Cell site ancillary equipment control

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure relate to cell site auxiliary equipment. A method is disclosed comprising: receiving measurement information associated with the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: a state metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary equipment; determining one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment based at least in part on the measurement information; and transmitting one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein an E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The following example embodiments relate to wireless communication. Background Technology

[0002] At the community site, there may be one or more auxiliary functions, such as power systems and temperature control systems. The goal is to optimize the power consumption of these auxiliary functions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The scope of protection for the various exemplary embodiments sought is set forth in the independent claims. Exemplary embodiments and features (if any) described herein that do not fall within the scope of the independent claims are to be construed as examples useful for understanding the various embodiments.

[0004] According to one aspect, an apparatus is provided, the apparatus comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions, which, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary device, said measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determine one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, at least in part based on said measurement information; and transmit one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein an E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

[0005] According to another aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: components for receiving measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary equipment; components for determining one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment based at least in part on the measurement information; and components for transmitting one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

[0006] According to another aspect, a method is provided, comprising: receiving measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary device, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determining one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, at least in part based on the measurement information; and transmitting one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

[0007] According to another aspect, a computer program including instructions is provided that, when executed by a device, causes the device to perform at least the following: receiving measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary device, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determining one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, at least in part based on the measurement information; and transmitting the one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

[0008] According to another aspect, a computer-readable medium including program instructions is provided, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform at least the following: receiving measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary device, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determining one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, at least in part based on the measurement information; and transmitting one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

[0009] According to another aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, comprising program instructions that perform at least the following: receiving measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary device, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determining one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, at least in part based on the measurement information; and transmitting one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein an E2 interface is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting one or more commands.

[0010] According to another aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: transmit measurement information to a near real-time wireless intelligent controller, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with a cell site auxiliary equipment; receive from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving one or more commands; and applying one or more commands to control one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0011] According to another aspect, an apparatus is provided, comprising: means for transmitting measurement information to a near real-time wireless intelligent controller, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with a cell site auxiliary equipment; means for receiving from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving one or more commands; and means for applying one or more commands to control one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0012] According to another aspect, a method is provided, comprising: transmitting measurement information to a near real-time wireless intelligent controller, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with a cell site auxiliary device; receiving from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving one or more commands; and applying one or more commands to control the one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device.

[0013] According to another aspect, a computer program including instructions is provided that, when executed by a device, causes the device to perform at least the following: transmitting measurement information to a near real-time wireless intelligent controller, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with a cell site auxiliary equipment; receiving from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of the following: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving one or more commands; and applying one or more commands to control one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0014] According to another aspect, a computer-readable medium including program instructions is provided, which, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform at least the following: transmit measurement information to a near real-time wireless intelligent controller, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with a cell site auxiliary device; receive from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of the following: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving one or more commands; and applying one or more commands to control one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device.

[0015] According to another aspect, a non-transitory computer-readable medium is provided, comprising program instructions that, when executed by a device, cause the device to perform at least the following: transmitting measurement information to a near real-time wireless intelligent controller, the measurement information including at least one of the following: a status metric or performance metric associated with a cell site auxiliary equipment; receiving from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment, wherein the E2 interface is used for at least one of the following: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving one or more commands; and applying one or more commands to control one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0016] In the following description, various exemplary embodiments will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein

[0017] Figure 1 An example of a cellular communication network is shown;

[0018] Figure 2 An example of the system is shown;

[0019] Figure 3A An example of E2-based control for cell site functions is shown;

[0020] Figure 3B An example of E2-based control for cell site functions is shown;

[0021] Figure 4 A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0022] Figure 5 A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0023] Figure 6 A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0024] Figure 7 A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0025] Figure 8A A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0026] Figure 8B A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0027] Figure 9 An example of the system is shown;

[0028] Figure 10 A signaling diagram according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0029] Figure 11 A flowchart according to an example embodiment is shown;

[0030] Figure 12 A flowchart according to an example embodiment is shown; and

[0031] Figure 13 An example of the device is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0032] The following embodiments are exemplary. Although the specification may refer to "a," "an," or "some" (or more) embodiments in several places in the text, this does not necessarily mean that each reference is to the same (or more) embodiments, or that a particular feature applies only to a single embodiment. Individual features of different embodiments may also be combined to provide other embodiments.

[0033] In the following description, radio access architectures based on Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A), New Radio (NR, 5G), beyond 5G, or sixth generation (6G) will be used as examples of access architectures to which the example embodiments can be applied to describe different example embodiments, but the example embodiments are not limited to such architectures. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, by appropriately adjusting parameters and processes, the exemplary embodiments can also be applied to other types of communication networks with suitable apparatus. Some examples of other options for suitable systems may be Universal Mobile Telecommunications (UMTS) Radio Access Network (UTRAN or E-UTRAN), Long Term Evolution (LTE, essentially the same as E-UTRA), Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN or Wi-Fi), and Global Microwave Access Interoperability (WiMAX). Personal Communication Services (PCS) Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA), using Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology, sensor networks, Mobile Ad Hoc Networks (MANET), and Internet Protocol Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), or any combination thereof.

[0034] Figure 1 An example of a simplified system architecture is described, showing some components and functional entities, which are logical units whose implementations may differ from those shown. Figure 1 The connections shown are logical connections; the actual physical connections may differ. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the system may also include, in addition to... Figure 1 Other functions and structures besides those shown.

[0035] However, the exemplary embodiments are not limited to the system given as an example, but those skilled in the art can apply the solution to other communication systems with the necessary properties.

[0036] Figure 1The example illustrates a portion of an exemplary radio access network.

[0037] Figure 1 User equipment 100 and 102 are illustrated, configured to wirelessly connect to an access node (AN) 104 (e.g., an evolved Node B (eNB or eNodeB) or a next-generation Node B (gNB or gNodeB)) providing the radio cell on one or more communication channels within a radio cell. The physical link from the user equipment to the access node may be referred to as an uplink (UL) or reverse link, and the physical link from the access node to the user equipment may be referred to as a downlink (DL) or forward link. The user equipment may also communicate directly with another user equipment via a sidelink (SL). It should be understood that access nodes or their functionality can be implemented using any entity suitable for such use, such as a node, host, server, or access point.

[0038] A communication system may include more than one access node, in which case the access nodes may also be configured to communicate with each other via wired or wireless links designed for this purpose. These links may be used for signaling purposes or to route data from one access node to another. An access node may be a computing device configured to control the radio resources of the communication system to which it is coupled. An access node may also be referred to as a base station, base transceiver station (BTS), access point, or any other type of interface device including a relay station capable of operating in a wireless environment. An access node may include or be coupled to a transceiver. From the transceiver of the access node, a connection may be provided to an antenna element that establishes a bidirectional radio link to the user equipment. The antenna element may include multiple antennas or antenna elements. Access nodes may also be connected to a core network 110 (CN or Next Generation Core NGC). Depending on the deployed technology, the access node can connect to the corresponding entity on the CN side, such as a serving gateway (S-GW, routing and forwarding user data packets), a packet data network gateway (P-GW) for providing connectivity between user equipment and external packet data networks, a user plane function (UPF), a mobility management entity (MME), or an access and mobility management function (AMF), etc.

[0039] User equipment illustrates a type of device to which resources on the air interface can be allocated and assigned, and therefore any features described herein using user equipment can be implemented using corresponding devices such as relay nodes.

[0040] An example of such a relay node could be a Layer 3 relay (self-backhauling relay) pointing towards an access node. A self-backhauling relay node can also be referred to as an Integrated Access and Backhaul (IAB) node. An IAB node may consist of two logical parts: a Mobile Terminal (MT) part, which is responsible for (multiple) backhaul links (i.e., links between the IAB node and the donor node (also called the parent node); and a Distributed Unit (DU) part, which is responsible for (multiple) access links (i.e., (multiple) sub-links between the IAB node and (multiple) user equipment and / or between the IAB node and other IAB nodes) (multiple-hop scenarios).

[0041] Another example of such a relay node could be a layer 1 relay, also known as a repeater. A repeater can amplify signals received from an access node and forward them to a user equipment, and / or amplify signals received from a user equipment and forward them to an access node.

[0042] User equipment may also be referred to as subscriber unit, mobile station, remote terminal, access terminal, user terminal, terminal equipment, or user equipment (UE), with only a few names or devices mentioned. User equipment can refer to portable computing devices that include wireless mobile communication devices with or without a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM), including but not limited to the following types of devices: mobile station (mobile phone), smartphone, personal digital assistant (PDA), handheld device, device using a wireless modem (alarm or measuring device, etc.), laptop computer and / or touch screen computer, tablet computer, game console, notebook computer, multimedia device, reduced capacity (RedCap) device, wireless sensor device, or any device integrated in a vehicle.

[0043] It should be understood that a user equipment (UE) can also be a virtually sole uplink-only device, an example of which could be a camera or camcorder loading images or video clips onto the network. A UE can also be a device capable of operating in an Internet of Things (IoT) network, a scenario where objects can be provided with the ability to transmit data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction. UEs can also utilize the cloud. In some applications, a UE may include a small, portable or wearable device with radio components (such as a watch, headset, or glasses) and can perform computations in the cloud or on another UE. A UE (or a Layer 3 relay node in some example embodiments) can be configured to perform one or more UE functions.

[0044] The various techniques described in this article can also be applied to computer-physical systems (CPS) (systems that control collaborative computing elements of physical entities). CPS can realize and utilize a large number of interconnected ICT devices (sensors, actuators, processors, microcontrollers, etc.) embedded in physical objects in different locations. The physical systems discussed here can be mobile cyber-physical systems with inherent mobility, which are a subcategory of cyber-physical systems. Examples of mobile physical systems include mobile robots and electronic devices transported by humans or animals.

[0045] Furthermore, although the device is described as a single entity, different units, processors, and / or memory units can be implemented. Figure 1 (Not all of them are shown in the image).

[0046] 5G supports the use of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antennas, far more base stations or nodes than LTE (the so-called small cell concept), including macro sites that cooperate with smaller stations and employ various radio technologies depending on service needs, usage, and / or available spectrum. 5G mobile communications can support a wide range of use cases and related applications, including video streaming, augmented reality, different data sharing methods, and various forms of machine-type applications (such as (massive) machine-type communications (mMTC), including vehicle safety, various sensors, and real-time control). 5G can have multiple radio interfaces, namely sub-6 GHz, centimeter wave (cmWave), and millimeter wave (mmWave), and can also be integrated with existing legacy radio access technologies such as LTE. Integration with LTE can be implemented, at least early on, as a system where macro coverage can be provided by LTE, and 5G radio interface access can originate from small cells via aggregation to LTE. In other words, 5G can support inter-RAT interoperability (e.g., LTE-5G) and inter-RI interoperability (inter-radio interface interoperability, e.g., sub-6 GHz-cmWave-mmWave). One of the concepts thought to be used in 5G networks is network slicing, in which multiple independent and dedicated virtual sub-networks (network instances) can be created within essentially the same infrastructure to run services with different requirements for latency, reliability, throughput, and mobility.

