Energy-saving method and device

Abstract

The invention provides an energy saving method and device, belongs to the technical field of communication, and aims to save energy and reduce energy supply cost, the method comprises the following steps: a first management device obtains respective first energy supply information of N access network devices, the first management device determines turn-off priorities of the N access network devices according to the respective first energy supply information of the N access network devices, and the turn-off priorities of the N access network devices are determined according to the respective first energy supply information of the N access network devices; wherein, if the turn-off priority of the ith access network equipment is higher, the ith access network equipment needs to be turned off preferentially; and the first management equipment determines the access network equipment needing to be turned off in the N access network equipment according to the turn-off priorities of the N access network equipment. In addition, the first energy supply information and the first energy consumption information of the N access network devices can be considered together, so that the network utilization rate is improved, and the energy efficiency is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of communication technology, and in particular to an energy-saving method and apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of wireless communication technology, more and more radio access technologies (RATs) are being applied, forming base station systems of different standards. Different standards use different frequency bands, and a single standard can include multiple frequency bands. If a base station can support multiple radio access technologies, it is called a multi-standard base station, and a multi-standard base station can have multiple cells of different standards (i.e., different frequency bands). If a base station has multiple cells belonging to different frequency bands, it is called a multi-band base station. With the development of multi-standard and multi-band base stations, more and more physical areas are simultaneously covered by cells of multiple different frequency bands. Therefore, user equipment can access more and more cells, making it possible to migrate user equipment to achieve base station energy saving.

[0003] Currently, when operators consider energy saving in base stations, they only optimize network parameters to minimize the energy consumption per bit of data in the wireless network energy layer and guide users to high-efficiency base stations to achieve energy saving and consumption reduction. However, they do not consider the potential mismatch between energy consumption and energy supply capacity and cost after migration. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides an energy-saving method and apparatus to achieve energy saving and consumption reduction of access network equipment, as well as to achieve a balance between power supply and energy consumption of access network equipment, ensure network availability, and improve energy efficiency.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:

[0006] Firstly, an energy-saving method is provided. This method can be executed by a first management device, by a module (e.g., processor, chip, or chip system) applied to the first management device, or by a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first management device. For ease of description, the following description uses the execution of this method by the first management device as an example. The method includes: the first management device acquiring first power supply information for each of N access network devices, wherein the first power supply information of the i-th access network device among the N access network devices is used to indicate the power supply status of the i-th access network device in a first time period; the first management device determining the shutdown priority of the N access network devices based on the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices, wherein if the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device is higher, then the i-th access network device needs to be shut down first; and the first management device determining which access network devices among the N access network devices need to be shut down based on the shutdown priority of the N access network devices; wherein N is an integer greater than 1, i is any integer from 1 to N, and the service areas provided by the N access network devices are sequentially adjacent.

[0007] Based on the method described in the first aspect, the first management device determines the shutdown priority of the N access network devices by using their respective first power supply information. Then, based on this priority, the first management device identifies the access network devices that need to be shut down. Using this method, when energy saving optimization is needed for access network devices, devices with higher shutdown priority can be prioritized to save energy and reduce power supply costs. Furthermore, the first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices can be combined to ensure that, while saving energy and reducing power supply costs, normal communication can still be guaranteed for the users in each cell of the N access network devices, achieving a balance between power supply and energy consumption, ensuring network availability, and improving energy efficiency.

[0008] One possible design scheme, the first aspect of the method further includes: a first management device receiving second power supply information from each of the N access network devices from a second management device, wherein the second power supply information of the i-th access network device among the N access network devices is used to indicate the power supply situation of the i-th access network device during a second time period, wherein the second time period is before the first time period, the second time period is a historical time period, and the first time period is a future time period; correspondingly, the first management device obtaining the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices includes: the first management device determining the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices based on the second power supply information of each of the N access network devices.

[0009] One possible design scheme, the first aspect of the method further includes, the first power supply information of the i-th access network device includes at least one of the following: the first power supply cost of the i-th access network device, the first power supply energy of the i-th access network device, or the first power supply duration of the i-th access network device.

[0010] Optionally, the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device is related to the first power supply cost of the i-th access network device, and / or the first power supply energy of the i-th access network device, and / or the first power supply duration of the i-th access network device.

[0011] Optionally, the first power supply information of the i-th access network device and the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device satisfy the following relationship:

[0012]

[0013] Among them, P′ i Q represents the initial shutdown priority of the i-th access network device. i R is the first power supply duration for the i-th access network device. i S represents the initial power supply cost for the i-th access network device. i Q is the initial power supply energy for the i-th access network device. i R i and S i It is a positive number greater than zero;

[0014] The initial shutdown priority of the i-th access network device and the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device satisfy the following relationship:

[0015]

[0016] Among them, P i The shutdown priority of the i-th access network device.

