METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING MULTI-MEDIA BROADCAST MULTICAST SERVICES DATA TO USER EQUIPMENTS OVER RELAY NODES

摘要

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for providing multi-media broadcast multicast services (MBMS) data to user equipments in a multi-media broadcast over a single frequency network (MBSFN) environment over relay nodes. In one embodiment, a method includes periodically evaluating a synchronization delay associated with relay nodes in a MBSFN area by a DeNB, and assigning resources to the relay nodes for communicating MBMS data. The method also includes setting a time stamp in synchronization packets based on the synchronization delay, where the time stamp information indicates start time for synchronized transmission of the MBMS data to user equipments in the MBSFN area over an air interface. The method further includes transmitting the synchronization packets including MBMS data and time stamp information to the relay nodes using the allocated resources such that the MBMS data is synchronously transmitted to the user equipments by the relay nodes.