Apparatus and method for use in the multicast of traffic data in wireless multiple access communications systems

• US 20070173269A1
• Filed: 10/01/2004
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Alcatel-Lucent USA, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Laroia, Rajiv, Li, Junyi, Uppala, Sathyadev
• Granted Patent: US 7,386,320 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/500
• 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 68/00 User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

In a wireless communications system, multicast messages are transported to groups of wireless terminals by employing a common control channel to transmit a multicast paging message indicating that multicast traffic data is to be transmitted to a particular group of wireless terminals. In an embodiment of the invention, the essential information transmitted in the common control channel is the identifier of the group of wireless terminals intended to receive the multicast traffic data and the location of a traffic channel on which the multicast traffic is to be transported in a channel resource which may include a representation of bandwidth and time interval. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the common control channel is associated with a traffic channel in a prescribed fixed manner. Further, the traffic channel used for the purpose of multicast can be the same traffic channel used for the normal point-to-point transmission of traffic data.

Claims

1-56. -56. (canceled)

57. A method of transmitting multicast traffic data in a resource channel for use in a wireless multiple access communications system that includes at least one base station and a plurality of wireless terminals, the method comprising:

generating said resource channel so it is defined by bandwidth and time, and includes a traffic channel including a plurality of traffic segments and an assignment channel, said assignment channel being a common control channel that includes a plurality of assignments segments, each assignment segment having a fixed predetermined relationship to a corresponding one of said traffic segments so that for each assignment segment there is a fixed one-to-one association between said assignment segment of said assignment channel and the corresponding traffic segment of said traffic channel; and

transmitting traffic channel segment assignment information in assignment segments of said assignment channel, said step of transmitting traffic channel segment assignment information including transmitting, in each of a plurality of assignment segments, one of a multicast paging message that includes a multicast group wireless terminal identifier and a specific paging message that includes a wireless terminal identifier; and

transmitting data including multicast traffic data and point-to-point traffic data in traffic channel segments of said traffic channel, said step of transmitting data in traffic channel segments of said traffic channel including transmitting multicast traffic data in traffic channel segments that correspond in said predetermined manner to assignment segments in which a multicast paging message is transmitted, the multicast traffic data transmitted in a traffic segment being intended for a multicast group identified by the multicast group wireless terminal identifier included in the corresponding assignment segment and transmitting point-to-point traffic in traffic channel segments that correspond in said predetermined manner to assignment segments in which a wireless terminal identifier is transmitted, the point-to-point traffic data transmitted in a traffic channel segment being for a particular wireless terminal intended to receive said point-to-point traffic data that is identified by the wireless terminal identifier transmitted in the assignment segment corresponding to the traffic channel segment in which the point-to-point traffic data is transmitted.

58. The method as defined in claim 57 wherein each assignment segment precedes, in time, the traffic segment to which it corresponds by said predetermined fixed relationship.

59. The method as defined in claim 57, wherein at least some of said wireless terminals are mobile wireless terminals.

60. The method as defined in claim 57, wherein said common control channel is common to all active ones of said plurality of wireless terminals.

61. The method as defined in claim 57, wherein said multicast paging message further includes a representation of a specific location of said associated traffic channel segment for carrying the multicast traffic data.

62. The method as defined in claim 61, wherein said representation of said specific location includes a bandwidth and time interval.

63. The method as defined in claim 62 wherein the number of specific paging messages, each including a specific wireless terminal identifier and a representation of a specific location of a traffic channel for carrying point-to-point traffic data, that are transmitted in said common control channel is greater than the number of multicast paging messages that are transmitted in said common control channel.

64. The method as defined in claim 57 wherein said common control channel and said traffic channel am in a fixed association with each other.

65. The method as defined in claim 64 wherein normally more specific paging messages, each including a specific wireless terminal identifier and a representation of a specific location of a traffic channel for carrying point-to-point traffic data, are transmitted in said common control channel than multicast paging messages are transmitted in said common control channel.

66. The method as defined in claim 64, further including the step of scheduling the assignment of said traffic segments in accordance with a scheduling policy.

67. The method as defined in claim 66 wherein said step of scheduling further includes a step of determining whether a paging message is a multicast paging message or a specific wireless terminal paging message.

68. The method as defined in claim 67 wherein for a multicast paging message said step of scheduling includes the step of determining the traffic segment assignment from a plurality of traffic segments, said traffic segment being assigned to a multicast group.

69. The method as defined in claim 64 including a step of detecting assignment of a downlink traffic resource to a wireless terminal.

70. The method as defined in claim 69 wherein said step of detecting includes the steps of monitoring received assignment segments for assignments of downlink traffic segments, determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is included in any detected assignment segments and in response to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is in a detected assignment segment, receiving traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated with said assignment segment including said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier.

71. The method as defined in claim 69 wherein said step of detecting includes the steps of monitoring received assignment segments for assignments of downlink traffic segments, determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is included in any detected assignment segments and in response to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is in a detected assignment segment, receiving traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated with said assignment segment including said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier.

