Method for transmission of MBMS control information in a radio access network

• US 8,547,892 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2007
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Kazmi, Muhammad, Baldemair, Robert, Vukajlovic, Vera
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Dang
• Assistant Examiner(s): Morlan, Robert M
• Application Number:
  US12/444,305
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070905A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,196 Days
• Field of Search: 370/310, 370/312, 370/328, 370/347
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

The present invention relates to multimedia broadcast and multicast services, MBMS, in a cell wherein variable transmission bandwidth is employed. In particular the invention relates to transmission of MBMS control information relating to broadcast and multicast services. According to the method and arrangement of the invention the manner in which the transmission of MBMS control information is performed and/or the content of the MBMS control information is determined based on the amount and the portion of the cell bandwidth that is used for MBMS transmission.

Claims

1. A method in a radio network node for transmission of multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) control information, in connection with a MBMS service, in a radio access network comprising a radio base station serving a cell wherein variable transmission bandwidth is employed and the cell has a defined maximum transmission bandwidth, said defined maximum transmission bandwidth comprising a full bandwidth, and a defined minimum bandwidth portion of the full bandwidth, the method comprising:

a) dynamically activating transmission of MBMS control information based on an amount and portion of a cell bandwidth that is used for a MBMS transmission;

b) modifying content of the MBMS control information based on the amount and the portion of the cell bandwidth that is used for the MBMS transmission; and

the method further comprising;

determining the bandwidth requirement for the MBMS transmission;

positioning the MBMS transmission in an available bandwidth;

determining if more or less than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service; and

if one minimum bandwidth portion or less is used for the MBMS service, the MBMS control information is sent in, and only in, the minimum bandwidth portion used for the MBMS service, and if more than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, the MBMS control information is sent in more bandwidth portions than the minimum bandwidth portion carrying a major part of the MBMS service.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein if more than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, the MBMS control information is duplicated in all the minimum bandwidth portions.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein if more than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, full MBMS control information is provided in the minimum bandwidth portion carrying the major part of the MBMS service and reduced MBMS control information is provided in other minimum bandwidth portion or portions, and the reduced MBMS control information comprises information about where the full MBMS control information is positioned in the full bandwidth.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the full and reduced MBMS control information are transmitted alternately in respective bandwidth portions at different times.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein if more than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, first MBMS control information is provided in a first minimum bandwidth portion and comprises full MBMS control information for that bandwidth portion, and second MBMS control information is provided in a second minimum bandwidth portion and comprises full MBMS control information for that bandwidth portion, and wherein the first MBMS control information comprises an indication of the second MBMS control information and the second MBMS control information comprises an indication of the first MBMS control information.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first and second MBMS control information are transmitted alternately in respective bandwidth portions at different times.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein if more than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, the same MBMS control information is transmitted in all bandwidth portions but alternately in different bandwidth portions at different times.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein unicast, single cell MBMS and multi-cell MBMS services are offered in the cell.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the unicast, single cell and multi-cell MBMS services are multiplexed in time domain or in frequency domain or combinations thereof.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein only multi-cell MBMS services are offered in the cell.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the minimum bandwidth portion represents a minimum bandwidth requirement of user equipment supported in the cell.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the MBMS control information comprises a MBMS control channel or a MBMS notification or combination thereof.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the MBMS notification indicates a modification of the MBMS control channel specific to a corresponding portion of the cell bandwidth.

14. A radio network node adapted for performing multimedia broadcast and multicast service (MBMS) in a cell wherein variable transmission bandwidth is employed and the cell has a defined maximum transmission bandwidth, hereinafter referred to as the full bandwidth, and a defined minimum bandwidth portion of the full bandwidth, the multimedia broadcast and multicast service comprising transmission of MBMS control information, the radio network node comprising:

a radio communication module adapted for communication with user equipment;

an MBMS module for providing a MBMS service in the cell that the radio network node serves;

a MBMS control information module for handling the MSMS control information associated with the MBMS service and dynamically activating the MBMS control information based on bandwidth and position information of a MBMS transmission;

a MBMS bandwidth determining module in connection with the MBMS control information module, for determining a bandwidth needed for the MBMS transmission and the capabilities of the user equipment which are to receive the MBMS transmission and for positioning the MBMS transmission in an available bandwidth and for providing the MBMS control information module with a required bandwidth and position information; and

the MBMS control information module is further for determining if more or less than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, and if one minimum bandwidth portion or less is used for the MBMS service, arranging the MBMS control information to be sent in the minimum bandwidth portion used for the MBMS service, and if more than one minimum bandwidth portion is used for the MBMS service, arranging the MBMS control information to be sent in both minimum bandwidth portions.

15. The radio network node according to claim 14, wherein the MBMS control information module is adapted to arrange the MBMS control information to be duplicated in the minimum bandwidth portions.

16. The radio network node according to claim 14, wherein the MBMS control information module is adapted to provide full MBMS control information in the minimum bandwidth portion carrying a major part of the MBMS service and reduced MBMS control information in other minimum bandwidth portion or portions, and wherein the reduced MBMS control information comprises information about where the full MBMS control information is positioned in the full bandwidth.

17. The radio network node according to claim 14, wherein the MBMS control information module is adapted to provide first MBMS control information to be provided in a first minimum bandwidth portion and comprising full MBMS control information for that bandwidth portion, and second MBMS control information in a second minimum bandwidth portion and comprising full MBMS control information for that bandwidth portion, and wherein the first MBMS control information comprises an indication of the second MBMS control information and the second MBMS control information comprises an indication of the first MBMS control information.

18. The radio network node according to claim 17, wherein MBMS module is adapted to transmit the first and second MBMS control information in respective bandwidth portions at different times.

19. The radio network node according to claim 14, wherein the MBMS module is adapted to provide both unicast, single cell MBMS and multi-cell MBMS services.

20. The radio network node according to claim 19, wherein the MBMS module is adapted to multiplex the unicast, single cell and multi-cell MBMS services in time domain or in frequency domain or combinations thereof.