Relay UE MBMS Interest Indication for Remote Service Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Low-cost Machine Type Communications (MTC) devices, such as wearables, face challenges integrating with LTE networks due to form-factor limitations that restrict battery size and reception circuitry, making direct connections with base stations impractical, and requiring enhanced relaying solutions for efficient broadcast/multicast services, especially in scenarios where remote UE devices are out of coverage or lack necessary circuitry.
Innovation Solution
A relay user equipment (UE) device transmits an MBMS Interest Indication message to a base station to relay broadcast/multicast information to remote UE devices, using unidirectional Device-to-Device (D2D) links, enabling efficient SC-PTM service delivery through the relay UE device, which can provide control information and content, even when the remote UE device is out of coverage, using 3GPP or non-3GPP technologies like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If MTC devices use small form-factor to reduce cost and power consumption, then device portability and power efficiency are improved, but reception circuitry capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a relay UE as an intermediary device that receives broadcast/multicast information from the network and forwards it to remote UEs. This mediator approach allows remote UEs with limited reception capabilities to access network services through the relay's superior reception, resolving the contradiction between small form-factor power efficiency and reception capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If relay UE transmits MBMS Interest Indication message to base station, then broadcast/multicast service delivery is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The relay UE utilizes existing MBMS Interest Indication message mechanisms designed for regular UEs, adapting them for relay operations. By reusing established protocols and message formats, the patent enables service delivery capability while minimizing the increase in device complexity through universal application of existing functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If remote UE is out of coverage to reduce infrastructure requirements, then network deployment flexibility is improved, but service reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The relay UE acts as a mediator that extends network coverage to out-of-coverage remote UEs. By receiving information from the base station and forwarding it to remote UEs that cannot directly connect, the relay ensures service continuity and reliability while maintaining the flexibility of allowing UEs to operate outside direct base station coverage.
Data Source
AI summary
A relay user equipment (UE) device transmits, to a base station, a first Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Interest Indication message, which includes information indicating that the relay UE device is operating in a relay mode on behalf of a remote UE device. In response to the MBMS Interest Indication message, the base station provides broadcast/multicast information to the remote UE device via the relay UE device. In some cases, control information is provided to the remote UE device via the relay UE device. In other cases, an MBMS service of interest is provided to the remote UE device via the relay device. The manner in which the broadcast/multicast information is delivered can be determined by the remote UE device or the relay UE device.