Common Transport Bearer for MBMS Resource Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional MBMS systems require multiple transport bearers for each cell served by a radio base station, leading to inefficiencies in resource utilization as the same MBMS data is replicated over multiple bearers.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a single common transport bearer for multiple cells served by a radio base station, with each cell having a common transport channel mapped to this bearer, and configuring new transport channels to ensure stability by aligning time-of-arrival windows and connection frame numbers with existing channels.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple transport bearers are used for each cell served by a radio base station, then each cell can have dedicated MBMS data transmission, but network resource utilization deteriorates due to replication of the same MBMS data over multiple bearers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvededicated MBMS data transmissionVSAvoidnetwork resource utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple cell-specific transport bearers into a single common transport bearer for MBMS data transmission. The radio network controller transmits MBMS data over one common bearer to the radio base station, which then distributes it to multiple cells through common transport channels, eliminating redundant data replication across multiple bearers while maintaining dedicated transmission capability for each cell.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The common transport bearer serves multiple cells simultaneously, making it a universal resource that can handle MBMS data transmission for all served cells. This multi-functional approach allows a single bearer to replace what would traditionally require multiple dedicated bearers, improving network resource utilization while maintaining service reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Loss of energy

If a single common transport bearer is used for multiple cells, then network resource utilization improves, but frame synchronization and timing stability may deteriorate without proper configuration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenetwork resource utilizationVSAvoidframe synchronization
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary configuration actions to establish frame synchronization before data transmission begins. The radio network controller configures time-of-arrival windows and connection frame numbers for common transport channels in advance, ensuring that the radio base station can properly synchronize frames when receiving data over the common bearer, thus preventing timing instability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where the radio base station monitors the reception of MBMS data frames and sends timing adjustment control frames back to the radio network controller when synchronization drift is detected. This closed-loop feedback ensures frame synchronization is maintained despite the use of a shared common transport bearer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2130325B1Facilitation of a multimedia broadcast/multicast service MBMS session in a radio access network
Publication Date: 2017.07.19 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)
  • EP2130325B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2130325B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2130325B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A radio access network (230) facilitates transmission of a Multimedia Broadcast / Multicast Service (MBMS) to user equipments ( 160) in plural cells served by a radio base station (250). A radio network controller (240) includes in a first message of a transport channel setup request either an indication that transport sharing is allowed or an identification of a common transport bearer (245). The radio base station (240) configures a new transport channel mapped to the common transport bearer (245) such that it is stable with respect to other common transport channels (255). During operation, the radio network controller (240) provides the MBMS data over the common transport bearer (245) and the radio base station (250) retransmits the MBMS data over the common transport channels (255) to the plural cells. If the MBMS data over the common transport bearer (245) arrives outside of time-of-arrival windows of any common transport bearer (255), then the radio network controller (240) adjusts the transmission accordingly.