Radio communication system and method for multicast communication

The first wireless device and multicast communication method This patent application is a divisional application of the following patent applications: Application Number: 01801744.4 Application Date: June 25, 2001 Title of Invention: Wireless Communication System and Multicast Communication Method Technical Field The present invention relates to For example, a wireless communication system and a multicast communication method that use IP (Internet Protocol) to perform multicast communication (one-to-many communication) between multiple mobile station devices such as a base station device and a mobile phone in a digital mobile communication system , In particular, it relates to wireless communication systems and multicast communication methods that use IGMP (Internet Group Multicast Protocol) for multicast communication.

BACKGROUND ART Such a conventional wireless communication system and multicast communication method are described in (Japanese) JP 2000-32007 gazette.

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of the structure of an existing mobile communication system.

In FIG. 1, a router (a router supporting IGMP) 3 is connected to the base station device 2, and a network 4 supporting IGMP is connected to the router 3. A plurality of mobile station devices 6-1 to 6-3 are arbitrarily connected to terminal devices 7-1-7-3 such as information terminal devices with computer functions.

As shown in Figure 2, the base station device 2 includes: a wireless transmitting and receiving unit 11, a modem unit 12, a framing unit 13, and a network interface unit 15.

As shown in FIG. 3 with the mobile station device 6-1 as a representative, each mobile station device 6-14-3 includes: a wireless transmitting and receiving unit 21, a modem unit 22, a framing unit 23, and a terminal interface unit 25 .

In this structure, after the IGMP query message is sent to the router 3 from the IGMP-supporting network 4, the router 3 transmits an IP packet containing the IGMP query message to the base station apparatus 2 under its jurisdiction.

After the base station device 2 receives the IP packet using the network interface unit 15, the framing unit 13 forms a frame signal by mapping the IP packet to a fixed-length packet on the user data signal (UDCH), that is, L-PDU.

200410045844. 4 Number.

Then, the frame signal is transmitted to all mobile stations using the connection to all mobile station devices 6-1 to 6-3, that is, the IGMP query dedicated connection (DUC-ID#1).

That is, after the frame signal is modulated by the modulation and demodulation unit 12, the wireless transmitting and receiving unit 11 performs various transmissions such as D/A (Digital/Analog) conversion, up-conversion, and amplification (gain control). Processing, wireless transmission from the antenna.

This transmission signal is received by the antenna in each mobile station device 6-1-6-3, and output to the wireless transmission and reception unit 21. The wireless transmitting and receiving unit 21 performs various receiving processes such as amplification (gain control), down-conversion, and A/D (Analog/Digital) conversion on the received signal.

After the processed signal is demodulated by the modem unit 22, the framing unit 23 performs frame decomposition. Thus, the IP packet is taken out. The IP packet is output to the terminal devices 7-1 to 7-3 via the terminal interface unit 25.

On the other hand, the mobile station device 6-1-6-3 that has received the IGMP query message contained in the IP packet uses the framing unit 23 to map the IP packet containing the IGMP report message indicating the multicast IP address that it wants to participate in the reception. A fixed-length packet on the UDCH, that is, an L-PDU, constitutes a frame signal. This frame signal is transmitted to the base station apparatus 2 through the IGMP report dedicated connection (DUC-ID#1) which is the connection to the base station.

The base station device 2 that has received the IGMP report message transmits the IP packet including the IGMP report message to the router 3 and the mobile station devices 6-1 to 6-3.

However, the existing device has the following problem: in order to map the IP packet containing the IGMP report message to the fixed-length packet on the UDCH, that is, the L-PDU, in addition to the commonly used UDCH, all mobile station devices are required. 6-1-6-3 dedicated UDCH communication connection.

In order to solve this problem, there is the following method: instead of using a dedicated UDCH, a random access is performed to share the connection for IGMP reporting among the mobile station devices 6-1-6-3. However, since this method also needs to send and receive IP packets containing IGMP query messages or IGMP report messages, information that is actually unnecessary must be sent and received. Therefore, there are the following problems: the amount of information is redundant, the overhead is large, and the frequency band is wasted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide a wireless communication system and a multicast communication method, which can effectively utilize wireless communication resources in the case of multicast communication using IGMP.

This object is achieved by the following wireless device, the wireless device includes: an interface component for judging whether the Internet Protocol packet contains Internet Multicast Protocol information used to control packet communication

200410045844.4 The first information, the Internet Protocol packet shows the destination address used to communicate with other wireless devices in a one-to-one or one-to-many manner; and an Internet multicast protocol processing unit, where the result of the above judgment includes the above In the case of Internet Newcast Protocol information, the above-mentioned Internet Multicast Protocol information is mapped to a short fixed-length packet that is shorter than a fixed-length packet used when communicating with other wireless devices.

