Multicast Group De-registration via Message Omission in Wireless Networks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional wireless communication systems face inefficiencies and delays in managing multicast group memberships, particularly in de-registering members from multicast groups, which can lead to unnecessary transmissions and system performance degradation.

Innovation Solution

An access terminal sends a second multicast registration message omitting specific multicast groups to request de-registration, allowing the access network to interpret this as a request to de-register from those groups, thereby updating the group membership list and reducing unnecessary transmissions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional wireless communication systems use traditional multicast registration methods, then multicast group membership can be established, but de-registration processes cause unnecessary transmissions and system performance degradation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemulticast group membership managementVSAvoidsystem performance
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of requiring the access terminal to explicitly list multicast groups it wishes to remain registered for (positive registration), the patent inverts the approach by allowing the terminal to omit groups it wishes to de-register from (negative registration). This inversion enables more efficient de-registration by leveraging the difference between the current registration state and the new registration state to identify groups for removal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the parameter of multicast group registration from a positive listing mechanism to a negative omission mechanism. By allowing the access terminal to send registration requests that omit specific multicast groups rather than explicitly listing groups to join, the system achieves more efficient membership management and reduces unnecessary transmissions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If the access network maintains complete multicast group membership information, then accurate group member information is available, but system overhead and processing complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegroup member information accuracyVSAvoidsystem overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by allowing different treatment of multicast group information at different locations in the system. The access terminal maintains complete information locally for accuracy, while the access network uses a more streamlined approach by relying on omission-based registration messages to update its records, reducing the overhead of maintaining and processing complete membership information everywhere.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Measurement precision

If the access terminal sends explicit de-registration messages for each multicast group, then de-registration is precise, but message overhead and processing time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvede-registration precisionVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the de-registration approach by allowing the access terminal to send a single registration message that omits groups it wishes to leave, rather than sending separate de-registration messages for each group. This inversion achieves precise de-registration (the network can identify which groups to remove by comparing old and new registration lists) while significantly reducing the number of messages and processing time required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Data Source

PatentEP2193668B1De-registering a multicast group member from a multicast group within a wireless communications network
Publication Date: 2011.04.27 QUALCOMM INC
  • EP2193668B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2193668B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2193668B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Aspects of de-registering a multicast group member from a multicast group within a wireless communications network are disclosed. An access terminal sends a first multicast registration message to an access network, with the first multicast registration message identifying a first set of multicast groups. The access network receives the first multicast registration message and registers the access terminal for each of the first set of multicast groups. The access terminal sends a second multicast registration message, the second multicast registration message omitting at least one multicast group from among the first set of multicast groups, the second multicast registration message being sent to request de-registration, for the access terminal, from at least one multicast group. The access network receives the second multicast registration message and interprets the second multicast registration message as a request to de-register the access terminal from the omitted at least one multicast group.