Communication system
A communication system is described in which an MBMS service is provided by unicast or broadcast/multicast communication in dependence on whether the number of mobile communication devices indicating an interest in receiving the service is below or above a broadcast threshold. An improved procedure for counting the number of mobile communication devices interested in receiving the MBMS service is also disclosed.
1. A mobile communication device which is operable to support a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), the mobile communication device comprising:
a transceiver circuit; and
a controller, comprising one or more processors configured to:
receive, from a base station of a network providing the MBMS, via the transceiver circuit, a system information broadcast comprising MBMS information;
determine, based on said system information broadcast, at least one MBMS service of interest to be made available within a coverage area; and
transmit, via the transceiver circuit at radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment with the network, an RRC message other than an RRC connection request message having a cause value field, the RRC message including at least one identifier which indicates if the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
2. A method performed by a mobile communication device which is operable to support a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), the method comprising:
receiving, from a base station of a network providing the MBMS, a system information broadcast comprising MBMS information;
determining, based on said system information broadcast, at least one MBMS service of interest to be made available within a coverage area; and
transmitting, at radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment with the network, an RRC message other than an RRC connection request message having a cause value field, the RRC message including at least one identifier which indicates if the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
3. A base station which is operable to support a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) in a network, the base station comprising:
a transceiver circuit; and
a controller, comprising one or more processors, configured to:
determine an identification of the MBMS;
transmit, to a mobile communication device via the transceiver circuit, a system information broadcast comprising MBMS information for determining, by the mobile communication device, at least one MBMS service of interest to be made available within a coverage area; and
receive, from the mobile communication device at radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment with the network, an RRC message other than an RRC connection request message having a cause value field, the RRC message including at least one identifier which indicates if the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
4. A method performed by a base station which is operable to support a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) in a network, the method comprising:
determining an identification of the MBMS;
transmitting, to a mobile communication device, a system information broadcast comprising MBMS information for determining, by the mobile communication device, at least one MBMS service of interest to be made available within a coverage area; and
receiving, from the mobile communication device at radio resource control (RRC) connection establishment with the network, an RRC message other than an RRC connection request message having a cause value field, the RRC message including at least one identifier which indicates if the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
5. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
register, via the transceiver circuit, the mobile communication device with the base station; and
initiate, when the mobile communication device is in idle mode, communication with the base station to establish the RRC connection with the network.
6. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the RRC message further includes information indicating that the RRC connection is established and that the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
7. The mobile communication device according to claim 6 , wherein the RRC message comprises a non access stratum (NAS) message.
8. The mobile communication device according to claim 7 , wherein the NAS message has a length set to zero.
9. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one identifier identifies one or more MBMS services the mobile communication device is interested in receiving.
10. The mobile communication device according to claim 1 , wherein the transceiver circuit is further configured to receive information from the base station indicating release of the RRC connection.
11. The method performed by a mobile communication device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
registering the mobile communication device with the base station; and
initiating, when the mobile communication device is in idle mode, communication with the base station to establish the RRC connection with the network.
12. The method performed by a mobile communication device according to claim 2 , wherein the RRC message further indicates that the RRC connection is established and that the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
13. The method performed by a mobile communication device according to claim 12 , wherein the RRC message comprises a non access stratum (NAS) message.
14. The method performed by a mobile communication device according to claim 13 , wherein the NAS message has a length set to zero.
15. The method performed by a mobile communication device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
receiving information from the base station indicating release of the RRC connection.
16. The base station according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
register, via the transceiver circuit, the mobile communication device with the base station; and
enter, when the mobile communication device is in idle mode, communication with the mobile communication device to establish the RRC connection with the network.
17. The base station according to claim 3 , wherein the RRC message further includes information indicating that the RRC connection is established and that the mobile communication device is interested in receiving the MBMS service.
18. The base station according to claim 17 , wherein the RRC message comprises a non access stratum (NAS) message.
19. The base station according to claim 18 , wherein the NAS message has a length set to zero.
20. The base station device according to claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to:
transmit information to the mobile communication device indicating release of the RRC connection.