Method and apparatus for counting mbms service in a mce architecture

A method, in an eNB, for reporting a MBMS service UE counting information to a serving mobility management entity of the eNB, wherein the eNB integrates a multicast coordination entity function, and the method comprises:

• receiving a MBMS service UE counting request message from the mobility management entity;
• sending at least one MBMS service UE counting request MCCH message to at least one UE served by the eNB to calculate the amount of UEs which are interested in the MBMS service or receiving the MBMS service;
• receiving at least one MBMS service UE counting result report message fed back by at least one related UE in the at least one UE, the at least one MBMS service UE counting result report message being used to report that the at least one related UE is interested in the MBMS service or receiving the MBMS service;
• calculating the amount of UEs which are interested in the MBMS service or receiving the MBMS service in a cell served by the eNB in a specific MBSFN, according to the at least one MBMS service UE counting result report message fed back by the related UE;
• reporting a calculating result as a MBMS service UE counting result report to the mobility management entity.

A first apparatus, in a mobility management entity, for counting UEs that are interested in a MBMS service or receiving a MBMS service, the first apparatus comprising:

• a first sending device, for sending at least one MBMS service UE counting request message to at least one eNB which belongs to a service area and is served by the mobility management entity, wherein each eNB integrates a multicast coordination entity function respectively;
• a first receiving device, for receiving at least one MBMS service UE counting response message from the at least one eNB, the at least one response message being used for feeding back to the mobility management entity respectively whether the at least one MBMS service UE counting request message is correctly received by the at least one eNB;
• the first receiving device is further used for receiving at least one MBMS service UE counting result report from at least one related eNB among the at least one eNB;
• a determining device, for determining whether to transmit at least one MBMS service in a MBSFN mode in a specific MBSFN, according to the at least one MBMS service UE counting result report;
• and
• a processing device, for sending a MBMS service session start message or a MBMS service session end message to a corresponding eNB according to the determining result.

A second apparatus, in an eNB, for reporting a MBMS service UE counting information to a serving mobility management entity of the eNB, wherein the eNB integrates a multicast coordination entity function, and the second apparatus comprises:

• a second receiving device, for receiving a MBMS service UE counting request message from the mobility management entity;
• a second sending device, for sending at least one MBMS service UE counting request MCCH message to at least one UE served by the eNB to calculate the amount of UEs which are interested in the MBMS service or receiving the MBMS service;
• the second receiving device is further used for receiving at least one MBMS service UE counting result report message fed back by at least one related UE in the at least one UE, the at least one MBMS service UE counting result report message being used to report that the at least one related UE is interested in the MBMS service or receiving the MBMS service;
• a calculating device, for calculating the amount of UEs which are interested in the MBMS service or receiving the MBMS service in a cell served by the eNB in a specific MBSFN, according to the at least one MBMS service UE counting result report message fed back by the related UE;
• a reporting device, for reporting a calculating result as a MBMS service UE counting result report to the mobility management entity.