[0017] Optionally, the first management device obtains the first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices. The first energy consumption information of the i-th access network device among the N access network devices is used to indicate the energy consumption of the i-th access network device in the first time period.

[0018] Optionally, the first management device receives second energy consumption information from each of the N access network devices from the third management device. The second energy consumption information of the i-th access network device among the N access network devices is used to indicate the energy consumption of the i-th access network device during a second time period. The second time period is before the first time period, the second time period is a historical time period, and the first time period is a future time period. Correspondingly, the first management device obtains first energy consumption information from each of the N access network devices, including: the first management device determines the first energy consumption information of each of the N-th access network devices based on the second energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices.

[0019] Optionally, the first energy consumption information of the i-th access network device includes at least: the first energy consumption of the i-th access network device.

[0020] Optionally, the first management device presets a set of shutdown parameters for W combinations, including shutdown parameters for N access network devices, used to indicate which access network devices among the N access network devices need to be shut down. The first management device iterates through the W combinations and, based on the condition that, under the w-th combination, after users served by the shut-down access network device are switched to an unshutdown access network device according to the switching parameters, the first power supply energy of each of the unshutdown access network devices is greater than the first energy consumption, determines a W′ combination. The switching parameters are used to indicate that, under the condition that the switching parameters are met, users served by the shut-down access network device need to switch to the target access network device. The first management device determines the j-th combination from the W′ combinations based on the shutdown priority of the N access network devices; where W is 2. N -2, where w and j are any integers from 1 to W, and W′ is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than W. It can be understood that by considering the first power supply information and first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices together, energy conservation and reduced power supply costs can be achieved while still ensuring normal communication for the users in each cell of the N access network devices, thus realizing the balance between base station power supply and energy consumption and ensuring network availability.

[0021] Optionally, when the first management device iterates through each of the W combination methods, the first management device presets M switching parameters; the first management device iterates through the M switching parameters, and based on the fact that under the m-th switching parameter, the first power supply energy of each of the access network devices that are not turned off is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption, and the difference between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of the access network devices that are not turned off is less than other parameters except for the m-th switching parameter; the first switching parameter corresponding to each of the W′ combination methods is determined respectively; where m and M′ are any integers from 1 to M.

[0022] Optionally, the first management device determines the j-th combination method from W′ combinations based on the shutdown priorities of the N access network devices. This includes: the first management device summing the squares of the absolute values ​​of the differences between the shutdown priorities and shutdown parameters of the N access network devices under each of the W′ combinations to determine the j-th combination method. This can be understood as allowing users in the cells of the N access network devices to prioritize switching to access network devices with lower shutdown priorities when handover is required, thereby improving energy efficiency.

[0023] In a second aspect, an energy-saving device is provided, which includes a module (or unit or means) for performing the method described in the first aspect above.

[0024] In one possible design, the energy-saving device described in the second aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the energy-saving device described in the second aspect and other communication devices.

[0025] In one possible design, the energy-saving device described in the second aspect may further include a memory. This memory may be integrated with the processor or disposed separately. The memory may be used to store the instructions involved in the first aspect.

[0026] In the embodiments of this application, the energy-saving device described in the second aspect may be a first management device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly disposed in the first management device, or a device containing the first management device.

[0027] It is understood that the technical effects of the device described in the second aspect can also be referred to the relevant introduction of the energy-saving method in the first aspect above, and will not be repeated here.

[0028] Thirdly, an energy-saving device is provided. The energy-saving device includes a processor coupled to a memory, the processor executing instructions stored in the memory to cause the energy-saving device to perform the method described in the first aspect.

[0029] In one possible design, the energy-saving device described in the third aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the energy-saving device described in the third aspect and other communication devices.

[0030] In the embodiments of this application, the energy-saving device described in the third aspect may be the first management device described in the first aspect, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that may be disposed in the first management device, or a device that includes the first management device.

[0031] Furthermore, the technical effects of the energy-saving device described in the third aspect can be referred to the technical effects of the energy-saving method described in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0032] Fourthly, an energy-saving device is provided, comprising: a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the energy-saving device to perform the method as described in the first aspect.

[0033] In one possible design, the energy-saving device described in the fourth aspect may further include a transceiver. This transceiver may be a transceiver circuit or an interface circuit. The transceiver can be used for communication between the energy-saving device described in the first aspect and other communication devices.

