Selectively adjusting a rate or delivery format of media being delivered to one or more multicast/broadcast single frequency networks for transmission

A method of operating an application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• obtaining a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• detecting that the first and second MBSFN areas are both currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• providing the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate in response to the detection;
• determining to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• providing, in response to the determination, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate that is higher than the common data rate;
• and
• providing, in response to the determination, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE.

A method of operating an application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• obtaining a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• detecting that the first MBSFN area is currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session and that the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area is currently operating in a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• providing, in response to the detection, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate;
• and
• providing, in response to the detection, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE;
• determining to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to the multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• and
• providing the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate that is lower than the MBSFN-specific data rate in response to the determination.

An application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• means for obtaining a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• means for providing the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate;
• means for obtaining quality feedback related to the group communication session from one or more target user equipments (UEs) within the first and second MBSFN areas;
• means for updating the common data rate in response to the quality feedback;
• and
• means for continuing to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at the updated common data rate.

An application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• means for obtaining a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• means for detecting that the first and second MBSFN areas are both currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• means for providing the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate in response to the detection;
• means for determining to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• means for providing, in response to the determination, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate that is higher than the common data rate;
• and
• means for providing, in response to the determination, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE.

An application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• means for obtaining a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• means for detecting that the first MBSFN area is currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session and that the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area is currently operating in a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• means for providing, in response to the detection, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate;
• and
• means for providing, in response to the detection, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE;
• means for determining to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to the multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• and
• means for providing the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate that is lower than the MBSFN-specific data rate in response to the determination.

An application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• logic configured to obtain a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• logic configured to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate;
• logic configured to obtain quality feedback related to the group communication session from one or more target user equipments (UEs) within the first and second MBSFN areas;
• logic configured to update the common data rate in response to the quality feedback;
• and
• logic configured to continue to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at the updated common data rate.

An application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• logic configured to obtain a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• logic configured to detect that the first and second MBSFN areas are both currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• logic configured to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate in response to the detection;
• logic configured to determine to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• logic configured to provide, in response to the determination, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate that is higher than the common data rate;
• and
• logic configured to provide, in response to the determination, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE.

An application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, comprising:

• logic configured to obtain a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• logic configured to detect that the first MBSFN area is currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session and that the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area is currently operating in a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• logic configured to provide, in response to the detection, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate;
• and
• logic configured to provide, in response to the detection, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE;
• logic configured to determine to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to the multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• and
• logic configured to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate that is lower than the MBSFN-specific data rate in response to the determination.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction to cause the application server to obtain a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to obtain quality feedback related to the group communication session from one or more target user equipments (UEs) within the first and second MBSFN areas;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to update the common data rate in response to the quality feedback;
• and
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to continue to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at the updated common data rate.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction to cause the application server to obtain a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to detect that the first and second MBSFN areas are both currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate in response to the detection;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to determine to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• logic configured to provide, in response to the determination, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate that is higher than the common data rate;
• and
• logic configured to provide, in response to the determination, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by an application server configured to deliver media to a plurality of multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) areas, cause the application server to perform operations, the instructions comprising:

• at least one instruction to cause the application server to obtain a data stream for a group communication session for transmission by a first MBSFN area and by a second MBSFN area, wherein the first MBSFN area is configured to support a higher data rate for Internet Protocol (IP) multicast transmissions as compared to a lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to detect that the first MBSFN area is currently operating in a multicast support mode for the group communication session and that the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area is currently operating in a unicast support mode for the group communication session;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to provide, in response to the detection, the data stream to the first MBSFN area for transmission via IP multicast at an MBSFN-specific data rate;
• and
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to provide, in response to the detection, the data stream to one or more sectors within the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area that are serving at least one target UE registered to the group communication session for transmission via IP unicast to the at least one target UE;
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to determine to transition the lower data rate portion of the second MBSFN area to the multicast support mode for the group communication session;
• and
• at least one instruction to cause the application server to provide the data stream to the first and second MBSFN areas for transmission via IP multicast at a common data rate that is lower than the MBSFN-specific data rate in response to the determination.