Method and network node for broadcasting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016309305-A1
Application number	US-201315103294-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 12, 2013
Priority date	Dec 12, 2013
Publication date	Oct 20, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a method performed in a network node for broadcasting. The network node is configured to broadcast signals to communication devices located within a coverage area of the network node. The method comprises: establishing location information for a subset of the communication devices, the subset comprising communication devices targeted by the broadcast signal; establishing at least one antenna pattern based on the established location information for the subset of communication devices; and broadcasting according to the established at least one antenna pattern. The disclosure also relates to corresponding network node, computer program and computer program product.

First claim

1 . A method performed in a network node for broadcasting, the network node being configured to broadcast signals to communication devices located within a coverage area of the network node, the method comprising:
establishing location information for a subset of the communication devices, the subset comprising communication devices targeted by the broadcast signal, establishing at least one antenna pattern based on the established location information for the subset of communication devices, and broadcasting according to the established at least one antenna pattern.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising updating, by repeating the establishing of information and the establishing of at least one antenna pattern, the at least one antenna pattern based on updated location information for the subset of communication devices and/or based on communication devices being included in or excluded from the subset comprising communication devices, and broadcasting according to the updated at least one antenna pattern.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the updating the at least one antenna pattern is performed continuously or with predetermined intervals.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising determining parameters of the at least one antenna pattern according to one or more of: transmission parameters maximizing the minimum quality of the subset of communication devices, transmission parameters maximizing the beam width while supporting a configured quality, transmission parameters maximizing data rate for a configured beamwidth, number of beams and width of the beams.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising determining, for an antenna pattern comprising at least two beams, transmission power for each of the at least two beams based on quality of service of the subset of communication devices in the direction of the respective beam and/or based on distance between the network node and the subset of communication devices.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising increasing a data rate of the broadcast signal with increased directivity of beams of the at least one antenna pattern.

7 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising receiving, from one or more communication devices, a message indicating interest in receiving the broadcast signal, and updating the subset to include the one or more communication devices or receiving, from one or more communication devices a message indicating lost interest in receiving the broadcast signal, and updating the subset to exclude the one or more communication devices.

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , comprising determining one or more sub-areas of the coverage area within which communication devices determined to have interest in receiving the broadcast signal are located, and updating the subset to include such communication devices.

9 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the broadcasting is performed by using a first wireless technology, and wherein the location information is at least partly determined by using a second wireless technology for at least one of the communication devices.

10 . A network node for broadcasting, the network node being configured to broadcast signals to communication devices located within a coverage area of the network node, the network node comprising a processor and memory, the memory containing instructions executable by the processor, whereby the network node is operative to:
establish location information for a subset of the communication devices, the subset comprising communication devices targeted by the broadcast signal, establish at least one antenna pattern based on the determined location information for the subset of communication devices, and broadcast according to the established at least one antenna pattern.

11 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to update, by repeating the establishing of location information and the establishing at least one antenna pattern, the at least one antenna pattern based on updated location information for the subset of communication devices and/or based on communication devices being included in or excluded from the subset comprising communication devices, and configured to broadcast according to the updated at least one antenna pattern.

12 . The network node as claimed in claim 11 , configured to update the at least one antenna pattern continuously or with predetermined intervals.

13 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to determine parameters of the at least one antenna pattern according to one or more of: transmission parameters maximizing the minimum quality of the subset of communication devices, transmission parameters maximizing the beamwidth while supporting a configured quality, transmission parameters maximizing data rate for a configured beamwidth, number of beams and width of the beams.

14 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to determine, for an antenna pattern comprising at least two beams, transmission power for each of the at least two beams based on quality of service of the subset of communication devices in the direction of the respective beam and/or based on distance between the network node and the subset of communication devices.

15 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to increase a data rate of the broadcast signal with increased directivity of beams of the at least one antenna pattern.

16 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to receive, from one or more communication devices, a message indicating interest in receiving the broadcast signal, and configured to update the subset to include the one or more communication devices or configured to receive, from one or more communication devices a message indicating lost interest in receiving the broadcast signal, and configured to update the subset to exclude the one or more communication devices.

17 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to determine one or more sub-areas of the coverage area within which communication devices determined to have interest in receiving the broadcast signal are located, and configured to update the subset to include such communication devices.

18 . The network node as claimed in claim 10 , configured to broadcast by using a first wireless technology, and configured to determine the location information at least partly by using a second wireless technology for at least one of the communication devices.

19 . A nontransitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer program for a network node for broadcasting, the network node being configured to broadcast signals to communication devices located within a coverage area of the network node, the computer program comprising computer program code, which, when executed in the network node causes the network node to:
establish location information for a subset of the communication devices, the subset comprising communication devices targeted by the broadcast signal, establish at least one antenna pattern based on the determined location information for the subset of communication devices, and broadcast according to the established at least one antenna pattern.

20 . (canceled)

Assignees

• ERICSSON TELEFON AB L M (publ)

Inventors

• Wilhelmsson Leif
• Baldemair Robert
• Lindoff Bengt
• Selen Yngve
• Wallen Anders

Classifications

• H04W4/021

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

• H04W4/025

  using location based information parameters · CPC title

• H04B7/0408

  using two or more beams, i.e. beam diversity · CPC title

• H04W4/06 Primary

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

• H04B7/0617

  for beam forming · CPC title