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EP-4458040-B1 - DYNAMIC ALLOCATION OF BANDWIDTH IN 5G WIRELESS NETWORK

EP4458040B1EP 4458040 B1EP4458040 B1EP 4458040B1EP-4458040-B1

Inventors

  • ALASTI, MEHDI
  • CHENUMOLU, SIDDHARTHA

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20221230

Claims (15)

  1. An automated process performed by a data processing system associated with a host network (101) to dynamically allocate a spectrum (116) that is associated with a wireless radio unit, RU, (115) of the host network (101) amongst a plurality of guest networks (102,103,104) each independently delivering one or more network services to user equipment, UE, associated with that guest network, the automated process comprising: receiving, at a provisioning plane (105) associated with the data processing system, input data that identifies a desired portion of the spectrum (117,118,119) associated with the wireless radio unit for use by one of the guest networks; in response to the input data, the provisioning plane allocating (510) the desired portion of the spectrum associated with the wireless radio unit for exclusive use by the one of the guest networks; broadcasting (514), via the wireless radio unit, data identifying a random access channel, RACH, opportunity to the UEs in communication with the wireless radio unit; permitting the UEs to responsively synchronizing (516,517) with the wireless radio unit and to attach, using the RACH opportunity, to the associated one of the guest networks and thereby receive information (535) about the allocated portion of the spectrum from the associated one of the guest networks; and permitting the UEs to thereafter communicate with the associated guest network using the portion of the spectrum that is allocated for exclusive use by the guest network, wherein each guest network is associated with its own Central Unit, CU.
  2. The automated process of claim 1 wherein the allocating occurs in real time in response to receiving the input data and/or wherein the input data describes limited times that the portion of the spectrum is desired, and wherein provisioning plane assigns the desired portion of the assigned spectrum for use by the guest network during the limited times, and wherein the provisioning plane releases the desired portion for other use outside of the limited times.
  3. The automated process of claim 1 further comprising re-configuring, by the provisioning plane associated with the data processing system associated with the host network, the portion of the spectrum allocated for exclusive use by the guest network.
  4. The automated process of claim 3 wherein the re-configuring comprises: re-directing UEs operating in an initially-allocated portion of the spectrum to a temporary frequency band; de-allocating at least a portion of the initially-assigned spectrum associated with the wireless radio unit for exclusive use by the one of the guest networks; allocating a new portion of the spectrum for exclusive use by the one of the guest networks; and re-directing UEs operating in the temporary frequency band to the new portion of the spectrum.
  5. The automated process of claim 3 wherein the re-configuring comprises de-fragmenting portions of the spectrum that are assigned to different guest networks into new contiguous portions.
  6. The automated process of claim 1 further comprising formulating, by a distributed unit, DU, of the host network, a synchronization signal block, SSB, message (514), and wherein the broadcasting comprises transmitting the SSB to the RU, wherein optionally the SSB comprises synchronization information and the process comprises subsequently broadcasting by the RU a system information block, SIB, receivable by the UEs using the SSB.
  7. The automated process of claim 6 wherein information in the SSB allows each of the UEs to time and frequency synchronize to the host network, wherein optionally the allocating comprises assigning the portions of the spectrum for exclusive use by each of the guest networks without assigning guard bands between allocated portions.
  8. The automated process of claim 1 wherein a distributed unit, DU, in communication with the wireless radio unit recognizes the UE associated with one of the guest networks based upon a primary land mobile network, PLMN, identifier in an uplink message received via the RACH opportunity.
  9. The automated process of claim 8 wherein the DU forwards the uplink message to a centralized unit, CU, that is associated with the guest network.
  10. The automated process of claim 9 wherein the CU associated with the guest network assigns bandwidth parts, BWPs, within the assigned portion of the spectrum to the UE for subsequent communications.
  11. The automated process of claim 10 wherein the BWPs are communicated to the UE via a radio resource controller, RRC, message from the CU associated with the guest network.
  12. The automated process of claim 8 wherein the DU forwards assigned bandwidth parts, BWPs, within the assigned portion of the spectrum to the UE via downlink control information, DCI, and the process further comprising receiving subsequent communications via the wireless radio unit from the UE using the assigned BWPs .
  13. The automated process of claim 1, wherein subsequent to permitting the UE to attach, a DU associated with the host network notifies the RU that subsequent communications from the UE should be forwarded directly to a DU associated with the guest network which forwards communications to CU associated with the guest network.
  14. A wireless communication system (100) associated with a host network (101), the wireless communication system comprising: a wireless radio unit, RU, (115) configured to broadcast and receive transmissions over a spectrum (116); and a provisioning plane (105) executing on a data processing system that is in communication with the wireless radio unit, wherein the provisioning plane is configured to perform an automated process to dynamically allocate a spectrum that is associated with the RU amongst a plurality of guest networks (107,108,109) each independently delivering one or more network services to user equipment, UE, (141,142,143) associated with that guest network, the automated process being according to any of claims 1 to 12.