[0047] The current architecture in LTE networks can be entirely distributed across radio waves and entirely centralized in the core network. Low-latency applications and services in 5G may require bringing content closer to the radio, leading to local outages and multi-access edge computing (MEC). 5G can allow analytics and knowledge generation at the data source. This approach may require leveraging resources from networks that may not be discontinuously connected to devices such as laptops, smartphones, tablets, and sensors. MEC can provide a distributed computing environment for hosting applications and services. It can also have the ability to store and process content near cellular users for faster response times. Edge computing can encompass a wide range of technologies, such as wireless sensor networks, mobile data acquisition, mobile signature analytics, collaborative distributed peer-to-peer self-organizing networking and processing, and can also be categorized as local cloud / fog computing and grid / grid computing, open-air computing, mobile edge computing, cloudlets, distributed data storage and retrieval, autonomous and self-healing networks, remote cloud services, augmented and virtual reality, data caching, the Internet of Things (massive connectivity and / or latency critical), and critical communications (autonomous vehicles, traffic safety, real-time analytics, time-critical control, healthcare applications).

[0048] The communication system can also communicate with one or more other networks, such as the public switched telephone network or the Internet, or utilize services provided by them. The communication network can also support the use of cloud services; for example, at least a portion of the core network operations can be performed as a cloud service (this is in...). Figure 1 (Described by "cloud" 114). The communication system may also include a central control entity, which provides facilities for different operators' networks to cooperate, for example, in spectrum sharing.

[0049] Access nodes can also be divided into: radio units (RUs), including radio transceivers (TRXs), i.e., transmitters (Tx) and receivers (Rx); one or more distributed units (DUs) 105 for so-called Layer 1 (L1) processing and real-time Layer 2 (L2) processing; and central units (CUs) 108 (also called centralized units) for non-real-time L2 and Layer 3 (L3) processing. CUs 108 can be connected to one or more DUs 105, for example, via an F1 interface. This division allows for the centralization of CUs relative to cell sites and DUs, while DUs can be more distributed and may even remain at the cell site. CUs and DUs together can also be referred to as baseband units (BBUs). CUs and DUs can also be included in radio access points (RAPs).

[0050] CU 108 can be defined as a logical node hosting higher-layer protocols of the access node, such as Radio Resource Control (RRC), Serving Data Adaptation Protocol (SDAP), and / or Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP). DU 105 can be defined as a logical node hosting the Radio Link Control (RLC), Media Access Control (MAC), and / or Physical (PHY) layers of the access node. The operation of the DU can be at least partially controlled by the CU. The CU may include a control plane (CU-CP), which can be defined as a logical node hosting the RRC and control plane portions of the PDCP protocol for the access node's CU. The CU may also include a user plane (CU-UP), which can be defined as a logical node hosting the user plane portions of the PDCP and SDAP protocols for the access node's CU.

[0051] The cloud computing platform can also be used to run CU 108 and / or DU 105. The CU can run within the cloud computing platform, which can be referred to as a virtualized CU (vCU). In addition to vCUs, there can also be virtualized DUs (vDUs) running within the cloud computing platform. Furthermore, a combination can exist where the DU can use so-called bare-metal solutions, such as application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) or customer-specific standard product (CSSP) system-on-chip (SoC) solutions. It should also be understood that the functional distribution among the aforementioned access node units, or the functional distribution between different core network operations and access node operations, can differ.

[0052] Edge cloud can be brought into the radio access network (RAN) by leveraging network functions virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN). Using edge cloud can mean performing access node operations, at least partially, in servers, hosts, or nodes operatively coupled to a remote radio head (RRH) or radio unit (RU), or in access nodes that include the radio portion. Node operations can also be distributed across multiple servers, nodes, or hosts. The application of cloud RAN architecture enables the execution of real-time RAN functions on the RAN side (e.g., in DU 105) and the execution of non-real-time functions in a centralized manner (e.g., in CU 108).

[0053] It should also be understood that the functional distribution between core network operations and access node operations may differ from, or even not exist at all, the functional distribution in LTE. Other technological advancements that can be used include big data and all-IP, which can change how networks are constructed and managed. 5G (or New Radio, NR) networks can be designed to support multiple layered architectures, where MEC servers can be placed between the core and access nodes. It should be understood that MEC can also be applied to 4G networks.

[0054] 5G can also leverage non-terrestrial communications (such as satellite communications) to enhance or supplement 5G service coverage, for example, by providing backhaul. Possible use cases could include providing service continuity for machine-to-machine (M2M) or Internet of Things (IoT) devices or for passengers in vehicles, or ensuring the availability of critical communications and future rail / maritime / aviation communications. Satellite communications can utilize geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite systems, but can also utilize low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite systems, particularly mega-constellations (systems deploying hundreds (nanometer) satellites). A given satellite 106 in a mega-constellation can cover several satellite-enabled network entities that create a terrestrial cell. The terrestrial cell can be created via ground relay nodes or via access nodes 104 located on the ground or in satellites.

[0055] The expectation is that 6G networks will employ flexible, decentralized, and / or distributed computing systems and architectures, along with ubiquitous computing, featuring local spectrum licensing, spectrum sharing, infrastructure sharing, and intelligent automated management powered by mobile edge computing, artificial intelligence, short packet communication, and blockchain technologies. Key features of 6G may include intelligent connectivity management and control capabilities, programmability, integrated sensing and communication, reduced energy footprint, trusted infrastructure, scalability, and affordability. Beyond these, 6G also aims to cover new use cases that integrate location and sensing capabilities into the system definition, unifying the user experience in both the physical and digital worlds.

[0056] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described system is merely an example of a portion of a radio access system, and in practice, the system may include multiple access nodes, user equipment may access multiple radio cells, and the system may also include other devices, such as physical layer relay nodes or other network elements. At least one of the access nodes may be a home eNodeB or a home gNodeB.

[0057] In addition, within the geographical area of ​​a radio communication system, multiple different types of radio cells and multiple radio cells can be provided. A radio cell can be a macrocell (or umbrella cell), which can be a large area with a diameter of tens of kilometers, or a smaller cell such as a microcell, femtocell, or picocell. Figure 1 Multiple access nodes can provide any type of these cells. Cellular radio systems can be implemented as multi-layered networks comprising several radio cells. In a multi-layered network, one access node can provide one or more radio cells, thus multiple access nodes may be required to provide this network structure.

[0058] To meet the needs of improving the deployment and performance of communication systems, the concept of "plug-and-play" access nodes can be introduced. Networks capable of using "plug-and-play" access nodes can include not only home eNodeBs or home gNodeBs, but also home node B gateways or HNB-GWs. Figure 1 (Not shown in the image). HNB-GW, which can be installed within a carrier network, can aggregate traffic returning from a large number of home eNodeBs or home gNodeBs to the core network.

[0059] At a community site, in addition to the actual base station equipment, there may also be auxiliary support (AUX) equipment. This auxiliary equipment may include at least one of the following: backup power system, temperature control system, air conditioning system, liquid cooling system, transmission network equipment (e.g., switches, routers, optical equipment, microwave link equipment), motion detectors, cameras, drone charging stations, radar, lidar, positioning equipment (e.g., GPS), diesel generators, solar panels, interference or anti-interference equipment, door sensors (i.e., sensors indicating whether a door is open or closed), seismic sensors, air pollution sensors, wind meters / anemometers, temperature sensors, humidity sensors, leak indicators, corrosion sensors, actuators, intrusion alarm systems, or fire alarm systems.

[0060] Actual base station equipment can be controlled and managed by a network management system (NMS). However, for auxiliary equipment, an overall control and management system may currently be lacking. Such a management system for auxiliary equipment could be useful, for example, in optimizing end-to-end (E2E) energy consumption across the entire cell site. Furthermore, AUX functionality can have a significant direct and / or indirect impact on the reliability, availability, and overall performance of BTS equipment.

[0061] While base stations can use the power grid as their primary power source, they can also include one or more batteries as backup power, which can be used, for example, during power outages. The backup batteries of one or more base stations can be organized into a virtual power plant (VPP), which can operate as a separate entity or be integrated into a power operator's VPP. Such a scheme may also be referred to herein as a wireless network virtual power plant.

[0062] As a non-limiting example, the backup battery capacity of a single base station could be approximately 400 Ah (48V). Therefore, assuming, for example, there are 10 million base stations globally, the total backup battery capacity of these base stations would be approximately 100 GWh.

[0063] A virtual power plant can be defined as a collection of energy storage that may be owned by one or more parties, but is collectively controlled as a collection of energy sources capable of supplying electricity to the grid (e.g., when energy demand is high compared to supply) and storing electricity from the grid (e.g., when energy demand is low compared to supply). For example, energy demand may typically be lower at night than during the day.

[0064] For example, VPP means actively participating in the energy balancing market set up by the transmission system operator (TSO). While peak clipping aims to optimize electricity costs, VPP aims to provide the TSO with additional available power capacity options if grid balance (i.e., available power versus power use) is threatened and the grid frequency begins to deviate from the nominal frequency (e.g., 50Hz). In most cases, offloading power capacity (e.g., base stations) from the grid for a short period may be sufficient to qualify for VPP market participation. During offloading, the base stations can be operated by battery backup systems.

[0065] When a base station's battery discharges, the discharged energy can be used to operate the base station (i.e., using the battery as a power source instead of the grid), or the discharged energy can be fed back into the grid. For example, a base station's battery can be charged from the grid at night (during periods of low energy demand) and then discharged back into the grid during the day (when energy demand is higher).

[0066] Alternatively, the battery of one base station can discharge to the battery of another base station. For example, during the day (when energy demand is high), energy can be transferred from a "residential" base station to a "commercial center" base station. Conversely, at night (when energy demand is low), energy can be transferred from a "commercial center" base station to a "residential" base station. In this case, the transfer is a direct current (DC) battery-to-battery transfer. Discharge can occur when the base station is operating under normal conditions, i.e., when no alarm that would prevent discharge is triggered.

[0067] However, it may be necessary to limit the amount of discharged energy so that the remaining battery level meets regulatory requirements. For example, regulatory requirements may require the base station to be able to operate on battery power for at least two to four hours (e.g., in the event of a power outage). It should be noted that the specific amount of time required in regulatory requirements may vary across different geographic regions or countries. Because the regulatory requirements for minimum battery operation time can vary based on geographic region, location-based services can be used to determine the required actions.

[0068] Sufficient battery levels to meet these regulatory requirements can be determined based on historical information about the base station, such as its data service history (e.g., at different times of day, days of week, holidays, events, etc.). The base station's data service history can be collected by the Network Management System (NMS). The NMS is a server that manages the data network using FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Billing, Performance, and Security) information. The network management system can also be called a network management station or network management tool. In addition to network key performance indicators (KPIs), this decision may involve other KPIs, such as measurements of base station power consumption. The time required to recharge the battery when discharging energy from the battery to the grid can also be considered.

