TECHNICAL FIELD
5 [0001] Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to the field of
telecommunication, and in particular, to methods, devices and computer storage media of
communication for multimedia broadcast multicast service (MBMS) transmission.
BACKGROUND
10 [0002] In current MBMS transmission, a terminal device firstly monitors a system
information block 2 (SIB2). If the SIB2 schedules a SIB 13 for MBMS, the terminal
device will monitor the SIB 13. In the SIB 13, the terminal device obtains scheduling
information of a MBMS control channel (MCCH), which schedules a MBMS traffic
channel (MTCH). Thus, in the current MBMS transmission, there is no packet data
15 convergence protocol (PDCP) layer. Further, the terminal device cannot feedback whether
a data packet is received correctly, and thus there is no retransmission mechanism in the
current MBMS transmission.
[0003] To enhance the MBMS, it has been agreed that a simultaneous transmission of
multicast and unicast is required to be enabled for the MBMS. Accordingly, how to
20 achieve the simultaneous transmission has become a hot issue.
SUMMARY
[0004] In general, embodiments of the present disclosure provide methods, devices and
computer storage media of communication for MBMS transmission.
25 [0005] In a first aspect, there is provided a method of communication. The method
comprises: receiving, at a terminal device and from a network device, first information
comprising an identity of a multicast service and an identity of a data radio bearer; and
performing a communication between the terminal device and the network device based on
the first information.
30 [0006] In a second aspect, there is provided a method of communication. The method
comprises: determining, at a network device, a data radio bearer associated with a multicast
1
service; and transmitting, to a terminal device, first information comprising an identity of
the multicast service and an identity of the data radio bearer.
[0007] In a third aspect, there is provided a terminal device. The terminal device
comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores
5 instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the terminal device to perform the
method according to the first aspect of the present disclosure.
[0008] In a fourth aspect, there is provided a network device. The network device
comprises a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory stores
instructions that when executed by the processor, cause the network device to perform the
10 method according to the second aspect of the present disclosure.
[0009] In a fifth aspect, there is provided a computer readable medium having instructions
stored thereon. The instructions, when executed on at least one processor, cause the at
least one processor to perform the method according to the first aspect of the present
disclosure.
15 [0010] In a sixth aspect, there is provided a computer readable medium having
instructions stored thereon. The instructions, when executed on at least one processor,
cause the at least one processor to perform the method according to the second aspect of the
present disclosure.
[0011] Other features of the present disclosure will become easily comprehensible
20 through the following description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] Through the more detailed description of some embodiments of the present
disclosure in the accompanying drawings, the above and other objects, features and
25 advantages of the present disclosure will become more apparent, wherein:
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates an example communication network in which some embodiments
of the present disclosure can be implemented;
[0014] FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram illustrating a process of communication for
MBMS transmission according to some embodiments of the present disclosure;
30 [0015] FIG. 3 illustrates an example method of communication implemented at a terminal
device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
2
[0016] FIG. 4 illustrates another example method of communication implemented at a
terminal device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates another example method of communication implemented at a
terminal device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
5 [0018] FIG. 6 illustrates another example method of communication implemented at a
terminal device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure;
[0019] FIG. 7 illustrates an example method of communication implemented at a network
device in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure; and
[0020] FIG. 8 is a simplified block diagram of a device that is suitable for implementing
10 embodiments of the present disclosure.
[0021] Throughout the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals represent the
same or similar element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
15 [0022] Principle of the present disclosure will now be described with reference to some
embodiments. It is to be understood that these embodiments are described only for the
purpose of illustration and help those skilled in the art to understand and implement the
present disclosure, without suggesting any limitations as to the scope of the disclosure.
The disclosure described herein can be implemented in various manners other than the ones
20 described below.
[0023] In the following description and claims, unless defined otherwise, all technical and
scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skills in the art to which this disclosure belongs.
[0024] As used herein, the term "terminal device" refers to any device having wireless or
25 wired communication capabilities. Examples of the terminal device include, but not
limited to, user equipment (UE), personal computers, desktops, mobile phones, cellular
phones, smart phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), portable computers, tablets,
wearable devices, internet of things (loT) devices, Internet of Everything (IoE) devices,
machine type communication (MTC) devices, device on vehicle for V2X communication
30 where X means pedestrian, vehicle, or infrastructure/network, or image capture devices
such as digital cameras, gaming devices, music storage and playback appliances, or Internet
3
appliances enabling wireless or wired Internet access and browsing and the like. The term
"terminal device" can be used interchangeably with a UE, a mobile station, a subscriber
station, a mobile terminal, a user terminal or a wireless device. In addition, the term
"network device" refers to a device which is capable of providing or hosting a cell or
5 coverage where terminal devices can communicate. Examples of a network device
include, but not limited to, a Node B (NodeB or NB), an evolved NodeB (eNodeB or eNB),
a next generation NodeB (gNB), a transmission reception point (TRP), a remote radio unit
(RRU), a radio head (RH), a remote radio head (RRH), a low power node such as a femto
node, a pica node, and the like.
10 [0025] In one embodiment, the terminal device may be connected with a first network
device and a second network device. One of the first network device and the second
network device may be a master node and the other one may be a secondary node. The
first network device and the second network device may use different RATs. In one
embodiment, the first network device may be a first RAT device and the second network
15 device may be a second RAT device.
the second RAT device is gNB.
