IP Library Granted Patent US 12,470,897
Granted Patent B2
US 12,470,897 · App. 18/257,375 · Granted Nov 11, 2025

Methods and apparatuses for multicast and broadcast services

Inventors: Mingzeng Dai (Shanghai, CN); Congchi Zhang (Shanghai, CN); Joachim Löhr (Wiesbaden, DE); Hyung-Nam Choi (Ottobrunn, DE); Prateek Basu Mallick (Dreieich, DE); Lianhai Wu (Beijing, CN); Le Yan (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: Lenovo (Beijing) Limited
H04W4/06H04W76/27H04W76/40H04L12/189
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,470,897
App. No.
18/257,375
Granted
Nov 11, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to methods and apparatuses for multicast and broadcast services (MBS). According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, a method may include: determining whether a user equipment (UE) in an RRC_IDLE state or RRC_INACTIVE state should enter an RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of at least one MBS session; and transmitting indication information for indicating whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state.

Claims (40)

1 . A method performed by a network entity, the method comprising:

determining whether a user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control (RRC) state of an RRC_IDLE state or an RRC_INACTIVE state should enter an RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of at least one multicast and broadcast services (MBS) session; and

transmitting, to the UE, indication information for indicating whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state, the indication information causing the UE to receive the at least one MBS session.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication information indicates that the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of the at least one MBS session, or that the UE should stay in the RRC_IDLE state or the RRC_INACTIVE state for the reception of the at least one MBS session.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication information comprises an MBS change indication in a short message for indicating whether MBS configuration information changes and includes an MBS state indication in the MBS configuration information.

4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein the MBS state indication comprises a per session MBS state indication for indicating that the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of a corresponding MBS session or the UE should stay in the RRC_IDLE state or the RRC_INACTIVE state for the reception of the corresponding MBS session.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the indication information comprises an MBS state indication in MBS configuration information provided in a multicast control channel (MCCH).

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting the indication information to a set of neighbor base stations if the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving MBS related UE information from a last serving base station of the UE if the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state; and

determining whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state based on the MBS related UE information.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

determining whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state based on received MBS information; and at least one of:

transmitting the indication information to a distributed unit (DU) of a base station; or

transmitting the indication information to the UE.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising receiving the MBS information from a central unit (CU) of the base station.

10 . A user equipment (UE) for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the UE to:

receive indication information that indicates whether the UE in a radio resource control (RRC) state of an RRC IDLE state or RRC_INACTIVE state should enter an RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of at least one multicast and broadcast services (MBS) session; and

determine whether to enter the RRC_CONNECTED state based at least in part on the indication information, the indication information causing the UE to receive the at least one MBS session.

11 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein the indication information indicates that the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of the at least one MBS session, or that the UE should stay in the RRC_IDLE state or the RRC_INACTIVE state for the reception of the at least one MBS session.

12 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein the indication information comprises an MBS change indication in a short message for indicating whether MBS configuration information changes and an MBS state indication in the MBS configuration information.

13 . The UE of claim 10 , wherein the indication information comprises an MBS state indication in MBS configuration information provided in a multicast control channel (MCCH).

14 . A network entity for wireless communication, comprising:

at least one memory; and

at least one processor coupled with the at least one memory and configured to cause the network entity to:

determine whether a user equipment (UE) in a radio resource control (RRC) state of an RRC_IDLE state or an RRC_INACTIVE state should enter an RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of at least one multicast and broadcast services (MBS) session; and

transmit indication information that indicates whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state, the indication information causing the UE to receive the at least one MBS session.

15 . The network entity of claim 14 , wherein the indication information indicates that the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state for reception of the at least one MBS session, or that the UE should stay in the RRC_IDLE state or the RRC_INACTIVE state for the reception of the at least one MBS session.

16 . The network entity of claim 14 , wherein the indication information includes an MBS change indication in a short message for indicating whether MBS configuration information changes and includes an MBS state indication in the MBS configuration information.

17 . The network entity of claim 14 , wherein the indication information includes an MBS state indication in MBS configuration information provided in a multicast control channel (MCCH).

18 . The network entity of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the network entity to transmit the indication information to a set of neighbor base stations if the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state.

19 . The network entity of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the network entity to:

receive MBS related UE information from a last serving base station of the UE if the UE is in the RRC_INACTIVE state; and

determine whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state based on the MBS related UE information.

20 . The network entity of claim 14 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause the network entity to:

determine whether the UE should enter the RRC_CONNECTED state based on received MBS information; and at least one of:

transmit the indication information to a distributed unit (DU) of a base station; or

transmit the indication information to the UE.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 14, 2023
From: DAI, MINGZENG; ZHANG, CONGCHI; LÖHR, JOACHIM; CHOI, HYUNG-NAM; BASU MALLICK, PRATEEK; WU, LIANHAI; YAN, LE
To: LENOVO (BEIJING) LTD.
Reel/Frame 063946/0733 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240031776A1 · Jan 25, 2024
References Cited (12)
US 20160157218A1 · Nam · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 20200077463A1 · Hong · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20230049535A1 · Wang · 2023 [cited by examiner]
CN 111901763A · 2020 [cited by applicant]
Huawei , “Summary of [AT112-e][036][MBS] SA2 LS on MBS”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #112-e, R2-2011022, Electronic [retrieved Jul. 31, 2023]. Retrieved from the Internet <https://www.3gpp.org/ftp/TSG_RAN/WG2_RL2/TSGR2_112… [cited by applicant]
PCT/CN2020/136417 , “International Preliminary Report on Patentability”, PCT Application No. PCT/CN2020/136417, Jun. 29, 2023, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]
PCT/CN2020/136417 , “International Search Report and Written Opinion”, PCT Application No. PCT/CN2020/136417, Aug. 27, 2021, 7 pages. [cited by applicant]
Qualcomm Inc , “NR Multicast-Broadcast services and configuration for UEs in different RRC states”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #112e, R2-2009038, E-Meeting [retrieved Jul. 31, 2023]. Retrieved from the Internet <https://w… [cited by applicant]
20965377.3 , “Extended European Search Report”, EP Application No. 20965377.3, Aug. 14, 2024, 11 pages. [cited by applicant]
CATT , “MBS reception of Idle and In-active UEs”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG3 #110 electronic, R3-206309, Online, Nov. 2020, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]
Intel Corporation , “MBS L2 Architecture, user plane and control plane”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG2 Meeting #112-e, R2-2009196, Electronic meeting, Nov. 2020, 9 pages. [cited by applicant]
ZTE , “Consideration on the control information in NR MBS”, 3GPP TSG-RAN WG3 #109-e, R3-205248, Online, Aug. 2020, 4 pages. [cited by applicant]