Enhanced local communications in mobile broadband networks

• US 8,811,258 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Etemad, Kamran, Zhang, Yujian, Niu, Huaning
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, CLEMENCE S
• Application Number:
  US13/719,372
• Publication Number:
  US 20140003320A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/11 Allocation or use of connection identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

The techniques introduced herein provide a framework for efficient communication to, and among, a local communication group (LCG). The LCG may be a peer-to-group communication or a network-to-group communication. The peer-to-group communication may be one way (e.g., one peer in the group may send communications to the rest of the users with little feedback) or two way (e.g., each member of the group may have the ability to share content with the remaining members of the group). According to the techniques introduced herein, local group communication may be anchored through an eNodeB of an LTE network, which may use a combination of multicast communications in the downlink and unicast communications in the uplink.

Claims

1. An evolved node B (eNodeB) for an evolved universal terrestrial radio access network, the eNodeB comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled with the processor, the memory storing instructions which when executed by the processor cause the eNodeB to;

generate a group identifier (ID) associated with a plurality of user equipments (UEs), wherein the group ID includes a multicast cell radio network temporary identifier (MC-RNTI) configured for the plurality of UEs;

receive, from a first UE of the plurality of UEs, a data packet for multicasting to the plurality of UEs; and

transmit the data packet to the plurality of UEs on a multicast downlink resource, wherein an assignment of the multicast downlink resource is provided to the plurality of UEs using the MC-RNTI.

2. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the plurality of operations further cause the eNodeB to establish a logical channel for receiving communications on an uplink from the first UE, the uplink established using unicast resources, and the logical channel identified by a logical channel identifier (LCID) and a logical channel group identifier (LCGID), and

wherein the data packet is received from the first UE on the uplink and is associated with the LCID and the LCGID.

3. The eNodeB of claim 2, wherein the plurality of operations further cause the eNodeB to maintain a data structure configured to associate the LCID and the LCGID with each of the plurality of UEs and the group ID.

4. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the eNodeB is configured to receive, on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH), a request from a second UE to transmit data on an uplink for multicasting by the eNodeB to the plurality of UEs.

5. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the eNodeB is configured to receive, on the random access channel (RACH) using a per UE or per group designated preamble, a request from a second UE to transmit data on an uplink for multicasting by the eNodeB to the plurality of UEs.

6. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the eNodeB is configured to receive, via a buffer status report (BSR) using a logical channel group identifier (LCGID) associated with the group communication, a request from a second UE to transmit data on an uplink for multicasting by the eNodeB to the plurality of UEs.

7. The eNodeB of claim 1, wherein the eNodeB is configured to:

generate the group ID in response to a request to create a local communication group (LCG) including the plurality of UEs, the request including quality of service (QoS) related information; and

assign a proper QoS Class Identifier (QCI) to the LCG based on the QoS related information.

8. The eNodeB of claim 7, wherein the request to create the LCG is received from a group owner and management entity through a core network.

9. The eNodeB of claim, 7 wherein the request to create the LCG is received from a UE of the plurality of UEs.

10. A method for implementing enhanced local communication in a third-generation partnership project (3GPP) network by an evolved node B (eNodeB), comprising:

receiving a request to configure a local communication group (LCG) among a plurality of user equipments (UEs);

in response to the request, establishing one or more logical channels for receiving communications on corresponding uplinks from at least one of the plurality of UEs, wherein the uplinks are established using unicast resources and the one or more logical channels are identified by respective logical channel identifiers (LCIDs) and logical channel group identifiers (LCGIDs) and generating a group identifier (ID) associated with the LCG; and

transmitting the group ID to the plurity of UEs, wherein the group ID comprises a multicast cell radio network temporary identifier (MC-RNTI); and

multicasting, to the LCG, communications received on the uplinks that include one of the LCIDs and one of the LCGIDs.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein multicasting comprises transmitting the communications to the plurality of UEs on a multicast downlink using the group ID.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

maintaining a data structure configured to associate the LCIDs and the LCGIDs with respective UEs of the plurality of UEs.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a request on a physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) to transmit data for the LCG on one of the uplinks.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a request on a random access channel (RACH) to transmit data for the LCG on one of the uplinks.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising receiving a request via a buffer status report (BSR) to transmit data for the LCG on one of the uplinks.

16. A user equipment (UE), comprising:

a processing module to selectively configure the UE as a host or a participant of a local communication group (LCG); and

a transceiver module to;

receive configuration data from an evolved Node B (eNodeB) corresponding to the LCG;

transmit a request to the eNodeB to transmit data to the LCG, wherein the configuration data comprises;

a group identifier (ID) associated with the LCG; and

a logical channel identifier (LCID) and a logical channel group identifier for use in uplink communications associated with the LCG, wherein the group ID comprises a multicast cell radio network temporary identifier (MC-RNTI); and

receive data in a multicast downlink corresponding to the LCG.

17. The UE of claim 16, when operating as the host, the transceiver module is configured to:

transmit a request to the eNodeB to configure the LCG among a plurality of UEs; and

transmit on a unicast uplink resource a data packet to be distributed to the plurality of UEs on the multicast downlink.

18. The UE of claim 17, when operating as the host, the transceiver module is configured to:

transmit an invitation to the join the LCG to the plurality of UEs, wherein the invitation includes the group ID.

19. The UE of claim 16, when operating as the participant, the transceiver module is configured to:

receive an invitation to join the LCG, wherein the invitation includes a multicast cell radio network temporary identifier (MC-RNTI) configured for the LCG, and a logical channel identifier (LCID) and a logical channel group identifier (LCGID) associated with a unicast resource for uplink communications with the LCG;

transmit an uplink data packet to be distributed to the LCG, wherein the uplink data packet is identified as being associated with the LCG by including the LCID in a medium access control (MAC) header; and

receive a downlink data packet on a multicast downlink resource, wherein the corresponding multicast resource is associated with the MC-RNTI configured for the group.

20. The UE of claim 16, the processing module further configured to:

confirm, to the eNodeB, receipt of the data in the multicast downlink corresponding to the LCG.

21. The UE of claim 20, wherein processing module is configured to confirm receipt of the data in the multicast downlink using a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) level acknowledge/negative-acknowledge procedure.

22. The UE of claim 20, wherein processing module is configured to confirm receipt of the data in the multicast downlink using a transmission control protocol (TCP) level acknowledge/negative-acknowledge procedure.