[0069] Furthermore, for VPP purposes, base station batteries may be oversized. Oversized means that the battery capacity may be larger than that typically used in base stations (without VPP). This provides greater flexibility for using batteries for VPP purposes, as described in this article.

[0070] The decision-making architecture used by VPP can be centralized; for example, a near real-time (RT) radio intelligent controller (RIC) can provide charging / discharging commands to the base station. Alternatively, decision-making can be distributed (e.g., the base station makes decisions independently) or based on a hybrid model (e.g., both the near RT RIC and the base station may be involved in the decision-making process).

[0071] Decision-making entities (e.g., near-RT RICs) can collect information about, for example, electricity prices, battery levels, data traffic estimates, alarms, configurations, etc. Based on the collected information, the decision-making entity can determine the optimal time to use the battery to operate a base station (or another base station), when to discharge the battery to the grid, or when to charge the battery. Other information sources, such as event calendars and weather forecasts, can also be used when determining or predicting the optimal time and duration of these actions. For example, this information can be obtained from the Internet.

[0072] The decision-making entity may also consider the grid condition. The grid condition can be received from the grid control system, or the decision-making entity can determine the grid condition from frequency measurements.

[0073] Decision-making entities can also be used to control generators. For example, in developing countries, internal combustion engine generators (e.g., diesel generators) can be used to operate base stations and provide electricity to villages or settlements. The use of generators for base station operation and for villages can be optimized similarly as described above.

[0074] In addition to the power system located at the battery site, cooling and heating systems may also be located in the same location. This is due to the need to prevent telecommunications equipment from overheating. For example, in some countries, ice and snow on rooftops (cell sites are typically located in the top-floor area) necessitate keeping the cell site temperature below certain limits so that snow doesn't fall uncontrollably and cause damage at the street level. BTS backup systems, such as batteries, may also require heated temperature control systems to prevent damage to the batteries during cold periods. All these reasons may lead to the use of heating systems (e.g., electrically powered) and / or cooling systems, such as ventilation or air conditioning. A centralized control system for such auxiliary equipment can be beneficial. The cell site may also be referred to herein as a RAN site.

[0075] When discussing liquid cooling at community sites, some additional needs arise. Liquid pump flow rate, pump health checks, heat exchanger system efficiency, and liquid level are some KPIs that may be beneficial for control. Furthermore, if waste heat from liquid cooling is reused, it would be useful if the energy amount could be quantified.

[0076] Other examples of AUX devices at community sites may include sensors such as leak indicators, temperature and humidity sensors, corrosion sensors, intrusion alarms, and fire alarms.

[0077] Auxiliary equipment can consume significant amounts of electrical energy. However, communication service providers (CSPs) may not have information about their total energy consumption. Therefore, energy usage may not be optimal. Knowing how much power a given component at a cell site consumes allows CSPs to operate the cell site with improved power efficiency. For example, the number of transmitted bits per unit of power used can be optimized (including telecommunications equipment and AUX equipment).

[0078] Some example embodiments provide methods for creating such control and management mechanisms for auxiliary equipment at a cell site using a Radio Intelligent Controller (RIC) and an E2 interface. Some example embodiments provide RIC applications, for example, for BTS backup battery usage. However, control and management via RIC can also be similarly applied to any other AUX device usage scenarios.

[0079] Some example implementations can be based on a near-RT RIC defined by O-RAN (Open Radio Access Network), by extending the functionality of the near-RT RIC from RAN function control to RAN site function control, covering any device on the site (including AUX devices), and enabling a single platform to control any aspect related to RAN and RAN site operation.

[0080] O-RAN refers to the concept of interoperability between RAN components from different vendors based on a defined set of interfaces. Therefore, O-RAN enables baseband and radio unit components from different vendors to operate together. O-RAN provides comprehensive capabilities for monitoring and managing RAN characteristics. O-RAN can be extended to cover all the aforementioned cell site-level functions, allowing for holistic cell site management and energy consumption assessment.

[0081] However, it should be noted that some example embodiments are not limited to O-RAN, and they can also be applied to any other RAN architecture.

[0082] Some exemplary embodiments provide a unified platform solution for controlling all RAN site functions (in addition to RAN functions such as vCU, vDU, etc.), including, for example, implementing the BTS as a virtual power plant (VPP), battery usage for peak shaving, temperature control systems, end-to-end energy consumption control, and mechanisms for joint RAN and AUX function optimization.

[0083] As an example above, power consumption optimization for radio units can be done in conjunction with optimization of the overall power consumption of the site. In this case, optimization could be an upward or downward adjustment in the energy balance market. However, such a platform may not currently be available. AUX functionality can currently be achieved using proprietary solutions that do not allow for the overall measurement, control, and management of the cell site. Some control mechanisms do not support full carrier-grade security features, thus making proprietary solutions vulnerable to both unintentional and intentional failure scenarios, including hybrid attacks.

[0084] Some example implementations can be used to monitor, control, and manage all resources such as energy and temperature at the cell site level. This, in turn, provides end-to-end visibility into the safe and intelligent operation of the BTS. Some example implementations can optimize power usage and provide KPIs at a given cell site, not just for telecommunications equipment. This, in turn, provides opportunities for the widespread use of these cell sites where energy efficiency or transmission bit rate per energy used KPI is high. End-to-end visibility into energy usage also suggests how to operate the cell site efficiently.

[0085] Therefore, some example embodiments can achieve optimized telecommunications power savings at the cell site level because the end-to-end energy consumption curve is visible. Some example embodiments can support all configurations: directly end-to-end compatible configurations and configurations requiring some kind of adapter for compatibility. For example, multi-vendor support for all power system manufacturers can be implemented.

[0086] Furthermore, some example embodiments allow for the use of a wide range of preventative maintenance measures. For example, battery health checks, fan speeds (internal to the product and battery position level), and liquid pump and even heat exchanger conditions can be estimated directly or indirectly. Therefore, maintenance is invoked only when there is an actual need.

[0087] However, the following uses the principles and terminology of 5G technology to describe some example embodiments, without limiting the example embodiments to 5G communication systems.

[0088] Figure 2 Examples of systems to which some example embodiments can be applied are shown. Figure 2 An O-RAN architecture extended to support RAN site function control is illustrated. In this document, the term "RAN site function" may refer to a cell site auxiliary device. An N:M mapping may exist between RAN site functions and cell site auxiliary devices, such that a cell site auxiliary device may include one or more RAN site functions, and vice versa.

[0089] The near-RT RIC platform 210, defined by O-RAN, provides a series of services to applications called xApps 211, 212, and 213, where a given xApp can control some RAN functions or multiple RAN site functions or a portion thereof. The xApps can also exchange information among themselves, enabling the creation of complex use cases that leverage the capabilities of multiple xApps.

[0090] Additionally, O-RAN has defined a network management entity called Service Management and Organization (SMO) 220, within which another control function exists called Non-Real-Time RIC 221. SMO 220 can be connected to RAN network functions, including Near-RT RIC 210, via the O1 interface, which serves as the FCAPS interface. Non-Real-Time RIC 221 can be used to control Near-RT RIC 210. Non-RT RIC 221 can be connected to Near-RT RIC 210 via the A1 interface, which is a declarative policy interface used to transmit service level policies guiding Near-RT RIC 210.

[0091] The near-real-time RIC 210 can be used to control RAN functions (e.g., radio license control, UE inactivity handling, handover control, beam management, etc.) and RAN site functions (e.g., cell site auxiliary equipment). This control utilizes the E2 interface between the near-real-time RIC 210 and entities 200, 201, 202, 203, and 204 that perform RAN functions or RAN site functions. Entities 201, 202, 203, and 204 performing RAN functions may include, for example, DU, CU-CP, CU-UP, gNB, eNB, and / or small cells (SC).

[0092] One or more RAN site functions 200 (e.g., AUX functions) can be included in the O-RAN architecture to support RAN site functions by extending the E2 interface. This enables the construction of one or more xApps 211, 212, 213 to control those RAN site functions, and further enables the non-RT RIC 221 to define A1 policies for bootstrapping these xApps. These xApps can also be integrated into the SMO 220 via the O1 interface, just like any other xApp used to control RAN functions.

[0093] One or more RAN site functions 200 and entities 201, 202, 203, 204 can be referred to as E2 nodes. There may be a single general E2 node type that covers all kinds of RAN site functions (e.g., E2 node type: RAN site function), or there may be separate E2 node types for each specific RAN site function (e.g., E2 node type: power supply system, E2 node type: temperature control system, etc.).

[0094] E2 nodes 200, 201, 202, 203, and 204 can be defined as logical nodes terminating the E2 interface connected to the nearby RT RIC210. ​​RAN functions or RAN site functions can be defined as specific functions within the E2 nodes.

[0095] The E2 Application Protocol (E2AP) connecting the near-RT RIC 210 and the given E2 nodes 200, 201, 202, 203, and 204 has a flexible architecture. This flexible architecture allows for extended control by separating common processes and services from specific RAN function-related definitions and encapsulating the latter within an E2 Service Model (E2SM). The RAN functions themselves do not need to be standardized; they can be defined by the vendor.

[0096] More precisely, RAN functions or RAN site functions use procedures defined by E2AP to provide the set of services to be displayed on the E2 interface. Using these procedures, E2AP supports four basic RIC services: Report, Insert, Control, and Policy.

[0097] Using the reporting service, RAN functions or RAN site functions can be configured to report information obtained during a specified triggering event to the nearby RT RIC. For example, the reporting service can be used for handover announcements or for reporting measurement information.

[0098] Using the Insert service, RAN functions or RAN site functions can be configured to suspend normal autonomous processes during specified trigger events and forward that state to the near RT RIC for subsequent processing. For example, the Insert service can be used for exception handling.

[0099] Using control services, near-RT RICs can send control messages to initiate procedures within RAN functions or RAN site functions from a specified state (e.g., for a specified UE within a specific UE group). Control services can be used as a response to an insertion, or they can be used autonomously. For example, control services can be used for Automatic Neighbor Relations (ANR) neighbor updates.

[0100] Using policy services, near-RT RICs can configure RAN functions or RAN site functions to modify responses to specified triggering events within a specified process according to specific policies. For example, policy services can be used for RAN optimization.

[0101] A specific E2SM defines how these RIC services are implemented for a given RAN function or RAN site function by defining a set of E2AP containers. For example, the E2SM-KPM container can define how 3GPP SA5 measurements are transmitted as reports. As another example, the E2SM-NI container can define how 3GPP RAN3 network interface messages are carried for tracking (as reports) and how call flows are guided (using policies) or modified (using insertion and control).

