to the ASN_GW, the first multicast/broadcast signal and the frame number,

wherein generating the first multicast/broadcast signal includes performing a packetization operation on the second multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information,

wherein transmitting the first multicast/broadcast signal and the frame number to the BS includes transmitting information indicating a result of the packetization operation to the BS,

wherein the frame number is time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the first multicast/broadcast signal,

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is received from the BS, and is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, generating the frame number using the ToD comprises generating the frame number using a global_Frame Number (FN), and

wherein the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, if the communication system includes the plurality of BSs, generating the frame number using the ToD information further comprises:

generating the frame number using the global_FN, a local_increment, and a delay_compensation,

wherein the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, and the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the delay_compensation is determined using a max_tolerable_delay and a local_clock_resolution, the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the RF scheduling information is received from an upper layer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the upper layer is one of a Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) server and a content server.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication system includes a plurality of zones including the zone, and the zone includes a plurality of ASN_GWs including the ASN_GW and a plurality of BSs connected to the ASN_GW.

7. A method for processing multicast/broadcast signals by a Base Station (BS) in a communication system, comprising:

receiving a multicast/broadcast signal, information indicating a result of a packetization operation, and time information from an Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW), the time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the multicast/broadcast signal; and

transmitting the multicast/broadcast signal according to the time information, wherein the time information is a frame number generated by the ASN_GW, using Time of Day (ToD) information,

wherein the information indicating the result of the packetization operation is generated, by the ASN_GW, by performing the packetization operation on the multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information, and

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, the frame number is generated, by the ASN_GW, using a global_Frame Number (FN), and

wherein the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein, if the communication system includes the plurality of BSs, the frame number is generated, by the ASN_GW, using the global_—

FN, a local_increment, and a delay_compensation, and

wherein the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, and the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the delay_compensation is determined using a max_tolerable_delay and a local_clock_resolution, the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the RF scheduling information is received, by the ASN_GW, from an upper layer.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the upper layer is one of a Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) server and a content server.

12. An Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW) for processing multicast/broadcast signals in a communication system, comprising:

a controller for generating a first multicast/broadcast signal using a received second multicast/broadcast signal and information about a zone in which the same service is provided, generating a frame number using Time of Day (ToD) information;

a receiver for receiving the second multicast/broadcast signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting, to a Base Station (BS) connected to the ASN_GW, the first multicast/broadcast signal and the frame number,

wherein the frame number is time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the first multicast/broadcast signal,

wherein the controller performs a packetization operation for the second multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information, and the transmitter transmits information indicating a result of the packetization operationto the BS, and

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is received from the BS, and is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, the ASN_GW generates the frame number using a global₁₃ Frame Number (FN), and

wherein the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs.

13. The ASN_GW of claim 12, wherein, if the communication system includes the plurality of BSs, the ASN_GW generates the frame number using the global_FN, a local_increment, and a delay_compensation,

wherein the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, and the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

14. The ASN_GW of claim 13, wherein the delay_compensation is determined using a max_tolerable_delay and a local_clock_resolution, the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

15. The ASN_GW of claim 12, wherein the RF scheduling information is received from an upper layer.

16. The ASN_GW of claim 15, wherein the upper layer is one of a Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) server and a content server.

17. The ASN_GW of claim 12, wherein the communication system includes a plurality of zones including the zone, and the zone includes a plurality of ASN_GWs including the ASN_GW and a plurality of BSs connected to the ASN_GW.

18. A Base Station (BS) for multicast/broadcast signals in a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a multicast/broadcast signal, information indicating a result of a packetization operation, and time information from an Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW), the time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the multicast/broadcast signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting the multicast/broadcast signal according to the time information,

wherein the time information is a frame number generated, by the ASN_GW, using Time of Day (ToD) information,

wherein the information indicating the result of the packetization operation is generated, by the ASN_GW, by performing the packetization operation on the multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information,

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, the frame number is generated, by the ASN_GW, using a global_Frame Number (FN), and

wherein the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs.

19. The BS of claim 18, wherein, if the communication system includes the plurality of BSs, the frame number is generated, by the ASN_GW, using the global_FN, a local_increment, and a delay_compensation,

wherein the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, and the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

20. The BS of claim 19, wherein the delay_compensation is determined using a max_tolerable_delay and a local_clock_resolution, the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

21. The BS of claim 18, wherein the RF scheduling information is received, by the ASN_GW, from an upper layer.

22. The BS of claim 21, wherein the upper layer is one of a Multicast/Broadcast Service (MBS) server and a content server.

