Evolved multimedia broadcast/multicast services (eMBMS) geo-location based group call

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9294886-B2
Application number	US-201314013024-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2013
Priority date	Aug 31, 2012
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

The disclosure generally relates to techniques that may be used to coordinate an evolved multimedia broadcast/multicast services (eMBMS) geo-location based group call. More particularly, an eMBMS bearer may be established to support a group call based on a mapping among eMBMS network components that service a geographic area selected by an originator associated with the group call (e.g., an area that the call originator defines according to latitude and longitude coordinates, a selected region on a map that displays available group members in the selected region, network identifications, etc.). The group call may then be initiated over the established eMBMS bearer using network group identifiers associated with the call originator and one or more group members present in the selected geographic area and unicast service with a dedicated link to group members located outside the selected geographic area may be established to include such group members in the group call.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for coordinating an evolved multimedia broadcast/multicast services (eMBMS) group call, comprising:
receiving, at an application server, a selected geographic area from a call originator, wherein the selected geographic area is defined through one or more inputs to a user interface associated with a user equipment;
establishing an eMBMS bearer to support ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area received from the call originator based on a discovered mapping among eMBMS network components that service the selected geographic area;
pre-provisioning the call originator with a pool of network group identifiers that uniquely identify a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) to facilitate establishing an ad hoc group call in the selected geographic area over the established eMBMS bearer; and
broadcasting, to one or more group members present in the selected geographic area, a message to facilitate detecting the ad hoc group call, wherein the broadcasted message includes the pool of network group identifiers.

2. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein establishing the eMBMS bearer to support the ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area comprises:
determining, from the discovered mapping, that the one or more group members present in the selected geographic area fall under a coverage area associated with an eNode B (eNB); and
sending a request to establish the eMBMS bearer to a broadcast multicast service center (BM-SC) in the selected geographic area, wherein the BM-SC establishes the eMBMS bearer within a Mobility Management Entity (MME) mapped to the eNB.

3. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, to the call originator, location information that allows the call originator to identify the selected geographic area and the one or more group members present in the selected geographic area.

4. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
providing, to the call originator, location information and a preselected geographic area that allows the call originator to accept or modify the preselected geographic area and the one or more group members present in the preselected geographic area.

5. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
identifying one or more group members located outside the selected geographic area; and
establishing unicast service with a dedicated link to the one or more group members located outside the selected geographic area to include the one or more group members located outside the selected geographic area in the ad hoc group call.

6. The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:
distributing the pool of network group identifiers among the call originator and the one or more group members present in the selected geographic area to enable the ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area.

7. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the pool of network group identifiers comprise at least one temporary group identifier (TMGI).

8. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the selected geographic area is defined according to one or more of latitude and longitude coordinates, a sector identification, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identification, or an area on a map.

9. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the selected geographic area comprises a selected map region having one or more available group members.

10. The method recited in claim 1 , wherein the selected geographic area is defined according to one or more longitude and latitude coordinates received from the call originator.

11. An apparatus, comprising:
means for receiving a selected geographic area from a call originator, wherein the selected geographic area is defined through one or more inputs to a user interface associated with a user equipment;
means for establishing an evolved multimedia broadcast/multicast services (eMBMS) bearer to support ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area received from the call originator based on a discovered mapping among eMBMS network components that service the selected geographic area;
means for pre-provisioning the call originator with a pool of network group identifiers that uniquely identify a multimedia broadcast/multicast service (MBMS) to facilitate establishing an ad hoc group call in the selected geographic area over the established eMBMS bearer; and
means for broadcasting, to one or more group members present in the selected geographic area, a message to facilitate detecting the ad hoc group call, wherein the broadcasted message includes the pool of network group identifiers.

12. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the means for establishing the eMBMS bearer to support the ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area comprises:
means for determining, from the discovered mapping, that the one or more group members present in the selected geographic area fall under a coverage area associated with an eNode B (eNB); and
means for sending a request to establish the eMBMS bearer to a broadcast multicast service center (BM-SC) in the selected geographic area, wherein the BM-SC establishes the eMBMS bearer within a Mobility Management Entity (MME) mapped to the eNB.

13. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
means for providing, to the call originator, location information that allows the call originator to identify the selected geographic area and the one or more group members present in the selected geographic area.

14. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
means for providing, to the call originator, location information and a preselected geographic area that allows the call originator to accept or modify the preselected geographic area and the one or more group members present in the preselected geographic area.

15. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
means for identifying one or more group members located outside the selected geographic area; and
means for establishing unicast service with a dedicated link to the one or more group members located outside the selected geographic area to include the one or more group members located outside the selected geographic area in the ad hoc group call.

16. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , further comprising:
means for distributing the pool of network group identifiers among the call originator and the one or more group members present in the selected geographic area to enable the ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area.

17. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the pool of network group identifiers comprise at least one temporary group identifier (TMGI).

18. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the selected geographic area is defined according to one or more of latitude and longitude coordinates, a sector identification, a Public Land Mobile Network (PLMN) identification, or an area on a map.

19. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the selected geographic area comprises a selected map region having one or more available group members.

20. The apparatus recited in claim 11 , wherein the selected geographic area is defined according to one or more longitude and latitude coordinates received from the call originator.

21. An apparatus, comprising:
one or more processors configured to receive a selected geographic area from a call originator, to establish an evolved multimedia broadcast/multicast services (eMBMS) bearer to support ad hoc group calling in the selected geographic area rece

Assignees

• Qualcomm Inc

Inventors

• Anchan Kirankumar

Classifications

• H04L12/18

  for broadcast or conference {, e.g. multicast} · CPC title

• H04W76/002

  Electricity · mapped topic

• 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

• H04W4/08 Primary

  User group management · CPC title

• H04W4/021 Primary

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