CN100428749C - Method for multicast exciting multimedia broadcast/multicast service - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for multicasting and activating multimedia broadcasting/multicasting services, which is suitable for the field of mobile communication. When an MBMS UE context activating request transmitted by UE is received, an SGSN cancels the transmission of an MBMS notice to a GGSN to reject a request message if the SGSN does not establish the MBMS UE context. The MBMS multicasting and activating process can be optimized by the present invention to save unnecessary signaling under the condition that the SGSN does not establish the MBMS UE context.

Description

A kind of method of multicast exciting multimedia broadcast/multicast service

Technical field

The invention belongs to moving communicating field, relate in particular in the MBMS business method of MBMS multicast exciting.

Background technology

Multicast and broadcasting are a kind of technology that transmits data message from a data source to a plurality of targets.Along with the fast development of Internet, a large amount of multimedia services emerge, and the some of them applied business requires a plurality of users can receive identical data, for example video request program, television broadcasting, video conference, online education or interactive game etc. simultaneously.Compare with general data, these multimedia services have characteristics such as data volume is big, longer duration, delay sensitive.Because the mobile network has particular network structure, functional entity and wave point, and is different with wired IP network, therefore present IP multicast service only is applicable to wired IP network, is not suitable for the mobile network.

In order to effectively utilize mobile network resource, third generation partnership project (Third GenerationPartnership Projects, 3GPP) multimedia broadcast/group broadcast service (MultimediaBroadcast/Multicast Service has been proposed, MBMS), promptly in the mobile network, provide a data source to send the point-to-multipoint service of data to a plurality of users, the realization Internet resources are shared, and improve utilization rate of network resource, especially air interface resource.The MBMS of 3GPP definition can not only realize the classes of messages multicast and the broadcasting of plain text low rate, and can also realize the multicast and the broadcasting of high-speed multimedia business.

The network reference model of MBMS as shown in Figure 1, the edge of MBMS bearer service is Gmb, Gi reference point, be broadcast/multicast service center (BM-SC) and Gateway GPRS Support Node (Gateway GPRSSupport Node, GGSN) interface between, the Gmb interface provides the chain of command function, and the Gi interface provides the user plane bearer function.

BM-SC is the inlet of content provider/multicast and broadcast content source, be used for authorizing and initiating the MBMS bearer service at mobile network, and plan transmits the MBMS content to schedule.Its function comprises third party content supplier authentication, mandate and charging; MBMS transmission relevant parameter is provided, for example service quality (Quality of Service, QoS), multicast and broadcast zone, initiation and termination MBMS transfer resource; Receive and transmit the MBMS content from external data source, arrange the MBMS session to transmit and inform user, session re-transmission etc.; Service statement comprises media description, conversation description such as multicast service identifier, address, delivery time etc.Content provider/multicast and broadcast content source can be passed through Packet Data Network, and (Packet DataNetwork PDN), provides content as internet to BM-SC.

GGSN is as the IP multicast service node of MBMS data, request according to BM-SC is broadcasting or multicast transmission foundation or release and Serving GPRS Support Node (Serving GPRS Supporting Node, SGSN) the MBMS carrying between, receive IP broadcast/multicast content from BM-SC or other data source, and (GPRS Tunneling Protocol, GTP) tunnel sends relevant SGSN to pass through GPRS Tunnel Protocol.

SGSN carries out network control to the user, support MBMS recipient moving between SGSN, request foundation or the carrying of the MBMS between release and the GGSN according to GGSN, send the broadcast/group broadcast data to Radio Access Network (Radio Access Network, RAN), as the Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network road (Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network, UTRAN), GSM EDGE Radio Access Network (GSM/EDGE Radio Access Network, GERAN).(Home Location Register HLR) obtains user profile to SGSN by attaching position register.

RAN is according to request foundation or the carrying of the MBMS between release and the SGSN of SGSN, select shared channel or dedicated channel to transmit the MBMS business in predetermined broadcasting/packet service zone, support core net to initiate and stop MBMS to transmit, support the MBMS recipient at radio network controller (Radio NetworkController, moving RNC), support MBMS transmission service statement, paging information, MBMS concurrent service, for example receive the MBMS video content and carry out audio call and messaging service simultaneously.

Subscriber equipment (User Equipment; UE) support activation MBMS business; content is encrypted and MBMS safety related functions such as consistency protection, receive MBMS service statement, paging information or support synchronous service and according to the MBMS session identification decision whether ignore the MBMS session.

More contents of the network reference model of relevant MBMS are referring to 3GPP TS 23.246 " 3rdGeneration Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services and SystemAspects; Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Architecture andfunctional description ", the present invention quotes at this, repeats no more.

A MBMS business has a distribution tree during a session (Session), as shown in Figure 2.Tree root is at BM-SC, and leaf is that all prepare to receive this professional UE.No matter how many branches downstream node also has down, only has a branch between a upstream node and a downstream node, is called a MBMS carrying.All branches of a distribution tree use same QoS.Except leaf node, other node is all preserved the tabulation of downstream node, when session data need issue, upstream node by and these downstream nodes between the MBMS carrying session data are mail to the downstream node of appointment.For each downstream node, only send a session data, continue distribution by downstream node again.