[0034] In the embodiments of this application, the energy-saving device described in the fourth aspect may be the first management device described in the first aspect, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that may be disposed in the first management device, or a device that includes the first management device.

[0035] Furthermore, the technical effects of the energy-saving device described in the fourth aspect can be referenced by the technical effects of the energy-saving method described in the first aspect, and will not be repeated here.

[0036] Fifthly, a chip is provided, comprising: a controller and an interface circuit, wherein the controller is configured to interact with other devices via the interface circuit to perform the energy-saving method as described in the first aspect.

[0037] A sixth aspect provides a communication system. The communication system includes means for performing the method described in the first aspect.

[0038] A seventh aspect provides a computer-readable storage medium including storage of a computer program or instructions that, when executed, cause the energy-saving method described in the first aspect to be performed.

[0039] Eighthly, a computer program product is provided, including a computer program or instructions that, when run, cause the energy-saving method described in the first aspect to be executed. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the architecture of the communication system provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0041] Figure 2 Flowchart of the energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0042] Figure 3 This is a graph showing the relationship between traffic and energy consumption for the i-th access network device.

[0043] Figure 4 Flowchart of the energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0044] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the energy-saving device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 ;

[0045] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the energy-saving device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 ;

[0046] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the energy-saving device provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 3 . Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of this application can be applied to various communication systems, such as Wi-Fi systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, device-to-device (D2D) communication systems, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication systems, fourth-generation (4G) mobile communication systems, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE) systems, Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) communication systems, fifth-generation (5G) mobile communication systems, such as New Radio (NR) systems, and future communication systems.

[0048] For ease of understanding, the technical terms used in this application will be introduced below.

[0049] 1. A cell, also known as a cellular cell, refers to part or all of the area covered by the base station signal in a cellular mobile communication system, within which electronic devices can communicate with the base station via wireless channels.

[0050] It should be noted that in this embodiment, a cell refers not to a physical area, but to an area covered by the signal of a base station. For example, the same physical area can be covered by cells from different base stations, and the standard and frequency of the cells in this physical area can be the same or different. The electronic device refers to an electronic device with data processing and transmission capabilities, or a component (such as a chip or integrated circuit) within an electronic device. The aforementioned electronic device may include terminal equipment or network-side equipment.

[0051] 2. RSRP

[0052] Reference signal received power (RSRP) is a parameter used in mobile communication systems to represent the strength of received signals, commonly found in LTE and 5G networks. It represents the power level of the reference signal received by a mobile device from a base station and is a crucial indicator of signal strength.

[0053] The higher the RSRP value, the stronger the received signal. In LTE and 5G networks, RSRP is usually measured in dBm (decibel-milliwatt), and can be represented by negative values, such as -80dBm, which represents a signal 80 dB stronger than 1 milliwatt.

[0054] 3. Normalization typically refers to converting data into values ​​within a specific range to eliminate differences in units and value ranges between different features, making the data easier to compare and analyze, and avoiding the impact of different scales between features. The purpose of normalization is to scale the data to a standard range, usually between 0, 10, 1, or [-1, 1] or [-1, 1].

[0055] Common normalization methods include:

[0056] (1) Min-Max Scaling: Scaling the data to a specified minimum and maximum value. The specific calculation formula is as follows:

[0057]

[0058] Where X is the original data, X min and X max These are the minimum and maximum values ​​of the original data, respectively.

[0059] (2) Z-score standardization: This transforms the data into a distribution with a mean of 0 and a standard deviation of 1. The specific calculation formula is as follows:

[0060]

[0061] Where X is the original data, μ is the mean of the original data, and σ is the standard deviation of the original data.

[0062] The two methods described above are commonly used in normalization calculations. Other normalization calculation methods exist, but they will not be explained here. Furthermore, while the minimum-maximum scaling method is typically used in this embodiment, other methods are equally applicable.

[0063] 4. Energy-saving scheme for optimizing network parameters based on energy consumption per bit of data at the energy consumption layer.

[0064] The energy-saving measures adopted by operators involve optimization personnel selecting several relatively fixed time periods (generally periods with low network traffic and fewer users, such as 0:00 to 6:00) and setting them as base station sleep times through network management to reduce wireless network power consumption. Simultaneously, during the optimization process, optimization personnel also divide base stations covering relatively closed areas into base station clusters based on actual network coverage. Depending on the service scenarios of these clusters, different experience degradation limits are set for different base station clusters, for example:

[0065] For VIP areas that are of key importance to customers, such as high-speed rail stations, hospitals, and government departments, they are defined as lossless clusters with a maximum experience degradation of 1%. Regardless of the number of users, energy-saving operations such as shutting down base stations cannot be performed, otherwise it will be difficult to cope with the traffic surge caused by sudden emergency scenarios.

