# US 12,120,677 B2 · Group communication method and apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,120,677 B2 - Document ID: US12120677B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/318,786 - Filed: 2021-05-12 - Published: 2021-12-09 - Granted: 2024-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-31 - Assignees: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Huawei Technologies Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Bingzhao Li; Yongqiang Gao; Jian Zhang; Wei Quan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12120677B2 ## CPC - H04W 72/1273: of downlink data flows - H04W 4/06: Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services - H04W 8/18: Processing of user or subscriber data, e.g. subscribed services, user preferences or user profiles; Transfer of user or subscriber data - 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)} - H04W 36/0009: {for a plurality of users or terminals, e.g. group communication or moving wireless networks (user group management H04W4/08; processing of subscriber group data H04W8/186)} - H04W 72/23: in the downlink direction of a wireless link, i.e. towards a terminal - H04W 72/30: Resource management for broadcast services - H04W 72/121: for groups of terminals or users - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Embodiments of the present invention provide a group communication method and an apparatus. A base station is provided, including: a processor, configured to determine to start scheduling PTM transmission in a first cell, where the scheduling PTM transmission is used to enable UE in the first cell to receive data on a scheduling PTM transmission resource; and a transmitter, configured to: send configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission to the UE in the first cell, where the configuration information is used to enable the UE in the first cell to receive data according to an indication of the configuration information; and send, on the scheduling PTM transmission resource, data according to the indication of the configuration information. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method used in a base station for a first cell, the method comprising: sending information to user equipment (UE) in the first cell, wherein the information includes: a radio network temporary identity (RNTI) used in a scheduling point to multipoint (PTM) transmission of the first cell, a temporary multicast group identity (TMGI) indicating a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) scheduled by the RNTI, frequency resource configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell, and a service list of a scheduling PTM transmission of a neighboring cell of the first cell; and sending data on a resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: receiving a start notification message for the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from an upper-level network device; and in response to receiving the start notification message for the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell, determining to start the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the start notification message for the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell carries identification information of the first cell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the scheduling PTM transmission is performed at the granularity of a cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: sending subframe configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell to the user equipment (UE) in the first cell. ### Claim 6 A method used in user equipment (UE), the method comprising: receiving information from a base station for a first cell, wherein the information includes: a radio network temporary identity (RNTI) used in a scheduling point to multipoint (PTM) transmission of the first cell, a temporary multicast group identity (TMGI) indicating a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) scheduled by the RNTI, frequency resource configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell, and a service list of a scheduling PTM transmission of a neighboring cell of the first cell; and receiving data on a resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein receiving the data on the resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station comprises: determining, according to the TMGI, to receive the data; and receiving, according to the RNTI, the data on the resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising: in response to the UE moving from the first cell to the neighboring cell of the first cell, and the neighboring cell of the first cell being sending data by means of a scheduling PTM service, determining to continue to receive data by means of the scheduling PTM transmission service, wherein the scheduling PTM transmission service belongs to the service list and is same as a scheduling PTM transmission service of the first cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the scheduling PTM transmission is performed at the granularity of a cell. ### Claim 10 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, wherein the method further comprises: receiving subframe configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station for the first cell. ### Claim 11 An apparatus configured in a base station for a first cell or being a base station for a first cell, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors configured to: send information to user equipment (UE) in the first cell, wherein the information includes: a radio network temporary identity (RNTI) used in a scheduling point to multipoint (PTM) transmission of the first cell, a temporary multicast group identity (TMGI) indicating a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) scheduled by the RNTI, frequency resource configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell, and a service list of a scheduling PTM transmission of a neighboring cell of the first cell; and send data on a resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive a start notification message for the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from an upper-level network device; and in response to receiving the start notification message for the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell, determine to start the scheduling PTM transmission in the first cell. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the start notification message for the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell carries identification information of the first cell. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the scheduling PTM transmission is performed at the granularity of a cell. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: send subframe configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell to the user equipment (UE) in the first cell. ### Claim 16 An apparatus configured in user equipment (UE) or being UE, the apparatus comprising: one or more processors configured to: receive information from a base station for a first cell, wherein the information includes: a radio network temporary identity (RNTI) used in a scheduling point to multipoint (PTM) transmission of the first cell, a temporary multicast group identity (TMGI) indicating a multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) scheduled by the RNTI, frequency resource configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell, and a service list of a scheduling PTM transmission of a neighboring cell of the first cell; and receive data on a resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: determine, according to the TMGI, to receive the data; and receive, according to the RNTI, the data on the resource of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: in response to the UE moving from the first cell to the neighboring cell of the first cell, and the neighboring cell of the first cell being sending data by means of a scheduling PTM service, determine to continue to receive data by means of the scheduling PTM transmission service, wherein the scheduling PTM transmission service belongs to the service list and is same as a scheduling PTM transmission service of the first cell. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the scheduling PTM transmission is performed at the granularity of a cell. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are further configured to: receive subframe configuration information of the scheduling PTM transmission of the first cell from the base station for the first cell.