Method of handling mobility in multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network in a wireless communication system and related communication device

• US 8,254,932 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2010
• Issued: 08/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Original Assignee: HTC Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Chia-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Ajit
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wyche, Myron K
• Application Number:
  US12/891,814
• Publication Number:
  US 20110077006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 700 Days
• Field of Search: 455/404.1, 455/436, 455/550.1, 370/328, 370/329
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0007 for multicast or broadcast services, e.g. MBMS multicast or broadcast application services H04W4/06; resource management for broadcast services H04W72/30; connection management for selective distribution or broadcast H04W76/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point

Abstract

A method of handling mobility in multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) for a user equipment of a wireless communication system includes when the user equipment proceeds with an MBMS service and performs handover from a source cell to a target cell, checking whether a target MBSFN area which the target cell belongs to is the same as a source MBSFN area which the source cell belongs to, when the target MBSFN area is different from the source MBSFN area, receiving a multicast control channel (MCCH) corresponding to the target MBSFN area, checking whether the MBMS service is provided in the target MBSFN area, and when the MBMS service is provided in the target MBSFN area, sending a service join request to a target network of the wireless communication system, for continuing to receive the MBMS service.

Claims

1. A method of handling mobility in multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) for a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

when the UE proceeds with an MBMS service and performs handover from a source cell to a target cell, checking whether a target MBSFN area which the target cell belongs to is the same as a source MBSFN area which the source cell belongs to;

when the target MBSFN area is different from the source MBSFN area, receiving a multicast control channel (MCCH) corresponding to the target MBSFN area;

checking whether the MBMS service is provided in the target MBSFN area; and

when the MBMS service is provided in the target MBSFN area, sending a service join request to a target network of the wireless communication system, for continuing to receive the MBMS service.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

when the target MBSFN area is the same as the source MBSFN area, automatically continuing to receive the MBMS service.

3. A method of handling mobility in multimedia broadcast multicast service single frequency network (MBSFN) for a user equipment (UE) of a wireless communication system, the method comprising:

when the UE proceeds with a first MBMS service provided in a first MBSFN area and performs handover from a source cell to a target cell, checking whether the first MBSFN area is included in a plurality of MBSFN areas which the target cell belongs to;

when the first MBSFN area is not included in the plurality of MBSFN areas which the target cell belongs to, receiving a plurality of multicast control channels (MCCHs) corresponding to the plurality of MBSFN areas;

checking whether the first MBMS service is provided in at least one of the plurality of MBSFN areas; and

when the first MBMS service is provided in at least one of the plurality of MBSFN areas, sending a service join request to a target network of the wireless communication system, for continuing to receive the first MBMS service.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

when the first MBSFN area is included in the plurality of MBSFN areas which the target cell belongs to, automatically continuing to receive the first MBMS service under the first MBSFN area.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of sending the service join request when the first MBMS service is provided in at least one of MBSFN areas comprises:

when the first MBMS service is provided in one of the plurality of MBSFN areas, sending the service join request to the target network for subscribing to the first MBMS service in the MBSFN area.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of sending the service join request when the first MBMS service is provided in at least one of MBSFN areas comprises:

when the first MBMS service is provided in more than one MBSFN areas, selecting an MBSFN area from a plurality of MBSFN areas providing the first MBMS service; and

sending the service join request to the target network for subscribing to the first MBMS service in the selected MBSFN area.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

when the UE wants to subscribe to a second MBMS service after the first MBMS service is subscribed and the second MBMS service is provided in the same MBSFN area in which the first MBMS service is subscribed, selecting the same MBSFN area to subscribe to the second MBMS service.