Patent ID: 7457275

Claim:
A method for implementing a Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Service (MBMS) in a network environment having an intra-domain connection of Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes to multiple Core Network (CN) nodes, the method comprising: sending a request to establish a Radio Access Bearer (RAB) connection for multicast traffic from each of a plurality of Serving GPRS (General Packet Radio Services) Support Nodes (SGSNs) to a Radio Network Controller (RNC); establishing a RAB connection for multicast traffic between the RNC and each of the SGSNs according to the request; detecting by the RNC whether multicast traffic from more than one of the SGSNs corresponds to the same multicast service; if yes choosing one of the SGSNs as a primary SGSN, deeming the RAB connection between the primary SGSN and the RNC as a primary path to receive the multicast traffic, deeming the remaining SGSNs as secondary SGSNs, and maintaining RAB connections between the secondary SGSNs and the RNC by sending a minimum data volume or zero data volume from the secondary SGSNs to the RNC; and transmitting the multicast traffic to the RNC through the primary SGSN.