[0066] For areas with low initial speeds, such as core CBD areas, where there are many users and generally low user speeds, this is defined as prioritizing user experience, with a maximum experience degradation limit of 5%. When saving energy, directly shutting down base stations would further degrade the user experience. Therefore, power reduction is adopted to achieve energy savings while minimizing the impact on user experience.

[0067] For areas with moderate initial speeds, such as schools, the energy-saving experience is defined as balanced, with a maximum experience degradation of 10%. When saving energy, some base stations with fewer users can be shut down to obtain energy-saving benefits.

[0068] For non-key areas with high initial speeds and multiple network frequency layers, such as street gardens, energy saving is prioritized, with a maximum experience degradation of 15%. More aggressive energy-saving operations can be carried out in these areas. Energy-saving measures such as shutting down base stations and reducing the power of base stations can be used to obtain more energy-saving benefits.

[0069] Based on different scenarios and business needs, different damage levels are set. Solution optimization personnel decide which base stations to shut down and which base stations to adjust their power to reduce wireless network energy consumption, while ensuring that the experience degradation does not exceed the upper limit.

[0070] However, current end-to-end communication systems can be divided into two parts: the energy consumption layer and the energy supply layer. The energy consumption layer consists of the wireless network that generates energy, while the energy supply layer comprises the power supply system of each base station. Common energy sources for base station power supply systems include mains power, green energy (such as solar and wind power), and generators. In terms of power supply capacity, mains power may experience power outages, green energy is greatly affected by natural factors such as sunlight and wind speed, resulting in unstable power supply and weaker capacity, while generators can be started and stopped at any time without power supply limitations, offering the strongest power supply capacity. In terms of power supply cost, green energy is a zero-cost energy source, mains power has a lower cost, and generator fuel costs are the highest. Different base stations, due to their different energy source configurations, exhibit significant differences in power supply cost and capacity.

[0071] Existing technologies only optimize network parameters to minimize the energy consumption per bit of data in the wireless network energy layer, guiding users to high-efficiency base stations to achieve energy saving and consumption reduction. However, they do not consider the differences in base station power supply capacity and power supply cost, resulting in a mismatch between energy consumption and power supply capacity and cost. Specifically, there are the following two problems:

[0072] (1) In scenarios where the energy system configured for high-efficiency base stations has poor power supply capacity (such as pure grid power base stations), existing technologies will guide users to the base station. Due to unstable power supply, the network availability is low.

[0073] (2) In scenarios where the energy system configured for high-efficiency base stations has high energy supply costs (such as generator base stations), existing technologies guide users to the base station. Due to the high energy supply costs, energy is wasted in green energy stations, resulting in low energy efficiency.

[0074] To address the aforementioned technical problems, the embodiments of this application propose the following technical solutions.

[0075] The technical solutions in this application will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0076] In the embodiments of this application, "instruction" can include direct and indirect instructions, as well as explicit and implicit instructions. The information indicated by a certain piece of information is called the information to be instructed. In the specific implementation process, there are many ways to instruct the information to be instructed, such as, but not limited to, directly instructing the information to be instructed, such as the information to be instructed itself or its index. It can also indirectly instruct the information to be instructed by instructing other information, where there is a correlation between the other information and the information to be instructed. It can also instruct only a part of the information to be instructed, while the other parts are known or pre-agreed upon. For example, the instruction of specific information can be achieved by using a pre-agreed (e.g., protocol-defined) arrangement order of each piece of information, thereby reducing instruction overhead to some extent. Simultaneously, the common parts of each piece of information can be identified and uniformly indicated to reduce the instruction overhead caused by individually indicating the same information.

[0077] Furthermore, the specific indication method can also be any existing indication method, such as, but not limited to, the above-mentioned indication methods and their various combinations. Specific details of various indication methods can be found in existing technologies, and will not be repeated here. As described above, for example, when multiple pieces of information of the same type need to be indicated, the indication methods for different pieces of information may differ. In the specific implementation process, the required indication method can be selected according to specific needs. This application embodiment does not limit the selected indication method; therefore, the indication methods involved in this application embodiment should be understood to cover various methods that enable the party to be indicated to obtain the information to be indicated.

[0078] It should be understood that the information to be indicated can be sent as a whole or divided into multiple sub-information messages sent separately, and the sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be the same or different. The specific sending method is not limited in this application embodiment. The sending period and / or timing of these sub-information messages can be predefined, for example, according to a protocol, or configured by the sending device by sending configuration information to the receiving device.

