Scheduling processing method for multimedia broadcast and multicast service and lower-layer network element

• US 8,855,037 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2010
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Original Assignee: ZTE Corporation
• Inventors: Zhai, Hengxing, Ai, Jianxun
• Primary Examiner(s): Thier, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOUIS, VINNCELAS
• Application Number:
  US13/257,897
• Publication Number:
  US 20120093055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,737 Days
• Field of Search: 370/312, 370328-335, 370/394, 370/395.4, 370/432, 370/470, 455/426.1, 455/446, 455/507
• 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: H04L 5/003 Arrangements for allocating sub-channels of the transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0078 Timing of allocation
• 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 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A scheduling processing method for a MBMS service and a lower-layer network element are provided. The method is used for each lower-layer network element to perform scheduling processing for data of an MBMS service received from an upper-layer network element, in which the lower-layer network element receives information sent by a designated network element, the information is used for indicating a scheduling period of the MBMS service; then the lower-layer network element performs scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS service according to the scheduling period of the MBMS service.

Claims

1. A scheduling processing method for a Multimedia Broadcast and Multicast Service (MBMS), used for each of lower-layer network elements to perform scheduling processing for data of art MBMS services received from an upper-layer network element, comprising:

receiving, by each of the lower-layer network elements, information sent by a designated network element, wherein the information is used for indicating a scheduling periods of the MBMS services, and wherein the designated network element comprises a multimedia broadcast and multicast coordination entity;

performing, by each of the lower-layer network elements, scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS services during a transmission scheduling period of a Multicast Channel (MCH) based on a predetermined sequence and/or predetermined scheduling amount, according to the scheduling periods of the MBMS services indicated by the information;

wherein the step that each of the lower-layer network elements performs the scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS services is according to the predetermined sequence, the predetermined sequence is a length sequence of the scheduling periods of the MBMS services;

wherein the scheduling processing according to the length sequence by each of the lower-layer network elements comprises;

arranging the received MBMS services at corresponding resource positions according to the length sequence of the scheduling periods including;

first scheduling the MBMS service with the shortest scheduling period during the transmission scheduling period;

then scheduling the MBMS service with the longer scheduling; and

wherein the transmission scheduling period of the MCH is an integral multiple of a minimum MBMS scheduling period containing the scheduling period information of the MBMS service.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method for determining the transmission scheduling period of the MCH comprises one of the followings:

indicating, by the upper-layer network element, the transmission scheduling period of the MCH to each of the lower-layer network elements via signalling;

determining, by the designated network element, the transmission scheduling period of the MCH according to the scheduling period of the MBMS service and sending the transmission scheduling period of the MCH to each of the lower-layer network elements via signalling;

determining, by each of the lower-layer network elements, the transmission scheduling period of the MCH according to the scheduling periods of the received MBMS services.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein scheduling information of all MBMS services, which are required to be sent during the transmission scheduling period, is set in the transmission scheduling period of the MCH, wherein the scheduling information comprises:

information used for indicating a sub-frame position for sending the MBMS service during the transmission scheduling period.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein for any two different scheduling periods of MBMS services, a long scheduling period is an integral multiple of a short scheduling period.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the transmission scheduling period of the MCH is an integral multiple of a maximal value of the scheduling period of the MBMS service.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step that each of the lower-layer network elements performs the scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS services according to the predetermined sequence further comprises one of the followings:

performing the scheduling processing according to priority sequence of the MBMS service;

performing the scheduling processing according to service quality sequence of the MBMS service.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein scheduling information of all MBMS services, which are required to be sent during the transmission scheduling period, is set in the transmission scheduling period of the MCH, wherein the scheduling information comprises:

information used for indicating a sub-frame position for sending the MBMS service during the transmission scheduling period.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein for any two different scheduling periods of MBMS services, a long scheduling period is an integral multiple of a short scheduling period.

9. The method according to claim 5, wherein the transmission scheduling period of the MCH is an integral multiple of a maximal value of the scheduling period of the MBMS service.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step that each of the lower-layer network elements performs the scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS services according to the predetermined scheduling amount comprises one of the followings:

performing, by each of the lower-layer network elements, the scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS services according to average data amount of each MBMS service in received MBMS services which is required to be scheduled in the transmission scheduling period;

performing, by each of the lower-layer network elements, the scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS services according to the scheduling period of each MBMS service in the received MBMS services.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein scheduling information of all MBMS services, which are required to be sent during the transmission scheduling period, is set in the transmission scheduling period of the MCH, wherein the scheduling information comprises:

information used for indicating a sub-frame position for sending the MBMS service during the transmission scheduling period.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein for any two different scheduling periods of MBMS services, a long scheduling period is an integral multiple of a short scheduling period.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the transmission scheduling period of the MCH is an integral multiple of a maximal value of the scheduling period of the MBMS service.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein scheduling information of all MBMS services, which are required to be sent during the transmission scheduling period, is set in the transmission scheduling period of the MCH, wherein the scheduling information comprises:

information used for indicating a sub-frame position for sending the MBMS service during the transmission scheduling period.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein for any two different scheduling periods of MBMS services, a long scheduling period is an integral multiple of a short scheduling period.

16. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission scheduling period of the MCH is an integral multiple of a maximal value of the scheduling period of the MBMS service.

17. A lower-layer network element, comprising:

a first receiving unit, used for receiving data of MBMS services from an upper-layer network element;

a second receiving unit, used for receiving information indicating scheduling periods of the MBMS services from a designated network element, wherein the designated network element comprises a multimedia broadcast and multicast coordination entity;

a scheduling processing unit, used for performing scheduling processing for the data of the MBMS services received by the first receiving unit during a transmission scheduling period of a Multicast Channel (MCH) based on a predetermined sequence and/or predetermined scheduling amount, according to the scheduling periods of the MBMS services indicated by the information received by the second receiving unit;

wherein the scheduling processing for the data of the received MBMS service is according to the predetermined sequence, the predetermined sequence is a length sequence of the scheduling periods of the MBMS services;

wherein the scheduling processing according to the length sequence by scheduling processing unit comprises;

arranging the received MBMS services at corresponding resource positions according to the length sequence of the scheduling periods including;

first scheduling the MBMS service with the shortest scheduling period during the transmission scheduling period;

then scheduling the MBMS service with the longer scheduling; and

wherein the transmission scheduling period of the MCH is an integral multiple of a minimum MBMS scheduling period containing the scheduling period information of the MBMS service.