Method and apparatus multimedia broadcast/multicast service coverage boost

• US 8,867,425 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 10/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Korus, Michael F., Drozt, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Application Number:
  US13/724,098
• Publication Number:
  US 20140177437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 370/280, 370/281, 370/310.2, 370/312, 370/314, 370/328, 370/330, 370/390, 370/535
• US Class Current: 370/312
• 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 4/06 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 72/0453 Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services

Abstract

A method of assigning Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (E-MBMS) bearers in a Multimedia Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area in a 3GPP compliant wireless communication system is provided. An infrastructure device is operably coupled to a radio access network comprising one or more MBSFN areas, wherein each MBSFN area supports a plurality of E-MBMS bearers for transporting media streams to user equipments (UE). The infrastructure device receives, from a UE, an identifier of a preferred MBSFN area and a request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions. The infrastructure device assigns first and second E-MBMS bearers in an MBSFN area to support a call to the UE, the first and second E-MBMS bearers providing the same information to the UE in their media content streams. The UE may employ application layer time-diversity reception of the media content.

Claims

1. A method of assigning Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (E-MBMS) bearers in a Multimedia Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) compliant wireless communication system, the method comprising:

an infrastructure device operably coupled to the 3GPP compliant system, the 3GPP compliant system having a radio access network comprising one or more MBSFN areas, wherein each MBSFN area supports a plurality of E-MBMS bearers for transporting media streams to user equipments (UE), the infrastructure device using application layer processing to perform;

receiving information from a UE, the information comprising;

an identifier that identifies at least a primary preferred MBSFN area for providing transmissions to the UE;

a request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions received by the UE;

using a first E-MBMS bearer and a second E-MBMS bearer in an MBSFN area, to support a call to the UE, the first E-MBMS bearer providing a first media content stream to the UE and the second E-MBMS bearer providing a second media content stream to the UE, the first media content stream and the second media content stream comprising the same information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the infrastructure device:

receives, in a first message from the UE, the identifier that identifies at least a primary preferred MBSFN area;

assigns the first E-MBMS bearer in the primary preferred MBSFN area, based on the identifier;

receives, in a separate, second message from the UE, the request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions received by the UE, the infrastructure device receiving the second message from the UE after receiving the identifier;

assigns the second E-MBMS bearer in the primary preferred MBSFN area in response to receiving the request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions received by the UE.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the infrastructure device:

assigning a different Temporary Mobile Group Identifier (TMGI) for each of the first E-MBMS bearer and the second E-MBMS bearer in the MBSFN area.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the infrastructure device transmitting the first media content stream on the first E-MBMS bearer and the second media content stream on the second E-MBMS bearer with a time offset, whereby the UE can employ application layer time-diversity reception to recover the information.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the infrastructure device transmitting the first media content stream on the first E-MBMS bearer and the second media content stream on the second E-MBMS bearer with a frequency offset between a transmission frequency of the first media content stream on the first E-MBMS bearer, and a transmission frequency of the second media content stream on the second E-MBMS bearer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the infrastructure device assigning the MBSFN Area, and the first E-MBMS bearer and the second E-MBMS bearer within the MBSFN Area, also based on a current loading of MBSFN areas of the wireless communication system.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the infrastructure device notifying at least the second E-MBMS bearer to the UE.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

the infrastructure device allocating a third E-MBMS bearer in the MBSFN area to provide the information to the UE in a third media content stream.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

the first, second and third E-MBMS bearers providing the same media content to the UE, offset in time and/or frequency,

whereby the UE can employ application layer time-diversity and/or frequency-diversity reception to the received media content from the first, second and third E-MBMS bearers.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the infrastructure device:

receiving an indication of a priority level of a call; and

assigning the first E-MBMS bearer and the second E-MBMS bearer, also based on the priority level of the call.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the infrastructure device:

when the priority level of the call indicates that the call is an emergency call, allocating the second E-MBMS bearer in the MBSFN area.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the infrastructure device:

when the priority level of the call indicates that the call is an emergency call, also allocating a third E-MBMS bearer in the MBSFN area.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the infrastructure device:

also receives a request for Make Before Break (MBB) service from the UE; and

assigns the second E-MBMS bearer responsive to both the request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions received by the UE and the request for Make Before Break (MBB) service.

14. A method for a User Equipment (UE) to receive an E-MBMS service in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) compliant wireless communication system, the 3GPP compliant system having a radio access network comprising one or more MBSFN areas, wherein each MBSFN area supports a plurality of E-MBMS bearers for transporting media streams to user equipments (UE), the method comprising a UE performing:

receiving at least two media content streams comprising the same information in an MBSFN area, a first media content stream being received on a first E-MBMS bearer and a second media content stream being received on a second E-MBMS bearer;

time aligning the at least two media content streams;

using header information to detect missing packets from each of the at least two media content streams;

combining packets from each of the at least two media content streams, to construct a single media content stream with the information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

when the UE no longer needs to receive more than one media content stream, the UE reporting that the UE no longer needs to receive more than one media content stream, to an infrastructure device acting as an application server of the 3GPP compliant system.

16. A method for a User Equipment (UE) to provide Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (E-MBMS) service area location update information to an infrastructure device in a Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) compliant wireless communication system, the 3GPP compliant system having a radio access network comprising one or more MBSFN areas, wherein each MBSFN area provides an E-MBMS transmission and supports a plurality of E-MBMS bearers for transporting media streams to user equipments (UE), the method comprising a UE configured for multiple MBSFN reception using application layer processing to perform:

receiving a transmission from an MBSFN area, the transmission comprising an identifier of the MBSFN area;

transmitting information to an infrastructure device operably coupled to the 3GPP compliant system, the information comprising;

the identifier that identifies the MBSFN area; and

at least one of;

a request for a boost to the quality of the transmissions received by the UE;

a request for a call to be processed as an emergency call;

receiving a call on a first E-MBMS bearer and a second E-MBMS bearer in the MBSFN area, the call being provided to a call group comprising the UE, the first E-MBMS bearer providing a first media content stream to the UE and the second E-MBMS bearer providing a second media content stream to the UE, wherein the first media content stream and the second media content stream comprise the same call information.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

at the UE;

receiving an MBSFN Area Identification (MBSFN Area ID) for the MBSFN area; and

transmitting the MBSFN Area ID as the identifier of a primary preferred or a secondary preferred MBSFN area.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the UE receiving the first and second media content streams using different Temporary Mobile Group Identifiers (TMGI) on the first E-MBMS bearer and the second E-MBMS bearer.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

the UE receiving the first media content stream and the second media content stream with a time offset between reception of the first media content stream and reception of the second media content stream, whereby the UE can employ application layer time-diversity reception to the received media content streams to retrieve the call information.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

the UE receiving the first media content stream and the second media content stream with an additional frequency offset between a transmission frequency of the first media content stream on the first E-MBMS bearer, and a transmission frequency of the second media content stream on the second E-MBMS bearer.