Interface, apparatus, and method for communication between a radio eqipment control node one or more remote radio equipment nodes

A radio base station comprising:

• a radio equipment controller (REC) node;
• a first radio equipment (RE) node including one or more antenna elements;
• a second radio equipment (RE) node including one or more antenna elements;
• a first communications link permitting communication between the REC and the first RE;
• a second communications link permitting communication between the first RE node and the second RE node;
• a communications interface defining a communications protocol for the first and second communications links;
• wherein the REC includes:
• an REC controller for providing control information and user information for transmission over the first communications link to the first RE, the user information including multiple data flows, each data flow corresponding to data associated with one antenna for one carrier;
• an REC framer for formatting the control information and user information into multiple frames, where each frame includes a control time slot for the control information and multiple data time slots for the user information and each data time slot corresponds to a data flow of one of multiple antenna carriers;
• and
• an REC transmitter for transmitting frames over the first communications link to the first RE;
• wherein the first RE is configured to receive the control information and user information from the REC for the second RE over the first communications link, the user information including multiple data flows, each data flow corresponding to data associated with one antenna for one carrier, the first RE including:
• radio circuitry;
• a first RE framer for formatting control information and user information into multiple frames, where each frame includes a control time slot for the control information and multiple data time slots for the user information and each data time slot corresponds to a data flow of one of multiple antenna carriers, the first RE framer configured to route first RE control and user information to and from the radio circuitry, and to forward second RE control and user information to and from the second RE;
• and
• a first RE transmitter for transmitting frames over the first communications link.

A radio equipment controller (REC) for use in radio base station that includes first and second radio equipment (RE) units that each has one or more antenna elements, the REC being separate from and coupled to the first RE by a first transmission link and the first RE being separate from and coupled to the second RE by a second transmission link, the REC comprising:

• a controller for providing control information and user information for transmission over the first and second communications links to the first and second REs, respectively, the user information including multiple data flows, each data flow corresponding to data associated with one antenna for one carrier;
• a framer for formatting the control information and user information into multiple time division multiplexed (TDM) frames, where each TDM frame includes a control time slot for the control information and multiple data time slots for the user information and each data time slot corresponds to a data flow of one of multiple antenna carriers;
• and
• a transmitter for transmitting frames over the first communications link intended for the first RE and the second RE, wherein the frames intended for the second RE are transmitted to the first RE for transmission by the first RE to the second RE over the second communications link.

A radio equipment (RE) for use in radio base station that includes another RE and a radio equipment controller (REC) coupled to the RE by a first communications link and coupled to the other RE by a second communications link, the RE comprising:

• radio transceiving circuitry coupled to one or more antenna elements for receiving control information and user information for transmission over the first communications link to the REC, the user information including multiple data flows, each data flow corresponding to data associated with one antenna element for one carrier;
• first interface circuitry for receiving frames including control information and user information for the REC from the other RE over the second communications link, the user information including multiple data flows, each data flow corresponding to data associated with one antenna element for one carrier, and each frame including a control time slot for the control information and multiple data time slots for the user information and each data time slot corresponds to a data flow of one of multiple antenna carriers;
• processing circuitry for formatting the control information and user information from the radio transceiving circuitry into multiple frames;
• and
• second interface circuitry configured to transmit frames over the first communications link to the REC, wherein the frames include control and user information received from radio transceiving circuitry and from the other RE.