Multicast And Broadcast Session Setup Via Shared Core-RAN Tunnels

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mobile communication technologies face challenges in efficiently managing multicast and broadcast services, leading to increased signaling overhead and load imbalance among Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes during mobility scenarios.

Innovation Solution

Establishing multicast and broadcast services using existing tunnels between the core network and RAN nodes, allowing for load balancing and reducing signaling overhead by utilizing UE-specific unicast or shared multicast tunnels for data transmission.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a new tunnel is established for each multicast session between core network and RAN nodes, then service establishment is straightforward, but signaling overhead increases and load balancing deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice establishment reliabilityVSAvoidsignaling overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple multicast session tunnels into a shared tunnel resource pool. Instead of establishing separate tunnels for each multicast session between core network and RAN nodes, the system creates a shared tunnel that can be reused across multiple sessions, thereby reducing signaling overhead while maintaining service establishment reliability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The shared tunnel is designed with multi-functionality to serve multiple multicast sessions simultaneously. The tunnel resource pool allows a single tunnel infrastructure to handle various multicast services, eliminating the need for dedicated tunnels per session and reducing overall signaling complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Reliability

If dedicated tunnels are established for each RAN node, then service quality is maintained, but load balancing among RAN nodes deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice qualityVSAvoidload balancing efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic tunnel selection where RAN nodes can flexibly choose from available tunnels in the shared pool based on current load conditions. This dynamic approach allows the system to maintain service quality by selecting appropriate tunnels while simultaneously achieving load balancing across RAN nodes through adaptive resource allocation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The shared tunnel resource pool acts as an intermediary layer between core network and RAN nodes. This intermediary structure enables centralized tunnel management that can distribute load across multiple RAN nodes while maintaining service quality, as the pool mediates between service requirements and available resources

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP4186319B1Multicast and broadcast service establishment
Publication Date: 2025.10.01 ZTE CORP
  • EP4186319B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4186319B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4186319B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, apparatus, and systems that establish Multicast and Broadcast Service sessions based on existing tunnels between the core network and radio access nodes are disclosed. In one example aspect, a wireless communication method includes receiving, by a first communication node, a request from a core network node to establish a session. The request comprises a list of tunnels established between the core network node and other communication nodes to provide multicast and broadcast service. The method includes selecting, by the first communication node, a channel from the list of tunnels included in the request to establish a multicast and broadcast session that corresponds to the session. The method also includes transmitting, by the first communication node to the core network node, a response indicating an establishment of the session. The response includes information associated with the selected channel between the second communication node and the core network node.