Multicast Radio Bearer Synchronization Across RRC States

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current communication systems face challenges in efficiently handling multicast communications, particularly in maintaining service continuity and reliability across different radio resource control (RRC) states.

Innovation Solution

The proposed method involves a communication device and a network node that manage multicast radio bearers (MRBs) by transitioning between different MRBs and synchronizing communication parameters, such as sequence numbers, to ensure seamless service resumption and continuity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a UE transitions between RRC states (connected, inactive, idle) while receiving multicast services, then the UE can maintain mobility and access flexibility, but service continuity and reliability of multicast reception cannot be guaranteed

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveRRC state transition flexibilityVSAvoidmulticast service continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The network node performs preliminary actions by determining and storing the relationship between first and second communication parameters before the UE actually transitions between RRC states. This advance preparation ensures that when the UE resumes multicast reception after state transition, the communication parameters are already synchronized, guaranteeing service continuity without interruption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes a feedback mechanism where the network node determines the relationship between communication parameters across different RRC states. This feedback loop ensures that parameter synchronization is maintained, allowing the UE to reliably resume multicast services after transitioning between connected, inactive, and idle states.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If multicast services are supported in RRC connected state with dedicated procedures, then service reliability is improved, but device complexity and procedure overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulticast service reliabilityVSAvoidmulticast handling complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal mechanism that handles multicast services across all RRC states (connected, inactive, idle) using a common approach. Instead of maintaining separate dedicated procedures for each state, the same parameter relationship determination method is applied universally, reducing device complexity while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system manages complexity by focusing on parameter relationships rather than complex state-specific procedures. By determining and maintaining relationships between communication parameters (such as sequence numbers) across different RRC states, the system achieves reliable multicast service with simpler, more uniform handling procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250133578A1Handling multicast communications

Publication Date: 2025.04.24 TELEFONAKTIEBOLAGET LM ERICSSON (PUBL)

AI summary

There is provided a method of operating a communication device of a communications network. The method comprises receiving (300) a first signal from a network node of the communications network, determining (302) a communication parameter from the first signal, and receiving (304) multicast radio bearer (MRB) communications from the network node using the communication parameter.