[0102] There are three main reasons why using the near-RT RIC 210 might be beneficial. The first is that it eliminates the need to install and manage additional edge computing hardware, allowing a common platform to perform various use cases for controlling the RAN and cell site auxiliary equipment. The second is the ability to cross-connect information across various use cases, enabling the creation of more complex use cases. The third is that it allows for lower and more predictable latency between cell site hardware and control software compared to using a network management system for control purposes. Lower latency allows for, for example, power control based on real-time monitoring of AC frequencies. In some cases, AC frequencies can be measured at one base station, and this metric can be used when the near-RT RIC controls other base stations with low latency. This option allows for simpler hardware without AC measurement features.

[0103] The following describes how to extend the E2 interface to support RAN site function 200 (auxiliary equipment), and describes the modifications / additions required on the E2 interface.

[0104] Figure 3A and Figure 3B An example of E2-based control for (multiple) RAN site functions is shown. Figure 3AAn alternative is shown, wherein the E2 node 300 includes one or more RAN site functions 301, and a given RAN site function 301 knows about E2 and implements E2SM. Figure 3B An alternative scenario is shown, in which only E2 node 300 knows about E2, and E2 node 300 has an internal interface for communicating with a given RAN site function 301 (i.e., in this case, the RAN site function is unaware of E2). In other words, Figure 3B The alternative solution allows the use of internal interfaces without requiring modifications to the functionality of each RAN site to support E2, because the adaptation to E2 is done at the E2 node level.

[0105] refer to Figure 3A and Figure 3B A connection based on Stream Control Transport Protocol (SCTP) or Internet Protocol (IP) can exist between E2 node 300 and the near-RT RIC 310. Furthermore, an E2AP layer of E2SM can be established on top of it. Figure 3A and Figure 3B In E2SM-xx, xx means that the E2SM is configured to support a specific RAN site function 301 represented as xx. The E2-related xAPP 311 in the near-RT RIC 310 can communicate with the RAN site function 301 using one or more RIC services (reports, policies, etc.). The E2-related xAPP 311 may also be referred to herein as a RAN site function handler application. The E2 interface within the near-RT RIC 310 provides an E2 RIC application programming interface (API), which enables the E2-related xAPP 311 to use the services provided by the E2 interface. Figure 3A and Figure 3B In Chinese, SDL is an abbreviation for Simple Direct Media Layer.

[0106] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, by defining a given RAN site function 301 as an E2 node 300 and defining an associated E2SM to describe the services presented by that RAN site function 301, the E2 interface can be extended to support RAN site function control.

[0107] As another example, a hybrid interface model is also possible. For instance, in a hybrid interface model, a RAN site function or E2 node can transmit some or all of its measurement information to the near-RT RIC via another interface (e.g., a proprietary interface) instead of the E2 interface, and the near-RT RIC can transmit commands to the RAN site function or E2 node via the E2 interface. Alternatively, a RAN site function or E2 node can transmit some or all of its measurement information to the near-RT RIC via the E2 interface, and the near-RT RIC can transmit commands to the RAN site function or E2 node via another interface (e.g., a proprietary interface).

[0108] In another example, the interfaces to the cell site auxiliary equipment can all be proprietary interfaces, but the near-RT RIC can adapt them and provide an internal E2-compliant API and / or other relevant near-RT RIC APIs. In other words, the near-RT RIC can adapt from proprietary external interfaces to E2-compliant APIs and / or other relevant near-RT RIC APIs.

[0109] The E2 interface features a modular architecture, allowing the addition of new E2 node types and new functions controlled via xApp 311. E2 procedures are divided into global procedures (e.g., those relating to the connection setup between the near-RT RIC 310 and E2 node 300) and functional procedures (e.g., those relating to how RIC services are implemented on the E2 interface). As the name suggests, global procedures are generic and apply to all E2 nodes.

[0110] Global procedures may include, for example: common signaling between near-RT RIC and E2 nodes, E2 setup, E2 node configuration update, E2 connection update, E2 reset, error indication, RIC service query, and RIC service update.

[0111] Functional procedures may include, for example, application-specific signaling between the near-RT RIC and E2 nodes, E2AP subscription, E2AP subscription deletion, E2AP indication, and E2AP control. These functional procedures can also be used for RAN site functional control purposes.

[0112] The mapping from RIC services to E2 functional procedures is shown in Table 1 below. The E2AP functional procedures can be used to implement RIC services (reporting, insertion, control, policy).

[0113]

[0114] Table 1

[0115] The E2 information model is based on a subset of the information elements requested by xApp and the information elements available to the cell site. The near-RT RIC can instruct the cell site how to act in the context of a defined event, or alternatively, instruct the cell site to immediately provide a specified "report." Each of these instructions can cause the cell site to provide an acknowledgment indicating the extent to which the cell site can comply with the request.

[0116] Figure 4 A signaling diagram of the E2 setup process according to an example embodiment is shown. The purpose of the E2 setup process is to discover the RIC and IP address for the E2 interface, establish an E2 connection between the E2 node (e.g., RAN site function) and xApp, learn the global E2 node ID of the E2 node, learn the list of supported RAN site functions (and related identifiers), learn the list of E2 node component configuration information, and enable the accepted RAN site functions.

[0117] Reference Figure 4 In box 401, an E2 node including one or more RAN site functions transmits an E2 setup request message to the near-RT RIC. The RAN site functions may include cell site auxiliary equipment. The E2 setup request message may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, global E2 node ID of the E2 node, RAN site function list, and / or E2 node component configuration information. Here, ID is an abbreviation for identifier. The E2 node ID format may depend on the E2 node type under discussion. The RAN site function list may indicate functions supported by the E2 node, where these functions can be controlled by the near-RT RIC. For example, in the case where the E2 node is a power system, these functions may include one or more batteries, inverters, etc.

[0118] In box 402, the near-RT RIC responds to the E2 setup request by transmitting an E2 setup response message to the E2 node. The E2 setup response message may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, global E2 node ID of the E2 node, global RIC ID of the near-RT RIC, a list of accepted RAN site functions, a list of rejected RAN site functions, and / or a list of E2 node component configuration acknowledgments (e.g., success or failure).

[0119] The list of accepted RAN site features may include a list of accepted features enabled by cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0120] When extending E2 to (multiple) RAN site functionality, the transaction ID does not need to be changed.

[0121] For global E2 node IDs, when extending E2 to (multiple) RAN site functions, it may be necessary to define identifiers related to RAN site functions.

[0122] For the RAN site functionality list, when E2 is extended to (multiple) RAN site functions, (multiple) supported RAN site functions can be listed here.

[0123] E2 node component configuration information may or may not be applied to the context of RAN site functions.

[0124] Figure 5 A signaling diagram of a RIC service update procedure according to an exemplary embodiment is shown. The purpose of the RIC service update procedure is to request the E2 node to refresh the list of supported RAN site functions, notify the nearby RTRIC of changes to the list of supported RAN site functions (e.g., identifiers and descriptions), discover RAN site-specific xAPPs for E2SM decoding, and enable accepted RAN site functions.

[0125] In box 501, the near-RT RIC can transmit RIC service queries to an E2 node that includes one or more RAN site functions. The RAN site functions may include cell site auxiliary equipment. The RIC service query may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, and / or a list of accepted RAN site functions.

[0126] In box 502, the E2 node transmits a RIC service update message to the nearest RT RIC. The RIC service update message can be transmitted in response to a RIC service query that can be received from the nearest RT RIC. Alternatively, the RIC service update message can be transmitted autonomously without receiving a separate RIC service query.

[0127] Using RIC service update messages, E2 nodes can provide at least one of the following to the near-RT RIC: updated configuration information of cell site auxiliary equipment, or updated capability information of cell site auxiliary equipment. RIC service update messages may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, RAN site function addition list, RAN site function modification list, and / or RAN site function deletion list.

[0128] In box 503, the near-RT RIC transmits a RIC service update acknowledgment message to the E2 node in response to receiving a RIC service update message. The RIC service update acknowledgment message may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, RAN site function acceptance list, and / or RAN site function rejection list.

[0129] Figure 6A signaling diagram of an E2 node configuration update procedure according to an example embodiment is shown. The purpose of the E2 node configuration update procedure is to notify the near-RT RIC of configuration changes to the list of E2 node components. This information can be formatted using 3GPP RAN configuration update messages (e.g., NGAP, E1AP, F1AP, etc.).

[0130] Reference Figure 6 In box 601, an E2 node including one or more RAN site functions transmits an E2 node configuration update message to the near-RT RIC. The (multiple) RAN site functions may include cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0131] Using E2 node configuration update messages, E2 nodes can provide at least one of the following to the near-RT RIC: updated configuration information of cell site auxiliary equipment, or updated capability information of cell site auxiliary equipment. E2 node configuration update messages may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, global E2 node ID, and / or E2 node component configuration update list.

[0132] In box 602, the near-RT RIC transmits an E2 node configuration update acknowledgment message to the E2 node in response to receiving an E2 node configuration update message. The E2 node configuration update acknowledgment message may include at least one of the following information elements: transaction ID, and / or a list of E2 node component configuration update acknowledgments (e.g., success or failure).

[0133] Figure 7 A signaling diagram of the E2 subscription process according to an example embodiment is shown. After completing the E2 setup ( Figure 4 After that (as shown), the E2 subscription can be used to install policies to E2 nodes (e.g., to RAN site functions) or to install report trigger events.

[0134] Reference Figure 7 In box 701, xAPP transmits a subscription request message to the near-RT RIC. The subscription request message may include, for example, the E2 node ID and a subscription message.

[0135] In box 702, based on a subscription request message received from xAPP, the near-RT RIC transmits an E2 subscription request message to an E2 node that includes one or more RAN site functions. The RAN site functions (multiple) may include cell site auxiliary equipment. The E2 subscription request message can be used at the E2 node to install (configure) policies or trigger events for reporting measurement information associated with the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0136] E2 subscription request messages may include at least one of the following information elements: RIC request ID, RAN site function ID associated with the RAN site function or E2 node, and / or RIC subscription details, such as RIC event trigger definitions and / or action sequences (the content of which may be defined in the RAN site function-specific E2 service model). Action sequences may include, for example, RIC action ID, RIC action type, RIC action definition, and subsequent RIC actions.

[0137] RIC requests (e.g., with formatted xAPP ID, SN) can be used to uniquely identify subscriptions configured in RIC and RAN sites during creation and to route the final response.

[0138] RAN site function IDs can be used by xAPP and cell sites to identify functions within a target ID. Near-RT RICs can use the target ID to identify the target entity for a message, such as sending a subscription API call to the correct target (i.e., a specific E2 termination instance and therefore a specific RAN site node).

[0139] In box 703, the E2 node accepts and installs the subscription action in the target RAN site functionality.

