UE MBMS Service Continuity via Autonomous Cell Information Acquisition
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current LTE systems lack network-assisted MBMS service continuity, particularly with the introduction of carrier aggregation and multiple MBSFN areas, leading to potential service disruptions during handovers and cell reselections, which are critical for maintaining seamless multimedia broadcasting and multicasting services.
Innovation Solution
User Equipment (UE) autonomously acquires and utilizes MBMS information from target or neighbor cells to determine and maintain MBMS service continuity by releasing or keeping bearers based on service availability, ensuring minimal interruption during handovers and cell reselections, even in scenarios with multiple MBSFN areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If UE autonomously acquires MBMS information from target cells during handover, then MBMS service continuity is maintained, but device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The UE autonomously acquires MBMS information from target cells before completing handover. This preliminary action allows the UE to determine service availability in advance, maintain bearers when services are available, and avoid service disruption without requiring complex network-assisted mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The UE independently performs MBMS service continuity management by autonomously acquiring target cell MBMS information, determining service availability, and making bearer maintenance decisions without network assistance. This self-service approach maintains reliability while avoiding the complexity of network-side solutions
2Reliability
If UE autonomously determines MBMS service availability in target cells, then service continuity is maintained, but loss of time occurs during information acquisition and determination
Solution Approach 1:
The UE acquires MBMS information from the target cell before the handover is completed. By performing this action preliminarily, the UE minimizes service interruption time as the determination of service availability is already made when handover occurs, allowing immediate bearer maintenance or release
Solution Approach 2:
The UE rapidly acquires essential MBMS information (MBSFN area ID, MBMS service IDs) from the target cell and quickly determines service availability. This rushed-through approach minimizes the time spent on information acquisition and determination, reducing overall service interruption during handover
3Reliability
If network provides MBMS service continuity assistance, then service continuity is improved, but device complexity and network complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the MBMS service continuity management function from the network side and places it on the UE side. The UE autonomously acquires target cell MBMS information and determines service availability without network assistance, eliminating the need for complex network-side continuity management mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The UE independently manages its own MBMS service continuity by autonomously acquiring target cell information, determining service availability, and making bearer maintenance decisions. This self-service approach eliminates network complexity while maintaining service continuity reliability
Data Source
AI summary
In an LTE/LTE-A system, a UE subscribes to an MBMS service in a source cell. In one embodiment, the UE with ongoing MBMS service handovers to a target cell. The UE obtains MBMS information of the target cell before or after the handover. The UE then determines MBMS service continuity in the target cell based on the obtained MBMS information. In another embodiment, the UE with ongoing MBMS service reselects a new cell. The UE makes cell reselection decision based on obtained MBMS information of its neighbor cells. If the subscribed MBMS service is discontinued after handover or cell reselection, the UE releases MBMS bearer and informs a NAS entity. If the subscribed MBMS service is available after handover or cell reselection, the UE keeps MBMS bearer during handover or cell reselection. By acquiring MBMS information, the UE is able to maintain continuous MBMS reception after handover or cell reselection.