Efficient Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service Continuity Methods

• US 20130044668A1
• Filed: 08/15/2011
• Published: 02/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Purnadi, Rene Waraputra, Cai, Zhijun, Burbidge, Richard Charles, Suzuki, Takashi
• Granted Patent: US 8,750,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/312
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1886 with traffic restrictions for efficiency improvement, e.g. involving subnets or subdomains
• 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 36/0007 for multicast or broadcast services, e.g. MBMS multicast or broadcast application services H04W4/06; resource management for broadcast services H04W72/30; connection management for selective distribution or broadcast H04W76/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/30 Resource management for broadcast services

Abstract

A method is provided for a UE to receive a MBMS. The method includes, when the UE initiates a handover from a first cell that is providing the MBMS, the UE adding a TMGI associated with the MBMS service to a message sent from the UE to an access node in the first cell. The method further comprises the UE receiving information from the access node in the first cell, the information promoting the UE being handed over to a second cell capable of providing the MBMS.

Claims

1. A method for operating a user equipment (UE) configured to support a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), the method comprising:

transmitting, by the UE, a message to an access node in a first cell, wherein the message is indicative of at least one MBMS service of interest; and

receiving, by the UE, information from the access node, wherein the information is indicative of one or more MBMS services which a second cell is capable of providing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second cell has a signal quality greater than a pre-specified threshold.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the message is a measurement report in the first cell.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second cell has the best signal quality among cells that can provide the MBMS, regardless of whether a handover from the first cell to the second cell is to the same or a different carrier or frequency.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, when none of the cells that can provide the MBMS has a signal quality greater than the pre-specified threshold, the UE is not handed over to a cell that Can provide the MBMS.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein, when none of the cells that can provide the MBMS has a signal quality greater than a pre-specified threshold, the UE is handed over to a cell with the best signal quality and the service associated with the MBMS is continued via a point-to-point transmission in the cell with the best signal quality.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the UE is on an emergency call, the UE is handed over to a cell with the best signal quality without regard to the capability of the cell with the best signal quality to provide the MBMS.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein, when the UE is on a voice call, the UE is handed over to a cell with the best signal quality without regard to the capability of the cell with the best signal quality to provide the MBMS.

9. A user equipment (UE) configured to support a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), the UE comprising:

a processor configured such that the UE transmits a message to an access node in a first cell, wherein the message is indicative of at least one MBMS service of interest;

wherein the processor is further configured such that the UE receives information from the access node, wherein the information is indicative of one or more MBMS services which a second cell is capable of providing.

10. The UE of claim 9, wherein the second cell has a signal quality greater than a pre-specified threshold.

11. The UE of claim 9, wherein the message is a measurement report in the first cell.

12. The UE of claim 9, wherein the second cell has the best signal quality among cells that can provide the MBMS, regardless of whether a handover from the first cell to the second cell is to the same or a different carrier or frequency.

13. The UE of claim 9, wherein, when none of the cells that can provide the MBMS has a signal quality greater than the pre-specified threshold, the UE is not handed over to a cell that can provide the MBMS.

14. The UE of claim 9, wherein, when none of the cells that can provide the MBMS has a signal quality greater than a pre-specified threshold, the UE is handed over to a cell with the best signal quality and the service associated with the MBMS is continued via a point-to-point transmission in the cell with the best signal quality.

15. The UE of claim 9, wherein, when the UE is on an emergency call, the UE is handed over to a cell with the best signal quality without regard to the capability of the cell with the best signal quality to provide the MBMS.

16. The UE of claim 9, wherein, when the UE is on a voice call, the UE is handed over to a cell with the best signal quality without regard to the capability of the cell with the best signal quality to provide the MBMS.

17. A method for operating an access node configured to support a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), the method comprising:

receiving, by an access node in a first cell, a message from a user equipment (UE), wherein the message is indicative of at least one MBMS service of interest;

attempting, by the access node, to identify at least one neighboring cell capable of providing the MBMS service; and

providing, by the access node, information to the UE, wherein the information is indicative of one or more MBMS services which a second cell is capable of providing.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the attempt by the access node to identify at least one neighboring cell capable of providing the MBMS is at least one of:

a query from the access node to a network component that has knowledge of which cells neighboring the first cell are providing the MBMS, the query requesting the network component to return to the access node an identity of at least one neighboring cell that is providing the MBMS;

a query from the access node directly to a neighboring access node to determine whether a cell associated with the neighboring access node is, capable of providing the MBMS;

or

a retrieval from storage by the access node of an identity of at least one neighboring cell that is providing the MBMS, the identity having been previously placed in storage after being received from the network component in response to a query from the access node for the identity.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the message is a measurement report in the first cell.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the access node updates the stored identity after receiving from the network component query results regarding neighboring cells that can provide the MBMS or after receiving from a neighboring access node an indication that a cell associated with the neighboring access node is capable of providing the MBMS.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the access node deletes the stored identity based on at least one of:

