Patent ID: 7852794

Claim:
A method of providing multicast broadcast service (MBS) to a non-internet group management protocol (IGMP) compliant mobile station comprising: receiving a request to join a multicast session from the mobile station at a MBS server, the request indicating a requested broadcast channel; when the requested broadcast channel is not currently being provided within an access service network (ASN) of the mobile station, sending an IGMP-join message from a proxy IGMP client to a first hop IGMP router indicating a multicast IP address of the requested broadcast channel; and when the requested broadcast channel is currently being provided within the ASN, refraining from sending the IGMP join message and triggering establishment of MBS service for the requested broadcast channel for a base station currently serving the mobile station, wherein the MBS server operates the proxy IGMP client on behalf of the mobile station allowing the mobile station to receive MBS from an IGMP network.