Multicast messaging within a wireless communication system

• US 9,479,350 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2013
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Song, Bongyong, Gill, Harleen, Ananthanarayanan, Arulmozhi
• Primary Examiner(s): Yao, Kwang B
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUDA, ADAM K
• Application Number:
  US14/026,128
• Publication Number:
  US 20140016535A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 5/06 other than of endless-walk type
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/18 producing electrical output from mechanical input, e.g. generators for measurement devices G01
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q
• 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: 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 4/10 Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-On-Call services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/45 for Push-to-Talk [PTT] or Push-to-Talk over cellular [PoC] services
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 15/00 Thermoelectric devices without a junction of dissimilar materials; Thermomagnetic devices, e.g. using the Nernst-Ettingshausen effect integrated devices or assemblies of multiple devices H10N19/00
• CPC Class Codes: H10N 30/1061 based on piezoelectric or electrostrictive fibres

Abstract

Methods and systems for sending multicast messages are disclosed. A multicast message is received to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals at a radio access network (RAN), the received multicast message having a first format. The first format may correspond to a conventional multicast message format. The RAN determines whether the received multicast message requires special handling. If the RAN determines the received multicast message requires special handling, the radio access network converts the received multicast message from the first format into a second format. The RAN transmits the converted multicast message with the second format (e.g., a data over signaling (DOS) message) on a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals. The access terminals receiving the converted multicast message interpret the message as a multicast message.

Claims

1. A method of configuring a wireless communication system for special handling of multicast messages, comprising:

selecting at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

generating a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier; and

instructing an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols,

wherein the selected multicast flow identifier is reserved for delay-sensitive, high-priority and/or emergency-related multicast sessions,

wherein the special handling protocols instruct the access network to transmit one or more multicast messages associated with the selected multicast flow identifier using a first format instead of a second format that is used for one or more other multicast messages that are not associated with the selected multicast flow identifier, and

wherein the first format permits the one or more multicast messages to be transmitted at an earlier transmission time as compared to the second format.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the multicast flow identifier is a broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID).

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

transmitting the generated multicast message to the access network.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising, at the access network,

receiving the transmitted multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, the received multicast message having a first format;

determining whether the transmitted multicast message requires special handling;

converting the transmitted multicast message from the first format into a second format if the determining determines the transmitted multicast message requires special handling; and

transmitting the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

5. A broadcast serving node, comprising:

logic configured to select at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

logic configured to generate a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier; and

logic configured to instruct an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols,

wherein the selected multicast flow identifier is reserved for delay-sensitive, high-priority and/or emergency-related multicast sessions,

wherein the special handling protocols instruct the access network to transmit one or more multicast messages associated with the selected multicast flow identifier using a first format instead of a second format that is used for one or more other multicast messages that are not associated with the selected multicast flow identifier, and

wherein the first format permits the one or more multicast messages to be transmitted at an earlier transmission time as compared to the second format.

6. The broadcast serving node of claim 5, wherein the logic configured to instruct instructs the access network to associate the generated multicast message with the special handling protocols based on the selected multicast flow identifier corresponding to one of a plurality of reserved multicast flow identifiers.

7. The broadcast serving node of claim 6, further comprising:

logic configured to receive the generated multicast message from the broadcast serving node, the received multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals and having a first format;

logic configured to determine whether the received multicast message requires special handling based on the selected multicast flow identifier included within the received multicast message;

logic configured to convert the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the received multicast message requires special handling; and

logic configured to transmit the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

8. A broadcast serving node, comprising:

means for selecting at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

means for generating a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier; and

means for instructing an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols,

wherein the selected multicast flow identifier is reserved for delay-sensitive, high-priority and/or emergency-related multicast sessions,

wherein the special handling protocols instruct the access network to transmit one or more multicast messages associated with the selected multicast flow identifier using a first format instead of a second format that is used for one or more other multicast messages that are not associated with the selected multicast flow identifier, and

wherein the first format permits the one or more multicast messages to be transmitted at an earlier transmission time as compared to the second format.

9. The broadcast serving node of claim 8, wherein the means for instructing instructs the access network to associate the generated multicast message with the special handling protocols based on the selected multicast flow identifier corresponding to one of a plurality of reserved multicast flow identifiers.

10. The broadcast serving node of claim 9, further comprising:

means for receiving the generated multicast message to be transmitted to a plurality of access terminals, wherein the received multicast message has a first format;

means for determining whether the received multicast message requires special handling based on the selected multicast flow identifier included within the received multicast message and

means for converting the received multicast message from the first format into a second format if the received multicast message requires special handling; and

means for transmitting the converted multicast message with the second format over a control channel to at least one of the plurality of access terminals.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable medium including program code stored thereon, comprising:

program code to select at least one of a plurality of multicast flow identifiers;

program code to generate a multicast message corresponding to the selected multicast flow identifier; and

program code to instruct an access network to associate the generated multicast message with special handling protocols,

wherein the selected multicast flow identifier is reserved for delay-sensitive, high-priority and/or emergency-related multicast sessions,

wherein the special handling protocols instruct the access network to transmit one or more multicast messages associated with the selected multicast flow identifier using a first format instead of a second format that is used for one or more other multicast messages that are not associated with the selected multicast flow identifier, and

wherein the first format permits the one or more multicast messages to be transmitted at an earlier transmission time as compared to the second format.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, wherein the multicast flow identifier is a broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID).

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11, further comprising:

program code to transmit the generated multicast message to the access network.

14. The broadcast serving node of claim 11, wherein the multicast flow identifier is a broadcast and multicast service (BCMCS) flow identifier (ID).

15. The broadcast serving node of claim 11, further comprising:

means for transmitting the generated multicast message to the access network.