Systems for enabling communications over shared spectrum using O-RAN fronthaul interface in radio access networks

A method of operating an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) fronthaul interface between O-RAN radio unit (O-RU) and an O-RU controller for controlling the O-RU, comprising:

• sending, from the O-RU to the O-RU controller, a message informing whether the O-RU supports Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) operation;
• when the O-RU supports the CBRS operation, sending from the O-RU to the O-RU controller a report of capabilities of the O-RU, wherein the report includes:
• i) an indication of whether the O-RU supports spectrum measurement comprising power measurement;
• ii) when the O-RU supports spectrum measurement comprising power measurement, one of an indication the O-RU supports measurement without grant from a Spectrum Access System (SAS) or an indication the O-RU supports measurement with grant from the SAS;
• and
• iii) at least one of Federal Communications Commission certification identification (FCC ID) for the O-RU, Citizens Broadband Radio Service Device (CBSD) category for the O-RU, user registration identification (userId) for CBRS, certified professional installer (CPI) signature data, installation parameters, grouping parameters, and a call sign device identifier provided by the FCC;
• when the O-RU supports measurement with a grant from the SAS, the O-RU controller sends a power measurement request message to the O-RU to configure the O-RU to perform a power measurement only after a grant has been issued from the SAS and based on at least one configuration parameter included in the measurement request message, said configuration parameter including at least one of:
• i) measurement frequency start;
• ii) measurement frequency end;
• iii) measurement bandwidth per channel;
• and iv) measurement duration per channel, and wherein the power measurement request message is sent by the O-RU controller via one of management plane (M-plane) and control plane (C-plane);
• when the O-RU supports measurement without a grant from the SAS, the O-RU controller sends a power measurement request message to the O-RU to configure the O-RU to perform a power measurement one of i) before initiating the registration procedure with the SAS, ii) after initiating the registration procedure with the SAS, or iii) after reception of CBSD registration response from the SAS, the power measurement being performed based on at least one configuration parameter included in the measurement request message, said configuration parameter including at least one of:
• i) measurement frequency start;
• ii) measurement frequency end;
• iii) measurement bandwidth per channel;
• and iv) measurement duration per channel, and wherein the power measurement request message is sent by the O-RU controller via one of management plane (M-plane) and control plane (C-plane);
• sending, by the O-RU, a report message to the O-RU controller, said report message including results of the power measurement performed by the O-RU;
• and
• forwarding, by the O-RU controller, the report message to a domain proxy (DP) which is interfaced with the SAS through an interface and is configured to engage in communications with the SAS on behalf of multiple individual CBSDs or networks of CBSDs to perform registration of said CBSDs with the SAS.