Increasing wireless network capabilities via broadcast control-signaling channel usage

Abstract

An access network of an apparatus in one example is configured to provide a wireless communication service over a coverage area and is configured to support a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS). The access network is configured to broadcast at least one broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) over the coverage area via at least one BCMCS flow. The BCC is utilized by the access network to transmit control and signaling messages to the access terminals, either independent of or in conjunction with a standard control message channel.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an access network configured to provide a wireless communication service over a coverage area to a plurality of access terminals, where the access network is configured to support a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   wherein the access network is configured to broadcast information on two or more carriers;   the access terminals being assigned among the two or more carriers for wireless communication service;   wherein the access network transmits only a single broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) on only one of the two or more carriers to be accessed by all of the access terminals, the single BCC being received by all the access terminals regardless of which carrier of the two or more carriers each access terminal is assigned, the BCC carrying control and signaling messages including short data messages that are received by all of the access terminals.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the access network comprises the one and others of the two or more carriers, wherein a first BCC in the one of the two or more carriers supports the transmission of all signaling messages for all ATs over the single BCC, whereby bandwidth in the others of the two or more carriers that could have been used to carry the signaling messages to ATs is now free to be used to support general communication services. 
   
   
       3 . A method comprising the steps of:
 supporting wireless communication services by an access network configured to provide coverage for a plurality of access terminals, where the supporting step comprises supporting a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   broadcasting information from the access network to the access terminals on two or more carriers, where the access terminals are assigned among the two or more carriers for wireless communication service;   transmitting by the access network only a single broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) on only one of the two or more carriers to all of the access terminals;   each of the access terminals receiving the single BCC regardless of which of the two or more carriers each access terminal is assigned;   the BCC carrying control and signaling messages that are received by all of the access terminals.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the two or more carriers are divided into the one and others of the two or more carriers, wherein a first BCC in the one of the two or more carriers supports the transmission of all signaling messages for all ATs over the single BCC, whereby bandwidth in the others of the two or more carriers that could have been used to carry the signaling messages to ATs is now free to be used to support general communication services. 
   
   
       5 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an access network configured to provide a wireless communication service over a coverage area and is configured to support a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   wherein the access network is configured to broadcast at least one broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) over the coverage area via at least one BCMCS flow, wherein each of the at least one BCMCS flow is identified by a flow identifier;   first and second radio network controllers support first and second coverage areas, respectively, where the first and second coverage areas share an adjacent boundary;   first and second wireless transmission sectors are disposed in the first coverage area, where the first sector serves access terminals in a location that includes the adjacent boundary and the second sector serves access terminals in a location that does not include the adjacent boundary;   wherein the access network causes the first sector to transmit control and signaling messages to access terminals using both the BCC and another control channel so that access terminals in the area served by the first sector can receive control messages via either the BCC or the another control channel, the access network causing the second sector to transmit control and signaling messages to access terminals using only the BCC.   
   
   
       6 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing a wireless communication service over a coverage area by an access network that supports a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   broadcasting by the access network at least one broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) over the coverage area via at least one BCMCS flow, wherein each of the at least one BCMCS flow is identified by a flow identifier;   using first and second coverage areas associated with first and second radio network controllers, respectively, to provide wireless service to access terminals, where the first and second coverage areas share an adjacent boundary;   employing first and second wireless transmission sectors disposed in the first coverage area, where the first sector serves access terminals in a location that includes the adjacent boundary and the second sector serves access terminals in a location that does not include the adjacent boundary;   transmitting by the first sector control messages to access terminals using both the BCC and another control channel so that access terminals in the area served by the first sector can receive control messages via either the BCC or the another control channel, transmitting control messages to access terminals by the second sector using only the BCC.   
   
   
       7 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an access network configured to provide a wireless communication service over a coverage area to a plurality of access terminals, where the access network is configured to support a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   the access network being divided into a plurality of sectors that support communications with access terminals within the respective sectors;   each sector having at least one broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) that is accessed by at least the access terminals in the sector;   each access terminal performing a BCMCS flow registration for all BCCs either by listing flows for BCCs or by listing a program for BCCs at the sector in which the access terminal is located at the time of the registration;   the access network identifying the sector in which the access terminal is located at the time of the registration;   the access network transmits to the access terminal as part of the response to the registration a message that defines one BCC to which the access terminal is to monitor for the receipt of its control and signaling messages.   
   
   
       8 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing by an access network a wireless communication service over a coverage area to a plurality of access terminals, where the access network supports a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS), the access network being divided into a plurality of sectors that support communications with access terminals within the respective sectors;   at least one broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC) is transmitted by the access network for reception by the access terminals in each sector;   conducting a BCMCS flow registration to all the BCCs carried by the AN for the sector in which the access terminal is located at the time of the registration between each access terminal and the access network;   identifying by the access network the sector in which the access terminal is located at the time of the initial registration session;   transmitting by the access network to the access terminal as response to the registration a message that defines one BCC to which the access terminal is to monitor for the receipt of control messages.   
   
   
       9 . An apparatus, comprising:
 an access network configured to provide a wireless communication service over a coverage area to a plurality of access terminals, where the access network is configured to support a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   the access network transmitting a broadcast overhead message (BOM) on a carrier directed to the access terminals, wherein the BOM includes at least one bit that serves as a flag indicating whether an associated portion of the BOM identifies a corresponding broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC);   the access terminals, upon receiving the BOM that includes the at least one bit indicating an associated portion of the BOM identifies the BCC, selects one of the at least one identified BCCs and performs registration to the selected one BCC;   the access terminals monitoring their respective selected one BCC for receipt of control and signaling messages transmitted over the one BCC by the access network.   
   
   
       10 . A method comprising the steps of:
 providing a wireless communication service by an access network over a coverage area to a plurality of access terminals, where the access network supports a broadcast multicast system (BCMCS);   transmitting by the access network a broadcast overhead message (BOM) on a carrier directed to the access terminals, wherein the BOM includes at least one bit that serves as a flag indicating whether an associated portion of the BOM identifies a corresponding broadcast control-signaling channel (BCC);   selecting one BCC based on said flag and performing registration to the selected one BCC by the access terminals;   monitoring by the access terminals the selected one BCC for receipt of control and signaling messages generated by the access network or by applications in the core network for the AT that are transmitted over the selected one BCC from the access network.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the BOM includes identification of a plurality of BCCs, and the AT receiving the BOM selects the one BCC to use based on order of listed BCCs in the BOM. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the AT selects a first listed BCC in the BOM that identifies a destined BCC associated with an assigned signaling zone to which the AT belongs.