Wireless broadcast/multicast service capacity over different link budgets and overlay networks

A method of operating a network device that is configured to multiplex a set of streams into a single output stream for delivery to a plurality of target devices, comprising:

• receiving a first data packet associated with a first multicast stream for transmission in a given multicasting area and having a first data rate;
• receiving a second data packet associated with a second multicast stream for transmission in the given multicasting area and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• multiplexing the first and second data packets into a multiplexed data packet for a multiplexed multicast stream having a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates, wherein the multiplexed data packet includes (i) a first payload portion from the first data packet based on the first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion from the second data packet based on the second data rate;
• and
• delivering, for transmission within the given multicasting area, the multiplexed data packet to a multicast network management node configured to manage IP multicast transmissions within the given multicasting area.

A method of operating a target user equipment (UE) that is configured to monitor one or more multicast streams, comprising:

• receiving, on a downlink multicast channel, a multiplexed data packet that includes (i) a first payload portion associated with a first multicast stream and having a first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion associated with a second multicast stream and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• determining whether the first and/or the second multicast streams are relevant to the target UE;
• and
• selectively decoding and processing the first and second payload portions based on the determination.

An application server configured to distribute a plurality of multicast streams to a plurality of target user equipments (UEs) in a communications system, comprising:

• means for determining a first multicasting area for transmission of a first multicast stream having a first data rate, a second multicasting area for transmission of a second multicast stream having a second data rate that is different than the first data rate, and a third multicasting area that overlaps with the second multicasting area for transmission of both the first and second multicast streams;
• means for obtaining a first set of data packets that are associated with the first multicast stream;
• means for obtaining a second set of data packets that are associated with the second multicast stream;
• means for delivering, for transmission within the first and third multicasting areas, the first set of data packets to a multicast network management node configured to manage Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions;
• and
• means for delivering, to a multiplex stream multiplexer, the first and second sets of packets to be multiplexed into a single multiplexed multicast stream for transmission within the second and third multicasting areas, wherein the single multiplexed multicast stream has a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates.

A network device that is configured to multiplex a set of streams into a single output stream for delivery to a plurality of target devices, comprising:

• means for receiving a first data packet associated with a first multicast stream for transmission in a given multicasting area and having a first data rate;
• means for receiving a second data packet associated with a second multicast stream for transmission in the given multicasting area and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• means for multiplexing the first and second data packets into a multiplexed data packet for a multiplexed multicast stream having a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates, wherein the multiplexed data packet includes (i) a first payload portion from the first data packet based on the first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion from the second data packet based on the second data rate;
• and
• means for delivering, for transmission within the given multicasting area, the multiplexed data packet to a multicast network management node configured to manage IP multicast transmissions within the given multicasting area.

A target user equipment (UE) that is configured to monitor one or more multicast streams, comprising:

• means for receiving, on a downlink multicast channel, a multiplexed data packet that includes (i) a first payload portion associated with a first multicast stream and having a first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion associated with a second multicast stream and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• means for determining whether the first and/or the second multicast streams are relevant to the target UE;
• and
• means for selectively decoding and processing the first and second payload portions based on the determination.

An application server configured to distribute a plurality of multicast streams to a plurality of target user equipments (UEs) in a communications system, comprising:

• logic configured to determine a first multicasting area for transmission of a first multicast stream having a first data rate, a second multicasting area for transmission of a second multicast stream having a second data rate that is different than the first data rate, and a third multicasting area that overlaps with the second multicasting area for transmission of both the first and second multicast streams;
• logic configured to obtain a first set of data packets that are associated with the first multicast stream;
• logic configured to obtain a second set of data packets that are associated with the second multicast stream;
• logic configured to deliver, for transmission within the first and third multicasting areas, the first set of data packets to a multicast network management node configured to manage Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions;
• and
• logic configured to deliver, to a multiplex stream multiplexer, the first and second sets of packets to be multiplexed into a single multiplexed multicast stream for transmission within the second and third multicasting areas, wherein the single multiplexed multicast stream has a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates.

A network device that is configured to multiplex a set of streams into a single output stream for delivery to a plurality of target devices, comprising:

• logic configured to receive a first data packet associated with a first multicast stream for transmission in a given multicasting area and having a first data rate;
• logic configured to receive a second data packet associated with a second multicast stream for transmission in the given multicasting area and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• logic configured to multiplex the first and second data packets into a multiplexed data packet for a multiplexed multicast stream having a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates, wherein the multiplexed data packet includes (i) a first payload portion from the first data packet based on the first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion from the second data packet based on the second data rate;
• and
• logic configured to deliver, for transmission within the given multicasting area, the multiplexed data packet to a multicast network management node configured to manage IP multicast transmissions within the given multicasting area.

A target user equipment (UE) that is configured to monitor one or more multicast streams, comprising:

• logic configured to receive, on a downlink multicast channel, a multiplexed data packet that includes (i) a first payload portion associated with a first multicast stream and having a first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion associated with a second multicast stream and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• logic configured to determine whether the first and/or the second multicast streams are relevant to the target UE;
• and
• logic configured to selectively decode and process the first and second payload portions based on the determination.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to distribute a plurality of multicast streams to a plurality of target user equipments (UEs) in a communications system, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction for causing the application server to determine a first multicasting area for transmission of a first multicast stream having a first data rate, a second multicasting area for transmission of a second multicast stream having a second data rate that is different than the first data rate, and a third multicasting area that overlaps with the second multicasting area for transmission of both the first and second multicast streams;
• at least one instruction for causing the application server to obtain a first set of data packets that are associated with the first multicast stream;
• at least one instruction for causing the application server to obtain a second set of data packets that are associated with the second multicast stream;
• at least one instruction for causing the application server to deliver, for transmission within the first and third multicasting areas, the first set of data packets to a multicast network management node configured to manage Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions;
• and
• at least one instruction for causing the application server to deliver, to a multiplex stream multiplexer, the first and second sets of packets to be multiplexed into a single multiplexed multicast stream for transmission within the second and third multicasting areas, wherein the single multiplexed multicast stream has a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a network device that is configured to multiplex a set of streams into a single output stream for delivery to a plurality of target devices, cause the network device to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction for causing the network device to receive a first data packet associated with a first multicast stream for transmission in a given multicasting area and having a first data rate;
• at least one instruction for causing the network device to receive a second data packet associated with a second multicast stream for transmission in the given multicasting area and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• at least one instruction for causing the network device to multiplex the first and second data packets into a multiplexed data packet for a multiplexed multicast stream having a third data rate that is higher than the first and/or second data rates, wherein the multiplexed data packet includes (i) a first payload portion from the first data packet based on the first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion from the second data packet based on the second data rate;
• and
• at least one instruction for causing the network device to deliver, for transmission within the given multicasting area, the multiplexed data packet to a multicast network management node configured to manage IP multicast transmissions within the given multicasting area.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a target user equipment (UE) that is configured to monitor one or more multicast streams, cause the target UE to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction for causing the target UE to receive, on a downlink multicast channel, a multiplexed data packet that includes (i) a first payload portion associated with a first multicast stream and having a first data rate, and (ii) a second payload portion associated with a second multicast stream and having a second data rate that is different from the first data rate;
• at least one instruction for causing the target UE to determine whether the first and/or the second multicast streams are relevant to the target UE;
• and
• at least one instruction for causing the target UE to selectively decode and process the first and second payload portions based on the determination.