Apparatus, and Associated Method, for Multicasting Data in a Radio Communications System

Abstract

Apparatus, and an associated method, for facilitating formation of a RANcast in a radio communication system. An identifier identifies when a selected number of mobile user endpoints within a cell of a radio communication system are to receive the same multicast data. When the number exceeds a selected threshold, a RANcast is implemented by a RANcast implementer in which a common channel is used to broadcast the multicast data to all the mobile user endpoints.

1 . An apparatus for selectably facilitating communication of multicast data from a data source to a first mobile user_endpoint and at least a second mobile user endpoint belonging to a multicast group, through a radio access network (RAN) in a packet-based multi-user radio communication system, wherein the radio access network defines a service area comprising at least one cell within which communication with the first and at least a second_mobile user endpoints, when positioned therein, is effectuable, said apparatus comprising: 
 an identifier for identifying that communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon a common radio channel, common to both the first mobile user endpoint and the at least the second mobile user endpoint; and    a point to multi-point bearer implementer, coupled to said identifier, for implementing a multicast of the multicast data upon the common radio channel to the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, respectively, when said identifier identifies that the communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon the common radio channel.    
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the radio access network defines at least a first cell forming a corresponding at least first coverage area within which communication with the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, when positioned therein, is effectuable, and wherein the identifier is configured to identify the multicast communication upon the common radio channel.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the identifier is configured to identify the multicast communication on a per cell basis.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said point to multi-point bearer implementer is further configured to generate and send an indication of the multicast communication and the point to multi-point bearer to the first and at least second mobile user endpoints in the at least one cell, thereby indicating that the multicast communication is being effectuated in the at least one cell upon said common radio channel.  
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the point to multi-point bearer implementer is configured to communicate the multicast data to the at least one cell within said service area.  
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said identifier is configured to recognize when the first and at least second mobile user endpoints are at least likely to be within the at least one cell.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said identifier is configured to perform identifying in dependence on a number of first and at least second mobile user endpoints in the at least one cell.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a counter for counting the first and at least second mobile user endpoints likely to be within the at least one cell of said service area, and    a comparator coupled to the counter for receiving indications of a count counted thereat and for comparing the count with a threshold value, wherein    the identifier is configured to recognize that a communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon said common radio channel, when the count exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said identifier is configured to recognize when any one of the first and at least second mobile user endpoints requests communication of the multicast data.  
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said identifier is configured to perform identifying in dependence on a number of requests for communication of the multicast data from the first and at least second mobile user endpoints in the at least one cell.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising: 
 a counter for counting a number of requests for communication of the multicast data from the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, and    a comparator coupled to the counter for receiving indications of a count counted thereat and for comparing the count with a threshold value, wherein    the identifier is configured to recognize that a communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon said common radio channel, when the count exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the requests of the first and at least second mobile user endpoints comprise PDP (Packet Data Protocol) context activation requests.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the PDP context activation requests of the first and at least second mobile user endpoints and identified by said identifier are routed to the data source at which the multicast data is originated, the data source identified by an IP (Internet Protocol) Multicast address, and the multicast data generated by the data source routed to the radio access network pursuant to an IP Multicast.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises a radio network controller (RNC) in said radio access network (RAN), and wherein said identifier and said point to multi-point bearer implementer are embodied at the radio network controller.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said apparatus comprises a base station controller (BSC) in said radio access network (RAN), and wherein said identifier and said point to multi-point bearer implementer are embodied at the base station controller.  
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said point to multi-point bearer implementer implements the multicast upon the common radio channel selectably in the at least one cell and in another cell responsive to the indications made by said identifier separately at the separate ones of the first and the other cells.  
     
     
         17 . A method of for selectably facilitating communication of multicast data from a data source to a first mobile user endpoint and at least a second mobile user endpoint, belonging to a multicast group, through a radio access network (RAN) in a packet-based multi-user radio communication system, wherein the radio access network defines a service area comprising at least one cell within which communication with the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, when positioned therein, is effectuable, said method comprising: 
 identifying that communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon a common radio channel, common to both the first mobile user endpoint and the at least the second mobile user endpoint; and    implementing point to multi-point bearer for implementing a multicast of the multicast data upon the common radio channel to the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, respectively, when it is identified that the communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon the common radio channel.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the radio access network defines at least a first cell forming a corresponding at least first coverage area within which communication with the first and at least second mobile-user endpoints when positioned therein, is effectuable, and wherein said identifying of the multicast communication is performed upon the common radio channel.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said identifying of the multicast communication is performed on a per cell basis.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said implementing a multicast further comprises generating and sending an indication of the multicast communication and the point to multi-point bearer to the first and at least second mobile user endpoints in the at least one cell, thereby indicating that the multicast communication is being effectuated in the at least one cell upon said common radio channel.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said implementing a multicast further comprises: 
 communicating the multicast data to the at least one cell within said service area.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said identifying comprises recognizing when the first and at least second mobile user endpoints are at least likely to be within the at least the one cell.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said identifying is performed in dependence on a number of first and at least second mobile user endpoints in the at least one cell.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising: 
 counting the first and at least second mobile user endpoints likely to be within the at least one cell of said service area, and    comparing a count with a threshold value, wherein    a multicast is recognized to be effectuated upon said common radio channel, when the count exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said identifying comprises recognizing when any one of the first and at least second mobile user endpoints requests communication of the multicast data.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said identifying is performed in dependence on a number of requests for communication of the multicast data from the first and at least second mobile user endpoints in the at least one cell.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , further comprising: 
 counting a number of requests for communication of the multicast data from the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, and    comparing a count with a threshold value, wherein    a multicast is recognized to be effectuated upon said common radio channel, when the count exceeds said threshold value.    
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said implementing a multicast comprises implementing a point to multi-point bearer upon the common radio channel selectably in the at least one cell and in another cell responsive to the indications made by said identifying separately at the separate ones of the first and the other cells.  
     
     
         29 . A computer program embodied in a computer-readable medium having computer-executable components configured to perform, when executed on an apparatus for selectably facilitating communication of multicast data from a data source to a first mobile user endpoint and at least a second mobile user endpoint, the following:  
       identifying that communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon a common radio channel, common to both the first mobile user endpoint and the at least the second mobile user endpoint; and 
 implementing point to multi-point bearer for implementing a multicast of the multicast data upon the common radio channel to the first and at least second mobile user endpoints, respectively, when it is identified that the communication of the multicast data is to be effectuated upon the common radio channel.