Apparatus supporting an MBMS service

Abstract

Provided is a method and apparatus that may control a configuration and operation of a network including a base station to support a multicast and broadcast multimedia service in a cellular system and may control an operation of a terminal and the like, and thus, may effectively provide a multimedia service in the cellular system.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of providing, by a base station, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) to a terminal, the method comprising:
 transmitting, to the terminal, a first message, the first message comprising location information of radio resource used to transmit an MBMS Control Channel (MCCH), and modulation and coding information applied to the MCCH, and change information of the MCCH; and 
 transmitting a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprising identification information of the MCCH or identification information of an MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH); and  
 transmitting the MCCH to the terminal by using the location information and the modulation and coding information, 
 wherein the MCCH comprises control information associated with MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH) the MTCH; and 
 wherein, to identify the MCCH and the MTCH mapped are transmitted within a same sub-frame, a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprises identification information of the MCCH and/or identification information of the MTCH. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change first message comprises information on a change of the MCCH comprises, and the change of the MCCH relates to at least one of a repetition period of the MCCH, a changing modification period of the MCCH, and a changing change in a frame offset of the MCCH. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to the terminal, an MCCH change notification notifying that which indicates a change of the MCCH. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 transmitting, to the terminal, an area a first identifier of indicating an adjacent MBMS Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area adjacent to an MBSFN area to which the base station belongs. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the MCCH and the MTCH are mapped within the same sub-frame and thereby are transmitted to the terminal. 
     
     
       6. A method of receiving, by a terminal, a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS), the method comprising:
 monitoring an MBMS Control Channel (MCCH) change notification notifying a change of the MCCH; 
 receiving, from a base station, a first message, the first message comprising location information of radio resource used to transmit the MCCH, an MBMS Control Channel (MCCH) and modulation and coding information applied to the MCCH, and change information of the MCCH; 
 receiving, from the base station, a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprising identification information of the MCCH or identification information of an MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH); and 
 receiving the MCCH, from the base station, based on the location information and the modulation and coding information, 
 wherein the MCCH comprises control information associated with MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH) the MTCH, and 
 wherein, to identify the MCCH and the MTCH mapped are transmitted within a same sub-frame, a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprises identification information of the MCCH and/or identification information of the MTCH. 
 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the change the first message comprises information on a change of the MCCH comprises, and the change of the MCCH relates to at least one of a repetition period of the MCCH, a changing modification period of the MCCH, and a changing change in a frame offset of the MCCH. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 receiving an area a first identifier of indicating an adjacent MBMS Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area adjacent to an MBSFN area to which the base station belongs. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the MCCH and the MTCH are mapped within the same sub-frame and thereby are transmitted to the terminal. 
     
     
       10. A terminal, comprising:
 a microprocessor; and   a memory,   wherein the microprocessor, when executing program instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:   cause the terminal to receive, from a base station, a first message, the first message comprising information associated with multicast resource allocation for multicast control information transmitted on a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Control Channel (MCCH) and modulation and coding information applied to the MCCH;   cause the terminal to receive the multicast control information, from the base station, based on the information associated with the multicast resource allocation and the modulation and coding information; and   cause the terminal to receive multicast data on an MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH) from the base station based on the multicast control information,   wherein the multicast control information comprises control information for the multicast data, and   wherein the MCCH and the MTCH are transmitted within a same sub-frame.    
     
     
       11. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the first message comprises information on a change of the MCCH, and the change of the MCCH relates to at least one of a repetition period of the MCCH, a modification period of the MCCH, and a change in a frame offset of the MCCH.  
     
     
       12. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the terminal to receive, from the base station, an MCCH change notification which indicates a change of the MCCH.  
     
     
       13. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the terminal to receive, from the base station, a first identifier indicating an adjacent MBMS Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area adjacent to an MBSFN area to which the base station belongs.  
     
     
       14. The terminal of claim 10, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the terminal to receive, from the base station, a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprising identification information of the MCCH or identification information of the MTCH.  
     
     
       15. A communication device for a terminal, the terminal comprising:
 a microprocessor;   and a memory,   wherein the microprocessor, when executing program instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:   cause the terminal to receive, from a base station, a first message, the first message comprising information associated with multicast resource allocation for multicast control information transmitted on a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Control Channel (MCCH) and modulation and coding information applied to the MCCH;   cause the terminal to receive the multicast control information, from the base station, based on the information associated with the multicast resource allocation and the modulation and coding information; and   cause the terminal to receive multicast data on an MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH) from the base station based on the multicast control information,   wherein the multicast control information comprises control information for the multicast data, and   wherein the MCCH and the MTCH are transmitted within a same sub-frame.    
     
     
       16. The device of claim 15, wherein the first message comprises information on a change of the MCCH, and the change of the MCCH relates to at least one of a repetition period of the MCCH, a modification period of the MCCH, and a change in a frame offset of the MCCH.  
     
     
       17. The device of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the terminal to receive, from the base station, an MCCH change notification which indicates a change of the MCCH.  
     
     
       18. The device of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the terminal to receive, from the base station, a first identifier indicating an adjacent MBMS Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area adjacent to an MBSFN area to which the base station belongs.  
     
     
       19. The device of claim 15, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the terminal to receive, from the base station, a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprising identification information of the MCCH or identification information of the MTCH.  
     
     
       20. A communication apparatus, comprising:
 a microprocessor; and   a memory,   wherein the microprocessor, when executing program instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:   cause the apparatus to transmit, to a terminal, a first message, the first message comprising information associated with multicast resource allocation for multicast control information received on a Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) Control Channel (MCCH) and modulation and coding information applied to the MCCH; and   cause the apparatus to transmit the multicast control information, to the terminal, based on the information associated with the multicast resource allocation and the modulation and coding information; and   cause the apparatus to transmit multicast data on an MBMS Traffic Channel (MTCH) to the terminal based on the multicast control information,   wherein the multicast control information comprises control information for the multicast data; and   wherein the MCCH and the MTCH are transmitted within a same sub-frame.    
     
     
       21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the first message comprises information on a change of the MCCH, and the change of the MCCH relates to at least one of a repetition period of the MCCH, a modification period of the MCCH, and a change in a frame offset of the MCCH.  
     
     
       22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit, to the terminal, an MCCH change notification which indicates a change of the MCCH.  
     
     
       23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit, to the terminal, a first identifier indicating an adjacent MBMS Single Frequency Network (MBSFN) area adjacent to an MBSFN area to which the base station belongs.  
     
     
       24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the microprocessor is further configured to cause the apparatus to transmit a Media Access Control (MAC) header comprising identification information of the MCCH or identification information of the MTCH.