Serving Base Station Relay for MBMS Control in Reserved Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
In cellular networks, user equipment (UE) may lose access to Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) when entering an MBSFN area reserved cell due to lack of required control information, leading to service interruption and inefficient resource usage.
Innovation Solution
A method and base station configuration that allows a serving base station to receive an indication not to transmit the MBMS service, receive necessary control information for the UE from a neighboring cell, and transmit this information to the UE, ensuring continuous MBMS reception while saving transmit power and reducing interference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If a cell is designated as an MBSFN area reserved cell to save transmit power and reduce interference, then power consumption and interference are reduced, but user equipment cannot receive broadcast service control information in that cell
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the base station functionality by introducing a serving base station that provides control information while a neighboring base station provides the actual broadcast service. This separation allows the reserved cell to remain silent (saving power) while still enabling UEs to access broadcast services through the serving base station's relay of control information.
Solution Approach 2:
The serving base station acts as an intermediary between the network and the UE for broadcast service control information. It receives control information from the network and relays it to UEs even though it does not transmit the broadcast service itself, enabling UEs to access broadcast services from neighboring cells while the serving cell remains in reserved mode.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a cell is designated as an MBSFN area reserved cell to reduce interference, then interference is reduced, but user equipment loses access to broadcast service when entering that cell
Solution Approach 1:
The serving base station proactively provides broadcast service control information to UEs before they attempt to access broadcast services in the reserved cell. This preliminary provision of control information ensures that UEs can seamlessly continue receiving broadcast services even when moving into reserved cells, maintaining service reliability without requiring the reserved cell to transmit.
3Reliability
If all cells in an MBSFN area transmit broadcast services to ensure service availability, then service continuity is maintained, but transmit power consumption and interference increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables UEs to self-configure for broadcast service reception by providing them with control information from the serving base station. This allows UEs to autonomously access broadcast services from neighboring cells without requiring all cells to actively transmit, reducing overall network power consumption while maintaining service availability.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to methods and base stations for supporting a broadcast service within a cell of a base station not transmitting the broadcast service. A method in a base station controlling a cell serving a user equipment supports a broadcast service from a neighboring cell. The method comprises the steps: receiving an indication that the serving base station shall not transmit the broadcast service in the cell serving the user equipment; receiving control information required by the user equipment for receiving the broadcast service from the neighboring cell; and transmitting the control information to the user equipment via the cell serving the user equipment.