[0079] In this application, "sending information" can be understood as one device sending information to another device, or it can also be understood as one logical module within a device sending information to another logical module. For example, "network device sending information" can be understood as a network device sending information to another device (such as a terminal or other network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device sending information to logical module 2 in the network device.

[0080] In this application, "receiving information" can be understood as one device receiving information from another device, or it can also be understood as a logical module within a device receiving information from another logical module. For example, "network device receiving information" can be understood as a network device receiving information from another device (such as a terminal or other network device), or it can be understood as logical module 1 in the network device receiving information from logical module 2 in the network device.

[0081] In this application, phrases such as "sending information to... (e.g., a terminal)" or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings can be understood as indicating that the destination of the information is a terminal. This can include sending information directly or indirectly to a terminal. Similarly, phrases such as "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)," "receiving information from... (e.g., a terminal)," or "receiving information sent by (e.g., a terminal)," or related illustrations in the accompanying drawings, can be understood as indicating that the source of the information is a terminal. This can include receiving information directly or indirectly from a terminal. Information may undergo necessary processing between the source and destination, such as format changes, but the destination can understand the valid information from the source. Similar expressions in this application can be interpreted similarly and will not be elaborated further here.

[0082] "Predefined" or "pre-configured" can be achieved by pre-saving corresponding codes, tables, or other means that can be used to indicate relevant information in the device. This application does not limit the specific implementation method. "Saving" can refer to saving in one or more memories. These memories can be separate installations or integrated into the encoder, decoder, processor, or communication device. Alternatively, some memories can be separately installed, while others are integrated into the decoder, processor, or communication device. The type of memory can be any form of storage medium, and this application does not limit this.

[0083] The “protocol” mentioned in the embodiments of this application may refer to a protocol family in the field of communication, a standard protocol with a similar protocol family frame structure, or a related protocol applied to future communication systems. The embodiments of this application do not specifically limit this.

[0084] In the embodiments of this application, descriptions such as "when," "under the circumstances," "if," and "if" all refer to the device making corresponding processing under certain objective circumstances, and are not limited to a specific time. They do not require the device to make a judgment action during implementation, nor do they imply any other limitations.

[0085] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, " / " indicates that the objects before and after are in an "or" relationship. For example, A / B can represent A or B. "And / or" in the embodiments of this application is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A alone, A and B simultaneously, and B alone, where A and B can be singular or plural. Furthermore, in the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or plural items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can represent: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple. Additionally, to facilitate a clear description of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, the terms "first" and "second" are used in the embodiments of this application to distinguish identical or similar items with essentially the same function and effect. Those skilled in the art will understand that the terms "first," "second," etc., do not limit the quantity or order of execution, and that "first," "second," etc., are not necessarily different. Furthermore, in the embodiments of this application, words such as "exemplary" or "for example" are used to indicate that something is being used as an example, illustration, or description. Any embodiment or design scheme described as "exemplary" or "for example" in the embodiments of this application should not be construed as being more preferred or advantageous than other embodiments or design schemes. Specifically, the use of words such as "exemplary" or "for example" is intended to present the relevant concepts in a concrete manner for ease of understanding.

[0086] The network architecture and business scenarios described in the embodiments of this application are for the purpose of more clearly illustrating the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application. As those skilled in the art will know, with the evolution of network architecture and the emergence of new business scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0087] To facilitate understanding of the embodiments of this application, a communication system applicable to the embodiments of this application will be described in detail first, taking a communication system as an example. For example, as shown... Figure 1 As shown, the communication system mainly includes at least one of the following: access network equipment, user equipment, and first management equipment.

[0088] Access network equipment, sometimes also referred to as RAN nodes, RAN entities, or access nodes, constitutes part of a communication system and helps terminals achieve wireless access. Access network equipment can be a base station, an evolved NodeB (eNodeB), an access point (AP), a transmission reception point (TRP), a next-generation NodeB (gNB), a base station in a future mobile communication system, or an access node in a WiFi system. Access network equipment can be a macro base station, a micro base station or indoor station, a relay node or donor node, or a radio controller in a CRAN scenario. Optionally, access network equipment can also be a server, wearable device, vehicle, or in-vehicle equipment. For example, the access network equipment in vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology can be a roadside unit (RSU). All or part of the functions of the access network equipment in this application can also be implemented through software functions running on hardware, or through virtualization functions instantiated on a platform (e.g., a cloud platform). The access network equipment in this application can also be a logical node, logical module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the access network equipment. The access network equipment can be a central unit (CU), a distributed unit (DU), a CU-control plane (CP), a CU-user plane (UP), or a radio unit (RU), etc. The CU and DU can be set up separately or included in the same network element, such as in a baseband unit (BBU). The RU can be included in radio frequency equipment or radio frequency units, such as in a remote radio unit (RRU), an active antenna unit (AAU), or a remote radio head (RRH).

