Multicast Gateway for Hybrid Radio Access Networks

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing wireless network technologies fail to seamlessly switch between multicast delivery modes (native multicasting, multicast-in-unicast tunneling, and multicast-in-multicast tunneling) based on the capabilities of visited radio access networks, leading to inefficiencies and poor user experience for mobile entities.

Innovation Solution

A method utilizing a mobile multicast server that dynamically adapts multicast delivery modes by identifying the multicast capabilities of connected radio access networks and selecting the most optimal mode for each network, allowing for seamless multicast session continuity and resource optimization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If bidirectional tunneling is used to deliver multicast packets to mobile entities, then multicast communication is enabled over non-multicast capable networks, but significant processing overhead is introduced on the home agent due to packet replication

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulticast communication capabilityVSAvoidprocessing overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a multicast-capable gateway as an intermediary between the mobile entity and the home agent. This gateway performs packet replication and forwarding to multiple multicast-capable networks, eliminating the need for the home agent to replicate packets. The gateway acts as a mediator that handles the complex replication task locally, reducing home agent processing overhead while maintaining multicast communication capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the network architecture by separating multicast-capable networks from non-multicast-capable networks. Mobile entities are associated with specific multicast-capable networks that handle multicast traffic, while non-multicast-capable networks are excluded from multicast delivery. This segmentation allows multicast traffic to be handled efficiently by capable networks without burdening the home agent with replication tasks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If unicast tunneling is used for multicast delivery, then multicast packets can be delivered to mobile entities, but multiple unicast-tunneled copies of the same multicast packet are sent towards the same visited network

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulticast packet deliveryVSAvoidnetwork overhead

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The multicast-capable gateway serves as an intermediary that receives multicast packets from the home agent and forwards them to multiple multicast-capable networks simultaneously. This eliminates the need to send multiple unicast-tunneled copies through the visited network, as the gateway directly connects to the multicast-capable networks for efficient packet distribution.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple unicast tunnel connections into a single multicast tunnel connection through the multicast-capable gateway. Instead of establishing separate unicast tunnels to each multicast-capable network, the gateway consolidates these connections and uses multicast routing to deliver packets efficiently to all associated networks simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Productivity

If multicast-in-multicast tunneling is used, then overhead on the mobility server is reduced, but the technique is applicable only when the visited network is multicast-capable

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemobility server efficiencyVSAvoidnetwork compatibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal architecture where mobile entities can be associated with multiple types of networks (multicast-capable and non-multicast-capable). The system automatically selects the appropriate delivery mechanism based on network capability: multicast-in-multicast tunneling when the visited network is multicast-capable, and bidirectional tunneling when it is not. This multi-functionality allows the system to serve diverse network types while maintaining server efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The multicast-capable gateway acts as an intermediary that enables efficient multicast delivery even when the visited network is not natively multicast-capable. The gateway receives multicast packets and tunnels them through the non-multicast-capable network using unicast connections, thereby extending multicast capability to networks that would otherwise be incompatible.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2179539B1Method for enabling multicast traffic flows over hybrid multicast capable and non-multicast capable radio access networks (RANS)

Publication Date: 2014.10.22 MOTOROLA SOLUTIONS INC

Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4

AI summary

A method for multicast packet communication by mobile entities (113) using one or more radio access networks (RANs) (107, 109, 111) that include receiving a multicast message at a router (105) and then determining multicast capabilities of a mobile entity (ME) (113). An optimal multicast delivery mode is selected for delivering a multicast message to the ME (113) at the radio access network (107, 109, 111). The multicast message is then delivered to the ME (113) at the radio access network (107, 109, 111) according to the selected delivery mode.