Multi-carrier radio point for a centralized radio access network
AssigneeOutdoor Wireless Networks LLC
InventorsArthur J. Barabell, Irfaan Ahamed Salahuddeen, Santosh Ajjannavar, Shanthakumar Ramakrishnan
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Abstract
One embodiment is directed to a multi-carrier radio point for use in a radio access network (RAN). The multi-carrier radio point is configured so that some of the processing and hardware resources provided by the radio point can be assigned to baseband units (BBUs) in a flexible manner. A single multi-carrier radio point can be used with multiple BBUs, where the processing and hardware resources used for the multiple BBUs need not be configured and used in the same way.
Claims37
A system for use with a radio access network (RAN), the system comprising:
- multiple baseband units (BBUs);
- and
- a multi-instance radio unit comprising:
- at least one programmable device configured to provide processing resources for providing wireless service;
- at least one fronthaul network interface configured to communicatively couple the multi-instance radio unit to the plurality of BBUs;
- and
- a plurality of radio frequency modules configured to wirelessly communicate using one or more antennas;
- wherein the system is configured to perform a process to configure the multi-instance radio unit to serve the multiple BBUs, the process comprising:
- receiving one or messages requesting some of the processing resources and some of the radio frequency modules of the multi-instance radio unit for the multiple BBUs;
- and
- in response to the one or more messages:
- making assignments of the processing resources and the radio frequency modules of the multi-instance radio unit among the multiple BBUs based on the one or more messages;
- and
- configuring the processing resources and the radio frequency modules to instantiate multiple radio unit instances, each of the multiple radio unit instances serving at least one of the multiple BBUs and implementing at least some of the resources requested by the multiple BBUs served thereby.
A multi-instance radio unit for use in a radio access network (RAN) with multiple baseband units (BBUs), the multi-instance radio unit comprising:
- at least one programmable device configured to provide processing resources for providing wireless service;
- at least one fronthaul network interface configured to communicatively couple the multi-instance radio unit to the plurality of BBUs;
- and
- a plurality of radio frequency modules configured to wirelessly communicate using one or more antennas;
- wherein the multi-instance radio unit is configured to perform a process to configure the multi-instance radio unit to serve the multiple BBUs, the process comprising:
- receiving one or messages requesting some of the processing resources and some of the radio frequency modules of the multi-instance radio unit for the multiple BBUs;
- and
- in response to the one or more messages:
- making assignments of the processing resources and the radio frequency modules of the multi-instance radio unit among the multiple BBUs based on the one or more messages;
- and
- configuring the processing resources and the radio frequency modules to instantiate multiple radio unit instances, each of the multiple radio unit instances serving at least one of the multiple BBUs and implementing at least some of the resources requested by the multiple BBUs served thereby.
A method to configure a multi-instance radio unit to serve multiple baseband units (BBUs), the multi-instance radio unit comprising at least one programmable device configured to provide processing resources for providing wireless service, at least one fronthaul network interface configured to communicatively couple the multi-instance radio unit to the plurality of BBUs, and a plurality of radio frequency modules configured to wirelessly communicate using one or more antennas, the method comprising:
- receiving one or messages requesting some of the processing resources and some of the radio frequency modules of the multi-instance radio unit for the multiple BBUs;
- and
- in response to the one or more messages:
- making assignments of the processing resources and the radio frequency modules of the multi-instance radio unit among the multiple BBUs based on the one or more messages;
- and
- configuring the processing resources and the radio frequency modules to instantiate multiple radio unit instances, each of the multiple radio unit instances serving at least one of the multiple BBUs and implementing at least some of the resources requested by the multiple BBUs served thereby.
A first unit for use with a baseband unit (BBU), the first unit comprising:
- at least one programmable device configured to provide processing resources;
- and
- at least one fronthaul network interface configured to communicatively couple the first unit to the BBU;
- and
- wherein the first unit is configured to instantiate multiple radio unit entities at run time using the processing resources;
- wherein the first unit is configured to implement a plurality of Layer 1 processing chains;
- wherein the first unit is configured to associate the Layer 1 processing chains with the BBU;
- and
- wherein the first unit is configured to provide wireless service using the BBU and the plurality of Layer 1 processing chains.
A method of using a first unit with a baseband unit (BBU), the first unit comprising at least one programmable device configured to provide processing resources and at least one fronthaul network interface configured to communicatively couple the first unit to the BBU, the method comprising:
- instantiating multiple radio unit entities at run time using the processing resources;
- implementing a plurality of Layer 1 processing chains;
- associating the Layer 1 processing chains with the BBU;
- and
- providing wireless service using the BBU and the plurality of Layer 1 processing chains.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.