Broadcast anchor availability indication

摘要

A multicast status availability indication from an anchor (24) is provided to a plurality of base nodes (22) that are part of a multicast group serviced by the anchor (24). The availability status indication in one example is sent autonomously by the anchor (24) independent of any inquiry or attempted setup of a new session with that anchor by a base mode (22). The base modes (22) maintain a candidate anchor set that includes information regarding currently available anchors for establishing new sessions, for example.

主权项

1. A method of communicating, comprising the steps of:
providing a flat architecture Internet Protocol cellular communication system in which base nodes have base station controller capability and there are no radio network controllers (RNCs); and using a broadcast availability status indication from an anchor that is distinct from a RNC to a plurality of base nodes for self-configuring a candidate anchor set at each of the base nodes, each candidate anchor set including currently available anchors for the corresponding base node, each of the base nodes being configured to communicate with the anchor and configured to communicate directly with an end user device, the anchor being configured to communicate with the base nodes and a network such that the anchor is an interface between the base nodes and the network; wherein the availability status indication comprises an indication that the anchor is unavailable.