Method for discovering a broadcast multicast services (BCMCS) controller in a packet data network

• US 20050117542A1
• Filed: 11/15/2004
• Published: 06/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Madour, Lila
• Granted Patent: US 7,388,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• 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 61/5014 using dynamic host configuration protocol [DHCP] or bootstrap protocol [BOOTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/5084 Providing for device mobility network addressing or numbering for mobility support in wireless networks H04W8/26; mobile IP H04W80/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• 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 76/40 for selective distribution or broadcast

Abstract

A method and a packet data network for providing broadcast/multicast services (BCMCS) to a mobile terminal (MT). The method receives at a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server from the MT, for requesting an IP address of a primary BCMCS controller that serves the packet data network. The method retrieves the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller and responds to the MT with a response message from the DHCP server to the MT, the response message includes the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller. Next, the MT uses the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller and sends a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request message from the MT to the primary BCMCS controller for requesting BCMCS services, the HTTP request message including a location information and an access type indicator of the MT. Afterwards, a list of available BCMCS programs is provided to the MT.

Claims

1. A method for providing broadcast/multicast services (BCMCS) to a mobile terminal (MT) in a packet data network the method comprising steps of:

receiving at a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server from the MT, a request message for requesting an IP address of a primary BCMCS controller that serves the packet data network;

retrieving at the DHCP server the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller;

sending a response message from the DHCP server to the MT, the response message including the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller; and

sending a Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) request message from the MT to the primary BCMCS controller for requesting BCMCS services, the HTTP request message including a location information and an access type indicator of the MT.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises steps of:

determining at the primary BSMCS controller whether or not the primary BCMCS controller serves a zone where the MT is located;

if the primary BCMCS controller serves a zone in which MT is requesting BCMCS services, the primary BCMCS controller provides a list of available BCMCS programs to the MT; and

if not, the primary BCMCS controller, based on the received location information and the access type indicator, retrieves from a list of IP addresses of secondary BCMCS controllers stored in its database a secondary BCMCS controller that serves the zone where the MT is located and that can provide BCMCS services to the MT.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of determining further includes the steps of:

forwarding the HTTP request to the secondary BCMCS controller if the primary BCMCS controller does not serve the packet zone where the MT is requesting BCMCS

sending from the secondary BCMCS controller to the MT a list of available BCMCS programs.

4. A packet data network for providing broadcast/multicast services (BCMCS) to a mobile terminal (MT), the packet data network comprises:

a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server receiving from the MT a request message for requesting an IP address of a primary BCMCS controller that serves the packet data network; and

a primary BCMCS controller for providing BCMCS services to the MT, wherein the primary BCMCS controller receives an HTTP request message from the MT for requesting BCMCS services, the HTTP request message including a location information and an access type indicator of the MT.

5. The packet data network of claim 4, wherein the DHCP further comprises:

a database for storing the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller; and

a service logic for receiving, processing and sending messages in the packet data network and accessing the database.

6. The packet data network of claim 5, wherein the DHCP server further sends a response message to the MT, the response message including the IP address of the primary BCMCS controller.

7. The packet data network of claim 4, wherein the primary BCMCS controller comprises:

a service logic for receiving, processing and sending messages in the packet data network;

a database for storing a list of IP addresses of secondary BCMCS controllers;

wherein the service logic determines whether of not the primary BCMCS controller serves a zone in which the MT is located and requesting BCMCS services;

if the primary BCMCS controller serves a zone in which MT is requesting BCMCS, the primary BCMCS controller retrieves a list of available BCMCS programs to a BCMCS content provider and provides the list of programs to the MT in an HTTP content reply; and

if not, the primary BCMCS controller, based on the received location information and the access type indicator, the service logic retrieves from the list of IP addresses of secondary BCMCS controllers stored in the database a secondary BCMCS controller that serves the zone where the MT is located and that can provide BCMCS services to the MT.

8. The packet data network of claim 7, wherein the primary BCMCS controller further:

forwards the HTTP request to the secondary BCMCS controller; and

responsive to the reception of the forwarded HTTP request the secondary BCMCS controller retrieves a list of available BCMCS program from a BCMCS content provider and provides the list of programs to the MT in an HTTP content reply.