Uninterrupted multicast service in a radiocommunication system

1. A method for ensuring multicast service continuity in a radio communications system comprising a core network ( 20 ) and at least two radio network controllers ( 3 , 14 , 15 , 21 , 22 ) connected to the core network,

wherein each radio network controller has a first identifier of each of the multicast services for which activation was previously requested by at least one radio terminal ( 1 , 11 ) via said radio network controller and is adapted to notify radio terminals located in a coverage area of said radio network controller of the starting of at least one session relating to one of said multicast services, reported by the core network, the notification incorporating the first identifier of said service,

wherein each radio network controller also has a second identifier of each of the multicast services for which activation was previously requested by at least one radio terminal via said radio network controller, the second identifier of each service being longer than the first identifier of the same service,

the method comprising, with respect to a radio terminal ( 11 ) entering the coverage area of a drift radio network controller ( 15 ) after having been in the coverage area of a serving radio network controller ( 14 ) each being one of said radio network controllers, said radio terminal having previously requested activation of a multicast service via the serving radio network controller, a step of sending the first identifier of said service from the serving radio network controller to the drift radio network controller.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein each radio network controller is further adapted to request that the core network reports to it the starting of a session relating to a multicast service, the request incorporating the second identifier of said service previously obtained by said radio network controller, the method further comprising the following steps, whenever no radio terminal has previously requested activation of said service via the drift radio network controller ( 15 ):

requesting, from the drift radio network controller, the sending, by the serving radio network controller ( 14 ), of the second identifier of the service for which activation was previously requested by said radio terminal ( 11 ), the request incorporating the first identifier of said service;

in response sending, from the serving radio network controller, to the drift radio network controller, the second identifier of said service; and

requesting, from the drift radio controller that the core network reports to it the starting of a session relating to said service, the request incorporating the second identifier of said service sent to the drift radio network controller.

3. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said radio terminal ( 11 ) enters the coverage area of the drift radio network controller ( 15 ) after having been in the coverage area of the serving radio network controller ( 14 ) as a consequence the said radio terminal having moved.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the multicast services are implemented in the radio communications system in accordance with the MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service) function.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the second identifier of a service comprises an association of an address relating to a server ( 8 , 9 , 10 ) adapted to deliver information relating to said service and an access point in the core network to which said server is connected.

6. A radio network controller ( 14 , 21 ) in a radio communications system further comprising a second radio network controller ( 15 , 22 ) and a core network ( 20 ) to which said radio network controller is connected,

the radio network controller comprising means for obtaining a first identifier of each multicast service for which activation was previously requested by at least one radio terminal ( 1 , 11 ) via said radio network controller,

the radio network controller further comprising means for obtaining a second identifier of each multicast service for which activation was previously requested by at least one radio terminal via said radio network controller, the second identifier of each service being longer than the first identifier of the same service,

and the radio network controller further comprising means for, with respect to a radio terminal ( 11 ) entering the coverage area of the second radio network controller ( 15 ) after having been in the coverage area of said radio network controller ( 14 ), said radio terminal having previously requested activation of a multicast service via said radio network controller, sending the first identifier of said service to the second radio network controller.

7. A radio network controller according to claim 6 ,

further comprising, whenever no radio terminal has previously requested activation of said service via the second radio network controller ( 15 ):

means for receiving from the second radio network controller, if a request to send the second identifier of the service for which activation was previously requested by said terminal ( 11 ), the request incorporating the first identifier of said service; and

means for sending in response the second identifier of said service to the second radio network controller.

8. A radio network controller ( 15 , 22 ) in a radio communications system further comprising a second radio network controller ( 14 , 21 ) and a core network ( 20 ) to which the radio network controller is connected,

the radio network controller comprising means for obtaining a first identifier of each multicast service for which activation was previously requested by at least one radio terminal ( 1 , 11 ) via said radio network controller and means for notifying radio terminals located in a coverage area of said radio network controller of the starting of at least one session relating to one of said multicast services, reported by the core network, the notification incorporating the first identifier of said service,

the radio network controller further comprising means for, with respect to a radio terminal ( 11 ) entering its coverage area after having been in the coverage area of the second radio network controller, said radio terminal having previously requested activation of a multicast service via the second radio network controller, receiving the first identifier of said service from said second radio network controller,

the radio network further comprising means for requesting that the core network reports to it the starting of a session relating to a multicast service, the request incorporating a second identifier of said service previously obtained by said radio network controller, the second identifier of each service being longer than the first identifier of the same service,

the radio network controller further comprising, whenever no radio terminal has previously requested activation of said service via said radio network controller, the request incorporating the first identifier of said service:

means for requesting the sending by the second radio network controller of the second identifier of the service for which activation was previously requested by said radio terminal ( 11 ),

means for receiving in response the second identifier of said service from the second radio network controller; and

means for requesting that the core network reports to it the starting of a session relating to said service, the request incorporating the second identifier of said service received by the means for receiving the second identifier of said service from the second radio network controller.