72. A method for use in a wireless terminal in a wireless multiple access communications system to detect assignment of a downlink traffic resource in a resource channel to the wireless terminal, said resource channel being defined by bandwidth and time, said resource channel including a traffic channel including a plurality of traffic segments and an assignment channel, said assignment channel being a common control channel that includes a plurality of assignments segments, each assignment segment having a fixed predetermined relationship to a corresponding one of said traffic segments so that for each assignment segment there is a known one-to-one association between said assignment segment of said assignment channel and the corresponding traffic segment of said traffic channel, said wireless terminal including a specific identifier and a multicast group identifier, the method comprising:

monitoring received assignment segments of said assignment channel for assignments of downlink traffic segments of said traffic channel;

determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is included in any detected assignment segments;

determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is included in any detected assignment segment;

in response to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast specific identifier is in a detected assignment segment, receiving traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier; and

in response to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is in a detected assignment segment, receiving traffic data from said downlink. traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier.

73. A base station for use in a wireless multiple access communications system including a plurality of wireless terminals and a resource channel, said resource channel being defined by bandwidth and time, said resource channel including a traffic channel including a plurality of traffic segments and an assignment channel, said assignment channel being a common control channel that includes a plurality of assignment segments, each assignment segment having a fixed predetermined relationship to a corresponding one of said traffic segments so that for each assignment segment there is a known one-to-one association between said assignment segment of said assignment channel and the corresponding traffic segment of said traffic channel, the base station comprising:

means for transmitting a multicast paging message including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier in an assignment segment of a common control channel associated with a traffic channel segment, said multicast paging message destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data, means for transmitting a specific paging message including a specific wireless terminal identifier in an assignment segment of a common control channel associated with a traffic channel segment, said specific paging message being destined for a specific wireless terminal intended to receive point-to-point traffic data;

means for transmitting multicast traffic data using traffic channel segments;

means for transmitting point-to-point-traffic data using traffic channel segments;

means for controlling said means for transmitting to;

(i) transmit a multicast paging message including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier in an assignment segment of said assignment channel and subsequently transmit multicast traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel, said one or more of said plurality of traffic segments corresponding to said assignment segment, said multicast paging message and said multicast traffic data destined for a group of wireless terminals intended to receive said multicast traffic data, (ii) transmit a specific paging message including a specific wireless terminal identifier in an assignment segment of said assignment channel and subsequently transmit point-to-point traffic data in one or more of said plurality of traffic segments of said traffic channel, said one or more of said plurality of traffic segments corresponding to said assignment segment including said specific paging message, said specific paging message and said point-to-point traffic data being destined for the specific wireless terminal intended to receive said point-to-point traffic data.

74. The base station as defined in claim 73, wherein said common control channel is common to all active ones of said plurality of wireless terminals.

75. The base station as defined in claim 73, wherein said multicast paging message further includes a representation of a specific location of said associated traffic channel for carrying the multicast traffic data.

76. The base station as defined in claim 75, wherein said representation of said specific location includes a bandwidth and time interval.

77. The base station as defined in claim 76, wherein the number of specific paging messages that are transmitted by the base station, each including a specific wireless terminal identifier and a representation of a specific location of a traffic channel segment for carrying point-to-point traffic data, in said common control channel is greater than the number of multicast paging messages that are transmitted by the base station in said common control channel.

78. The base station as defined in claim 73, wherein said common control channel and said traffic channel are in a fixed association with each other.

79. The base station as defined in claim 78, wherein said means for transmitting a specific paging message transits a specific paging message, including a specific wireless terminal identifier and a representation of a specific location of a traffic channel segment for carrying point-to-point traffic data, in said common control channel, and said means for transmitting in a multicast paging message transmits a multicast paging message, including a multicast group wireless terminal identifier and a representation of a specific location of a traffic channel segment for multicast traffic data, in said common control channel.

80. The base station as defined in claim 78, wherein each of said assignment segments is associated with said traffic segments in a fixed manner.

81. The base station as defined in claim 78, further including a scheduler for scheduling the assignment of said traffic segments in accordance with a scheduling policy.

82. A wireless terminal for use in a wireless multiple access communications system including at least one base station and a resource channel, said resource channel being defined by bandwidth and time, said resource channel including a traffic channel including a plurality of traffic segments and an assignment channel, said assignment channel being a common control channel that includes a plurality of assignment segments, each assignment segment having a fixed predetermined relationship to a corresponding one of said traffic segments so that for each assignment segment there is a known one-to-one association between said assignment segment of said assignment channel and the corresponding traffic segment of said traffic channel, said wireless terminal being associated with a wireless terminal specific identifier and a wireless terminal multicast group identifier, the wireless terminal comprising:

assignment receiver means for receiving assignments communicated over said assignment channel;

a monitor for monitoring received assignment segments of said assignment channel for assignments of downlink traffic segments of said traffic channel;

a detector for determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is included in any detected assignment segment and for determining whether said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is included in any detected assignment segment;

means for receiving multicast traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier;

means for receiving point-point traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier,

said means for receiving point-point traffic data being responsive to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier is in a detected assignment segment and being operated to receive point-to-point traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s specific identifier; and

said means for receiving multicast traffic data being responsive to a determination that said wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier is in a detected assignment segment and being operated to receive traffic data from said downlink traffic segment associated on said one-to-one basis with the assignment segment including the wireless terminal'"'"'s multicast group identifier.

83. The apparatus as defined in claim 82, wherein said wireless terminals arc mobile wireless terminals.

84. The apparatus as defined in claim 82 wherein said wireless terminals are fixed wireless terminals.