Broadcast And Multicast Services Research Articles

Towards Broadcasting Linear Content Over 5G Network

Today's society heavily relies on linear television systems featuring planned programs, which serve as a vital means of communication. The evolution of broadcasting linear content is notably driven by advancements in end users' devices. This transition has expanded it from a limited range of linear radio and TV channels to a comprehensive and distinctive array. This selection is accessible across diverse distribution network types. Among these networks, the prominence of the 5G network stands out as a notable platform for media and transmissions. Transmitting linear content over 5G networks involves efficiently delivering scheduled, real-time content to a large number of users simultaneously. This content encompasses live TV broadcasts, radio programs, and streaming events. While 5G networks offer significant advantages in capacity, speed, and latency, it's essential to consider specific factors when it comes to broadcasting linear content. Traditionally, cellular networks, designed for continuous service, have predominantly followed a unicast bidirectional communication paradigm for numerous years, providing a range of services to customers. This paper employs a research methodology to examine the future 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) standards, along with their constraints. Our approach includes a comprehensive literature review, technical specification analysis, and comparison of different broadcasting technologies within the 5G framework. By employing this research methodology, we gain a holistic understanding of the evolving landscape of broadcasting linear content over 5G networks. This contributes to the body of knowledge in this field and informs future advancements in broadcast technologies within the 5G ecosystem.

5G Evolution for Multicast and Broadcast Services in 3GPP Release 17

5G communications systems are on the evolution path with present focus on enabling advanced features and new service capabilities. Multicast and Broadcast Services (MBS) are being considered as one of the most promising use cases of 5G. As introduced to Release 17 of 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) 5G standards, MBS work item has been developed over existing 5G framework. MBS standardization is targeted to enhance 5G New Radio and 5G Core Network capabilities for serving reliable, low latency, resource efficient, and massively deployable multicast and broadcast services from both architectural and transmission perspectives. In this article, we present an introduction to MBS standardization and outline newly introduced technical features, and their use cases.

Generalized Radio Resource Management for Overlapping MBS Zones

Multicast and broadcast service (MBS) is a point-to-multipoint service where data packets are transmitted simultaneously from a single source to multiple destinations. In MBS, some base stations (BSs) may form an MBS zone and transmit identical MBS contents simultaneously using the same modulation and coding scheme. Hence, the network has to coordinate the transmission of BSs such that BSs belonging to multiple MBS zones may utilize non-conflict resources to transmit different MBS contents. This paper extends the work in [10] for accommodating MBS zones with different service presence probabilities and various bandwidth requirements. A continuous allocation algorithm and a non-continuous allocation algorithm are presented to allocate resource units for overlapping MBS zones. Simulations were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

Performance Analysis of Multicast and Broadcast Services in Mobile WiMAX Systems

In this letter, we investigate the performance of multicast and broadcast services (MBS) in mobile WiMAX systems. We develop an analytical model for the session blocking probability and the session disruption probability. Numerical results demonstrate that the session blocking probability and disruption probability are significantly affected by the session arrival rate and session popularity.

Incentive Compatible Configuration for Wireless Multicast: A Game Theoretic Approach

Multicast and broadcast service (MBS) is a service offered by the base station (BS) to multiple receivers requesting the same information. Such a BS must be kept updated with the receivers' feedback information (e.g., packet loss rates) to configure the MBS. We propose MBS operation schemes that are dominant-strategy incentive compatible in game theory, i.e., the schemes induce dominant-strategy equilibria, where all selfish receivers reveal their true information. Moreover, the induced equilibria are Pareto efficient and max-min fair. To conclude, the proposed schemes can elicit true feedback information from the receivers, avoiding any manipulation and, thereby, ensuring an efficient and fair system operation.

Resource Allocation for Overlapping MBS Zones

Multicast and broadcast service (MBS) is one of the important services for next-generation wireless systems. In WiMAX, the radio resource unit (i.e., time, frequency, code, etc.) for MBS is centralized allocated by an anchor access service network gateway (Anchor ASN-GW). In MBS, a BS can dynamically join or leave an MBS Zone due to the moving of MSs. The Anchor ASN-GW must allocate nonoverlapping radio resource units to BSs for delivering different MBS contents in overlapping MBS Zones. This paper presents radio resource allocation and reallocation algorithms to minimize the number of required resource units for overlapping MBS Zones. For a given number of MBS Zones, a resource estimation model is also presented to estimate the average number of radio resource units to be reserved by the ASN-GW. Simulation results showed that the proposed algorithms can reduce the number of reallocations, and, thus, the signaling messages exchanged in the air interface and the core network are minimized. The results also showed that the proposed model can be used as a good reference for the network operator to estimate the average number of required radio resource units for a given number of MBS Zones.