The present invention also provides a base station device including the above-mentioned wireless device.

The present invention also provides a mobile station device including the above-mentioned wireless device.

The present invention also provides a wireless communication system, wherein any one of a mobile station device including a wireless device and a base station device including a wireless device performs wireless resource allocation control, wherein the above-mentioned wireless device includes: an interface component for determining Whether Internet Multicast Protocol information for controlling packet communication is included in an Internet Protocol packet, the Internet Protocol packet showing a destination address for communicating with other wireless devices in a one-to-one or one-to-many manner; and The Internet multicast protocol processing unit, when the result of the above judgment is that the above Internet multicast protocol information is included, maps the above Internet multicast protocol information to a fixed length shorter than a fixed length packet used when communicating with other wireless devices Short grouping.

The present invention also provides a wireless communication system, including a wireless device, and a communication network device that transmits and receives Internet protocol packets to and from the wireless device via a router, wherein the wireless device includes: an interface component for judging whether the Internet protocol packet is included Contains Internet multicast protocol information for controlling packet communication, the Internet protocol packet showing a destination address for communicating with other wireless devices in a one-to-one or one-to-many manner; and an Internet multicast protocol processing unit If the result of the above judgment is that the Internet multicast protocol information is included, the Internet multicast protocol information is mapped to a short fixed-length packet that is shorter than a fixed-length packet used when communicating with other wireless devices.

The present invention also provides a multicast communication method, wherein when wireless devices communicate in a one-to-one or one-to-many manner, in the wireless device, the Internet protocol packet includes an Internet group for controlling packet communication In the case of broadcasting protocol information, the above-mentioned Internet multicast protocol information is mapped to a short fixed-length packet that is shorter than the fixed-length packet used when communicating with other wireless devices, and then transmitted, wherein the Internet protocol packet is shown for The address of the recipient for the above communication.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a structural block diagram of an existing mobile communication system; FIG. 2 is a structural block diagram of a base station apparatus in an existing mobile communication system;

200410045844.4 Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the structure of a mobile station device in an existing mobile communication system; Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the structure of a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 5 is a block diagram of the base station device in the mobile communication system of the above embodiment Configuration block diagram; and FIG. 6 is a configuration block diagram of the mobile station apparatus in the mobile communication system of the above-mentioned embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the structure of a mobile communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 4, a router (a router supporting IGMP) 103 is connected to the base station apparatus 102, and a network 104 supporting IGMP is connected to the router 103. The plurality of mobile station devices 106-1 to 106-3 are arbitrarily connected to terminal devices 107-1-7-3 such as information terminal devices with computer functions.

As shown in FIG. 5, the base station apparatus 102 includes a wireless transmitting and receiving unit 201, a modem unit 202, a framing unit 203, an IGMP control message processing unit 204, and a network interface unit 205.

As shown in FIG. 6 with the mobile station device 106-1 as a representative, each mobile station device 106-1 to 106-3 includes: a wireless transmitting and receiving unit 301, a modem unit 302, a framing unit 303, and an IGMP control message The processing unit 304, and the terminal interface unit 305.

In this structure, after the IGMP query message is transmitted to the router 103 from the IGMP-supporting network 104, the router 103 transmits an IP packet containing the IGMP query message to the base station apparatus 102 under its jurisdiction.

The base station apparatus 102 receives the IP packet transmitted from the router 103 by the network interface unit 205, and outputs it to the framing unit 203.

When the IP packet received by the network interface unit 205 is an IP packet containing an IGMP control message, it is output to the IGMP control message processing unit 204.

The IGMP control message processing unit 204 takes out the IGMP control message from the IP packet, and maps only the necessary part of the IGMP control message to the one used to control the wireless communication between the base station apparatus 102 and the mobile station apparatus 106-1-106-3. The fixed-length short packet (S-PDU) o is output to the framing unit 203 after this mapping.

The necessary part of the IGMP control message refers to the part obtained by removing at least the Check Sum field from the IGMP control message taken from the IP packet. It will be described more specifically. Generally, IGMP control messages are contained in IP packets for transmission.

The IP packet consists of a variable-length IP header with more than 32 octets and an optional header with more than 4 octets.

200410045844.4 The composition of the variable length message part. The IGMP control message is contained in the message section. The necessary part refers to the part obtained by removing the IP header from the IP packet.

