Patent ID: 9622049
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: H04L,H04W

Claim:
1. A method of facilitating multimedia broadcast multicast services (MBMS) in a communications network including one or more first evolved node Bs (eNBs) and one or more second eNBs, the one or more first eNBs each having backhaul interfaces for a first internet protocol (IP) version, the one or more second eNBs each having backhaul interfaces for a second IP version, the method comprising: receiving, at the first network element, a first temporary mobile group identity (TMGI) and a first flow ID; selecting, at the first network element, a second flow ID different from the first flow ID; receiving, at a first network element, an initial MBMS content stream; generating, at the first network element, based on the initial MBMS content stream, a first MBMS content stream and a second MBMS content stream; transmitting the first MBMS content stream from the first network element to the one or more first eNBs using a first IP multicast address of the first IP version, the first TMGI, and the first flow ID; and transmitting the second MBMS content stream from the first network element to the one or more second eNBs using a second IP multicast address of the second IP version, the first TMGI, and the second flow ID.