[0140] In box 704, the E2 node responds to the E2 subscription request message by transmitting an E2 subscription response message to the near RT RIC. The E2 subscription response message may include at least one of the following information elements: RIC request ID, RAN site function ID, RIC action permission list (a list of RIC action IDs), and / or RIC action non-permission list, i.e., the result of the subscription.

[0141] In box 705, the near-RT RIC responds to the subscription request message received in box 701 by transmitting a subscription response message to xAPP. The subscription request message may include, for example, an E2 node ID and a subscription message.

[0142] In box 706, if the subscription is for reporting, the E2 node transmits an E2 indication (report) message to the near-RT RIC. For example, an E2 indication message may be transmitted based on the detection of a corresponding trigger event set by the subscription. The E2 indication message may include at least one of the following information elements: RIC request ID, RAN site function ID, RIC action ID, indication SN, indication type, indication header, and / or indication message. The content of the indication header and indication message may be defined in a RAN site function-specific E2 service model.

[0143] Indicator SNs can be used to uniquely identify a specific indicator response (e.g., when a trigger can result in multiple responses).

[0144] Figure 8AA signaling diagram for the E2 control process is shown according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0145] refer to Figure 8A In box 801, an E2 node including one or more RAN site functions can transmit an indication to the near-RT RIC. RAN site functions may include cell site auxiliary equipment. For example, the indication may include measurement information associated with the cell site auxiliary equipment. The E2 node may base its indication on the above reference. Figure 7 The aforementioned triggering event or strategy is used to transmit instructions.

[0146] In box 802, the near-RT RIC detects events based on the received measurement information.

[0147] For example, in the VPP use case, an event can refer to a battery charge exceeding or falling below a certain threshold, exceeding a power usage threshold, a battery failure event, etc.

[0148] As another example, for the RAN site function of the air conditioning system, events can refer to exceeding or falling below temperature thresholds, duty cycle percentage thresholds, etc.

[0149] As another example, for the RAN site functionality of a liquid cooling system, an event could refer to a liquid flow metric above or below a threshold, a leak detector event, etc.

[0150] In box 803, the near RT RIC performs actions based on detected events. For example, the near RT RIC may determine one or more commands for controlling cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0151] In box 804, the near-RT RIC transmits a CONTROL message to the E2 node. The CONTROL message may include one or more commands for controlling cell site auxiliary equipment (RAN site functions). For example, the CONTROL message may indicate detected events and the desired state of the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0152] In box 805, the E2 node can apply one or more commands to control the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0153] Figure 8B A signaling diagram of an E2 INSERT procedure according to an example embodiment is shown. The E2 INSERT procedure can be used to install RIC services. During the E2 INSERT procedure, the E2 node can stop processing its tasks and request guidance from the near-RT RIC on how to continue. The near-RT RIC can provide guidance, for example, via CONTROL.

[0154] refer to Figure 8BIn box 811, the near-RT RIC transmits E2 subscription (INSERT) messages to E2 nodes that include one or more RAN site functions. RAN site functions may include cell site auxiliary equipment. For example, the E2 subscription (INSERT) message can be used to set a trigger event and configure the corresponding INSERT in the RAN site function.

[0155] In box 812, the E2 node can transmit an acknowledgment (ACK) to the near RT RIC to confirm the successful reception of the E2 subscription (insertion) message.

[0156] In box 813, the E2 node detects the triggered event set by the subscription.

[0157] For example, in the VPP use case, triggering events can refer to battery charge exceeding or falling below a certain threshold, exceeding a power usage threshold, battery failure events, etc.

[0158] As another example, for the RAN site function of the air conditioning system, events can refer to exceeding or falling below temperature thresholds, duty cycle percentage thresholds, etc.

[0159] As another example, for the RAN site functionality of a liquid cooling system, an event could refer to a liquid flow metric above or below a threshold, a leak detector event, etc.

[0160] In box 814, the E2 node transmits an E2 indication to the near-RT RIC to notify it of the detected triggering event. In other words, the E2 indication carries the result of the installed RIC service.

[0161] In box 815, an E2 node can stop processing a task based on the detection of a triggering event. For example, in the VPP use case, an E2 node can stop charging or discharging one or more batteries at a cell site.

[0162] In box 816, based on the received E2 indication, the near-RT RIC transmits a control (CONTROL) message to the E2 node. The control message may include one or more commands for controlling cell site auxiliary equipment (RAN site functions). For example, in the VPP use case, one or more commands may instruct the resumption of charging or discharging.

[0163] In box 817, the E2 node can apply one or more commands to control cell site auxiliary equipment. For example, in the VPP use case, the E2 node can resume charging or discharging as indicated by one or more commands.

[0164] Figure 9Examples of systems for the virtual power plant use case to which some example embodiments can be applied are shown. However, it should be noted that these example embodiments can also be applied to any other use case where any RAN site function is controlled from the application.

[0165] refer to Figure 9 The system may include a near-RT RIC 900, a first base station 910, a VPP aggregator 940, and an SMO 950. The system may also include a second base station 920 and a third base station 930. The first base station 910 may correspond to... Figure 1 The base station (access node) 104. The second base station 920 and the third base station 930 can be, for example, adjacent base stations of the first base station 910.

[0166] Communication between the near-RT RIC 900 and given base stations 910, 920, and 930 can occur via the E2 interface. The near-RT RIC 900 can also communicate with the SMO 950 via the O1 interface and with the non-RT RIC 951 via the A1 interface.

[0167] The first base station 910 may include one or more batteries 911, power supply units (PSU) 919, power distribution units (PDU) 914, power grid monitoring units 912, communication components 916, units 917 for alarms and measurements, and / or management protocols 918.

[0168] In this example, PSU 919 or PDU 914 can be an E2 node or RAN site function configured to communicate with the near-RT RIC 900 via an E2 interface. The first base station 910 can operate on dedicated hardware, and PSU 919 can serve this hardware as well as cell site auxiliary equipment. Alternatively, the baseband portion of the first base station 910 can be implemented as an application within a cloud infrastructure, and it can also simultaneously serve other applications.

[0169] One or more batteries 911 can be configured as a backup power source for the first base station 910 (e.g., in the event of a power outage). One or more batteries 911 can also be used for VPP purposes.

[0170] PSU 919 can be configured to supply electrical energy from the grid via rectifier 919-1 to operate the first base station 910 and / or charge one or more batteries 911. PSU 919 can also be configured to discharge energy from one or more batteries 911 back to the grid via inverter 919-2. Inverter 919-2 is an electrical device or circuit that converts direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). Rectifier 919-1 is an electrical device or circuit that converts AC to DC.

[0171] PDU 914 can be configured to distribute power to a first base station 910 via PSU 919, distribute power to or from one or more batteries 911, and / or distribute power to or from the power grid.

[0172] PSU 919 or PDU 914 (depending on which is the E2 node) can also be configured to provide PSU status information (e.g., power consumption information) and / or battery status information of one or more batteries 919 as input data to the battery control xAPP 913 at the near RT RIC 900. PSU 919 or PDU 914 can be configured to communicate directly with the near RT RIC 900, or PSU 919 or PDU 914 can communicate with the near RT RIC 900 via the first base station 910.

[0173] The grid monitoring unit 912 can be configured to measure the frequency of the power grid and provide the measurement information to the battery control xAPP 913 as input data for its decision-making. Alternatively or additionally, the grid monitoring unit 912 can be configured to receive commands or guidelines from the power grid's control system or from another network element. Commands or guidelines may include, for example, one or more frequency boundaries of the power grid, wherein the one or more frequency boundaries indicate thresholds for when charging or discharging is triggered. The grid monitoring unit 912 can be configured to indicate one or more frequency boundaries to the battery control xAPP 913 as input data for its decision-making. As another example, commands may include explicit commands to start or stop discharging one or more batteries 911 into the power grid, or to start or stop using battery power to operate the first base station 910 (instead of drawing energy from the power grid to operate the first base station 910).

[0174] The near-RT RIC 900 and / or VPP aggregator 940 can be configured to obtain or receive input data from one or more external data sources, from the first base station 910 and / or from one or more neighboring base stations 920, 930. The near-RT RIC 900 can be configured to provide this data as input data to the battery control xAPP 913.

[0175] One or more external data sources may include, for example, the Internet, an electricity market, and / or a grid control system. The grid control system may monitor and / or control the state of the grid (e.g., frequency), and based on the monitoring, request the first base station 910 (e.g., via battery control xAPP 913 or grid monitoring unit 912) to charge one or more batteries 911 from the grid, or to discharge energy from one or more batteries 911 to the grid via inverter 919-2, or to operate the first base station 910 with battery power.

[0176] VPP aggregator 940 is an entity that aggregates multiple power sources into a single entity. VPP aggregator 940 can also aggregate several non-telecom energy sources on the same pool. VPP aggregator 940 can aggregate multiple small power reserves (e.g., companies, factories, shopping malls, base stations, etc. with batteries). VPP aggregator 940 can be used to aggregate small power reserves, making it possible to provide a sufficiently large power reserve to grid operators (e.g., Fingrid). In other words, aggregation can mean combining smaller power production, consumption, and storage sites that can be balanced into a larger package that can be offered in one or more electricity markets. Furthermore, VPP aggregator 940 can perform online verification of the timing and accuracy requirements of different power reserves before aggregation. VPP aggregator 940 can also be configured to collect data from one or more external data sources. Based on the collected data, VPP aggregator 940 can be configured to transmit requests / commands to near-RT RIC 900 to start or stop discharging one or more batteries 911 of the first base station 910. Near-RT RIC 900 can forward the requests / commands to battery control xAPP 913.

[0177] The VPP aggregator 940 can be a cloud service, such as in a third-party cloud. For example, a connection from a third-party cloud to the near-RT RIC 900 can be established via a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) port or a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port over the Internet. The protocols themselves can be encrypted or isolated. Cloud services can use managed / serverless solutions like message brokers and queues, such as MQ Telemetry Transport (MQTT).

[0178] The near-RT RIC 900 can also be configured to communicate with power grid operators. Fingrid is an example of a power grid operator. For instance, the near-RT RIC 900 can communicate with power grid operators to trade bids and report how much and when regulation occurred. Furthermore, power grid operator bids can be processed at the megawatt (MW) granularity, for example. For this purpose, third-party or fourth-party energy trading agents that conceal financial issues can be used.

[0179] The battery control xAPP 913 located near the RT RIC 900 can be configured to control the use (e.g., charging and / or discharging) of one or more batteries 911 of the first base station 910.

[0180] Charging means charging one or more batteries 911 with energy supplied from the grid via PSU 919.

[0181] Discharging can mean that one or more batteries 911 are used as a power source to operate the first base station 910 (instead of using the grid as a power source), or that one or more batteries 911 are discharged to the grid via inverter 919-2 for a certain period of time and amount of energy. Alternatively, discharging can mean that one or more batteries 911 of the first base station 910 are discharged to the second base station 920 for a certain period of time and amount of energy (e.g., to operate the second base station or to charge one or more batteries of the second base station).

