Broadcast Data Transmission with Multicast Support for Edge Coverage

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Solution Overview

Problem

The challenge of providing improved service experience for users at the coverage edge of a broadcast base station where signal quality is poor, as only approximately 80% to 90% of users can be covered by existing medium power medium tower base stations meeting the digital television terrestrial multimedia broadcasting standard.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing a multicast session to supplement the broadcast service transmission when signal quality is poor, allowing terminal devices to receive broadcast data from both a broadcast and a multicast session, with configuration and indication mechanisms to manage the data integration and session joining.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If a broadcast service is provided by a medium power medium tower base station to achieve wide coverage, then the coverage area is improved, but the signal quality for users at the coverage edge deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecoverage areaVSAvoidsignal quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the broadcast service delivery by introducing low power low tower base stations to supplement the coverage of the medium power medium tower base station. Users at the coverage edge can receive broadcast services from both types of base stations, with the low power base stations providing enhanced signal quality in areas where the medium power base station's signal is weak.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces low power low tower base stations as intermediary nodes to bridge the coverage gap and improve signal quality for users at the edge of the medium power medium tower base station's coverage area. These intermediary base stations receive broadcast services from the medium power base station and retransmit them with better local signal characteristics.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Quantity of substance

If the broadcast service coverage is extended to reach more users, then the quantity of served users is improved, but the service quality for individual users deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenumber of usersVSAvoidservice quality
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements local quality enhancement by deploying low power low tower base stations in specific areas where users experience poor signal quality. These base stations provide locally optimized signal transmission, ensuring that users throughout the extended coverage area receive broadcast services with adequate quality, rather than applying a uniform transmission approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Device complexity

If a single broadcast base station is used to simplify the network structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the service coverage and quality capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork structureVSAvoidservice coverage
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of medium power medium tower base stations and low power low tower base stations into a coordinated broadcast service delivery system. The medium power base stations provide wide area coverage while low power base stations supplement coverage and enhance signal quality, creating a hierarchical network structure that balances complexity with improved service capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4601334A1Data transmission method, apparatus and system
Publication Date: 2025.08.13 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4601334A1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4601334A1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4601334A1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

This application provides a data transmission method, an apparatus, and a system, and is applied to the field of communication technologies. The data transmission method provided in this application includes: A terminal device receives first data of a first broadcast service from a first network device through a first broadcast session, and receives second data of the first broadcast service from a second network device through a first multicast session. Then, the terminal device determines final data of the first broadcast service based on the first data and the second data. Based on the method, data of a broadcast service may be transmitted through a multicast session originally used to transmit data of a multicast service, to improve service experience of a user when quality of a broadcast service provided by a broadcast base station is poor.