Unified ran - opto system

Apparatus for deployment in a Radio Access Network (RAN), in which a base station is partitioned into a Central Unit (CU) including at least a PDCP (Packet Data Conversion Protocol), one or more evolved Distributed Units (eDU), serving User Equipments (UE) within a given deployment area and including at least two Distributed Units (DU), each DU including at least a MAC (Medium Access Control) functional entity and a part of the PHY (Physical) Layer, and at least one Remote Radio Unit (RRU), associated with the eDU and including at least a Radio Frequency (RF) amplifier, is connected through an Optical (OPTO) Network to the eDU and through radio to at least one User Equipment (UE) located within the at least one RRU coverage area, the apparatus comprising:

• a network interface;
• a memory;
• and
• at least one processor, which is configured to serve as RAN-OPTO controller of the unified RAN-OPTO system operation within the given deployment area and the RAN-OPTO system controller selects at least one DU for conveying user data and control information between one or more specific RRUs and the at least one selected DU, and the RAN-OPTO system controller establishes a communication path between the CU and the at least one selected DU, and the RAN-OPTO system controller establishes an optical communication path through the OPTO configurable nodes, between the at least one selected DU and the one or more specific RRUs, and the at least one UE performs the procedures for connection to the cellular network and the unified RAN-OPTO system conveys user data and/or control information between the CU and the at least one UE through the at least one selected DU and the one or more specific RRU.

A system providing cellular radio services, comprising a base station in a Radio Access Network (RAN) partitioned into a Central Unit (CU) including at least a PDCP (Packet Data Conversion Protocol), one or more evolved Distributed Units (eDU), serving User Equipments (UE) within a given deployment area and including at least two Distributed Units (DU), each DU including at least a MAC (Medium Access Control) functional entity and a part of the PHY (Physical) Layer, and at least one Remote Radio Unit (RRU), associated with the eDU and including at least a Radio Frequency (RF) amplifier, is connected through an Optical (OPTO) Network to the eDU and through radio to at least one User Equipment (UE) located within the at least one RRU coverage area, a controller of the unified RAN-OPTO system operation within the given deployment area which selects at least one DU for conveying user data and control information between one or more specific RRUs and the at least one selected DU, and establishes a communication path between the CU and the at least one selected DU and an optical communication path through the OPTO configurable nodes, between the at least one selected DU and the one or more specific RRUs, the system supporting the at least one UE for performing, through the RAN and OPTO networks, the procedures for connection to the cellular network and for conveying user data and/or control information between the CU and the at least one UE through the at least one selected DU and the one or more specific RRU.