[0182] The battery control xAPP 913 can be a decision-making entity configured to determine the amount of time and energy for charging or discharging one or more batteries 911 of the first base station 910 based on an input dataset. This input dataset can include input data from various data sources. For example, the battery control xAPP 913 can change the mode (charging / discharging) of the PDU 914 or PSU 919 based on input data, boundary conditions, and / or commands from the grid monitoring unit 912 and / or the VPP aggregator 940. Based on the input data, the battery control xAPP 913 can determine the optimal time and amount of energy for charging or discharging one or more batteries 911. This determination can be based on one or more predefined rules and / or machine learning models or some other models.

[0183] The battery control xAPP 913 can transmit indications / commands / messages to the PDU 914 or PSU 919 to perform actual charging or discharging of one or more batteries 911 based on the determined time and amount of energy.

[0184] The input dataset used by the battery control xAPP 913 may include, for example, one or more battery operation policies, dynamic data (e.g., social media data, weather forecast information, etc.), electricity market information, charging or discharging requests from VPP aggregators or the electricity market, grid monitoring information from grid monitoring unit 912, network status and configuration information associated with the first base station 910, historical information associated with the power consumption of the first base station 910, PSU status information provided by PDU 914 or PSU 919, and / or battery status information provided by PDU 914 or PSU 919.

[0185] One or more battery operation policies may include, for example, one or more VPP policies provided by the VPP operator, and / or regulatory requirements for the minimum time required to operate the first base station 910 using one or more batteries 911. As an example, a VPP policy may indicate a minimum duration (e.g., 30 minutes) for participating in the VPP market, i.e., the minimum duration for discharging one or more batteries 911 to the grid.

[0186] The power grid monitoring information may include, for example, one or more measured frequency values ​​and / or frequency boundaries of the power grid provided by the power grid monitoring unit 912.

[0187] Input data from the VPP aggregator 940 may include, for example, power control commands indicating whether to discharge (start / stop discharge) one or more batteries 911 of the first base station 910.

[0188] Dynamic data, one or more battery operating strategies, and / or electricity market information can be obtained, for example, from the near-RT RIC 900 (e.g., from one or more external data sources), and the near-RT RIC 900 can provide this input data to the battery control xAPP 913. Alternatively, the near-RT RIC 900 can determine one or more boundary conditions for the battery control xAPP 913 based at least on the input data obtained from one or more external data sources, and the near-RT RIC 900 can provide these one or more boundary conditions to the battery control xAPP 913 for decision-making at the battery control xAPP 913.

[0189] The near-RT RIC 900 can determine one or more boundary conditions or command the first base station 910 to discharge in such a way that the charge level of one or more batteries 911 remains sufficient to serve user equipment as required by regulations. For example, the near-RT RIC 900 can predict or estimate daily / weekly / monthly data traffic, the number of user equipment, etc., based on data traffic prediction / profiles and battery status information, and thus predict or estimate the required battery charge level.

[0190] Network status and configuration information may include, for example, configuration management (CM) data of the wireless communication network, fault management (FM) data of the wireless communication network, performance management (PM) data of the wireless communication network, log data of the wireless communication network, data traffic volume of the first base station 910, cell load of the first base station 910, number of active user equipment associated with the first base station 910 (e.g., number of active UEs in the cell provided by the first base station), health status of the first base station 910, and / or historical information associated with the data traffic volume of the first base station 910. The health status of the first base station 910 indicates whether there are fault management alarms (service-related alarms) associated with the first base station 910. For example, if the health status is not good enough, discharge may not be allowed.

[0191] Alternatively, or in addition to the battery status information and data service status of the first base station 910, the near-RT RIC can receive requests from the VPP aggregator 940, or the power market, or the grid's control system to release energy from one or more batteries 911 to the grid based on a certain amount of energy and / or a certain amount of time. Alternatively or additionally, the near-RT RIC 900 can receive electricity price information from the power market, based on which the battery control xAPP 913 can autonomously determine the charging or discharging time and the amount of energy. The electricity price information can be an indicator of energy demand in the grid. For example, when electricity prices are high, this can indicate that the grid may require additional energy sources to avoid grid overload.

[0192] The actual energy used for discharging or battery use can be based on, for example, BTS data (e.g., battery status information and data business forecasts or profiles) and electricity market information (e.g., requests to discharge energy to the grid).

[0193] Some example embodiments may also provide dynamic behavior of the control mechanism that allows changes to the state of charge / discharge during the configured VPP policy. This means that even if the battery resources of a particular base station are already dedicated to VPP use, it is possible to resume a discharge command to cancel the discharge of the battery to the grid (assuming an inverter is used for this purpose). This may be necessary to conserve the battery for its primary use, i.e., as a backup power source for the base station. For example, discharge can be canceled if certain BTS alarms occur, or if data traffic is expected to grow more than previously anticipated.

[0194] Some exemplary embodiments also enable intelligent allocation of battery resources. For example, if a Transmission System Operator (TSO) sets a requirement of 30 minutes (i.e., the battery should discharge to the grid for at least 30 minutes) to participate in the VPP market, these 30 minutes can be reallocated or divided into multiple smaller time slots, such as six 5-minute time slots. Thus, the total 30-minute requirement can be met by combining these six 5-minute time slots. For example, by allocating a 5-minute time slot to each base station, six 5-minute time slots can be divided among six different base stations. Using these smaller time slots can help meet regulatory requirements (e.g., a minimum BTS operating time of 2-4 hours when using backup batteries) because the amount of energy consumed in 5 minutes is relatively small (compared to 30 minutes).

[0195] There can also be settings where several of the above solutions are implemented in parallel, and roles and tasks are divided among different entities.

[0196] Figure 10 A signaling diagram of a VPP use case according to an example embodiment is shown.

[0197] refer to Figure 10 In box 1001, the base station communicates with one or more user equipments.

[0198] In box 1002, the base station transmits information about its current data service status to the near-RT RIC. This information may include, for example, the base station's health status, one or more alarms associated with the base station, one or more performance KPIs associated with the base station, and / or FCAPS information associated with the base station.

[0199] FCAPS (Fault, Configuration, Billing, Performance, Security) refers to network management tasks. These relate to the secure use of VPP (Virtual Power Plan) solutions. A prerequisite may be that VPP use does not conflict with the base station's primary network tasks. When it comes to actual VPP functionality, FCAPS can support it by providing information on alerts and KPIs that affect the likelihood of VPP use. In addition, the battery type (lead-acid / lithium-ion, nominal capacity) and conditions (state of charge, how many cycles of load can be safely operated) of one or more batteries in the base station define the potential amount of energy and how long that energy can be released (discharged) for VPP use. Furthermore, the power supply type can influence VPP use cases. For example, the power supply type can indicate whether the base station's PSU includes an inverter.

[0200] In box 1003, the battery control xAPP near the RT RIC transmits measurement and calibration requests to the base station's power supply unit (PSU) via an E2 interface. Here, the PSU can be considered an E2 node. The measurement and calibration requests may include, for example, requests for PSU status information of the base station's PSU and / or battery status information of one or more batteries of the base station.

[0201] In block 1004, the power supply unit transmits measurement and calibration reports, including PSU status information and / or battery status information, to the battery control xAPP via an E2 interface. Here, the PSU status information and / or battery status information can also be referred to as measurement information. The measurement and calibration reports can be transmitted periodically or in response to measurement and calibration requests from the battery control xAPP. In other words, when periodically transmitting measurement and calibration reports, the measurement and calibration request in block 1003 can be optional.

[0202] Alternatively or additionally, the PSU can transmit PSU status information and / or battery status information to the near RRIC, or the battery control xAPP can forward PSU status information and / or battery status information to the near RRIC.

[0203] PSU status information can indicate the power consumption of the base station.

[0204] Battery status information may include (indicating), for example, the state of charge (SOC) of one or more batteries, the state of health (SOH) of one or more batteries, the battery capacity of one or more batteries (e.g., in kWh), and / or the voltage of one or more batteries.

[0205] In box 1005, the power grid monitoring unit transmits power grid monitoring information to the battery control xAPP. The power grid monitoring information may include, for example, one or more measured frequency values ​​of the power grid connected to the base station.

[0206] In box 1006, the battery control xAPP transmits a report to the near-RT RIC indicating the base station's power usage (i.e., power consumption). For example, the report may include historical information associated with the base station's power consumption. This historical information may be based at least in part on PSU status information received from the PSU.

[0207] Reporting of base station power usage may be necessary so that the near-RT RIC knows the amount of energy (power consumption) being used by that particular base station. This report may include, for example, information indicating the average, weekly, daily, hourly, or quarter-hourly (15-minute) energy consumed and / or available during normal use of the base station.

[0208] In box 1007, the near-RT RIC receives external data from one or more external data sources, such as the Internet, power markets, VPP aggregators, grid control systems, and / or one or more adjacent base stations.

[0209] External data may include, for example, one or more battery operation policies, such as management requirements in the area where the base station is located. Management requirements indicate the minimum time required to operate a base station with one or more batteries.

[0210] Alternatively or additionally, external data may include dynamic data such as events, social media data, weather forecast information, and data workloads at different times of day / week / month / year.

[0211] Alternatively or additionally, external data may include network status information from one or more neighboring base stations.

[0212] Alternatively or additionally, external data may include requests from the VPP aggregator to start or stop discharging one or more batteries.

[0213] Alternatively or additionally, external data may include electricity market information. Electricity market information can also be referred to as energy market information. For example, an electricity market may transmit requests to charge or discharge one or more batteries. Electricity market information may be based on information about contractual frameworks (FFR / FCR / etc.), agreed service level agreements (SLAs), such as the amount of energy required (e.g., weekly), the required response time to requests, and the duration of backup battery usage. Electricity market information may also include electricity price information as an indicator of energy demand in the grid. FFR is an abbreviation for fast frequency reserve. FCR is an abbreviation for frequency containment reserve.

[0214] In box 1008, the near-RT RIC receives one or more frequency boundaries (thresholds) of the grid frequency from at least one of one or more external data sources such as the Internet, electricity market, grid control system and / or VPP aggregator.

[0215] For example, VPP aggregators or electricity markets can set upper and lower boundaries for the frequencies allowed in the power grid.

[0216] VPP aggregators or electricity markets can also set more detailed criteria, such as the number of frequency measurements above or below one or more frequency boundaries that trigger VPP functionality (charging or discharging).

[0217] For example, in box 1008, a VPP aggregator or electricity market can indicate one or more frequency boundaries to a near-RT RIC, which can then forward them to an associated base station (e.g., a battery control xAPP to the base station). The associated base station can be a base station where data service conditions allow the battery to discharge to the grid.

[0218] Alternatively, the VPP aggregator or electricity market can directly indicate one or more frequency boundaries to the base station (e.g., to the aggregator control unit of the base station, which can then forward this to the battery control xAPP).

