MBSFN Area Signaling for MBMS Resource Allocation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems and methods for Push to Talk (PTT) Network-Network Interface (NNI) in Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) lack the ability for a controlling server to manage resources effectively across all user equipment (UEs), including both homed and visiting UEs, leading to inefficient allocation of MBMS resources and potential bandwidth wastage.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of enhanced signaling through a Media Burst Control Protocol (MBCP) update and additional information exchange between controlling and participating servers, allowing the controlling server to account for all UEs, both homed and visiting, within MBSFN areas, and enabling the participating server to determine which UEs require unicast bearers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the controlling server only manages resources for homed UEs, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity of MBMS resource allocation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrolling server management complexityVSAvoidMBMS resource allocation efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides UE management into two segments: homed UEs managed by the controlling server and visiting UEs managed by participating servers. This segmentation allows the controlling server to maintain reduced complexity while participating servers handle visiting UE information, collectively achieving improved MBMS resource allocation efficiency across the network.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If the controlling server does not know about visiting UEs, then the information exchange overhead is reduced, but the reliability of MBMS service decision-making deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation exchange overheadVSAvoidMBMS service decision-making accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The participating server acts as an intermediary between visiting UEs and the controlling server. It collects information about visiting UEs in its coverage area and reports this information to the controlling server through standardized NNI interfaces. This intermediary approach enables the controlling server to make reliable MBMS service decisions with minimal information exchange overhead, as it only needs to communicate with participating servers rather than directly with all visiting UEs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the participating server does not know about MBSFN areas with MBMS activation, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation for determining unicast bearer requirements deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticipating server complexityVSAvoidunicast bearer determination process

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The controlling server performs preliminary actions by pre-determining which MBSFN areas will have MBMS services activated and notifying participating servers of this information in advance. This allows participating servers to easily determine which of their UEs require unicast bearers by simply checking against the pre-provided activation information, without needing complex real-time analysis capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Loss of energy

If MBMS resources are allocated without considering visiting UEs, then the loss of energy is reduced, but the bandwidth wastage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenetwork energy consumptionVSAvoidbandwidth wastage

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where participating servers report information about visiting UEs to the controlling server, which then uses this feedback to make informed MBMS resource allocation decisions. This feedback loop ensures that MBMS resources are allocated efficiently to serve both homed and visiting UEs, preventing both unnecessary energy consumption and bandwidth wastage by matching resource allocation with actual UE distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS9510160B2Enhanced network-network interface systems and methods for multimedia broadcast multicast services

Publication Date: 2016.11.29 MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC

AI summary

A method between a controlling server and a participating server, a network, and a server include enhanced signaling via a Multicast-Broadcast Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) report allowing User Equipment (UE) to communicate MBSFN areas to a controlling server. Thus, the enhanced controlling server's Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Services (MBMS) decisions can count all visiting devices in addition to its own in its MBSFN areas. The method, network, and server include new signaling and additional info to provide a participating server with MBSFN areas that will have MBMS activated for a group session. This enhances the participating server's determination of which its visiting devices need unicast bearers. The participating server can add information related to the current MBSFN area of its UE to a message to the controlling server indicating joining the UE to a group.