Distributed antenna-based EPON-WiMAX integration and its cost-efficient cell planning

Achieving the benefits of high-capacity of optical networks and the mobility feature of wireless networks leads to integrate EPON and WiMAX for a promising broadband access solution. To efficiently put both benefits together, we propose an integration architecture of EPON-WiMAX based upon a Distributed Antenna (DA) environment, where collaborative Base Stations (BSs) concurrently transmit same wireless downlink signals (specifically for multicast and broadcast services (MBSs)) to Mobile Stations (MSs) in overlapped cell coverage areas. It helps enlarge the region of the available network coverage area by increasing Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) in overlapped cell coverage areas through cooperation between Optical Line Terminal (OLT) and Optical Network Unit (ONU)- BS. We also present an cost-efficient cell planning to optimally control the size of overlapped cell coverage areas for the proposed DA-based integration architecture with a case study under a required region of the available network coverage area in consideration of the number of ONU-BSs and the distance between ONU-BSs. Performance evaluation results show that the proposed DA-based integration architecture enhances cost efficiency compared to the Traditional Antenna (TA) (non-DA)-based integration architecture with a similar level of spectral efficiency of MSs.

Timing evaluation of MAC-layer error control on ARM9-based mobile embedded systems

BCMCS (Broadcast and Multicast Services) are designed to provide media broadcast in cellular networks. In designing media broadcast protocols and systems, such as BCMCS, delay must be thoroughly considered because it is the key QoS parameter in multimedia applications. This paper investigate the forward error correction (FEC) delay using Reed-Solomon (RS) code related to the temporal behavior of Rayleigh fading. We implemented the evaluation framework for the RS decoding delay employing analytic and simulation-based approaches. An analytic method and a simulation approach are combined in a unified environment exploiting Java programming language, ARM9 processor simulator and Mathematica coupled together. This framework enables us to estimate various statistics required to ensure seamless multimedia services.

Improved Error Control for Real-Time Video Broadcasting Over CDMA2000 Networks

The broadcast and multicast services (BCMCS) protocol is designed for real-time applications such as MPEG-4 video streaming, which requires successive frames to arrive within a specific time interval. We analyze the execution time of Reed-Solomon (RS) decoding, which is the medium access control (MAC)-layer forward error-correction (FEC) scheme used in CDMA2000 1xEV-DO BCMCS, under various air channel conditions. The results show that the timing constraints of MPEG-4 cannot always be met by RS decoding when the packet loss rate (PLR) is high, due to the limited processing power of current hardware. We therefore propose three error control schemes: First, we have our static scheme, which bypasses RS decoding at the mobile node to satisfy the MPEG-4 timing constraint when the PLR exceeds a given level. Second, we have the dynamic scheme, which corrects as many errors as possible within the timing constraint, instead of giving up altogether when the PLR is high; this improves quality. Third, we have the video-aware dynamic scheme, which fixes errors in a similar way to the dynamic scheme but in a priority-driven manner, yielding a further increment in video quality at mobile terminals. Extensive simulation results show the effectiveness of our schemes compared with the original FEC scheme.

Modeling the Energy Consumption of Reed-Solomon Decoding with Interleaving on Fading Channels

In CDMA2000 1xEV-DO broadcast and multicast services (BCMCS), Reed-Solomon (RS) coding is applied to the layers above the turbo code, which is effective in correcting long bursts of errors when an additional block interleaving mechanism is used to increase the time diversity. This is controlled by changing the width of the error control block (ECB), which converts error bursts into random patterns. We propose and evaluate an energy model of the RS decoding process under varying conditions of Rayleigh fading on the broadcast channel, with different levels of block interleaving within those permitted by the BCMCS specification. Simulation results show that our model accurately predicts the energy consumption of the RS decoding process, and is thus able to contribute to the development of energy-efficient broadcast services.

Probabilistic analysis of data interleaving for reed-solomon coding in BCMCS

In cdma2000 1xEV-DO Broadcast and Multicast Services (BCMCS), Reed-Solomon coding is applied to the layers above the turbo code, and is particularly effective in correcting long bursts of errors. An additional block interleaving mechanism improves the performance of RS coding by increasing the time diversity, to an extent controlled by the width of the error control block (ECB), which converts error bursts into random patterns. We propose and evaluate a performance model of RS coding under varying conditions of Rayleigh fading on the broadcast channel, within the levels of block interleaving that the BCMCS specification allows. Simulation results show that our model predicts the performance of RS coding accurately. This evaluation will allow a service provider to determine the most efficient RS code for their target service quality, that maximizes the effective data-rate and minimizes the energy required for the RS decoding process.

On the effect of Reed–Solomon coding with maximum block interleaving on MPEG-4 FGS video quality in 3G broadcasting

In Broadcast and Multicast Services (BCMCS) for CDMA2000 networks, Reed–Solomon (RS) coding is applied to the layers above the turbo code. An additional block interleaving mechanism improves the performance of RS coding when there are long bursts of errors. We propose a performance model of RS coding for varying conditions of Rayleigh fading on the broadcast channel with the maximum amount of block interleaving, and verify this analytic model by comparing its results with a simulation. Evaluating the quality of the resulting MPEG-4 FGS (fine granular scalability) video demonstrates the effectiveness of RS coding in achieving high perceived video quality.

