Apparatus, method, and computer program for multicast sessions in location areas in 5G networks

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12500787-B2
Application number	US-202017999173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 22, 2020
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Dec 16, 2025
Grant date	Dec 16, 2025

Abstract

There is provided an apparatus. The apparatus is configured to: store information of a multicast session, the information comprising at least one identifier of the multicast session, and information about access to different content for the multicast session in a plurality of different location areas; and, in response to a request from a second apparatus, provide to the second apparatus information about access to content of the multicast session in at least one of the plurality of different location areas.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code of a unified data repository (UDR) of a communication network; wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
storing information for a multicast session, the information comprising:
an identifier of the multicast session; and
information about access to content for the multicast session in respective location areas of a plurality of different location areas, wherein the information about access to different content for the multicast session in a respective location area of the plurality of location areas comprises:
an identity of a control node of the communication network that is controlling an ingress point of the communication network that provides content for the multicast session in the respective location area; and
area session identifier that identifies the respective location area; and

in response to receiving, from a session management function of the communication network, a request for information about access to content for the multicast session in a location area of the plurality of location areas, providing, to the session management function, the information about access to content for the multicast session in the location area.

2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the the computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to:
receive, from a network exposure function of the communication network, a request for the UDR to store, for the multicast session, the information about the access to content for the multicast session in at least one location area of the plurality of different location areas in the information for the multicast session.

3 . The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the request comprises the identifier of the multicast session and the area session identifier that identifies the at least one location area.

4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to allocate, for a respective location area of the plurality of different location areas, an area session identifier that identifies the respective location area.

5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the request includes information indicative of a location of a user equipment, and wherein the providing comprises providing information about access to content for the multicast session in a location corresponding to the location of the user equipment.

6 . An apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code of a session management function of a communication network; the computer program code configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus at least to perform:
obtaining, from a user equipment (UE), a request to join a multicast session;
obtaining location information indicative of a location of the UE;
sending, to a unified data repository (UDR) of a communication network, a request for information about access to content for the multicast session in a location area corresponding to the location of the UE indicated in the location information; and
receiving, from the UDR, the information about access to content for the multicast session in the location area corresponding to the location of the UE, wherein the information about access to content for the multicast session in the location area corresponding to the location of the UE comprises:
an identity of a control node of the communication network that is controlling an ingress point of the communication network that provides content for the multicast session in the location area; and
area session identifier that identifies the location area.

7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the obtaining location information indicative of a location of the UE comprises;
sending an enquiry for the location of the UE; and receiving the location information indicative of the location of the UE in response to the enquiry.

8 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the request for information about access to content for the multicast session in a location area corresponding to the location of the communication device comprises
the location information indicative of the location of the UE.

9 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:
sending information indicating that the UE shall receive content related to a multicast session in the location area, and sending the information about the access to content for the multicast session in the location area to a radio access network (RAN) node of the communication network.

10 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the computer program code are configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:
receiving from the updated location information, the updated location information comprising an indication that the communication device left the location area and an indication of a new location of the UE; and obtaining information about the access to content for the multicast session in in a location area corresponding to the new location.

11 . The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to perform:
discovering that the UE left the multicast session; and sending information to the RAN node that the UE left the multicast session.

12 . A radio access network (RAN) node of a communication network, the apparatus comprising:
at least one processor; and at least one memory including computer program code; wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the RAN node at least to perform: receiving, from a session management function (SMF) of a communication network, information indicating that a user equipment (UE) shall receive content related to a multicast session in a location area, and information about access to content for the multicast session in the location area, wherein the information about access to content for the multicast session in the location area comprises an identity of a control node of the communication network that is controlling an ingress point of the communication network that provides content for the multicast session in the location area, and area session identifier that identifies the location area; determining whether reception of content for the multicast session in the location area is already configured at the RAN node; and based on determining that the reception of content for the multicast session is not yet configured at the RAN node, configuring the RAN node for the reception of content for the multicast session in the location area using the information about access to content for the multicast session in the location area.

13 . The RAN node according to claim 12 , wherein the computer program code is configured to, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the RAN node to perform, when the apparatus detects that the UE has left the location area, sending to the SMF, at least one of an indication that the UE has left the location area or information indicative of a new location of the UE.

14 . The RAN node according to claim 12 , wher

Assignees

• Nokia Technologies Oy

Inventors

• Belling Thomas
• Navrátil David

Classifications

• H04W4/06

  Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services · CPC title

• H04W4/021

  Services related to particular areas, e.g. point of interest [POI] services, venue services or geofences · CPC title

• H04W4/08

  User group management · CPC title

• H04L12/185

  with management of multicast group membership · CPC title

• H04L12/1845 Primary

  broadcast or multicast in a specific location, e.g. geocast (protocols for adapting network applications to user terminal location H04L67/52; services specially adapted for wireless communication networks making use of the location of users or terminals H04W4/02) · CPC title