[0089] User equipment (UE) can also be referred to as a terminal, access terminal, user unit, user station, mobile station (MS), mobile station, remote station, remote terminal, mobile device, user terminal, terminal, wireless communication equipment, user agent, or user device. The terminals in the embodiments of this application may be mobile phones, cellular phones, smartphones, tablets, wireless data cards, personal digital assistants (PDAs), wireless modems, handsets, laptop computers, machine-type communication (MTC) terminals, computers with wireless transceiver capabilities, virtual reality (VR) terminals, augmented reality (AR) terminals, wireless terminals in industrial control, wireless terminals in self-driving, wireless terminals in remote medical care, wireless terminals in smart grids, wireless terminals in transportation safety, wireless terminals in smart cities, wireless terminals in smart homes, vehicle-mounted terminals, roadside units (RSUs) with terminal functions, etc. The terminal of this application may also be an on-board module, on-board unit, on-board component, on-board chip or on-board unit that is built into a vehicle as one or more components or units.

[0090] In addition, user equipment can request to associate with access network devices. Once the association is successful, the access network device can communicate with the user equipment. The communication link between the access network device and the user equipment can include various types of connection media, including wired links (such as fiber optics), wireless links, or a combination of wired and wireless links. For example, near-field connectivity technologies include 802.11b / g, Bluetooth, Zigbee, radio frequency identification (RFID), ultra-wideband (UWB) technology, and short-range wireless communication systems (such as vehicle-mounted short-range wireless communication systems). Long-range connectivity technologies include communication technologies based on Long Term Evolution (LTE), 5th generation mobile networks (or 5th generation wireless systems, 5th-Generation, abbreviated as 5G or 5G technology), Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), General Packet Radio Service (GPRS), and Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), among other wireless access technologies.

[0091] The first management device is a platform that provides computing resources and services. It can be used to run complex computing tasks, simulations, data processing, etc., and can be an online tool platform, such as the Powerstar cloud platform. The naming convention for the first management device is just one example; it can be a computing server or other possible naming methods.

[0092] The communication system may also include a second management device and a third management device. The second management device is an energy management system used to monitor, control, and optimize energy use. It typically includes hardware devices (such as sensors, metering devices, actuators, etc.) and software systems (such as data acquisition, analysis, and control algorithms) to help effectively manage energy, improve energy efficiency, and reduce energy costs. The naming convention for the second management device is just one example; it could be "energy management system" or other possible naming methods.

[0093] The third management device is used to control access network equipment to collect measurement data, which may include cell traffic and energy consumption data. The access network equipment collects cell traffic and energy consumption information 24 hours a day and reports the measurement data to the third management device in real time. After collecting the measurement data, the third management device can use the collected data to fit the relationship between the access network equipment traffic (i.e., the sum of cell traffic on the access network equipment) and the access network equipment energy consumption. This allows it to predict the energy consumption of each access network equipment in future periods, such as when access network equipment is shut down or when cell users migrate. The naming convention for the third management device is only one example; it could be an energy management system or other possible naming conventions.

[0094] It should be noted that, in the embodiments of this application, a physical area can be determined first, followed by the set of access network devices in that physical area and the set of cells corresponding to each access network device; then, the energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application is used to achieve handover of user equipment within that set of cells, thereby achieving energy saving of the access network devices in that physical area. Furthermore, this physical area can also be referred to as a target area or an energy-saving area.

[0095] There are N access network devices in this physical area, and the operating parameters and MR data of each of the N access network devices are reported to the first management device so that the first management device can understand the cell corresponding to each access network device in the physical area, as well as the co-coverage situation among the access network devices.

[0096] The energy-saving method and apparatus will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It is understood that this application uses a first management device as the executor in the illustration. Exemplarily, the method executed by the first management device in this application can also be executed by a module applied to the first management device (e.g., a chip, chip system, or processor), or by a logic node, logic module, or software capable of implementing all or part of the functions of the first management device.

[0097] The interaction process between the devices in the above communication system will be described in detail below through method embodiments.

[0098] Figure 2 Flowchart of the energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 1 This energy-saving method is applicable to the aforementioned communication system, mainly involving the first management equipment, access network equipment, and user equipment. This method can be based on... Figure 1 The architecture shown is used to implement this method, which includes some or all of the following steps:

[0099] S201, the first management device obtains the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices.