The IGMP control message has 8 octets, which is a necessary part. This can be further reduced. The IGMP control message consists of 1 octet of the Type field, 1 octet of the Max Response Time (maximum response time) field, 2 octets of the Check Sum field, and 4 octets. The Group Address field of the bit group is constituted. However, when the S-PDU also transmits control messages other than IGMP, it is generally not an individual message, but a common error detection code field such as Check Sum or CRC. Therefore, the Check Sum field in the IGMP control message can be omitted. In addition, if the Max Response Time field is fixed in advance through the negotiation process of transmission and reception, it can also be omitted.

Next, the framing unit 203 converts the variable-length IP packet from the network interface unit 205 into a fixed-length packet (L-PDU), which is composed of the L-PDU and the S-PDU from the IGMP control message processing unit 204 The frame signal is output to the modem unit 202.

The frame signal is modulated by the modulation and demodulation unit 202, and after various transmission processes such as D/A conversion, up-conversion, and amplification (gain control) are performed by the wireless transmission and reception unit 201, it is wirelessly transmitted from the antenna.

The transmission signal is received by the wireless transmitting and receiving unit 301 via the antennas in the mobile stations 106-1-106-3. This received signal is subjected to various receiving processes such as amplification (gain control), down-conversion, and A/D conversion on the received signal by the wireless transmitting and receiving unit 301.

The processed signal is demodulated by the modem unit 302. The demodulated signal is frame-decomposed by the framing unit 303, converted from a fixed-length packet (L-PDU) to a variable-length packet, and an IP packet is taken out.

Furthermore, the framing unit 303 takes out a fixed-length short packet (S-PDU), and the IGMP control message processing unit 304 forms an IP packet including the IGMP control message.

The terminal interface unit 305 that has received the IP packets from the framing unit 303 and the IGMP control message processing unit 304 multiplexes these IP packets and outputs them to the terminal devices 107-1 to 107-3.

Here, when the terminal device 107-1-107-3 wants to join the multicast group, it receives the IGMP query message from the mobile station device 106-1 to 106·3 and then passes it through the mobile station device 106-1 to 106- 3 Send an IGMP report message to the IP address of the multicast group that you want to join.

In the mobile station device 106-1-106-3, the IP packet received from the terminal device 107-1-107-3 is received by the terminal interface unit 305 and output to the framing unit 303.

The IP packet received by the terminal interface unit 305 is an IP packet containing an IGMP control message

200410045844. 4 In the first case, output to the IGMP control message processing unit 304.

The IGMP control message processing unit 304 extracts the IGMP control message from the IP packet, stores it in a fixed-length short packet (S-PDU), and outputs it to the framing unit 303.

The framing unit 303 converts the variable-length IP packet received from the terminal interface unit 305 into a fixed-length packet (L-PDU), and the frame is formed by the L-PDU and the S-PDU from the IGMP control message processing unit 304 The signal is output to the modem unit 302.

After the frame signal is modulated by the modulation and demodulation unit 302, various transmission processes such as D/A conversion, up-conversion, and amplification (gain control) are performed by the wireless transmission and reception unit 301, and are wirelessly transmitted from the antenna.

After the transmission signal is received by the antenna in the base station apparatus 102, the wireless transmission and reception unit 201 performs various reception processes such as amplification (gain control), down-conversion, and A/D conversion.

After the processed signal is demodulated by the modem unit 202, the framing unit 203 performs frame decomposition, converts a fixed-length packet (L-PDU) into a variable-length packet, and extracts an IP packet.

Furthermore, the framing unit 203 takes out a fixed-length short packet (S-PDU), and the IGMP control message processing unit 204 constitutes an IP packet including the IGMP control message.

In the case where the S-PDU received by the IGMP control message processing unit 204 contains the content of the IGMP report message, an IP packet containing the IGMP report message is constructed and output to the network interface unit 205, and is sent to the multicast group that is participating in the IGMP report message. The terminal device 107-1-107-3 of the group transmits the received S-PDU.

The network interface unit 205 that has received the IP packets from the framing unit 203 and the IGMP control message processing unit 204 multiplexes these IP packets and outputs them to the router 103.

In this way, according to the wireless communication system of the embodiment, the IGMP control message processing units 204 and 304 map only the necessary part of the terminated IGMP control message as a fixed connection between the base station apparatus 102 and the mobile station apparatus 106-1-106-3. Length of short packets (S-PDU).

As a result, information that is actually unnecessary is not transmitted and received. In other words, the IP header that is not necessary for the wireless link in the IP packet is not transmitted and received, so there is no redundancy in the amount of information as in the past, and the overhead can be reduced accordingly, and the frequency band can be effectively used.

In the IP packet, the IP header that is not needed by the wireless circuit is composed of at least 24 octets. In the case of using optional headers in addition to the IP header, there are sometimes more than 40 octets. Taking this into consideration, the present invention The effect is large.