The main flow process of multicast service comprises that signatory (Subscription), service bulletin (Service announcement), adding (Joining), session begin (Session Start), MBMS notice (MBMS notification), transfer of data (Data transfer), conversation end (Session Stop) and leave the stages such as (Leaving) as shown in Figure 3.Wherein, Joining is the process that a contracted user adds multicast group, and promptly the user notification network wishes to receive the data of certain multicast service.In realization, the Joining process is finished by MBMS multicast exciting flow process, also is the process that a multicast distribution tree is set up.In this process, if downstream node is found and upstream node is not also set up the MBMS bearing relation, the downstream node tabulation that does not promptly add upstream node then joins in the downstream node tabulation of upstream node by register flow path, thereby joins in the multicast distribution tree.At this moment, only be to set up the MBMS bearing relation between downstream node and upstream node, and really do not set up the MBMS carrying of user's face, also do not distribute required resource for the MBMS carrying.When Session start, just really set up user's face MBMS carrying, distribute its required resource, certain QoS is provided, be used for the MBMS transmission session data.

More contents of the main flow process of multicast service of relevant above-mentioned MBMS are referring to 3GPP TS 23.246 " 3rd Generation Partnership Project; Technical Specification Group Services andSystem Aspects; Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS); Architectureand functional description ", the present invention quotes at this, repeats no more.

Fig. 4 shows MBMS multicast exciting flow process, and details are as follows:

1.UE activate a PDP Context (PDP Context Activation).

2.UE (Internet GroupManagement Protocol, it wishes to add a specific multicast group (IGMP Join) IGMP) to add (Join) message informing GGSN to send IGMP by this PDP Context.

3.GGSN send MBMS authentication request (MBMS Authorization Request) message to BM-SC, whether BM-SC allows the user to add this multicast group according to user's CAMEL-Subscription-Information decision.BM-SC is by MBMS Authentication Response (MBMS Authorization Response) message, and notice GGSN authentication result is not passed through if authenticate, then termination process; Otherwise, carry out follow-up flow process.

4a.GGSN send MBMS notice request (MBMS Notification Request) message to SGSN, notice SGSN, the UE request adds a specific multicast group.

4b.SGSN return MBMS push-notification-answer (MBMS Notification Response) message to GGSN, whether indication GGSN, SGSN allow activation process to continue.

5.SGSN send request MBMS context activation (Request MBMS ContextActivation) message to UE, request UE initiates the MBMS activation process.

6.UE sending activation MBMS context request (Activate MBMS ContextRequest) message request to SGSN activates.Can carry the MBMS tenability of UE in the message.If set up the MBMS bearing relation between SGSN and this GGSN, SGSN relatively this MBMS carries required tenability and the tenability of UE, if the MBMS tenability of UE is less than the required tenability of this MBMS carrying, SGSN will send to UE and activate MBMS context refusal (ActivateMBMS Context Reject) message.

7., then carry out follow-up flow process if set up MBMS UE context among the SGSN; If do not set up MBMS UE context among the SGSN, then SGSN sends MBMS notice refusal request (MBMS Notification Reject Request) message request refusal to GGSN, GGSN returns MBMS notice refusal response (MBMS Notification Reject Response) message to SGSN, prevent that follow-up continuation from sending MBMS Notification Request message, flow process so far finishes.

8.UE and carry out safety function (Security Functions) between SGSN.

9.Gb under the pattern, if following function is activated, SGSN notice RAN side activating is followed the tracks of (InvokeTrace).

10.SGSN send establishment MBMS context request (Create MBMS ContextRequest) message to GGSN, request GGSN sets up MBMS UE context.This GGSN may not be same GGSN with the GGSN in step 2～4.

11.GGSN send MBMS Authorization Request to BM-SC, request BM-SC sets up MBMS UE context.BM-SC sets up MBMS UE context, and by MBMSAuthorization Response message informing GGSN result.

12. if also do not set up the MBMS bearing relation for this multicast service between GGSN and the BM-SC, GGSN sends MBMS register requirement (MBMS Registration Request) message request to BM-SC and sets up the MBMS bearing relation.

BM-SC distributes Temporary Mobile Group Identity for this MBMS carrying, this identifies by MBMS registration response (MBMS Registration Response) message and arrives GGSN, SGSN, and sends to UE by activating MBMS context acceptance (Activate MBMS Context Accept) message.

BM-SC returns MBMS Registration Response message to GGSN, and GGSN is joined in the downstream node tabulation.

13.GGSN set up the MBMS context, and return establishment MBMS context response (Create MBMS Context Response) message to SGSN.

14. if also do not set up the MBMS bearing relation for this multicast service between SGSN and the GGSN, SGSN sends MBMS Registration Request message request to GGSN and sets up the MBMS bearing relation.