[0219] In box 1009, the near-RT RIC indicates one or more power control boundary conditions to the battery control xAPP. Because the near-RT RIC can have optimal knowledge of the overall state of the wireless communication network, it can provide the base station (e.g., the battery control xAPP) with one or more boundary conditions indicating, for example, when the battery can discharge (e.g., time of day), the minimum battery level, and / or the maximum energy that can be discharged.

[0220] Near-RT RICs can determine one or more power control boundary conditions in such a way that the charge levels of one or more batteries are maintained sufficiently to serve user equipment, as indicated by specifications regarding how long a base station needs to be able to operate using one or more batteries (e.g., in the event of a power outage). For example, a near-RT RIC can predict or estimate data traffic, the number of user equipment, etc., over a day / week / month based on data traffic forecasts / profiles and battery status information, and thus predict or estimate the required battery charge levels.

[0221] The one or more power control boundary conditions can also be based on information about how the time of day affects the actual battery capacity, which needs to be available after effective battery use. For example, during periods of low data traffic, operating a base station using one or more batteries may be longer. On the other hand, during periods of high data traffic, the use (discharging) of one or more batteries can be disabled.

[0222] One or more power control boundary conditions can also be based on an overall view of energy use in the wireless communication network. For example, if one or more neighboring base stations can participate in serving data services during the VPP usage of this particular base station, then the battery storage capacity at one or more neighboring base stations can allow the VPP at this particular base station to use a larger share of the battery capacity (e.g., discharge to the grid).

[0223] In box 1010, the battery control xAPP determines the amount of time and energy for charging or discharging one or more batteries at the base station, based at least on one or more power control boundary conditions, one or more frequency boundaries, and the input dataset received in boxes 1004 and 1005. For example, this can be determined by applying one or more predefined rules to the input dataset according to one or more power control boundary conditions and one or more frequency boundaries. The one or more frequency boundaries may be based on the nominal frequency of the power grid.

[0224] For example, the measured grid frequency (grid monitoring information) can be used to control VPP usage (charging / discharging). This can be accomplished by triggering VPP usage when the measured grid frequency is greater than or less than the grid's nominal frequency (e.g., 50 Hz). If the measured frequency is less than the nominal frequency, it may be a good time to begin using one or more batteries to operate the base station and / or to support the grid by discharging one or more batteries via the inverter. If the measured frequency is greater than the nominal frequency, it may be a good time to begin charging one or more batteries from the grid.

[0225] Alternatively, the grid frequency can be used as an indicator to help the battery control xAPP begin preparing for VPP use. VPP use can require very fast response times, and therefore using the grid frequency as a preemption indicator ensures sufficient time to react when actual discharge requests come from the electricity market or the VPP aggregator, and thus meets the SLA.

[0226] In block 1011, the battery control xAPP transmits power control messages to the power supply unit via the E2 interface. These power control messages may include, for example, indications / commands from the PSU to charge or discharge one or more batteries of the base station based on determined time and energy amounts.

[0227] In box 1012, the PSU charges or discharges one or more batteries according to the received instructions / commands.

[0228] Table 2 below presents examples of commands and parameters that can be included in power control messages (box 1011) from the battery control xAPP to the PSU (or PDU). These commands can be triggered based on signal inputs from the PSU and battery status (from the PSU or PDU) and the grid status (from the grid monitoring unit). Using these commands, battery mode, grid mode, and inverter mode can be controlled as shown in Table 2. For example, these commands can be carried in E2 policy or E2 control messages. E2 control provides a way to deliver direct commands, while the use of E2 policy can (optionally) define the conditions for taking action.

[0229] Power control information parameter Battery Commands Mode (charging, discharging, standby), quantity Power Grid Command Mode (On | Off) Inverter Mode (On | Off)

[0230] Table 2

[0231] Table 3 below presents examples of the status of one or more batteries, grids, and inverters at the PSU (or PDU) based on commands transmitted from the battery control xAPP to the PSU (or PDU) (i.e., based on the commands and parameters presented in Table 2).

[0232]

[0233]

[0234] Table 3

[0235] The use of E2 Reports enables power systems or any other RAN site functions to carry measurement and / or calibration information, as listed in Tables 4 and 5 below.

[0236] Table 4 below presents examples of parameters in measurement and calibration requests (box 1003) that can be transmitted from the battery control xAPP to the PDU.

[0237]

[0238] Table 4

[0239] Table 5 below presents examples of parameters in measurement and calibration reports (box 1004) that can be transmitted from the PSU (or PDU) to the battery control xAPP (e.g., periodically or in response to measurement and calibration requests).

[0240]

[0241]

[0242] Table 5

[0243] Figure 11 A flowchart illustrating an example embodiment of a method performed by a device is shown. For example, the device may be, or include, or be incorporated into a near real-time wireless intelligent controller (near-RT RIC) or any other communication device.

[0244] refer to Figure 11 In block 1101, measurement information associated with a cell site auxiliary device is received, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: state metrics and / or performance metrics associated with the cell site auxiliary device. In addition to the auxiliary device, the cell site may also include a base station of a radio access network.

[0245] For example, auxiliary equipment for a community site may include at least one of the following: a power supply system for the community site, a temperature control system for the community site, an air conditioning system for the community site, a liquid cooling system for the community site, transmission network equipment for the community site, a motion detector for the community site, a camera for the community site, a target charging station for the community site, radar for the community site, lidar for the community site, positioning equipment for the community site, a diesel generator for the community site, a solar panel for the community site, interference or anti-interference equipment for the community site, a door sensor for the community site, a seismic sensor for the community site, an air pollution sensor for the community site, an anemometer for the community site, a temperature sensor for the community site, a humidity sensor for the community site, a leak indicator for the community site, a corrosion sensor for the community site, an actuator for the community site, an intrusion alarm system for the community site, or a fire alarm system for the community site.

[0246] In block 1102, the device determines one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment, based at least in part on measurement information. The one or more functions may refer to one or more RAN site functions described above.

[0247] In box 1103, one or more commands are transmitted to the cell site auxiliary equipment. The E2 interface is used for at least one of the following: receiving at least a portion of measurement information, and / or transmitting one or more commands.

[0248] The connection between the device and the community site auxiliary equipment can be established using the E2 setup procedure, as referenced above. Figure 4 As described, a connection established with the E2 setup process can be used to receive measurement information and / or transmit one or more commands.

[0249] Measurement information can be received, for example, through the E2 reporting service or the E2 insertion service of the E2 interface, where the E2 service model includes state information elements and state metrics associated with one or more functions. (See above reference.) Figure 7 The use of the E2 reporting service is described above. (Reference above) Figure 8B The use of the E2 insert service is described.

[0250] One or more commands can be transmitted, for example, using the E2 policy service or the E2 control service of the E2 interface, wherein the E2 service model includes controllable parameters and policies associated with one or more functions. (See above reference.) Figure 7 The use of the E2 policy service is described above. (Refer to the above.) Figure 8A and Figure 8B The use of the E2 control service is described.

[0251] In one example, as referenced above Figure 10 As described, if the cell site auxiliary equipment includes a power system, determining one or more commands may mean that the device determines, at least in part, the amount of time and energy for charging or discharging one or more batteries at the cell site based on measurement information, wherein discharging includes discharging energy from one or more batteries to the grid, or discharging energy from one or more batteries to operate the base station at the cell site using battery power. In this case, the measurement information may include at least one of the following: the state of charge of one or more batteries, the health status of one or more batteries, and / or battery capacity information of one or more batteries. The one or more commands may instruct the charging or discharging of the one or more batteries according to the determined amount of time and energy.

[0252] Figure 12A flowchart illustrating an example embodiment of a method performed by a device is shown. For example, the device may be an apparatus such as a base station, an E2 node, a cell site auxiliary device, or any other communication device, or an apparatus including or included in such an apparatus.

[0253] refer to Figure 12 In box 1201, measurement information is transmitted to the near real-time wireless intelligent controller, wherein the measurement information includes at least one of the following: state metrics and / or performance metrics associated with cell site auxiliary equipment. In addition to auxiliary equipment, the cell site may also include base stations of the wireless access network.

[0254] For example, auxiliary equipment for a community site may include at least one of the following: a power supply system for the community site, a temperature control system for the community site, an air conditioning system for the community site, a liquid cooling system for the community site, transmission network equipment for the community site, a motion detector for the community site, a camera for the community site, a target charging station for the community site, radar for the community site, lidar for the community site, positioning equipment for the community site, a diesel generator for the community site, a solar panel for the community site, interference or anti-interference equipment for the community site, a door sensor for the community site, a seismic sensor for the community site, an air pollution sensor for the community site, an anemometer for the community site, a temperature sensor for the community site, a humidity sensor for the community site, a leak indicator for the community site, a corrosion sensor for the community site, an actuator for the community site, an intrusion alarm system for the community site, or a fire alarm system for the community site.

[0255] In block 1202, one or more commands are received from the near real-time wireless intelligent controller for controlling one or more functions received by the cell site auxiliary equipment. An E2 interface is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, and / or receiving the one or more commands.

[0256] In box 1203, one or more commands are applied to control one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary equipment.

[0257] The connection between the device and the near-RT RIC can be established using the E2 setup procedure, as referenced above. Figure 4 As described above, a connection established with the E2 setup process can be used to transmit measurement information and / or receive one or more commands.

[0258] Measurement information can be transmitted, for example, using the E2 Reporting Service or the E2 Insertion Service of the E2 interface, where the E2 service model includes state information elements and state metrics associated with one or more functions. (See above reference.) Figure 7The use of the E2 reporting service is described above. (Reference above) Figure 8B The use of the E2 insert service is described.

[0259] One or more commands can be received, for example, through the E2 policy service or the E2 control service of the E2 interface, where the E2 service model includes controllable parameters and policies associated with one or more functions. (See above reference.) Figure 7 The use of the E2 policy service is described above. (Refer to the above.) Figure 8A and Figure 8B The use of the E2 control service is described.

[0260] The above has been approved. Figure 4 -Figure 8 and Figures 10-12 The described boxes, related functions, and information exchanges (messages) are not in an absolute temporal order; some of them may be executed simultaneously or in a different order than described. Other functions may also be executed between or within them, and other information and / or other rules may be sent. Some boxes or parts of boxes or one or more messages may also be omitted or replaced by corresponding boxes or parts of boxes or one or more messages.

[0261] As used herein, "at least one of the following" means "a list of two or more elements" and "at least one of " and similar wording, wherein a list of two or more elements connected by "and" or "or" means at least any one element, or at least any two or more elements, or at least all of the elements.

[0262] Figure 13 An example of apparatus 1300 including means for performing one or more of the example embodiments described above is shown. For example, apparatus 1300 may be an apparatus such as, including or contained in, a near real-time wireless intelligent controller (near RRIC), a base station, an E2 node, a cell site auxiliary device, or any other communication device.

