Method, BM-SC and base station for multiplexing MBMS services in MBSFN

A Broadcast Multicast Service Center (BM-SC) for multiplexing multiple Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) services in a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN), the BM-SC comprising:

• at least one processor configured as:
• a multiplex planner for determining, at the beginning of a session, MBMS services to be multiplexed together;
• a bandwidth estimator for estimating a bandwidth requirement needed for multiplexing the MBMS services together, and informing an MBMS Coordination Entity (MCE) of the estimated bandwidth requirement so as to assign radio resources by the MCE;
• a packet data receiver for receiving packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together, from a server;
• a prioritizer for prioritizing the MBMS services to be multiplexed together if the actual bandwidth that is occupied by packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together exceeds the estimated bandwidth requirement;
• and
• a scheduler for reordering the packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together according to the result of prioritization, and informing respective base stations in the MBSFN area of the result of reordering.

A base station for multiplexing multiple Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) services in a Multicast Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN), the base station comprising:

• at least one processor configured as:
• a packet schedule receiver for receiving the result of reordering packet data for MBMS services to be multiplexed together, informed by a Broadcast Multicast Service Center BM-SC;
• a packet multiplexer for multiplexing packet data for MBMS services to be multiplexed together on assigned radio resources, according to the received result of reordering the packet data for the MBMS services to be multiplexed together;
• and
• a multiplexed packet transmitter for transmitting a copy of the multiplexed packet data.