Method and system for determining mapping relationship between multicast broadcast single frequency network area and service area

• US 9,042,292 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2011
• Issued: 05/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Datang Mobile Communications Equipment Company Limited (China Information Communication Technology Group Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: China Academy of Telecom Technology (China Information Communication Technology Group Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Zhang, Dajun, Yang, Xiaodong
• Primary Examiner(s): Elliott, IV, Benjamin H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowlin, Eric
• Application Number:
  US13/521,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20120287838A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,596 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 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

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method and system for determining a mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area, wherein the method includes: an eNB sends an M2 setup request message to an MCE; the MCE allocates MBSFN area identities and sends a message with a mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area to the eNB; and the eNB acquires the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service. By the technical scheme of the invention, the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the MBMS area can be defined, thus ensuring the synchronization transmission demand of the MBSFN with air interfaces.

Claims

1. A method for determining a mapping relation between a multicast broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) area and a service area comprising the steps of:

receiving, by a multicast coordination entity (MCE), an M2 setup request message sent by an eNB, wherein MBMS area information of each cell is carried; and

allocating, by the MCE, MBSFN area identities and sending a message with the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and a service area to the eNB so that the eNB can acquire the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area,

wherein the MCE sends the message with the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area to the eNB at the same time of transmitting the MBSFN area identities; and

wherein, if multicast control channel (MCCH) configuration information is not included in the message, the eNB stores the mapping relation until the MCCH configuration information is received so as to perform subsequent operations with air interfaces.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a cell list available for MBSFN identities is carried while the mapping relation is transmitted.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of allocating the MBSFN area identities and sending the mapping relation to the eNB further comprises the steps of:

allocating, by the MCE, the MBSFN area identities in accordance with the network planning or strategies of operators, wherein the MCCH configuration information is carried;

storing the MCCH configuration information by the eNB; and

organizing MBMS scheduling information by the MCE in accordance with an MBMS session message, in which the mapping relation between the MBMS area and the service area is included, and sending the MBMS scheduling information to the eNB by the MCE;

wherein, the eNB determines the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area by combining the MBMS session message and the stored MCCH configuration information in accordance with the received MBMS scheduling information, so as to organize and send a system message.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein a cell list available for MBSFN identities is specified while the MBMS scheduling information is being configured.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of allocating the MBSFN area identities and sending the mapping relation to the eNB further comprises the steps of:

allocating, by the MCE, the MBSFN area identities in accordance with network planning or strategies of operators, wherein the MCCH configuration information is carried;

storing the MCCH configuration information by the eNB; and

adding the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area to the MBMS session message and sending the MBMS session message to the eNB by the MCE;

wherein, the eNB determines the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area by combining the stored MCCH configuration information in accordance with the received MBMS session message, so as to organize and send a system message.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a cell list available for the MBSFN identities is specified while the MBMS session message is being configured.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the MCE specifies types and MBSFN synchronization area identities corresponding to the cells while the MCE is allocating the MBSFN area identities.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the types corresponding to the cells comprise MBSFN cells and MBSFN reserved cells.

9. A system for determining a mapping relation between an MBSFN area and a service area, comprising:

a receiving module for receiving an M2 setup request message sent by an eNB, wherein MBMS area information of each cell is carried; and

a mapping relation message sending device for allocating the MBSFN area identities and sending a message with a mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area to the eNB, wherein the eNB stores the mapping relation until MCCH configuration information is received so as to perform subsequent operations with air interfaces if the MCCH configuration information is not included in the message.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mapping relation message sending device transmits the MBSFN area identities and sends a message with the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area to the eNB simultaneously.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein, a cell list available for the MBSFN identities is carried while the mapping relation is transmitted.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mapping relation message sending device further comprises:

an MBSFN identity allocation device which is positioned in the MCE and used for allocating the MBSFN area identities in accordance with the network planning or strategies of an operator, wherein the MCCH configuration information is carried;

a storage device which is positioned in the eNB and used for storing the MCCH configuration information; and

an MBMS scheduling information organization device which is positioned in the MCE and used for organizing the MBMS scheduling information in accordance with the MBMS session message and sending the MBMS scheduling information to the eNB, wherein the MBMS scheduling information comprises the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area, and a cell list available for the MBSFN identities is specified while the MBMS scheduling information is being configured.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the mapping relation message sending device further comprises:

an MBSFN area identity allocation device which is positioned in the MCE and is used for allocating the MBSFN area identities in accordance with the network planning or strategies of an operator, wherein the MCCH configuration information is carried; and

a mapping relation addition device which is positioned in the MCE and used for adding the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area to an MBMS session message and sending the MBMS session message to the eNB so that the eNB determines the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area by combining the MCCH configuration information in accordance with the received MBMS session message and then organizes and sends a system message, wherein a cell list available for the MBSFN identities is specified while the MBMS session message is being configured.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein, the MCE allocates the MBSFN identities and specifies types and MBSFN synchronization area identities corresponding to the cells simultaneously, wherein the types corresponding to the cells comprise MBSFN cells and MBSFN reserved cells.

15. A system for determining a mapping relation between an MBSFN area and a service area, comprising:

an M2 setup request message sending device which is positioned in an eNB and used for sending an M2 setup request message to an MCE, wherein MBMS area information of each cell is carried; and

an acquiring device which is positioned in the eNB and used for receiving a message with the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area sent by the MCE and acquiring the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area, wherein the eNB stores the mapping relation until MCCH configuration information is received so as to perform subsequent operations with air interfaces if the MCCH configuration information is not included in the message.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein comprising:

a storage device which is positioned in the eNB and used for storing the MCCH configuration information, wherein the MCCH configuration information is carried by MBSFN area identities allocated by the MCE in accordance with the network planning or the strategies of the operators; and

a mapping relation determination device which is positioned in the eNB and used for determining the mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area so as to organize and send system messages by combining an MBMS session message and the stored MCCH configuration information in accordance with the received MBMS scheduling information, wherein the MBMS scheduling information is organized by the MCE in accordance with the MBMS session message and the MBMS scheduling information includes the mapping relation between the MBSFN and the service area;

or the mapping relation determination device is used for determining a mapping relation between the MBSFN area and the service area included in the MBMS session message after receiving the MBMS session message, wherein the MBSFN session message includes the mapping relation between the MBSFN and the service area.