Managing point-to-point and point-to-multipoint transmission
A method in one or more nodes of a radio access network (RAN), for managing multicast and/or broadcast services (MBS) communications, includes transmitting to a user device an MBS radio bearer (MRB) configuration associated with an MRB, implementing a shared packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) entity to transmit first MB S packets to the user device via the MRB and according to the MRB configuration and a first lower layer configuration, and after transmitting the first MB S packets, implementing the shared PDCP entity to transmit second MB S packets to the user device via the MRB and according to a second lower layer configuration and the MRB configuration. The first and second lower layer configurations being different ones of a multicast configuration and a unicast configuration.
1 . A method, performed by a central unit (CU) of a distributed base station, for managing multicast and/or broadcast services (MBS) communications, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a distributed unit (DU) of the distributed base station, a first CU-to-DU message to request a multicast configuration for a user equipment (UE);
in response to the first CU-to-DU message, receiving from the DU a first DU-to-CU message including a multicast configuration for the UE; and
transmitting, to the UE and via the DU, a first message including the multicast configuration.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
transmitting to the DU a second CU-to-DU message to request a unicast configuration for the UE;
in response to the second CU-to-DU message, receiving from the DU a second DU-to-CU message including a unicast configuration for the UE; and
transmitting, to the UE and via the DU, a second message including the unicast configuration.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Modification Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Modification Response message.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Setup Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Setup Response message.
5 . A central unit (CU) of a distributed base station, the CU comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
transmit, to a distributed unit (DU) of the distributed base station, a first CU-to-DU message to request a multicast configuration for a user equipment (UE);
in response to the first CU-to-DU message, receive from the DU a first DU-to-CU message including a multicast configuration for the UE; and
transmit, to the UE and via the DU, a first message including the multicast configuration.
6 . The CU of claim 5 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
transmit to the DU a second CU-to-DU message to request a unicast configuration for the UE;
in response to the second CU-to-DU message, receive from the DU a second DU-to-CU message including a unicast configuration for the UE; and
transmit, to the UE and via the DU, a second message including the unicast configuration.
7 . The CU of claim 5 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Modification Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Modification Response message.
8 . The CU of claim 5 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Setup Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Setup Response message.
9 . A method, performed by a distributed unit (DU) of a distributed base station, for managing multicast and/or broadcast services (MBS) communications, the method comprising:
transmitting, to a central unit (CU) of the distributed base station, a first DU-to-CU message including a multicast configuration for a user equipment (UE); and
multicasting MBS packets to the UE and one or more other UEs according to the multicast configuration.
10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
receiving, from the CU, a first CU-to-DU message,
wherein transmitting the first DU-to-CU message is in response to the first CU-to-DU message.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Modification Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Modification Response message.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Setup Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Setup Response message.
13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:
transmitting to the CU a second DU-to-CU message including a unicast configuration for the UE; and
unicasting MBS packets to the UE according to the unicast configuration.
14 . A distributed unit (DU) of a distributed base station, the DU comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
transmit, to a central unit (CU) of the distributed base station, a first DU-to-CU message including a multicast configuration for a user equipment (UE); and
multicast multicast and/or broadcast services (MBS) packets to the UE and one or more other UEs according to the multicast configuration.
15 . The DU of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
receive, from the CU, a first CU-to-DU message,
wherein transmitting the first DU-to-CU message is in response to the first CU-to-DU message.
16 . The DU of claim 15 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Modification Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Modification Response message.
17 . The DU of claim 15 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Setup Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Setup Response message.
18 . The DU of claim 14 , wherein the one or more processors are further configured to:
transmit to the CU a second DU-to-CU message including a unicast configuration for the UE; and
unicast multicast and/or broadcast services (MBS) packets to the UE according to the unicast configuration.
19 . A method, performed by a distributed unit (DU) of a distributed base station, for managing multicast and/or broadcast services (MBS) communications, the method comprising:
receiving, from a central unit (CU) of the distributed base station, a first CU-to-DU message requesting radio resources for a user equipment (UE); and
transmitting to the CU a first DU-to-CU message, wherein
when the first CU-to-DU message requests radio resources for multicast, the first DU-to-CU message includes a multicast configuration for the UE,
when the first CU-to-DU message requests radio resources for unicast, the first DU-to-CU message includes a unicast configuration for the UE, and
when the first CU-to-DU message requests radio resources for both multicast and unicast, the first DU-to-CU message includes a multicast configuration and a unicast configuration for the UE.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Modification Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Modification Response message.
21 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the first CU-to-DU message is a UE Context Setup Request message and the first DU-to-CU message is a UE Context Setup Response message.