Methods for assigning a plethora of group communications among a limited number of pre-established MBMS bearers in a communication system

• US 9,042,291 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2010
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Korus, Michael F., Drozt, Peter M., Newberg, Donald G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Huq, Obaidul
• Application Number:
  US12/981,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20120172028A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,609 Days
• Field of Search: 370/276, 370/293, 370/310, 370/312, 370/315, 370/316, 370/319, 370/321, 370/322, 370/328, 370/329, 370/336, 370/342, 370/343, 370/340, 370/341, 455/403, 455/422.1, 455/450, 455/452.1, 455/455
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 60/00 Affiliation to network, e.g. registration; Terminating affiliation with the network, e.g. de-registration
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/186 Processing of subscriber group data

Abstract

An infrastructure device in a 3GPP compliant system performs a method to allocate MBMS bearers. The 3GPP compliant system includes a RAN partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area has a plurality of pre-established MBMS bearers for transporting media streams. The infrastructure device: receives a request to transmit a media stream to a communication group; selects a set of the MBMS service areas for transporting the media stream; determines an available MBMS bearer in each selected MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream; and identifies the assigned MBMS bearers to members of the communication group. In addition, a UE performs a method for MBMS service area location update in the 3GPP compliant system. Accordingly, the UE: determines a 3GPP MBMS service area in which the UE is currently located; and identifies the 3GPP MBMS service area to an infrastructure device.

Claims

1. A method for assigning a limited number of pre-established Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) bearers among a plethora of communication groups in communication system comprising a radio access network that is partitioned into a plurality MBMS services areas, wherein each MBMS service area is associated with a plurality of 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) MBMS bearers established α

priori for transporting media streams, the method comprising;

receiving, by a call controller, an initial request to transmit a media stream to a communication group, wherein the request to transmit is received after the plurality of 3GPP MBMS bearers associated with the plurality of MBMS service areas were established;

selecting, by the call controller, a set of the MBMS service areas for transporting the media stream;

determining, by the call controller, an available 3GPP MBMS bearer of the plurality of established 3GPP MBMS bearers associated with each selected MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream;

identifying, by the call controller, the assigned 3GPP MBMS bearers to members of the communication group.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving, at the call controller from a member of the communication group, an indication of an MBMS service area having a coverage area in which the member is currently located, and using the indication to select the set of MBMS service areas.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the indication comprises a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network Area Identifier (MBSFN-Area ID).

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the call controller receives the MBSFN-Area ID in a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the call controller receives the MBSFN-Area ID in a SIP PUBLISH message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein each assigned MBMS bearer is identified using a different Temporary Mobile Group Identifier.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to transmit comprises a Push-to-Talk request.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising the call controller performing:

receiving a request to end the transport of the media stream for the communication group; and

de-assigning each assigned MBMS bearer.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the infrastructure device performing:

receiving the media stream; and

forwarding the media stream over each assigned MBMS bearer.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the call controller comprises one or more of a Push-to-Talk server, a presence server, a computer aided dispatch (CAD) server, and a media server.

11. A method for Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) service area location update for a user equipment in a 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) compliant system, the method comprising:

a user equipment (UE) performing;

determining a 3GPP MBMS service area in which the UE is currently located;

identifying the 3GPP MBMS service area to an application server that resides outside of an Evolved Packet Core (EPC);

generating and sending to the application server a MBSFN-Area ID Update message that contains a MBFSN-Area ID for each MBMS service area in which the UE is currently located, wherein the MBSFN-Area ID Update message is one of;

provided to a presence server;

or

a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) PUBLISH message that is provided to a Push-to-Talk server.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the MBMS service area is identified to the application server upon a change in the MBMS service area.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the MBMS service area is identified to the application server upon power-up of the UE.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the MBMS service area is identified using a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network Area Identifier (MBSFN-Area ID).

15. The method of claim 11, wherein determining the MBMS service area in which the UE is currently located comprises the UE receiving an identifier for the MBMS Service Area over a 3GPP layer 2 System Information Block.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the UE receiving an identifier for an assigned MBMS bearer for a communication group of which the UE is a member and receiving a media stream on the assigned MBMS bearer using the received identifier.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the application server comprises one or more of a Push-to-Talk server, a presence server, a computer aided dispatch (CAD) server, and a media server.

18. A call controller capable of supporting a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) service, the call controller comprising:

a processing device that is configured to;

establish one or more 3^rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) MBMS bearers, for transporting media streams, in association with each MBMS service area of a plurality of MBMS service areas;

receive an initial request to transmit a media stream to a communication group, wherein the request to transmit is received after the plurality of 3GPP MBMS bearers associated with the plurality of MBMS service areas are established;

select a set of the MBMS service areas for transporting the media stream;

determine an available 3GPP MBMS bearer of the plurality of established 3GPP MBMS bearers associated with each selected MBMS service area to assign to transport the media stream;

identify the assigned 3GPP MBMS bearers to members of the communication group.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the call controller comprises one or more of a Push-to-Talk server, a presence server, a computer aided dispatch (CAD) server, and a media server.