MBMS Control Message Scheduling for UMTS Terminals

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for scheduling MBMS control information messages in UMTS networks are inefficient as they only consider whether content has changed, failing to account for terminal-specific needs and environmental changes, leading to suboptimal message ordering.

Innovation Solution

A method that schedules MBMS control information messages based on whether the content has changed and terminal-specific requirements, prioritizing messages that need to be read by terminals due to modified services information, ensuring minimal reading operations and efficient service reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If messages are scheduled based only on content change status, then the scheduling method is simple, but the service efficiency is poor and terminals need to read more messages

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice efficiencyVSAvoidscheduling method complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments control information messages into different types (notification messages, configuration messages, status messages) and schedules them based on their specific characteristics and terminal needs, rather than treating all messages uniformly. This segmentation enables more efficient scheduling that reduces the number of messages terminals must read while maintaining systematic control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements dynamic scheduling where the scheduling strategy adapts based on terminal state, service type, and message urgency. The system dynamically determines which terminals need which messages and schedules them accordingly, rather than using a static scheduling approach. This dynamic adaptation improves service efficiency without requiring overly complex predetermined rules.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If all control information messages are transmitted to all terminals, then complete information coverage is achieved, but message processing overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation coverage completenessVSAvoidmessage processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and identifies only the specific messages that each terminal needs to read based on its current state and the modified services information. Instead of transmitting all messages to all terminals, the system extracts and delivers only the relevant subset, ensuring complete information coverage for each terminal while minimizing overall message processing overhead.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where terminals report their state and information needs to the network, and the network adjusts message scheduling based on this feedback. This ensures that each terminal receives complete information coverage for its specific needs while avoiding unnecessary message processing, as the scheduling is continuously optimized based on terminal feedback.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Productivity

If message scheduling considers terminal-specific factors, then service efficiency improves, but the scheduling algorithm becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice efficiencyVSAvoidscheduling algorithm complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by tailoring the message scheduling to each terminal's specific characteristics, service subscriptions, and current state. Different terminals receive different schedules based on their local needs identified in the modified services information. This localized approach improves service efficiency for each terminal while the overall algorithm remains manageable through systematic categorization of terminal types and message priorities.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP1925176B1Method of processing control information messages for point-to-multipoint services
Publication Date: 2013.08.14 LG ELECTRONICS INC
  • EP1925176B1 patent drawingFigure 1~3
  • EP1925176B1 patent drawingFigure 4~7
  • EP1925176B1 patent drawingFigure 8~9

AI summary

A method of scheduling messages based upon whether there are any changes in the content of each message to be scheduled, and also considering certain information that may be needed by the terminal. Messages are scheduled such that the terminal (UE) would only need to perform minimal reading operations, thus resulting in more efficient reception of services by the terminal based upon improved scheduling performed by the network.