an expiration of a timer;

the access node deactivating membership in a multicast/broadcast single frequency network associated with the MBMS; and

an expiration of an MBMS duration set during session start.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein, after receiving from the network component query results regarding neighboring cells that can provide the MBMS, and after selecting a target cell, the access node forwards the query results to the target cell.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the access node hands the UE over to a target cell that has the best signal but that does not provide the MBMS upon the occurrence of at least one of:

the access node not receiving from the network component an identity of a cell that can provide the MBMS;

the access node not receiving from a neighboring access node an indication that the cell associated with the neighboring access node is capable of providing the MBMS;

or

the UE being involved in a voice call that has a higher priority than the MBMS.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the handoff procedure includes a request of the target cell to join an MBMS Internet Protocol multicast.

25. An access node configured to support multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), the access node comprising:

a processor configured such that the access node receives a message from a user equipment (UE), wherein the message is indicative of at least one MBMS service of interest;

wherein the processor is further configured such that the access node attempts to identify at least one neighboring cell capable of providing the MBMS service; and

wherein the processor is further configured such that the access node provides information to the UE, wherein the information is indicative of one or more MBMS services which a second cell is capable of providing.

26. The access node of claim 25, wherein the attempt by the access node to identify at least one neighboring cell capable of providing the MBMS is at least one of:

a query from the access node to a network component that has knowledge of which cells neighboring the first cell are providing the MBMS, the query requesting the network component to return to the access node an identity of at least one neighboring cell that is providing the MBMS;

a query from the access node directly to a neighboring access node to determine whether a cell associated with the neighboring access node is capable of providing the MBMS;

or

a retrieval from storage by the access node of an identity of at least one neighboring cell that is providing the MBMS, the identity having been previously placed in storage after being received from the network component in response to a query from the access node for the identity.

27. The access node of claim 25, wherein the message is a measurement report in the first cell.

28. The access node of claim 26, wherein the access node updates the stored identity after receiving from the network component query results regarding neighboring cells that can provide the MBMS or after receiving from a neighboring access node an indication that a cell associated with the neighboring access node is capable of providing the MBMS.

29. The access node of claim 28, wherein the access node deletes the stored identity based on at least one of:

an expiration of a timer;

the access node deactivating membership in a multicast/broadcast single frequency network associated with the MBMS; and

an expiration of an MBMS duration set during session start.

30. The access node of claim 26, wherein, after receiving from the network component query results regarding neighboring cells that can provide the MBMS, and after selecting a target cell, the access node forwards the query results to the target cell.

31. The access node of claim 26, wherein the access node hands the UE over to a target cell that has the best signal but that does not provide the MBMS upon the occurrence of at least one of:

the access node not receiving from the network component an identity of a cell that can provide the MBMS;

the access node not receiving from a neighboring access node an indication that the cell associated with the neighboring access node is capable of providing the MBMS; and

the UE being involved in a voice call that has a higher priority than the MBMS.

32. The access node of claim 31, wherein the handoff procedure includes a request of the target cell to join an MBMS Internet Protocol multicast.

33. A method for operating a network component configured to support a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), the method comprising:

receiving, by a network component, a message from an access node in a source cell, wherein the message is indicative of at least one MBMS service of interest;

comparing, by the network component, the message to a plurality of MBMS services, the plurality of MBMS services known by the network component to be available in at least one neighboring cell of the source cell; and

providing, by the network component, the access node with information related to at least one neighboring cell in which the MBMS service is available.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the target cell is selected based on the target cell'"'"'s signal quality relative to the signal quality among the neighboring cells in which the MBMS is available.

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the comparison by the network component between the message indicative of the at least one MBMS of interest to a plurality of MBMSs is initiated by a query from the access node to the network component, the query requesting the network component to return to the access node an identity of at least one neighboring cell in which the MBMS is available.

36. A network component configured to support multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS), the network component comprising:

a processor configured such that the network component receives a message from an access node in a source cell, wherein the message is indicative of at least one MBMS service of interest;

wherein the processor is further configured such that the network component compares the message to a plurality of MBMS services, the plurality of MBMS services known by the network component to be available in at least one neighboring cell of the source cell; and

wherein the processor is further configured such that the network component provides the access node with information related to at least one neighboring cell in which the MBMS service is available.

37. The network component of claim 36, wherein the target cell is selected based on the target cell'"'"'s signal quality relative to the signal quality among the neighboring cells in which the MBMS is available.

38. The network component of claim 36, wherein the comparison by the network component between the message indicating the at least one MBMS of interest to a plurality of MBMSs is initiated by a query from the access node to the network component, the query requesting the network component to return to the access node an identity of at least one neighboring cell in which the MBMS is available.