Multi-cell coordination for multimedia broadcast multicast services in a wireless communication system

1. An access gateway for controlling a plurality of evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) in a single frequency network (SFN), the access gateway comprising:

a control plane;

a user plane; and

a multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) multi-cell coordination unit including at least one MBMS coordination control part located in the control plane of the access gateway for coordinating control signaling to the eNodeBs, and at least one MBMS coordination data part located in the user plane of the access gateway for coordinating data signaling to the eNodeBs,

wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit is configured to:

receive information for determining a coordinated start time for multicasting data from the eNodeBs such that the coordinating signaling from the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit to the eNodeBs includes at least one time stamp, corresponding to the coordinated start time, for time synchronizing the multicasting of the data from the eNodeBs.

2. The access gateway of claim 1 wherein both the MBMS coordination control part and the MBMS coordination data part have multiple instances, each of which corresponds to the SFN.

3. The access gateway of claim 1 wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit comprises:

a transmitter configured to transmit a notification that a MBMS session has started; and

a receiver configured to receive an estimated time stamp and resource availability information in response to the notification, the estimated time stamp indicating the time that an eNodeB can start a MBMS transmission.

4. The access gateway of claim 3 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit MBMS data to the eNodeBs.

5. The access gateway of claim 3 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive MBMS data, and the transmitter is further configured to transmit the MBMS data towards at least one WTRU.

6. The access gateway of claim 3 wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit registration information, and the receiver is further configured to receive details of a particular MBMS scheduling scheme.

7. The access gateway of claim 1 further comprising:

a system architecture evolution (SAE) bearer control unit;

a mobility management entity (MME) unit; and

a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) unit.

8. The access gateway of claim 7 wherein the MME unit hosts at least one of the group consisting of: (1) distribution of paging messages to the eNodeBs; (2) security control; (3) idle state mobility control; and (4) ciphering and integrity protection of non-access stratum (NAS) signaling.

9. The access gateway of claim 7 wherein the SAE bearer control unit controls the configuration of radio access bearers.

10. The access gateway of claim 7 wherein the PDCP unit performs header compression and decompression, transfer of user data, duplicate detection of lower layer service data units (SDUs), and ciphering of user plane data and control plane data.

11. The access gateway of claim 1 , wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit is configured to:

determine coordination information to be indicated in the at least one timestamp for synchronization of the eNodeBs; and

send the coordination information to synchronize a start of signaling to one or more WTRUs.

12. The access gateway of claim 1 , wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit is configured to:

receive timing information from the eNodeBs to determine coordination information including the coordinated start time to be indicated in the at least one timestamp; and

send the coordination information to synchronize a start of multicasting of the data to one or more WTRUs.

13. The access gateway of claim 1 , wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit is configured to:

control, via the user plane, synchronization of signaling from the eNodeBs.

14. An access gateway for controlling a plurality of evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) in a single frequency network (SFN), the access gateway comprising:

a control plane;

a user plane; and

a multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) multi-cell coordination unit including at least one MBMS coordination control part located in the control plane of the access gateway for coordinating control signaling to the eNodeBs, and at least one MBMS coordination data part located in the user plane of the access gateway for coordinating data signaling to the eNodeBs,

wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit is configured to:

receive information for determining a coordinated start time for multicasting data from the eNodeBs such that the coordinating signaling from the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit to the eNodeBs includes at least one time stamp, corresponding to the coordinated start time, for time synchronizing the multicasting of the data from the eNodeBs, and

send a scheduling scheme to the eNodeBs in advance of multicasting of the data from the eNodeBs to commonly configure each eNodeB for multicasting of the data from the eNodeBs in accordance with the scheduling scheme.

15. An access gateway for controlling a plurality of evolved Node-Bs (eNodeBs) in a single frequency network (SFN), the access gateway operating using a control interface and a data interface, the access gateway comprising:

a multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) multi-cell coordination unit including:

a MBMS coordination control part communicating with the control interface for coordinating control signaling to the eNodeBs, and

a MBMS coordination data part communicating with the data interface for coordinating data signaling to the eNodeBs,

wherein the MBMS multi-cell coordination unit is configured to:

send to the eNodeBs a scheduling scheme in advance of multicasting of the data from the eNodeBs to commonly configure each eNodeB for multicasting of the data in accordance with the scheduling scheme, and

send a time stamp for time synchronizing the multicasting of the data from the eNodeBs.