US-12627742-B2 - RIC architecture with platform extension and adapters

Abstract

A method of using a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) platform extension may include (i receiving a network function from a RIC platform, the network function including an intent, (ii) determining the intent of the network function, (iii) generating a response to the network function based on the intent, wherein the response to the network function includes configuration data for one or more network vendor services, (iv) determining one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services using network function adapters, and (v) sending the configuration data to the one or more network vendor services using the one or more determined parameters.

Inventors

• Dhaval Mehta
• Siddhartha Chenumolu
• Sourabh Gupta
• Sagar Narendrakumar Patel

Assignees

• Boost SubscriberCo L.L.C.

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20231121

Claims (20)

1. 1 . A method of using a RIC platform extension comprising: receiving a network function from a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) application of a RIC platform at a near RT RIC platform extension, the network function including an intent; the near RT RIC platform extension determining the intent of the network function, including determining which RIC application of a RIC platform the network function came from; generating a response to the network function based on the intent, wherein the response to the network function includes configuration data for one or more network vendor services; determining one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services using network function adapters; and sending the configuration data to the one or more network vendor services using the one or more determined parameters, including encoding the intent as a network action into the determined parameters for each of the one or more vendor services based on the network function adapters retrieving relevant vendor parameters from an inventory.
2. 2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the RIC platform is a non-real time RIC and the network function is a delay tolerant network function.
3. 3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the network function is received from an rAPP of the non-real time RIC.
4. 4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the response to the network function is generated based on one or more data adapters retrieving information from an observability framework (OBF).
5. 5 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the network function adapters determine the one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services by accessing an inventory that includes vendor details.
6. 6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the RIC is a near-real time RIC and the network function is a time-sensitive network function.
7. 7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the network function is received from an xAPP of the near-real time RIC.
8. 8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the network function adapters determine the one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services by accessing an inventory that includes vendor details.
9. 9 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the network function adapters are within the near-real time RIC.
10. 10 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoding instructions that, when executed by at least one physical processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform a method comprising: receiving at a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) platform extension, a network function from a RIC application of a RIC platform, the network function including an intent; the RIC platform extension determining the intent of the network function, including determining which RIC application of a RIC platform the network function came from; generating a response to the network function based on the intent, wherein the response to the network function includes configuration data for one or more network vendor services; determining one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services using network function adapters of the RIC platform extension; and sending the configuration data to the one or more network vendor services using the one or more determined parameters, including encoding the intent as a network action into the determined parameters for each of the one or more vendor services based on the network function adapters retrieving relevant vendor parameters from an inventory.
11. 11 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the RIC platform is a non-real time RIC and the network function is a delay tolerant network function.
12. 12 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the network function is received from an rAPP of the non-real time RIC.
13. 13 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the response to the network function is generated based on one or more data adapters retrieving information from an observability framework (OBF).
14. 14 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the network function adapters determine the one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services by accessing an inventory that includes vendor details.
15. 15 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the RIC is a near-real time RIC and the network function is a time-sensitive network function.
16. 16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the network function is received from an xAPP of the near-real time RIC.
17. 17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the network function adapters are within the near-real time RIC.
18. 18 . A system comprising: a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) within a telecommunications network; and a RIC platform extension configured to communicate with the RIC within the telecommunications network; wherein the RIC and the RIC platform extension are configured to perform operations, the operations including: receiving a network function from a RIC application of a RIC platform at the RIC platform extension, the network function including an intent; the RIC platform extension determining the intent of the network function, including determining which RIC application of a RIC platform the network function came from; generating a response to the network function based on the intent, wherein the response to the network function includes configuration data for one or more network vendor services; determining one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services using network function adapters; and sending the configuration data to the one or more network vendor services using the one or more determined parameters, including encoding the intent as a network action into the determined parameters for each of the one or more vendor services based on the network function adapters retrieving relevant vendor parameters from an inventory.
19. 19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the RIC is a non-real time RIC and the RIC platform extension is separate from the non-real time RIC.
20. 20 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the RIC is a near-real time RIC and the RIC platform extension resides within the near-real time RIC.

Description

BRIEF SUMMARY This disclosure is generally directed to platform extensions with vendor adapters on a Radio Access Network (RAN) controlled via RAN intelligent controller (RIC) platforms in the context of a telecommunications network where the RIC is able to communicate with the platform extension and adapters to provide network functions for different vendors services. Historically, a RAN intelligent controller (RIC) was a software-defined component of the open radio access network (O-RAN) that was responsible for controlling and optimizing RAN functions. The O-RAN set a standard for virtual RAN run on standard servers. However, the O-RAN standard did not define exactly how to interface from the RIC platform to network functions for different vendor services or the implementation perspective of the RIC for operations or vendor perspectives. As such, the historical RIC functions were unable to efficiently provide information for operation and vendor perspectives outside of the RIC itself. Using platform extensions and network function adapters configured to communicate the operations of the RIC to outside network vendor services provides for efficient communication for operations and vendor perspectives. In one example, a method may include (i) receiving a network function from a RIC platform, the network function including an intent, (ii) determining the intent of the network function, (iii) generating a response to the network function based on the intent, wherein the response to the network function includes configuration data for one or more network vendor services, (iv) determining one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services using network function adapters, and (v) sending the configuration data to the one or more network vendor services using the one or more determined parameters. In one example, the RIC platform is a non-real time (non RT) RIC and the network function is a delay tolerant network function. In one example, the network function is received from an rApplication (rAPP) of the non-real time RIC. In one example, the response to the network function is generated based on one or more data adapters retrieving information from an observability framework (OBF). In one example, the network function adapters determine the one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services by accessing an inventory that includes vendor details. In one example, the RIC is a near-real time RIC and the network function is a time-sensitive network function. In one example, the network function is received from an xApplication (xAPP) of the near-real time RIC. In one example, the network function adapters determine the one or more parameters for the one or more network vendor services by accessing an inventory that includes vendor details. In one example, the network function adapters are within the near-real time RIC. This application also further discloses a non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a physical processor of a computing device, cause the computing device to perform the method of one or more embodiments of the method outlined above. This application also further discloses a system configured to perform one or more of the embodiments outlined above. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments are described with reference to the following drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures unless otherwise specified. For a better understanding of the present invention, reference will be made to the following Detailed Description, which is to be read in association with the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example open radio area network architecture including a real time RIC and a near-real time RIC. FIG. 2 shows an example of a platform extension and adapters on a non-real time RIC FIG. 3 shows an example of a platform extension and adapters on a near-real time RIC. FIG. 4 shows a flowchart of an example method of using a RIC platform extension with adapters in communication with a RIC platform. FIG. 5 shows a system diagram that illustrates an example computing system that implements and/or comprises one or more components of a system that implements platform extensions and adapters with a RAN controlled via RIC. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following description, along with the accompanying drawings, sets forth certain specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding of various disclosed embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the disclosed embodiments may be practiced in various combinations, without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, devices, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures or components that are associated with the environment of the present disclosure, including but not limited to the communication systems and networks, h