Rate allocation and control for multicast services in wireless networks
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsDirk Trossen, Hemant M. Chaskar
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Abstract
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for transmitting of multicast data over a wireless channel. At least one wireless terminal requests a multicast service corresponding to at least one requested layer. A wireless infrastructure comprising a base station and a node determines a data rate that the at least one wireless terminal can reliably receive and correspondingly configures a multicast session for at least one layer. The node utilizes measurements provided by the wireless terminal. The node through the base station signals the wireless terminal about a link-level multicast address corresponding to a time slot for which the wireless terminal shall process packets.
Claims48
Apparatus for allocating and controlling a transmission rate for a multicast session in a wireless communications system, the multicast session providing a multicast service for a first wireless terminal over a wireless channel, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one input/output (I/O) port;
- a processor connected to the at least one I/O port in order to communicate with the first wireless terminal, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a request that the first wireless terminal wishes to join to a multicast group;
- (b) determining an allowable transmission rate for the first wireless terminal on a basis of signal quality information received from the first wireless terminal;
- (c) assigning a layer to the first wireless terminal in response to step (a) and step (b), wherein the layer is associated with a multicast content;
- (d) signaling a multicast address to the first wireless terminal in response to step (c);
- and
- (e) scheduling packets for the layer.
A method for allocating and controlling a transmission rate for a multicast session in a wireless communications system, the multicast session providing a multicast service for a first wireless terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) receiving a request that the first wireless terminal wishes to join to a multicast group;
- (b) determining an allowable transmission rate for the first wireless terminal on a basis of signal quality information received from the first wireless terminal;
- (c) assigning a layer to the first wireless terminal in response to step (a) and step (b), wherein the layer is associated with a multicast content;
- (d) signaling a multicast address to the first wireless terminal in response to step (c);
- and
- (e) scheduling packets for the layer.
A computer-readable medium containing instructions for allocating and controlling a computer system to provide transmission of multicast data over a wireless channel to a first wireless terminal in a wireless communications system, comprising instructions that perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a request that the first wireless terminal wishes to join to a multicast group;
- (b) determining an allowable transmission rate for the first wireless terminal in response to receiving the request;
- (c) assigning a layer to the first wireless terminal in response to determining the allowable transmission rate, wherein the layer is associated with a multicast content;
- (d) signaling a multicast address to the first wireless terminal in response to assigning the layer;
- and
- (e) scheduling packets for the layer.
Apparatus for allocating and controlling a transmission rate for a multicast session in a wireless communications system, the multicast session providing a multicast service for a first wireless terminal over a wireless channel, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one input/output (I/O) port;
- a processor connected to the at least on I/O port in order to communicate with the first wireless terminal, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) receiving a request that the first wireless terminal wishes to join to at least one layer of the multicast service, each layer being associated with a bandwidth requirement;
- (b) obtaining a signal to noise (SNR) measurement corresponding to a received signal at the first wireless terminal on the wireless channel;
- (c) determining a predicted SNR in response to step (b);
- (d) converting the predicted SNR to an allowable transmission rate;
- (e) ordering a plurality of wireless terminals in accordance with a corresponding predicted SNR, wherein the plurality of wireless terminals includes the first wireless terminal and wherein the corresponding predicted SNR is associated with each wireless terminal;
- (f) determining a number of layers that the first wireless terminal is able to receive in response to step (d);
- (g) assigning at least one time slot to the first wireless terminal in response to steps (e) and step (f);
- (h) signaling at least one link-level multicast address to the first wireless terminal in order to assign the at least one layer to the first wireless terminal in response to step (g);
- and
- (i) scheduling packets on the at least one time slot corresponding to the at least one layer.
A wireless terminal that supports a multicast service over a wireless channel in a wireless communications system, the wireless terminal comprising:
- a wireless interface;
- and
- a processor that connects to the wireless interface in order to communicate over the wireless channel and that connects to the memory, the processor configured to perform the steps of:
- (a) sending a request that the wireless terminal wishes to join to at least one requested layer corresponding to a multicast group of the multicast service;
- (b) sending bandwidth requirements for the at least one requested layer in response to step (a);
- (c) sending at least one signal to noise measurement corresponding to a received signal over the wireless channel;
- and
- (d) receiving a multicast session that comprises layers in which the wireless terminal can receive the layers in accordance with a target error rate corresponding to the at least one signal to noise measurement.
A method of transmitting a performance to a plurality of mobile terminals, comprising the steps of:
- (1) generating a plurality of data streams each comprising one or more components of the performance, wherein each of the data streams is transmitted at a different bandwidth;
- (2) receiving from each of the plurality of mobile terminals signal quality information;
- and
- (3) assigning for transmission to each of the respective mobile terminals one of the plurality of data streams based on the received signal quality information, wherein data streams having a higher bandwidth are assigned to mobile terminals having a higher signal quality.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.