Reliable multicast and broadcast services in relay-based emergency communications

Having reliable communications during large-scale emergency situations is of paramount importance in today's world. In particular, broadcasting critical information to both survivors and rescue teams (shelter locations, details of the disaster, regional map information, etc.) is an important component of emergency communications. Since the regular communication channels typically become non-operational in large-scale disasters, a temporary communication infrastructure is needed. Relay networks (e.g., those currently being standardized under IEEE 802.16j) are suitable for such situations in which relay stations may be conveniently positioned in the disaster area in order to expand the coverage of base stations and improve communication reliability. In this article we review the multicast and broadcast services (MBS) mechanism in the current IEEE 802.16j baseline document, which achieves macrodiversity through simultaneous transmissions of the base station and relay stations to the mobile stations. We discuss how it can be used for emergency communications, and propose two different techniques for improving the reliability of MBS in relay networks. Improvements in packet error rate performance are demonstrated through some computer simulations.

Scheduling Scalable Multimedia Streams for 3G Cellular Broadcast and Multicast Services

The cdma2000 1timesevolution-data-only (EV-DO) mobile communication system provides broadcast and multicast services (BCMCS) to meet an increasing demand for multimedia data services. Currently, broadcast and multicast streams are scheduled using a slot-based static algorithm which cannot support dynamic environments where broadcast content is added or removed online. We propose a dynamic packet-scheduling algorithm that works with a retransmission scheme to enable a scalable and adaptive service across the cdma2000 1timesEV-DO BCMCS environments. Since it is integrated with earliest deadline first real-time scheduling, the proposed algorithm not only adapts efficiently to dynamic contexts but also satisfies the real-time requirements of broadcast streams. Furthermore, by exploiting the fine granular scalability features of the MPEG-4 Part 2 standard, our scheme can avoid abrupt playback quality degradation by protecting the base layer using a retransmission technique and can also adapt more flexibly to an environment in which the resource requirements of video streams change dynamically. Simulation results show a significant improvement in average playback quality while quantitatively validating the efficiency of our approach.

A Hybrid Error Recovery scheme for Scalable Video Transmission over 3G Cellular Broadcast Networks

The cdma2000 1xEV-DO mobile communication system provides broadcast and multicast services (BCMCS) to meet an increasing demand for multimedia data services. But the servicing of video streams over a BCMCS network faces a challenge from the unreliable and error-prone nature of the radio channel. BCMCS uses Reed-Solomon coding integrated with the MAC protocol for error recovery. We show that this is not effective for mobiles moving at the edge of service area, where the channel condition is bad, resulting in significantly lower video quality. To improve the playback quality of an MPEG-4 FGS (fine granularity scalability) video stream, we propose a hybrid error recovery scheme incorporating a packet scheduler, which uses slots saved by reducing the Reed-Solomon coding overhead. Packets to be retransmitted are prioritized by a utility function which reduces the packet error-rate in the application layer within a fixed retransmission budget by considering of the map of the error control block at each mobile node. Our error recovery scheme also uses the characteristics of MPEG-4 FGS to improve the video quality even for a slow-moving mobile which is experiencing a high error-rate in the physical channel because of error bursts.

Augmenting Reed–Solomon coding with retransmission for error recovery in 3G video broadcasts

AbstractThe error‐prone nature of the radio channel is the major challenge in servicing video streams over cdma2000 broadcast networks. The MAC protocol for broadcast and multicast services (BCMCS) in cdma2000 specifies forward error correction using Reed–Solomon coding, which is effective in recovering from bursts of errors. However, its performance degrades significantly when channel conditions are bad, a frequent occurrence at the edge of the coverage area, reducing the availability of high‐speed broadcasts. We propose an error recovery scheme and a scheduling algorithm based on the use of slots saved by changing to a Reed–Solomon code with a lower parity overhead. Within the fixed transmission budget thus created, corrupted packets are retransmitted in a priority order determined by a utility function that is derived from the map of the error control block at each mobile, and which also considers the number of mobiles that did not receive each lost packet. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in improving the quality of high‐data‐rate MPEG‐4 video streams over a range of channel conditions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Energy-Efficient MAC-Layer Error Recovery for Mobile Multimedia Applications in 3GPP2 BCMCS

Combining broadcast and mobile phone technologies, 3GPP2 has introduced the Broadcast and Multicast Services (BCMCS) architecture to deliver multimedia content over cdma2000 1xEV-DO wireless networks. In designing a mobile device to support multimedia broadcast services, it is important to reduce delay and energy consumption, while maintaining a tolerable level of data loss. We analyse the energy consumed by a mobile device receiving broadcast services, focusing on error recovery using the Reed-Solomon (RS) MAC-layer coding scheme. Our model is based on the energy consumed by each computational component of the RS decoder, which we determined by running the decoding process on a realistic ARM7TDMI testbed with experimentally justified cache sizes, and characterizing the energy consumption accurately with the SNU Energy Explorer. By varying the radio channel conditions, RS coding scheme and other system parameters, we determined energy-efficient cache configurations and operating ranges for each RS encoding scheme, corresponding to given levels of service quality in a video application. We have also found that significant energy can be saved by selecting a size of error control block that is appropriate to the target video quality and the channel conditions at the mobile