Patent · US Expired

Methods and devices for counting user equipment units in a mobile radio telecommunication network

US7958542B2 · kind B2 · utility

26Cited by
2References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMay 11, 2004
Grant dateJun 7, 2011
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 11, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W4/06
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

For the transmission of an MBMS content to a plurality of user equipment units, the use of a p2m channel may only be beneficial if the number of joined user equipment units exceeds a threshold. However, counting is made difficult due to the fact that idle mode UE, also a non joined UE, may reply to the notification, and hence pretend a higher number of UEs which are ready and able to receive the MBMS content. According to the present invention, when joining the MBMS service, a number which is only known to the user equipment unit, as well as to those RNCs which will deliver the MBMS service for which the UE has joined, is provided to the UE. Whenever the UE replies to a service notification, it uses this number. The RNC determines a corresponding number and in case the number received from the UE matches the number determined by the RNC, the UE is counted. Advantageously, an integrity protection may be provided for the notification reply for joined UEs which are still in the idle mode.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.