초록 ▼

A multipoint delivery entity for receiving multipoint transmissions from an upstream entity and delivering said multipoint transmissions downstream to multipoint receivers, said entity comprising: —a conflict detector for detecting presence of a delivery conflict among said multipoint transmissions

A multipoint delivery entity for receiving multipoint transmissions from an upstream entity and delivering said multipoint transmissions downstream to multipoint receivers, said entity comprising: —a conflict detector for detecting presence of a delivery conflict among said multipoint transmissions downstream of said multipoint delivery entity, and —a conflict resolver for performing a conflict resolution procedure in the event of a delivery conflict being detected.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A multipoint delivery entity for receiving multipoint transmissions from an upstream entity and delivering said multipoint transmissions downstream to multipoint receivers as multimedia broadcast multicast service transmissions, said entity comprising: a conflict detector for detecting a presence

1. A multipoint delivery entity for receiving multipoint transmissions from an upstream entity and delivering said multipoint transmissions downstream to multipoint receivers as multimedia broadcast multicast service transmissions, said entity comprising: a conflict detector for detecting a presence of a delivery conflict with respect to scheduling among said multipoint transmissions downstream of said multipoint delivery entity; anda conflict resolver for performing a conflict resolution procedure in the event of a delivery conflict being detected;wherein the conflict resolution procedure comprising: modifying a delivery scheduling of at least one of the multipoint transmissions with respect to a receipt scheduling of the at least one multipoint transmissions to generate a modified delivery schedule;delivering at least one of the multipoint transmissions in accordance with the modified delivery schedule; andproviding, to the multipoint receivers in a target area, suspend information regarding which of the multipoint transmissions to the multipoint receivers in the target area will be interrupted or suspended. 2. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 1, wherein said conflict detector is configured to detect said presence of a delivery conflict if two or more of said multipoint transmissions are scheduled such that one or more of said multipoint receivers to which said two or more multipoint transmissions are destined can not receive said two or more multipoint transmissions at the same time. 3. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 1, wherein a first multipoint transmission and a second multipoint transmissions having been detected to be conflicting, said conflict resolver configured to interrupt the delivery of the first multipoint transmission on a given multipoint channel to deliver the second multipoint transmission on said given multipoint channel. 4. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 3, wherein said conflict resolver is configured to alternate delivery of said first multipoint transmission with data of said second multipoint transmission on said given channel. 5. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 3, wherein said first and second multipoint transmissions include an information element, and wherein said conflict resolver is configured to adjust the delivery of the second multipoint transmission on said given multipoint channel such that the information element for said second multipoint transmission is delivered. 6. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 5, wherein said multipoint transmissions include said information element at regular intervals, and wherein said conflict resolver is configured to send blocks of data from said second multipoint transmission and adjust a time span for delivering the second multipoint transmission on said given multipoint channel such that at least one information element for said second multipoint transmission is delivered per block. 7. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 1, wherein when said multipoint receivers are arranged to perform a repair procedure for repairing received multipoint transmissions, said repair procedure commencing based on a time value set by said upstream entity, said conflict resolver is configured to take into account said time value when performing said conflict resolution procedure. 8. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 7, wherein said conflict resolution procedure buffers at least one of said multipoint transmissions, and wherein a maximum buffering length depends on said time value. 9. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 8, wherein said conflict resolver is configured to drop buffered data if a buffering length exceeds said maximum buffering length. 10. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 1, wherein said multipoint delivery entity is configured to provide multipoint delivery services to a plurality of discernible multipoint target areas, and wherein said conflict detector is configured to detect the presence of a delivery conflict among said multipoint transmissions per target area. 11. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 1, wherein said multipoint delivery entity is comprised in an access network of a mobile communication system. 12. The multipoint delivery entity of claim 1, wherein said multipoint transmissions comprise Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service transmissions. 13. A method of controlling a multipoint delivery entity arranged for receiving multipoint transmissions from an upstream entity and delivering said multipoint transmissions downstream to multipoint receivers as multimedia broadcast multiservice transmissions, said method comprising: detecting a presence of a delivery conflict with respect to scheduling among said multipoint transmissions downstream of said multipoint delivery entity; andperforming a conflict resolution procedure in the event of a delivery conflict being detected;wherein the conflict resolution procedure comprises: modifying a delivery scheduling of at least one of the multipoint transmissions with respect to a receipt scheduling of the at least one multipoint transmissions to generate a modified delivery schedule;delivering at least one of the multipoint transmissions in accordance with the modified delivery schedule; andproviding, to the multipoint receivers in a target area, suspend information regarding which of the multipoint transmissions to the multipoint receivers in the target area will be interrupted or suspended. 14. A computer program product stored in a computer readable medium and comprising computer program code parts configured, when loaded into and executed on a programmable multipoint delivery entity, to: detect a presence of a delivery conflict with respect to scheduling among said multipoint transmissions downstream of said multipoint delivery entity; andperform a conflict resolution procedure in the event of a delivery conflict being detected;wherein the conflict resolution procedure comprises: modifying a delivery scheduling of at least one of the multipoint transmissions with respect to a receipt scheduling of the at least one multipoint transmissions to generate a modified delivery schedule;delivering at least one of the multipoint transmissions in accordance with the modified delivery schedule; andproviding, to the multipoint receivers in a target area, suspend information regarding which of the multipoint transmissions to the multipoint receivers in the target area will be interrupted or suspended. 15. A method of multipoint transmission, comprising: sending content from one or more content sources to a multipoint transmission service center, said multipoint transmission service center controlling multipoint transmissions towards multipoint receivers;sending said multipoint transmissions to a multipoint delivery entity downstream of said multipoint transmission service center:said multipoint delivery entity detecting a presence of a delivery conflict with respect to scheduling among said multipoint transmissions downstream of said multipoint delivery entity, and performing a conflict resolution procedure in the event of a delivery conflict being detected, the conflict resolution procedure comprising: modifying a delivery scheduling of at least one of the multipoint transmissions with respect to a receipt scheduling of the at least one multipoint transmissions to generate a modified delivery schedule;delivering at least one of the multipoint transmissions in accordance with the modified delivery schedule; andproviding, to the multipoint receivers in a target area, suspend information regarding which of the multipoint transmissions to the multipoint receivers in the target area will be interrupted or suspended.