[0263] Apparatus 1300 may include, for example, circuitry or chipsets that can be used to implement one or more of the example embodiments described above. Apparatus 1300 may be an electronic device including one or more electronic circuits. Apparatus 1300 may include communication control circuitry 1310, such as at least one processor, and at least one memory 1320 storing instructions 1322, which, when executed by at least one processor, cause apparatus 1300 to perform one or more of the example embodiments described above. Such instructions 1322 may, for example, include computer program code (software), wherein at least one memory and computer program code (software) are configured, together with at least one processor, to cause apparatus 1300 to perform one or more of the example embodiments described above. At least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions may provide means for providing or causing execution of any of the methods and / or blocks described above.

[0264] A processor is coupled to memory 1320. The processor is configured to read data from memory 1320 and write data to memory 1320. Memory 1320 may include one or more memory cells. Memory cells may be volatile or non-volatile. It should be noted that one or more non-volatile memory cells and one or more volatile memory cells may be present, or alternatively, one or more non-volatile memory cells, or alternatively, one or more volatile memory cells. Volatile memory may be, for example, random access memory (RAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), or synchronous dynamic random access memory (SDRAM). Non-volatile memory may be, for example, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, optical storage, or magnetic storage. Generally, memory may be referred to as a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The term "non-transitory" as used herein refers to a limitation on the medium itself (i.e., tangible, not tactile), rather than a limitation on the persistence of data storage (e.g., RAM vs. ROM). Memory 1320 stores computer-readable instructions that are executed by the processor. For example, non-volatile memory stores computer-readable instructions, while the processor uses volatile memory for temporary storage of data and / or instructions to execute instructions.

[0265] Computer-readable instructions may be pre-stored in memory 1320, or alternatively or additionally, they may be received by the device via an electromagnetic carrier signal and / or copied from a physical entity such as a computer program product. Execution of the computer-readable instructions causes device 1300 to perform one or more of the functions described above.

[0266] The memory 1320 can be implemented using any suitable data storage technology, such as semiconductor-based memory devices, flash memory, magnetic memory devices and systems, optical memory devices and systems, fixed memory, and / or removable memory. The memory may include a configuration database for storing configuration data. For example, the configuration database may store a current list of neighboring cells, and in some example embodiments, it may store the structure of frames used in detected neighboring cells.

[0267] Device 1300 may further include a communication interface 1330, which includes hardware and / or software for achieving communication connectivity according to one or more communication protocols. Communication interface 1330 includes at least one transmitter (Tx) and at least one receiver (Rx), which may be integrated into or connected to device 1300. Communication interface 1330 may provide means for performing some blocks of the above-described example embodiments. Communication interface 1330 may include one or more components, such as: a power amplifier, a digital front end (DFE), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), a frequency converter, a (de)modulator, and / or encoder / decoder circuitry.

[0268] Communication interface 1330 provides the device with wireless communication capabilities for communication in a cellular communication system. The communication interface may, for example, provide a radio interface to one or more user equipment. The device 1300 may also include another interface to a core network such as a network coordinator device or an AMF and / or to an access node of the cellular communication system.

[0269] It should be noted that device 1300 may also include Figure 13 Various components are not shown. These components can be hardware components and / or software components.

[0270] As used in this disclosure, the term "circuit system" may refer to one or more or all of the following: a) a hardware circuit implementation only (e.g., an implementation only in analog and / or digital circuit systems); and b) a combination of hardware circuits and software, such as (if applicable): i) a combination of analog and / or digital hardware circuits with software / firmware, and ii) a hardware processor with any part of the software (including digital signal processors, software, and memory, which work together to enable a device such as a mobile phone to perform various functions); and c) hardware circuits and / or processors, such as microprocessors or a portion thereof, which require software (e.g., firmware) for operation, but may be absent when the software is not required for operation.

[0271] This definition of "circuit system" applies to all uses of the term in this application, including in any claim. As another example, as used in this disclosure, the term "circuit system" also encompasses only hardware circuitry or a processor (or multiple processors) or a portion of hardware circuitry or a processor and its accompanying software and / or firmware implementation. The term "circuit" also encompasses (e.g., and if applicable to elements of a particular claim) baseband integrated circuits or processor integrated circuits for mobile devices or similar integrated circuits in servers, cellular network devices, or other computing or networking devices.

[0272] The techniques and methods described herein can be implemented by various means. For example, these techniques can be implemented using hardware (one or more devices), firmware (one or more devices), software (one or more modules), or a combination thereof. For hardware implementation, the apparatus(s) of the example embodiments can be implemented within one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), digital signal processing devices (DSPDs), programmable logic devices (PLDs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), graphics processing units (GPUs), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, other electronic units designed to perform the functions described herein, or combinations thereof. For firmware or software, the implementation can be executed by modules (e.g., processes, functions, etc.) of at least one chipset that perform the functions described herein. Software code can be stored in memory cells and executed by a processor. The memory cells can be implemented within or outside the processor. In the latter case, it can be communicatively coupled to the processor via various means known in the art. Furthermore, the components of the systems described herein can be rearranged and / or supplemented by additional components to implement various aspects of the description, etc., and they are not limited to the precise configurations illustrated in the given figures, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0273] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the concept of the present invention can be implemented in various ways as technology advances. The embodiments are not limited to the exemplary embodiments described above, but may vary within the scope of the claims. Therefore, all words and expressions should be interpreted broadly, and they are intended to illustrate rather than limit the exemplary embodiments.

Claims

1. A near-real-time radio intelligent controller, near-RT RIC, comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the near-RT RIC at least to: receive, from a cell site auxiliary device included in an E2 node, measurement information associated with the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a status metric or a performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determine, based at least in part on the measurement information, one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device; and transmit, to the cell site auxiliary device, the one or more commands, wherein an E2 interface associated with the E2 node is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting the one or more commands.

2. The near-RT RIC of claim 1, wherein the cell site auxiliary device comprises at least one of: a power system, a temperature control system, an air conditioning system, a liquid cooling system, a transport network device, a motion detector, a camera, a drone charging station, a radar, a lidar, a positioning device, a diesel generator, a solar panel, a jamming or anti-jamming device, a door sensor, a seismic sensor, an air pollution sensor, an anemometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a leak indicator, a corrosion sensor, an actuator, an intrusion alarm system, or a fire alarm system.

3. The near-RT RIC of any preceding claim, wherein the one or more commands are transmitted by using an E2 policy service or an E2 control service of the E2 interface, wherein an E2 service model comprises controllable parameters and policies associated with the one or more functions.

4. The near-RT RIC of any preceding claim, wherein the measurement information is received by using an E2 reporting service or an E2 insertion service of the E2 interface, wherein an E2 service model comprises status information elements and status metrics associated with the one or more functions.

5. The near-RT RIC of any preceding claim, further caused to: receive, from the cell site auxiliary device, an E2 setup request message comprising at least a list of functions supported by the cell site auxiliary device; and based on the E2 setup request message, send, to the cell site auxiliary device, an E2 setup message for establishing a connection between the near-RT RIC and the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the E2 setup message comprises at least a list of accepted functions to be enabled by the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the measurement information is received and the one or more commands are transmitted using the connection established with the E2 setup message.

6. The near-RT RIC of any preceding claim, further caused to: ​ transmitting, to the cell site auxiliary device, an E2 subscription request message for installing a policy or a trigger event at the cell site auxiliary device for reporting the measurement information.

7. The near-RT RIC of any preceding claim, further caused to: receive, from the cell site auxiliary device, at least one of: updated configuration information of the cell site auxiliary device, or updated capability information of the cell site auxiliary device, through a wireless intelligent controller service update procedure or an E2 node configuration update procedure using the E2 interface.

8. The near-RT RIC of any preceding claim, further caused to: determine, based at least in part on the measurement information, an amount of time and energy for charging or discharging one or more batteries of a cell site, wherein discharging comprises discharging energy from the one or more batteries to a power grid, or discharging energy from the one or more batteries to operate a base station at the cell site with battery power, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a state of charge of the one or more batteries, a state of health of the one or more batteries, or battery capacity information of the one or more batteries, wherein the one or more commands instruct charging or discharging the one or more batteries according to the determined amount of time and energy.

9. A cell site auxiliary device comprising at least one processor and at least one memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the cell site auxiliary device at least to: transmit, to a near real-time radio intelligent controller (near-RT RIC), measurement information, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a state metric or a performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; receive, from the near-RT RIC, one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, wherein an E2 interface associated with an E2 node is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving the one or more commands, wherein the cell site auxiliary device is included in the E2 node; and apply the one or more commands for controlling the one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device.

10. The cell site auxiliary device of claim 9, wherein the cell site auxiliary device comprises at least one of: a power system, a temperature control system, an air conditioning system, a liquid cooling system, a transport network device, a motion detector, a camera, a drone charging station, a radar, a lidar, a positioning device, a diesel generator, a solar panel, a jamming or anti-jamming device, a door sensor, a seismic sensor, an air pollution sensor, an anemometer, a temperature sensor, a humidity sensor, a leak indicator, a corrosion sensor, an actuator, an intrusion alarm system, or a fire alarm system.

11. A method performed by a near real-time radio intelligent controller (near-RT RIC), comprising: receiving, from a cell site auxiliary device included in an E2 node, measurement information associated with the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a status metric or a performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determining, based at least in part on the measurement information, one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device; and transmitting the one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein an E2 interface associated with the E2 node is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting the one or more commands.

12. A method performed by a cell site auxiliary device, comprising: transmitting, to a near real-time radio intelligent controller, near-RT RIC, measurement information, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a status metric or a performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; receiving, from the near-RT RIC, one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, wherein an E2 interface associated with an E2 node is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving the one or more commands, wherein the cell site auxiliary device is included in the E2 node; and applying the one or more commands for controlling the one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by a near real-time radio intelligent controller, near-RT RIC, cause the near-RT RIC to perform at least the following: receiving, from a cell site auxiliary device included in an E2 node, measurement information associated with the cell site auxiliary device, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a status metric or a performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; determining, based at least in part on the measurement information, one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device; and transmitting the one or more commands to the cell site auxiliary device, wherein an E2 interface associated with the E2 node is used for at least one of: receiving at least a portion of the measurement information, or transmitting the one or more commands.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising program instructions that, when executed by a cell site auxiliary device, cause the cell site auxiliary device to perform at least the following: transmitting, to a near real-time radio intelligent controller, near-RT RIC, measurement information, wherein the measurement information comprises at least one of: a status metric or a performance metric associated with the cell site auxiliary device; receiving, from the near-RT RIC, one or more commands for controlling one or more functions of the cell site auxiliary device, ​ wherein an E2 interface associated with the E2 node is used for at least one of: transmitting at least a portion of the measurement information, or receiving the one or more commands, wherein the cell site assistance device is comprised in the E2 node; and applying the one or more commands for controlling the one or more functions of the cell site assistance device.

Images