Patent ID: 7349686
Filing Date: 2008-03-25
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A mobile communication system for delivering identical data from a data source to a plurality of radio terminals, said mobile communication system comprising a plurality of radio network controllers, each controller including circuitry for counting the number of radio terminals connected to such controller to receive the data from the data source and circuitry for controlling delivery of the data within an associated cell, wherein the system is arranged and configured such that: when a radio terminal within a first cell is connected to the controller associated with the first cell, upon movement of the radio terminal from the first cell to a second cell, the radio terminal establishes connection to the controller associated with the second cell; in response to connection of the radio terminal to the controller associated with the second cell, the count of connected radio terminals maintained by the circuitry for counting in the controller associated with the first cell is decremented and the count of connected radio terminals maintained by the circuitry for counting in the controller associated with the second cell is incremented; the number of radio terminals connected to the controller associated with the second cell is compared with a predetermined number; if the number of radio terminals connected to the controller associated with the second cell is less than the predetermined number, a dedicated channel is set between the radio terminal and the controller associated with the second cell; if the number of radio terminals connected to the controller associated with the second cell is equal to or greater than the predetermined number, a common channel is set between the radio terminal and the controller associated with the second cell; and the data is delivered from the controller associated with the second cell to the radio terminal over the set channel.