US-20260128976-A1 - DYNAMICALLY MANAGING MOBILE NETWORK BACKHAUL CAPACITY

US20260128976A1US 20260128976 A1US20260128976 A1US 20260128976A1US-20260128976-A1

Abstract

A network access node includes an antenna for communicating with antennas of multiple neighboring network access nodes. The network access node monitors its own backhaul resource utilization. When the backhaul resource utilization exceeds a first threshold, the node establishes a peer-to-peer radio connection using the antenna of a neighboring network access node. When the backhaul resource utilization of the network access node exceeds a second threshold, the node transfers, over the radio connection, a backhaul data packet associated with a wireless device that is connected to the network access node.

Inventors

Bhagwan Narayan Singh Khanka

Assignees

T-MOBILE USA, INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20241101

Claims (20)

1 . A first network access node of a mobile telecommunications network, the first network access node comprising: a first antenna configured to communicate with at least a second antenna of at least one of a plurality of neighboring network access nodes of the first network access node; at least one hardware processor; and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the first network access node to: monitor a first backhaul resource utilization metric of the first network access node indicating a current backhaul resource utilization of a first backhaul connection of the first network access node; when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a first threshold, establish a first radio connection using the first antenna with a second network access node of the plurality of neighboring network access nodes, wherein the first radio connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the first network access node and the second network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a second threshold, transfer, over the first radio connection, a first backhaul data packet associated with a wireless device that is connected to the first network access node.
2 . The first network access node of claim 1 caused to: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a third threshold for a fourth threshold duration, prevent transfer of a second backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection; and transfer the second backhaul data packet over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
3 . The first network access node of claim 2 further caused to: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a fifth threshold for a sixth threshold duration, terminate the first radio connection with the second network access node; and transfer a third backhaul data packet over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
4 . The first network access node of claim 1 caused to: receive a second backhaul resource utilization metric of the second network access node indicating a current backhaul resource utilization of a second backhaul connection of the second network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the second network access node exceeds a seventh threshold, prevent transfer of a fourth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection.
5 . The first network access node of claim 1 caused to: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds an eighth threshold, establish a second radio connection using the first antenna with a third network access node of the plurality of neighboring network access nodes, wherein the second radio connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the first network access node and the third network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a ninth threshold, transfer a fifth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the third network access node over the second radio connection.
6 . The first network access node of claim 5 further caused to: when a signal quality of the first radio connection degrades below a tenth threshold, prevent transfer of a sixth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection; and transfer the sixth backhaul data packet between the first network access node and the third network access node over the second radio connection.
7 . The first network access node of claim 1 caused to: assign a higher quality-of-service priority to the first backhaul data packet than a quality-of-service priority assigned to a seventh backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device, wherein the seventh backhaul data packet is a data packet that is transferred by the first network access node over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
8 . The first network access node of claim 1 caused to: assign a lower quality-of-service priority to the first backhaul data packet than a quality-of-service priority assigned to an eighth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device, wherein the eighth backhaul data packet is a data packet that is transferred by the first network access node over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
9 . A system comprising: a first network access node of a mobile telecommunications network, the first network access node comprising a first antenna configured to communicate with at least a second antenna of at least one of a plurality of neighboring network access nodes of the first network access node; at least one hardware processor; and at least one non-transitory memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one hardware processor, cause the system to: monitor, at the first network access node, a first backhaul resource utilization metric of the first network access node indicating a current backhaul resource utilization of a first backhaul connection of the first network access node; when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a first threshold, establish, at the first network access node, a first radio connection using the first antenna with a second network access node of the plurality of neighboring network access nodes, wherein the first radio connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the first network access node and the second network access node; when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a second threshold, transfer between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection, a first backhaul data packet associated with a wireless device that is connected to the first network access node; and transfer the first backhaul data packet between the second network access node and a core network of the mobile telecommunications network, wherein the first backhaul data packet is transferred over a second backhaul connection of the second network access node.
10 . The system of claim 9 caused to: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a third threshold for a fourth threshold duration, prevent transfer of a second backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection; and transfer the second backhaul data packet over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
11 . The system of claim 10 further caused to: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a fifth threshold for a sixth threshold duration, terminate the first radio connection between the first network access node and the second network access node; and transfer a third backhaul data packet over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
12 . The system of claim 9 caused to: receive, at the first network access node, a second backhaul resource utilization metric of the second network access node indicating a current backhaul resource utilization of a second backhaul connection of the second network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the second network access node exceeds a seventh threshold, prevent transfer of a fourth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection.
13 . The system of claim 9 caused to: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds an eighth threshold, establish, at the first network access node, a second radio connection using the first antenna with a third network access node of the plurality of neighboring network access nodes, wherein the second radio connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the first network access node and the third network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a ninth threshold, transfer a fifth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the third network access node over the second radio connection.
14 . The system of claim 13 further caused to: when a signal quality of the first radio connection degrades below a tenth threshold, prevent transfer of a sixth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection; and transfer the sixth backhaul data packet between the first network access node and the third network access node over the second radio connection.
15 . The system of claim 9 caused to: assign a higher quality-of-service priority to the first backhaul data packet than a quality-of-service priority assigned to a seventh backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device, wherein the seventh backhaul data packet is a data packet that is transferred by the first network access node over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
16 . The system of claim 9 caused to: assign a lower quality-of-service priority to the first backhaul data packet than a quality-of-service priority assigned to an eighth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device, wherein the eighth backhaul data packet is a data packet that is transferred by the first network access node over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.
17 . A method comprising: at a first network access node of a mobile telecommunications network, the first network access node comprising a first antenna configured to communicate with at least a second antenna of at least one of a plurality of neighboring network access nodes of the first network access node: monitoring, at the first network access node, a first backhaul resource utilization metric of the first network access node indicating a current backhaul resource utilization of a first backhaul connection of the first network access node; when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a first threshold, establishing, at the first network access node, a first radio connection using the first antenna with a second network access node of the plurality of neighboring network access nodes, wherein the first radio connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the first network access node and the second network access node; when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a second threshold, transferring between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection, a first backhaul data packet associated with a wireless device that is connected to the first network access node; and transferring the first backhaul data packet between the second network access node and a core network of the mobile telecommunications network, wherein the first backhaul data packet is transferred over a second backhaul connection of the second network access node.
18 . The method of claim 17 further comprising: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a third threshold for a fourth threshold duration, preventing transfer of a second backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the second network access node over the first radio connection; transferring the second backhaul data packet over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a fifth threshold for a sixth threshold duration, terminating the first radio connection between the first network access node and the second network access node.
19 . The method of claim 17 further comprising: when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds an eighth threshold, establishing, at the first network access node, a second radio connection using the first antenna with a third network access node of the plurality of neighboring network access nodes, wherein the second radio connection is a peer-to-peer connection between the first network access node and the third network access node; and when the backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a ninth threshold, transferring a third backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device between the first network access node and the third network access node over the second radio connection.
20 . The method of claim 17 further comprising: assigning a higher quality-of-service priority to the first backhaul data packet than a quality-of-service priority assigned to a fourth backhaul data packet associated with the wireless device, wherein the fourth backhaul data packet is a data packet that is transferred by the first network access node over the first backhaul connection of the first network access node.

