Contention-based feedback for multicast and broadcast service

Abstract

In some embodiments, a mobile device includes interface to receive multicast and broadcast service (MBS) signals and to transmit uplink signals, The mobile device also includes logic to detect errors in the transmission of the received MBS signals and provide negative acknowledge (NACK) signals indicating at least some of the errors in a contention-based MBS feedback channel in at least some of the uplink signals. Other embodiments are described.

1 . A mobile device comprising:
 an interface to receive multicast and broadcast service (MBS) signals and to transmit uplink signals; and   logic to detect errors in the transmission of the received MBS signals and provide negative acknowledge (NACK) signals indicating at least some of the errors in a contention-based MBS feedback channel in at least some of the uplink signals.   
   
   
       2 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic selectively provides the NACK signals. 
   
   
       3 . The mobile device of  claim 2 , wherein the logic selectively provides the NACK signals by performing a probability function in response to the detected errors and provides at least one of the NACK signals when the probability function yields one state and to not provides the NACK signals when the probability function yields another state. 
   
   
       4 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the interface does not also provide ACK feedback in uplinks signals. 
   
   
       5 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback channel provides the NACK signals in short codewords which are subsets of a larger number of bits. 
   
   
       6 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the feedback channel provides the NACK signals in long codewords. 
   
   
       7 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the logic detects signal strength of the MBS signals and chooses a particular feedback channel based on the detected signal strength. 
   
   
       8 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the MBS feedback channel is a first MBS feedback channel, and wherein the logic provides additional NACK signals on additional MBS feedback channels for different sources, wherein the sources are at least one of MBS services and MBS base station zones. 
   
   
       9 . The mobile device of  claim 8 , further comprising memory to hold instructions and wherein the logic uses the instructions to detect the errors and selectively provide the NACK. 
   
   
       10 . The mobile device of  claim 1 , wherein the errors relate to quality of service. 
   
   
       11 . A base station comprising:
 an interface to transmit multicast and broadcast service (MBS) signals and to receive uplink signals; and   logic to control transmission and some content of the MBS signals and to detect negative acknowledge (NACK) signals in contention-based MBS feedback channels of the uplink signals and to react to at least some of the NACK signals.   
   
   
       12 . The base station of  claim 11 , wherein the NACK signals have contents and depending on how many NACK signals are received in a particular time and on the contents of the NACK signals, the logic may respond by doing at least one of the following (1) making no change in the MBS signals, (2) re-transmit some of the MBS signals, and (3) causing link adaptation. 
   
   
       13 . The base station of  claim 12 , wherein the logic selectively responds either autonomously to the received NACK signals or by first communicating with an MBS controller. 
   
   
       14 . The base station of  claim 13 , wherein when the logic communicates with an MBS controller, the BS forwards the collected feedback information from the uplink signals to the MBS controller and receives instructions from the MBS controller regarding how to respond. 
   
   
       15 . The base station of  claim 14 , wherein the MBS controller is not included in base station. 
   
   
       16 . The base station of  claim 11 , wherein the logic provides signals to remote mobile stations and indicates to the remote mobile stations whether they are to provide MBS feedback signals in response to all detected errors or only in response to a portion of detected errors. 
   
   
       17 . A method comprising:
 receiving multicast and broadcast service (MBS) signals; and   detecting errors in the transmission of the received MBS signals;   providing negative acknowledge (NACK) signals indicating at least some of the errors in a contention-based MBS feedback channel in at least some of uplink signals; and   transmitting the uplink signals.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the logic selectively provides the NACK signals by performing a probability function in response to the detected errors and provides at least one of the NACK signals when the probability function yields one state and to not provides the NACK signals when the probability function yields another state. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the MBS feedback channel is a first MBS feedback channel, and wherein additional NACK signals are provided on additional MBS feedback channels. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the feedback channel provides the NACK signals in short codewords.