23. A method for processing multicast/broadcast signals by an Access Service Network GateWav (ASN_GW) in a communication system, comprising:

generating a first multicast/broadcast signal using a received second multicast/broadcast signal and information about a zone in which the same service is provided;

generating a frame number using Time of Day (ToD) information; and

transmitting, to a Base Station (BS) connected to the ASN_GW, the first multicast/broadcast signal and the frame number,

wherein generating the first multicast/broadcast signal includes performing a packetization operation on the second multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information,

wherein transmitting the first multicast/broadcast signal and the frame number to the BS includes transmitting information indicating a result of the packetization operation to the BS,

wherein the frame number is time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the first multicast/broadcast signal.

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is received from the BS. and is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, generating the frame number using the ToD information comprises;

generating the frame number using

FN =global_FN +local_increment +delay_compensation , and

wherein the FN represents the frame number, the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs, the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the delay_compensation represents is determined using

delay_compensation=max_tolerable_delay/local_clock_resolution ,

wherein the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

25. A method for processing multicast/broadcast signals by a Base Station (BS) in a communication system, comprising:

receiving a multicast/broadcast signal, information indicating a result of a packetization operation, and time information from an Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW), the time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the multicast/broadcast signal; and

transmitting the multicast/broadcast signal according to the time information, wherein the time information is a frame number generated by the ASN_GW, using Time of Day (ToD) information,

wherein the information indicating the result of the packetization operation is generated, by the ASN_GW, by performing the packetization operation on the multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information,

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, the frame number is generated, by the ASN_GW using FN=global_FN+local_increment+delay_compensation , and

wherein the FN represents the frame number, the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs, the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the delay_compensation represents is determined using

delay_compensation=max_tolerable_delay/local_clock_resolution ,

wherein the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

27. An Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW) for processing multicast/broadcast signals in a communication system, comprising:

a controller for generating a first multicast/broadcast signal using a received second multicast/broadcast signal and information about a zone in which the same service is provided, generating a frame number using Time of Day (ToD) information;

a receiver for receiving the second multicast/broadcast signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting, to a Base Station (BS) connected to the ASN_GW, the first multicast/broadcast signal and the frame number,

wherein the frame number is time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the first multicast/broadcast signal,

wherein the controller performs a packetization operation for the second multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information, and the transmitter transmits information indicating a result of the packetization operation to the BS,

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is received from the BS, and is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, the ASN_GW generates the frame number using

FN=global_FN+local_increment+delay_compensation , and

wherein the FN represents the frame number, the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs, the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

28. The ASN_GW of claim 27, wherein the delay_compensation represents is determined using

delay_compensation=max_tolerable_delay/local_clock_resolution ,

wherein the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.

29. A Base Station (BS) for multicast/broadcast signals in a communication system, comprising:

a receiver for receiving a multicast/broadcast signal, information indicating a result of a packetization operation, and time information from an Access Service Network GateWay (ASN_GW), the time information indicating a time for the BS to transmit the multicast/broadcast signal; and

a transmitter for transmitting the multicast/broadcast signal according to the time information,

wherein the time information is a frame number generated, by the ASN_GW, using Time of Day (ToD) information,

wherein the information indicating the result or the packetization operation is generated, by the ASN_GW, by performing the packetization operation on the multicast/broadcast signal using Radio Frequency (RF) scheduling information,

wherein the RF scheduling information includes Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS) level information,

wherein the ToD information is acquired from a Global Positioning System (GPS) included in the BS,

wherein, if the communication system includes a plurality of BSs, the frame number is generated, by the ASN_GW using

FN=global_FN+local_increment+delay_compensation, and

wherein the FN represents the frame number, the global_FN represents an effective received_FN among received_FNs received from the plurality of BSs, the local_increment represents a local clock increased every a predetermined interval, the delay_compensation represents a value determined using one of a ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and an FN and ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and a multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW.

30. The BS of claim 29, wherein the delay_compensation represents is determined using

delay_compensation=max tolerable_delay/local_clock_resolution ,

wherein the max_tolerable_delay is determined using the ToD transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the multicast/broadcast signal transmission delay between the BS and the ASN_GW, and the local_clock_resolution is determined using a predetermined interval.