Description

BACKGROUND In a telecommunications network, the backhaul portion of the network comprises the intermediate links between the core network, or backbone network, and small subnetworks at the edge of the network (for example private networks, local area networks, etc.). The most common network type in which backhaul is implemented is a mobile network. A backhaul of a mobile network, also referred to as a mobile backhaul, connects a cell site to the core network. The two main methods of mobile backhaul implementation are fiber-based backhaul and wireless point-to-point backhaul. Other methods, such as copper-based wireline, satellite communications, and point-to-multipoint wireless technologies, are being phased out as capacity and latency requirements become higher in 4G and 5G networks. In both the technical and commercial definitions, backhaul generally refers to the side of the network that communicates with the global Internet, paid for at wholesale commercial access rates to or at an Internet exchange point or other core network access location. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Detailed descriptions of implementations of the present invention will be described and explained through the use of the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram that illustrates a wireless communications system that can implement aspects of the present technology. FIG. 2 is a block diagram that illustrates 5G core network functions (NFs) that can implement aspects of the present technology. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a system in which at least some aspects of the disclosed technology are implemented. FIG. 4 is a chart of a process in which at least some aspects of the disclosed technology are implemented. FIG. 5 is a block diagram that illustrates an example of a computer system in which at least some operations described herein can be implemented. The technologies described herein will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from studying the Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawings. Embodiments or implementations describing aspects of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and the same references can indicate similar elements. While the drawings depict various implementations for the purpose of illustration, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative implementations can be employed without departing from the principles of the present technologies. Accordingly, while specific implementations are shown in the drawings, the technology is amenable to various modifications. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The disclosed technology relates to systems and methods for dynamically supplementing backhaul capacity of a network access node in a mobile telecommunications network. The system can monitor backhaul (backhaul) resource utilization metrics of a plurality of network access nodes in a radio access network (RAN) of the mobile telecommunications network. When backhaul resource utilization of a first network access node of the plurality of network access nodes exceeds a first threshold, the first network access node can establish a first radio connection with a second network access node of the plurality of network access nodes. When the first radio connection is set up and when backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node exceeds a second threshold, the first network access node can send a subset of backhaul traffic carried by the first network access node, for example, backhaul traffic associated with at least one subscriber served by the first network access node, over the first radio connection to the second network access node. The second network access node can send the backhaul traffic received from the first network access node to a core network of the mobile telecommunications network. In some implementations, when backhaul resource utilization of the first network access node decreases below a third threshold, the first network access node can stop sending backhaul traffic over the first radio connection to the second network access node, and instead send backhaul traffic of the at least one user equipment (UE) served by the first network access node over its own backhaul connection. In some implementations, the first network access node can establish the first radio connection with the second network access node using shared network resources that are shared with the at least one UE served by the first network access node. In some implementations, the first network access node can establish the first radio connection with the second network access node using network resources that are reserved for a radio connection between the first network access node and at least one network access node of the plurality of network access nodes. In some implementations, the first network access node can assign a different, i.e., either higher or lower, quality-of-service (QoS) priority to backhaul traffic sent to the second network access node than a priority assigned to traffi