Multicast and broadcast services for user equipments in idle and inactive states
Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method, a user equipment, UE, a network node, and a computer program product for providing multicast and broadcast services, MBS, to one or more User Equipments, UEs, in a wireless communication network. The method is performed by a network node in the wireless communication network. The method comprises determining the one or more UEs in one of: a Radio Resource Control, RRC, IDLE state and a RRC INACTIVE state. The method comprises transmitting a paging message indicating a Point-To-Multipoint, PTM, configuration information to be acquired by the determined one or more UEs for enabling reception of MBS data in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state. Further, the method comprises transmitting the MBS data to the determined one or more UEs using a PTM configuration indicated by the PTM configuration information. Corresponding base station, UE, and computer program products are also disclosed.
1 . A method performed by a network node for providing Multicast and Broadcast services (MBS) to one or more User Equipments (UEs) in a wireless communication network, wherein the method comprises:
determining the one or more UEs in one of: a Radio Resource Control (RRC) IDLE state and an RRC INACTIVE state;
transmitting a paging message comprising an indication to acquire Point-To-Multipoint (PTM) configuration information by the determined one or more UEs for enabling reception of MBS data in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state; and
transmitting the MBS data to the determined one or more UEs using a PTM configuration indicated by the PTM configuration information.
2 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
deciding an RRC state of the one or more UEs for reception of MBS data based on one or more of: one or more network parameters for the MBS, capability information of the one or more UEs and one or more MBS parameters.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether to transmit the PTM configuration information to the one or more UEs in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state through a common control channel; and
transmitting the PTM configuration information to the one or more UEs through the common control channel when it is determined that the PTM configuration information is to be transmitted through the common control channel.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the paging message comprises one or more of:
a session identifier (ID) for the MBS;
an indication to at least one of the determined one or more UEs for reception of the MBS data in the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state or an RRC CONNECTED state;
an indication to at least one of the determined one or more UEs to enter the RRC CONNECTED state for acquiring the PTM configuration information;
a preamble indicating that the PTM configuration information for reception of the MBS data is to be acquired in the RRC CONNECTED state;
an indicator to be monitored by each of the UEs for obtaining the preamble;
an indication for the determined one or more UEs on whether to use pre-stored PTM configuration information or to enter an RRC CONNECTED state through a random access procedure for acquiring the PTM configuration information;
an indication for at least one of the determined one or more UEs on whether to reuse a recent PTM configuration or to acquire the PTM configuration;
an indication of whether at least one of the determined one or more UEs is to enter the RRC CONNECTED state from one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state;
an indication of whether a PTM transmission is a last PTM transmission in a session associated with the PTM configuration information;
an indication about a start time interval and an end time interval of an MBS session; and
an indication of whether the one or more UEs need to respond to the paging message.
5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the PTM configuration information is transmitted to the one or more UEs in the RRC CONNECTED state when the paging message comprising the indication to enter the RRC CONNECTED state is transmitted.
6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the PTM configuration information comprises one or more of: a service identifier (ID), a session ID, information related to scheduling of PTM data, information about neighboring cells transmitting the MBS data, information of ongoing MBS sessions, and information of all MBS sessions.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the PTM configuration information is transmitted through a common control channel in a system information block (SIB) which is transmitted periodically by the network node.
8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the common control channel is a PTM downlink control channel.
9 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the PTM configuration information is transmitted to the one or more UEs through the common control channel, based on reception of a request for the PTM configuration information from the one or more UEs in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state.
10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the one or more UEs comprises:
indicating the PTM configuration information through one or more SIBs, which is broadcast periodically by the network node.
11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the one or more UEs comprises:
receiving a request for the PTM configuration information from the one or more UEs in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state; and
indicating the PTM configuration information to the one or more UEs in a SIB.
12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the one or more UEs comprises:
indicating the PTM configuration information through a PTM downlink control channel.
13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the one or more UEs comprises:
receiving information of sessions related to MBS data from the one or more UEs in a message 3 (MSG3) of the random access procedure; and
indicating the PTM configuration information related to the MBS data to the one or more UEs in a message 4 (MSG4) of the random access procedure.
14 . A method performed by a user equipment (UE) for reception of Multicast and Broadcast services (MBS) from a network node, in a wireless communication network, wherein the method comprises:
transitioning to one of: a Radio Resource Control (RRC) IDLE state and an RRC INACTIVE state;
receiving a paging message comprising Point-To-Multipoint (PTM) configuration information to be acquired for reception of MBS data in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state; and
receiving the MBS data from the network node using a PTM configuration indicated by the PTM configuration information.
15 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
determining that the PTM configuration information is to be acquired on a common control channel; and
receiving the PTM configuration information through the common control channel when the PTM configuration information is transmitted on the common control channel.
16 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the PTM configuration information comprises one or more of:
a service identifier (ID);
a session ID;
an indication for reception of the MBS data in the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state or an RRC CONNECTED state;
an indication to enter the RRC CONNECTED state for acquiring the PTM configuration information;
a preamble to acquire the PTM configuration information for reception of the MBS data in the RRC CONNECTED state;
an indicator to be monitored for obtaining the preamble;
an indication of whether to use pre-stored PTM configuration information or to enter an RRC CONNECTED state through a random access procedure for acquiring the PTM configuration;
an indication of whether to reuse a recent PTM configuration or to acquire the PTM configuration;
an indication to enter the RRC CONNECTED state from one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state;
an indication of whether a PTM transmission is a last PTM transmission in a session associated with the PTM configuration information;
an indication about a start time interval and an end time interval of an MBS session; and
an indication of whether to respond to the paging message.
17 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the step of receiving the MBS data from the network node comprises:
configuring a PTM radio bearer based on the PTM configuration information; and
receiving the MBS data using the PTM radio bearer.
18 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the PTM configuration information is received in the RRC CONNECTED state when the paging message comprising the indication for the UE to enter the RRC CONNECTED state for acquiring the PTM configuration information is received.
19 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the PTM configuration information comprises one or more of: a service identifier (ID), a session ID, information related to scheduling of PTM data, information about neighboring cells transmitting the MBS data, information of ongoing MBS sessions, and information of all MBS sessions.
20 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the PTM configuration information is received through a common control channel in a system information block (SIB) which is transmitted periodically by the network node.
21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the common control channel is a PTM downlink control channel.
22 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein the PTM configuration information through the control channel is received in response to transmission of a request for the PTM configuration information in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state.
23 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein receiving the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the UE comprises:
receiving an indication of PTM configuration information through one or more SIBs, which is broadcast periodically by the network node.
24 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein receiving the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the UE comprises:
transmitting a request for the PTM configuration information in one of the RRC IDLE state and the RRC INACTIVE state; and
receiving an indication of the PTM configuration information in a SIB.
25 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein receiving the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the UE comprises:
receiving an indication of the PTM configuration information through a PTM downlink control channel.
26 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein receiving the paging message indicating the PTM configuration information to be acquired by the UE comprises:
transmitting information of sessions related to MBS data in a message 3 (MSG3) of the random access procedure; and
receiving the PTM configuration information related to the MBS data in a message 4 (MSG4) of the random access procedure.