[0100] The first power supply information of the i-th access network device among N access network devices is used to indicate the power supply status of the i-th access network device during the first time period. Here, N is an integer greater than 1, and i is any integer in the interval (1, N].

[0101] The first time period can be any time period in the future, such as a future day, a future week, a future month, or a future T-period; there are no restrictions here.

[0102] The power supply status of the i-th access network device during the first time period may include at least one of the following: the first power supply cost of the i-th access network device, the first power supply energy of the i-th access network device, or the first power supply duration of the i-th access network device.

[0103] The first energy supply cost of the i-th access network device refers to all the costs required for the energy supply system to provide energy or electricity to the i-th access network device during the first time period. This may include fuel costs, storage costs, and processing costs, for example, the amount of cost required for the energy supply system to provide energy or electricity to the i-th access network device in the future time period T.

[0104] The initial energy supply for the i-th access network device refers to the total amount of energy that the power supply system can provide to the i-th access network device within the first time period, which can be expressed in units such as joules or kilowatt-hours. For example, in the future time period T, the power supply system can provide the i-th access network device with a total of 500 kilowatt-hours of energy.

[0105] The first power supply duration of the i-th access network device refers to the total duration for which the power supply system can provide power to the i-th access network device within the first time period. For example, in the future time period T (e.g., T is 24 hours), the total duration for which the power supply system can provide power to the i-th access network device is 18 hours.

[0106] In this embodiment of the application, the first management device may obtain the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices in various ways, such as obtaining it locally or from other devices, which will be described below.

[0107] One possible implementation is that the first management device receives the second power supply information of each of the N access network devices from the second management device, and the first management device calculates and obtains the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices based on the second power supply information of each of the N access network devices.

[0108] The second power supply information of the i-th access network device among N access network devices is used to indicate the power supply status of the i-th access network device during the second time period.

[0109] The second time period can be any historical period, such as a specific day, week, month, or historical time period T; there are no restrictions. Furthermore, the second time period must precede the first time period.

[0110] The power supply status of the i-th access network device during the second time period may include at least one of the following: the second power supply cost of the i-th access network device, the second power supply energy of the i-th access network device, or the second power supply duration of the i-th access network device.

[0111] The second energy supply cost of the i-th access network device refers to all the costs required for the energy supply system to provide energy or electricity to the i-th access network device during the second time period. This may include fuel costs, storage costs, and processing costs, for example, the amount of costs required for the energy supply system to provide energy or electricity to the i-th access network device during the historical time period T.

[0112] The second energy supply for the i-th access network device refers to the total amount of energy that the power supply system can provide to the i-th access network device during the second time period, which can be expressed in units such as joules or kilowatt-hours. For example, in the historical time period T, the power supply system can provide a total of 500 kilowatt-hours of energy to the i-th access network device.

[0113] The second power supply duration of the i-th access network device refers to the total duration during which the power supply system can provide power to the i-th access network device within the second time period. For example, in a historical time period T (e.g., T is 24 hours), the total duration during which the power supply system can provide power to the i-th access network device is 18 hours.

[0114] Furthermore, the second power supply information for each of the aforementioned N access network devices can be presented in the form shown in Table 1:

[0115] Table 1

[0116]

[0117] Wherein, Day0-DayK represent the 0th day, 1st day, 2nd day... Kth day of the historical period (K is a positive integer greater than 0), t0, t1, t2 represent the 0th moment, 1st moment, 2nd moment... of each day in the table, information 0-0 represents the second power supply information of the access network device at the 0th moment of the 0th day (including the second power supply cost, the second power supply energy, and the second power supply duration), information 0-1 represents the second power supply information of the access network device at the 0th moment of the 1st day (including the second power supply cost, the second power supply energy, and the second power supply duration), and the meanings of other contents in the table are similar.

[0118] For each access network device, the first management device establishes an autoregressive model for the second power supply cost, the second power supply energy, and the second power supply duration:

[0119]

[0120] Cost K (t), ES K (t), Duration K (t) represents the second energy supply cost, second energy supply energy, and second energy supply duration at time t on day K of the historical timeline, respectively. d (t), ES d (t), Duration d (t) represents the second power supply cost, second power supply energy, and second power supply duration of the access network equipment at time t on day d in history, respectively. d represents a specific day in the historical K days (Day0 to DayK-1), and its value is any integer in the interval [0, k-1]. t represents time t on day d.

[0121] In addition, α d β d γ d The model parameters are solved using the least squares method:

[0122]

[0123] Among them, X α Shaped like Y is a historical data matrix of the second energy supply cost over K days. α Shaped like This is a matrix of historical data on the second energy supply cost for the previous day. X β Y β X γ Y γ Similarly, it is a matrix consisting of the second power supply energy and the second power supply duration of the access network equipment.