  15. The wireless communication system of claim 14 further comprising a distributed unit, DU, in communication with the wireless radio unit, and a centralized unit, CU, associated with the guest network, wherein the DU is configured to recognize the UE associated with one of the guest networks based upon a primary land mobile network, PLMN, identifier in an uplink message received via the RACH opportunity and to forward the uplink message to the CU, and optionally wherein the CU assigns bandwidth parts, BWPs, within the assigned portion of the spectrum to the UE for subsequent communications, and wherein the BWPs are communicated to the UE via a radio resource control, RRC, message from the CU associated with the guest network or wherein optionally the DU forwards assigned bandwidth parts, BWPs, within the assigned portion of the spectrum to the UE via downlink control information, DCI, and permits the UE to use the assigned BWPs for subsequent communications via the RU.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The following generally relates to wireless data networks, such as 5G wireless networks. More particularly, the following relates to a system and an automated processes to adaptively share bandwidth within a 5G or similar wireless network amongst multiple guest networks. BACKGROUND Wireless networks that transport digital data and telephone calls are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Currently, fifth generation ("5G") broadband cellular networks are being deployed around the world. These 5G networks use emerging technologies to support data and voice communications with millions, if not billions, of mobile phones, computers and other devices. 5G technologies are capable of supplying much greater bandwidths than was previously available, so it is likely that the widespread deployment of 5G networks could radically expand the number of services available to customers. Unlike prior data and telephone networks that relied upon proprietary designs, modern 5G networks generally comply with industry standards such as the Open Radio Access Network ("Open RAN" or "O-RAN") standard that describes interactions between the network and mobile phones and other devices associate with an operator of the network. The O-RAN model follows a virtualized model for a 5G wireless architecture in which 5G base stations ("gNBs") are implemented using separate centralized units (CUs), distributed units (DUs) and radio units (RUs). In a modern network, O-RAN CUs and DUs are often implemented using software modules executed by distributed (e.g., "cloud") computing hardware. RUs, however, require a cell site with physical transmitters, antennas and the like at an actual geographic location. A major challenge to deploying a 5G network, then, is obtaining the necessary physical infrastructure. Even if certain backend computing functions can be virtualized and deployed fairly readily, it is still necessary to provide physical radio equipment (e.g., transmitters/receivers, antennas, filters, etc.) in each of the geographic locations where wireless coverage is desired. The logistical challenges of obtain access to spectrum, obtaining access to cell towers, supplying data service to the site and performing maintenance on the physical radio units can be an insurmountable burden, particularly for smaller network service providers. Although some attempts have been made to share assigned spectrum between multiple networks, these have been met with various challenges. The so-called "neutral host" model, for example, allows one network provider to lease bandwidth on its own network to other parties. The neutral host generally recognizes the lessee's "roaming" traffic on its own network, and then forwards such traffic to the lessee, generally for a fee. In this model, however, the "neutral host" maintains full access and control of its own network, so the other providers that are leasing space on the network must relinquish a substantial amount of flexibility, security, and control over their data traffic. And even to the limited extent that some wireless providers may lease dedicated portions of their spectrum to other providers, this access still lacks the flexibility and independence that are generally desired from operating an independent network. A substantial desire therefore exists to build systems, devices and automated processes that would facilitate convenient sharing of spectrum and radio equipment between multiple network operators. In particular, there is a need to flexibly and efficiently apportion spectrum and radio resources amongst multiple guest network operators while allowing the guest operators to independently deploy a wide range of network services. EP3416429 describes a method of controlling a RAN sub-network, in which a slice controller selects based on predefined policy a protocol function and an air interface format that satisfies a service requirement to configure the RAN sub-network. Other examples of network sharing are known from US2013/0303114A1, US2006/0083205A1, US2020/0305159A1. Other examples of controlling access to a network are found in US2019/0380128A1, US2021/0092725A1, CN109618413A1 and US2019/0239154A1 and ALY S ABDALLA ET AL: "Toward Next Generation Open Radio Access Network--What O-RAN Can and Cannot Do!",ARXIV.ORG, CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, 201 OLIN LIBRARY CORNELL UNIVERSITY ITHACA, NY 14853, 26 November 2021. BRIEF SUMMARY The invention is defined by the independent claims. Further features of exemplary embodiments are defined in dependent claims. In the following description the subject-matter of figures 5 and 6 and their descriptions is according to the invention as defined in the independent claims. The rest of the following description and figures (even if named embodiment(s) etc.) does not or does not fully correspond to the invention as defined in the independent claims but is considered as useful for understanding the invention. Various embodiments provide 5G access on dema