In one embodiment, the first RAT device is eNB and
Information related with different RATs may be
transmitted to the terminal device from at least one of the first network device and the
second network device. In one embodiment, first information may be transmitted to the
terminal device from the first network device and second information may be transmitted to
20 the terminal device from the second network device directly or via the first network device.
In one embodiment, information related with configuration for the terminal device
configured by the second network device may be transmitted from the second network
device via the first network device. Information related with reconfiguration for the
terminal device configured by the second network device may be transmitted to the
25 terminal device from the second network device directly or via the first network device.
[0026] As used herein, the singular forms 'a', 'an' and 'the' are intended to include the
plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term 'includes'
and its variants are to be read as open terms that mean 'includes, but is not limited to.'
The term 'based on' is to be read as 'at least in part based on.' The term 'one embodiment'
30 and 'an embodiment' are to be read as 'at least one embodiment.' The term 'another
embodiment' is to be read as 'at least one other embodiment.' The terms 'first,' 'second,'
and the like may refer to different or same objects. Other definitions, explicit and implicit,
may be included below.

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A method of communication, comprising:
receiving, at a terminal device and from a network device, first information
comprising an identity of a multicast service and an identity of a data radio bearer; and
performing a communication between the terminal device and the network device
based on the first information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information further comprises at least
one of the following:
a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) configuration; and
a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback configuration.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the PDCP configuration comprises at least one
of the following:
header compression information for a downlink transmission;
a first indication about whether integrity protection is enabled;
a second indication about whether a status report is required;
a third indication about whether the data radio bearer is used for a duplication of a
data packet associated with the multicast service or used for a retransmission of the data
20 packet; and
one or more values of a timer for reordering the data packet.
4. The method of claim 2, further comprising:
in response to receipt of a data packet from the network device via a multicast
25 transmission associated with the multicast service, transmitting, to the network device and
based on the HARQ feedback configuration, a HARQ feedback for the receipt of the data
packet; and
receiving, via the data radio bearer, the data packet retransmitted by the network
device in response to the HARQ feedback indicating a failure of the receipt of the data
30 packet.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
transmitting, to the network device, second information indicating a request for a
23
5
10
unicast transmission associated with the multicast service.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second information comprises at least one
of the following:
the identity of the multicast service;
a further identity of a further data radio bearer; and
an identity of a starting data packet that the terminal device expects to receive from
the network device via the unicast transmission.
7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
receiving, from the network device and via a multicast control channel, a
configuration for a multicast transmission associated with the multicast service.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of the
15 following:
20
the identity of the multicast service;
a length of an identity of a data packet associated with the multicast service; and
a fourth indication about whether the multicast service supports both the multicast
transmission and a unicast transmission associated with the multicast service.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
in response to receipt of a data packet from the network device via a multicast
transmission associated with the multicast service, transmitting, to the network device and
via the data radio bearer, an acknowledgement in a radio link control (RLC) layer for the
25 receipt of the data packet; and
30
receiving, via the data radio bearer, the data packet retransmitted by the network
device in response to the acknowledgement being a negative acknowledgement for the
receipt of the data packet.
10. A method of communication, comprising:
determining, at a network device, a data radio bearer associated with a multicast
service; and
transmitting, to a terminal device, first information comprising an identity of the
multicast service and an identity of the data radio bearer.
24
5
10
15
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first information further comprises at
least one of the following:
a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) configuration; and
a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) feedback configuration.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the PDCP configuration comprises at least
one of the following:
header compression information for a downlink transmission;
a first indication about whether integrity protection is enabled;
a second indication about whether a status report is required;
a third indication about whether the data radio bearer is used for a duplication of a
data packet associated with the multicast service or used for a retransmission of the data
packet; and
one or more values of a timer for reordering the data packet.
13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, from the terminal device, a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ)
feedback for receipt of a data packet via a multicast transmission associated with the
20 multicast service; and
25
30
in response to the HARQ feedback indicating a failure of the receipt of the data
packet, retransmitting, to the terminal device, the data packet via the data radio bearer.
14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, from the terminal device, second information indicating a request for a
unicast transmission associated with the multicast service.
15. The method of claim 14, the second information comprises at least one of the
following:
the identity of the multicast service;
a further identity of a further data radio bearer; and
an identity of a starting data packet that the terminal device expects to receive from
the network device via the data radio bearer.
25
16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
transmitting, via a multicast control channel, a configuration for a multicast
transmission associated with the multicast service.
5 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the configuration comprises at least one of
the following:
the identity of the multicast service;
a length of an identity of a data packet associated with the multicast service; and
a fourth indication about whether the multicast service supports both the multicast
10 transmission and a unicast transmission associated with the multicast service.
18. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
receiving, from the terminal device and via the data radio bearer, an
acknowledgement in a radio link control (RLC) layer for receipt of a data packet via a
15 multicast transmission associated with the multicast service; and
20
25
in response to the acknowledgement is a negative acknowledgement for the receipt
of the data packet, retransmitting, to the terminal device, the data packet via the data radio
bearer.
19. A terminal device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions thereon, the instructions,
when executed by the processor, causing the terminal device to perform the method
according to any of claims 1 to 9.
20. A network device comprising:
a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions thereon, the instructions,
when executed by the processor, causing the network device to perform the method
30 according to any of claims 10 to 18.
21. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the
instructions, when executed on at least one processor, causing the at least one processor to
perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 9.