Transmission efficiency for broadcast/multicast services in cellular networks
OwnerDerek Richards, Peter Legginventors
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Abstract
Methods, systems and apparatus are provided for determining whether or not to provide a multicast service in a first cell of a mobile radio network using information provided by one or more UEs in the network. For example, a network may enable a multicast service in a first cell if a number of UEs, determined to be positioned in neighbouring cells and requesting the multicast service in the first cell, is larger than a threshold value.
Claims38
A method for determining whether to initiate a multicast service from a first base station of a first cell, the method comprising:
- receiving a user message transmitted by user equipment positioned in a second cell, wherein the first cell is a neighbour of the second cell, and wherein the user message includes a list of one or more neighbouring cells;
- and
- in response to the user message, initiating the multicast service in the first cell, wherein the first cell is listed in the list of one or more neighbouring cells.
A method for determining whether to initiate a multicast service in a group of cells in a network, the method comprising:
- receiving one or more user messages transmitted by a respective one or more user equipment positioned in the group of cells in the network, wherein each one or more user messages includes a list of one or more neighbouring cells;
- and
- for each cell of the group of cells, accumulating a first count of the user messages having the cell included the list of one or more neighbouring cells;
- and
- for each cell of the group of cells, initiating the multicast service in the cell if the first count for the cell is not zero.
A method to assist in determining whether to initiate a multicast service within a mobile radio network, wherein user equipment is positioned in a first cell of a first base station having a group of neighbouring cells, the method comprising:
- determining, for each neighbouring cell in the group of neighbouring cells, whether the user equipment can detect the neighbouring cell;
- generating a user message indicating which of the neighbouring cells the user equipment can detect;
- transmitting the user message;
- and
- receiving a network message generated responsive to the user message, wherein the network message indicates a new transmission of the multicast service by a second base station in a second cell;
- wherein the second cell is indicated in the user message.
A mobile radio system for providing a multicast service, the system comprising:
- a network including
- a first base station creating a first cell;
- a plurality of second base stations creating a respective plurality of second cells;
- a plurality of third base stations creating a respective plurality of third cells;
- and
- a memory including accumulated data;
- wherein second cells are neighbours of the first cell and the third cells are not neighbours of the first cell;
- and
- a plurality of user equipment each positioned in one cell of the first, second and third cells;
- wherein the accumulated data represents user equipment determined to be positioned in the first cell and user equipment determined to be positioned in one of the second cells.
A method of signalling between user equipment and a network across an air interface, wherein the user equipment is positioned in a first cell created by a first base station, wherein a set of neighbouring base stations create a respective set of neighbouring cells, and wherein the first base stations transmits on a downlink and the user equipment transmits on an uplink, the method comprising:
- signalling, on the downlink, a first list of all neighbours of the first base station;
- signalling, on the downlink, an initiation of a counting procedure for a multicast service;
- signalling, on the uplink, a second list including an indication of acceptable cells from the first list.
A method of requesting a multicast service by user equipment in a first cell, wherein the first cell created by a first base station, and wherein the first base station has a group of neighbouring cells created by a respective group of neighbouring base stations, the method comprising:
- determining, for one or more of the neighbouring cells, whether a signal from the respective neighbouring base station is receivable by the user equipment;
- creating a first list from the receivable neighbouring cells;
- generating a user request message, wherein the user request message includes a request for a multicast service and the first list of received neighbouring cells;
- and
- transmitted the user request message from the user equipment to the first base station.
A method to initiate a multicast service in a group of cells neighbouring a first cell, the method comprising:
- transmitting a network message to initiate a response from user equipment in the first cell;
- receiving a user message transmitted by the user equipment positioned in the first cell;
- and
- in response to the user message, initiating the multicast service in the group of cells neighbouring the first cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.