MBS Session Management Using Location Feedback to Stop Out-of-Area Delivery

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Solution Overview

Problem

In unicast-based multicast transmission, core network devices cannot determine whether terminal devices can correctly receive local multicast and broadcast services, leading to resource waste and transmission failures.

Innovation Solution

Implement a session management function to actively trigger location information reporting for terminal devices, determining if they are within or outside the service area of the multicast and broadcast service, and stop data transmission accordingly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the core network device continues to send MBS data to terminal devices, then the terminal devices within the service area can continue to receive the data, but transmission resources are wasted for terminal devices outside the service area

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception reliabilityVSAvoidtransmission resource waste
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a feedback mechanism where terminal devices report their location information to the core network device. The core network device uses this feedback to determine whether terminal devices are within the service area and adjusts data transmission accordingly, sending data only to terminal devices located within the service area to avoid resource waste while ensuring reliable delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the data transmission dynamic by continuously monitoring terminal device location information and adjusting transmission behavior in real-time. The core network device dynamically determines whether to send MBS data based on the current location of terminal devices relative to the service area, rather than using a static transmission approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of energy

If the core network device stops sending MBS data to terminal devices, then transmission resources are saved, but the terminal devices within the service area cannot receive the data

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetransmission resource efficiencyVSAvoiddata transmission success rate
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The core network device receives location information feedback from terminal devices and uses this information to make intelligent transmission decisions. By continuously monitoring location reports, the network device can accurately determine which terminal devices are within the service area and send data only to them, ensuring high transmission success rate while optimizing resource efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements preliminary action by having terminal devices proactively report their location information to the core network device before data transmission occurs. This allows the core network device to pre-determine the appropriate transmission targets and avoid unnecessary transmission attempts to terminal devices outside the service area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Measurement precision

If the core network device monitors terminal device location continuously, then accurate determination of service area coverage is achieved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice area detection accuracyVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies self-service by having terminal devices autonomously measure and report their own location information to the core network device. This shifts the measurement burden from the network device to the terminal devices, allowing the network device to achieve accurate service area detection without significantly increasing its own complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements partial monitoring where the core network device monitors location information only for terminal devices that have subscribed to MBS services. Rather than continuously monitoring all terminal devices in the network, the system focuses monitoring resources on relevant terminal devices, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining accurate service area detection for MBS users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP4373141B1Data communication method and apparatus
Publication Date: 2026.03.18 HUAWEI TECH CO LTD
  • EP4373141B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4373141B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4373141B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Embodiments of this application relate to a data communication method and an apparatus. In the method, a session management function sends a first message to an access management function based on context information of a multicast session corresponding to a multicast and broadcast service MBS. The first message is for triggering reporting of location information of a first terminal device. When the location information indicates a location of the first terminal device, and the session management function determines, based on the location of the first terminal device, that the first terminal device is located outside a service area of the MBS, or the location information indicates that the first terminal device is located outside a service area of the MBS, the session management function stops sending data to the first terminal device. According to this solution, the session management function can determine whether a terminal device can receive or should continue to receive data at a current location, and when the terminal device cannot receive or should not continue to receive the data, stop sending the data to the terminal device. This can reduce a waste of transmission resources, and improve a data sending success rate.