In the above embodiment, the form of reducing wireless communication between the base station apparatus 102 and the mobile station apparatus 106-1-106-3 is described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can also be applied to FTTH or ADSL.

200410045844.4 The first-class media sharing access network consisting of a fixed parent station and a fixed multiple child stations.

The wireless device of the present invention adopts the following structure, including: a judgment unit that judges whether or not a variable-length packet showing a destination address for communicating with other wireless devices in a one-to-one or one-to-many manner includes Control procedure information for controlling packet communication; and a mapping unit, if the result of the above judgment is that the above control procedure information is included, map the control procedure information to be shorter than a fixed-length packet used when communicating with other wireless devices The fixed-length short packet.

According to this structure, only the control procedure information is mapped into short packets with a small amount of information. Therefore, there is no redundancy in the amount of information as in the past, and the overhead can be reduced accordingly, and the frequency band can be effectively used.

The wireless device of the present invention adopts the following structure in the above structure: only the necessary part of the control process information is mapped into short packets. According to this structure, only the necessary part of the control procedure information is mapped into short packets with a small amount of information, so the overhead can be further reduced and the frequency band can be effectively used.

The wireless device of the present invention adopts the following structure in the above-mentioned structure: it includes a transmission unit that maps a variable-length packet into a fixed-length packet, the mapped fixed-length packet, and the short-length packet mapped to the control procedure information. The packet becomes a frame signal for transmission. According to this structure, the control procedure information can be transmitted using the communication channel.

The wireless device of the present invention adopts the following structure in the above structure: including: an extracting unit, which decomposes the frame signal, and extracts variable-length packets and short packets; and a mapping unit, extracts control process information from the short packet, and maps it to another A variable-length packet; and a multiplexing unit that multiplexes the above-mentioned two variable-length packets. According to this structure, it is possible to multiplex both control procedure information and user information with the same channel.

The wireless device of the present invention adopts the following structure in the above structure: the control process information is IGMP (Internet Group Multicast Protocol, Internet Multicast Protocol). According to this structure, even in the case of IGMP information, the same effect as any of the above can be obtained.

The wireless device of the present invention adopts the following structure in the above structure: the variable-length packet is an IP (Internet Protocol) packet. According to this structure, the same effect as any of the above can be obtained even in the case of IP packets.

The mobile station device of the present invention adopts the following structure: it includes a wireless device having the same structure as any one of the above. According to this configuration, the mobile station device can also obtain the same effects as any of the above.

The base station device of the present invention adopts the following structure: it includes a wireless device having the same structure as any one of the above. According to this configuration, the base station device can also obtain the same effects as any of the above.

The wireless communication system of the present invention adopts the following structure: a mobile station device and a base station including the above-mentioned structure

200410045844. 4 In the first device, one of the mobile station device and the base station device performs radio resource allocation control. According to this configuration, it is possible to change the location of the wireless resource allocation function at any time without having one wireless station device (for example, a base station device) fixedly having the wireless resource allocation function.

The wireless communication system of the present invention adopts the following structure: a wireless device having the same structure as any one of the above, and a communication network device that transmits and receives variable-length packets with the wireless device via a router. According to this structure, the same effect as any of the above can be obtained in the wireless communication system.

In the multicast communication method of the present invention, when communication between wireless devices is performed in a one-to-one or one-to-many manner, in the wireless device, a variable-length packet showing a destination address for performing the above-mentioned communication When the control procedure information for controlling packet communication is included in the packet, the control procedure information is mapped to a short fixed-length packet that is shorter than a fixed-length packet used when communicating with other wireless devices.

According to this method, only the control procedure information is mapped into short packets with a small amount of information. Therefore, there is no redundancy in the amount of information as in the past, and the overhead can be reduced accordingly, and the frequency band can be effectively used.

In the multicast communication method of the present invention, in the above method, variable-length packets are mapped into fixed-length packets, and the mapped fixed-length packets and the short packets mapped by the control process information are converted into frame signals for transmission. According to this method, the communication channel can be used to transmit control procedure information.

In the multicast communication method of the present invention, in the above method, variable-length packets and short packets are taken from the frame signal, and after the control process information is taken out from the short packet and mapped to another variable-length packet, two can be multiplexed Variable length grouping. According to this method, it is possible to multiplex both control procedure information and user information with the same channel.

As described above, according to the present invention, wireless communication resources can be effectively used in the case of multicast communication using IGMP.

This is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-189592 filed on June 23, 2000. All the contents are included here.

Industrial Applicability The present invention can be applied to wireless communication systems and groups that use IP to perform multicast communication (one-to-many communication) between multiple mobile station devices such as base station devices and mobile phones in a digital mobile communication system. Broadcast communication method.

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