GGSN returns MBMS Registration Response message to SGSN, and SGSN is added the downstream node tabulation.

15.Iu pattern in particular cases, SGSN offers RAN (Provisionof MBMS UE Context to RAN) with MBMS UE context.

16.Iu under the pattern, if following function is activated, SGSN notice RAN side activating is followed the tracks of.

Accept (Activate MBMS ContextAccept) message 17.SGSN send activation MBMS context to MS.Comprise the required tenability of MBMS carrying in this message, need to activate MBMS when professional, need to consider this ability when UE is follow-up.If SGSN in step 6 because and also do not set up the MBMS bearing relation between the GGSN, and cause without comparison required tenability of this MBMS carrying and the tenability of UE, then carry out relatively in this step.If the MBMS tenability of UE is less than the required tenability of this MBMS carrying, SGSN will send to UE and activate MBMS context refusal (Activate MBMS Context Reject) message.

In said process, receive the not necessarily same GGSN of GGSN that sets up the MBMS bearing relation between the GGSN of IGMP Join message of UE and the follow-up real and SGSN, the former is switching GGSN, the latter is service GGSN.The function of switching GGSN only is by UE being wished the information that adds particular multicast group is transmitted to BM-SC, and carries out the authentication of CAMEL-Subscription-Information by BM-SC, and not responsible MBMS bearing relation and the MBMS UE context set up.

Switching GGSN has just finished the responsibility of oneself after the step 4 of above-mentioned flow process, SGSN has returned MBMS Notification Response message to switching GGSN among the step 4b, after receiving this response, the function of switching GGSN is finished, the follow-up abnormal conditions that occur do not need to retransmit MBMSNotification Request message to SGSN yet.Under the normal condition, step 7 can not take place, and the GGSN that therefore transfers does not need to wait for the message of follow-up flow process, does not need to know the progress of follow-up flow process yet.The reason that step 7 description in the agreement " prevents that follow-up continuation from sending MBMS Notification Request message " is false.

Simultaneously, after the step 6, if abnormal conditions, do not set up MBMS UE context in the SGSN after, UE does not need to carry out follow-up flow process again.

Therefore, above-mentioned flow process is not set up under the contextual situation of MBMS UE as SGSN, and SGSN need wait for the message of follow-up flow process, has increased unnecessary signaling.

Summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a kind of method of multicast exciting multimedia broadcast/multicast service, be intended to solve exist in the prior art in MBMS multicast exciting flow process, when SGSN does not set up under the contextual situation of MBMSUE, SGSN need wait for the message of follow-up flow process, has increased the problem of unnecessary signaling.

The present invention realizes like this, a kind of method of multicast exciting multimedia broadcast/multicast service, when receiving the activation MBMS UE context request that UE sends, if SGSN does not set up MBMS UE context, the SGSN cancellation sends MBMS notice refusal request message to GGSN.

Described method further comprises the steps:

SGSN sends to UE and activates MBMS context refuse information, and notice UE stops follow-up flow process.

By the present invention, can not set up under the contextual situation of MBMS UE at SGSN, optimize MBMS multicast exciting flow process, save unnecessary signaling.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is the network reference model figure of MBMS;

Fig. 2 is a MBMS service conversation distribution tree schematic diagram;

Fig. 3 is the stage schematic diagram of MBMS multicast service;

Fig. 4 is a MBMS multicast exciting flow chart;

Fig. 5 is the MBMS multicast exciting flow chart that provides in the first embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is the MBMS multicast exciting flow chart that provides in the second embodiment of the invention.

Embodiment

In order to make purpose of the present invention, technical scheme and advantage clearer,, the present invention is further elaborated below in conjunction with drawings and Examples.Should be appreciated that specific embodiment described herein only in order to explanation the present invention, and be not used in qualification the present invention.

In the first embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 5, if abnormal conditions, SGSN does not set up MBMS UE context, then the SGSN cancellation sends MBMS NotificationReject Request message to GGSN, and other steps are same as the prior art, repeat no more.

In the second embodiment of the present invention, as shown in Figure 6, if abnormal conditions, SGSN does not set up MBMS UE context, SGSN cancels the message to GGSN transmission MBMS Notification RejectRequest, and (step 7) notifies UE to stop follow-up flow process to send activation MBMS context refusal (Activate MBMS ContextReject) message to UE, other steps are same as the prior art, repeat no more.

The above only is preferred embodiment of the present invention, not in order to restriction the present invention, all any modifications of being done within the spirit and principles in the present invention, is equal to and replaces and improvement etc., all should be included within protection scope of the present invention.

Claims (2)

1, a kind of method of multicast exciting multimedia broadcast/multicast service, it is characterized in that, when SGSN received the activation MBMS UE context request of UE transmission, if SGSN does not set up MBMS UE context, the SGSN cancellation sent the MBMS notice to GGSN and refuses request message.

2, the method for multicast exciting multimedia broadcast/multicast service as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, described method further comprises the steps:

SGSN sends to UE and activates MBMS context refuse information, and notice UE stops follow-up flow process.

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