[0124] In other words, based on historical data for K+1 days, the model parameters are determined, and the first power supply cost, first power supply energy, and first power supply duration for each access network device in time period T of day K+1 (currently day K) can be calculated using the following formulas.

[0125]

[0126] Cost K+1 (T), ES K+1 (T), Duration K+1(T) represents the first energy supply cost, first energy supply energy, and first energy supply duration on day K+1. This data is based on the known model parameter α. d β d γ d The cost, energy, and duration of the second energy supply for the T period from day 1 to day K are determined.

[0127] Another possible implementation is that the first management device directly obtains the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices from the second management device.

[0128] Unlike the above implementation, in this case, the second management device establishes autoregressive models for the second power supply cost, the second power supply energy, and the second power supply duration. Based on the autoregressive model, historical data, and model parameters of each access network device, the second management device calculates the first power supply cost, the first power supply energy, and the first power supply duration for each access network device in the future time period T. The specific calculation method is the same as that of the first management device described above, and will not be repeated here.

[0129] It is understood that the term "first energy supply information" is merely an exemplary designation and can be replaced with any possible designation, such as "future energy supply information" or any energy supply information that can be used to represent a future period of time, all of which are covered within the scope of protection of this application. Similarly, the term "second energy supply information" is merely an exemplary designation and can be replaced with any possible designation, such as "historical energy supply information" or any energy supply information that can be used to represent a historical period of time, all of which are covered within the scope of protection of this application. Likewise, the terms "first energy supply cost," "first energy supply energy," and "first energy supply duration," as well as "second energy supply cost," "second energy supply energy," and "second energy supply duration," are also merely exemplary designations and can be replaced with any possible designations, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0130] S202, the first management device determines the shutdown priority of the N access network devices based on their respective first power supply information. If the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device is higher, then the i-th access network device needs to be shut down first.

[0131] Based on the first power supply cost, first power supply energy, and first power supply duration of each access network device obtained in the above steps during the next T time period, the shutdown priority of each access network device during the next T time period can be calculated using the following two formulas.

[0132] First, calculate the initial shutdown priority of the i-th access network device.

[0133] Q i The first power supply duration for the i-th access network device, which is the Duration mentioned in the above steps. K(T); R i The first power supply cost for the i-th access network device, which is the Cost mentioned in the above steps. K (T); S i The first power supply energy for the i-th access network device, which is the ES in the above steps. K (T); Q i R i and S i It is a positive number greater than zero;

[0134] Furthermore, the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device is calculated. In other words, the initial shutdown priority of the i-th access network device is normalized to avoid the impact of different scales between data of different access network devices, making the data easier to compare and analyze.

[0135] In this embodiment, the data is scaled to a specified minimum and maximum value, i.e., between (0,1). It can be understood that in subsequent implementations, the initial shutdown priority data can also be scaled to other minimum and maximum values, such as (-1,1), without limitation here.

[0136]

[0137] It is understandable that shutdown priority can also be replaced by energy priority, and the formula for calculating the initial energy priority is: The other steps and their meanings are the same as those for the shutdown priority, and will not be repeated here.

[0138] Furthermore, the shutdown priority mentioned above is only an exemplary name, and it can be replaced with any possible name, such as hibernation priority, or other possible names, which will not be elaborated here.

[0139] S203, the first management device determines which of the N access network devices needs to be shut down based on the shutdown priority of the N access network devices.

[0140] As shown in step S202, the higher the power supply cost and the shorter the power supply duration, the higher the shutdown priority of the access network device. Therefore, the first management device can prioritize shutting down access network devices with higher priority.

[0141] In summary, the first management device acquires the first power supply information of each of the N access network devices. Based on this information, the first management device determines the shutdown priority of the N access network devices. Specifically, if the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device is higher, then the i-th access network device needs to be shut down first. Based on the shutdown priorities of the N access network devices, the first management device determines which of the N access network devices needs to be shut down. Based on this method, when energy saving needs to be optimized for access network devices, devices with higher shutdown priorities can be prioritized to save energy and reduce power supply costs.

[0142] In this embodiment, the above-described method can be combined to consider the first power supply information and first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices together. This ensures that while saving energy and reducing power supply costs, the cell users of each of the N access network devices can still communicate normally, achieving a balance between power supply and energy consumption of the access network devices and guaranteeing network availability. Furthermore, when cell users of each of the N access network devices need to switch over, they can be preferentially navigated to the access network device with the lowest shutdown priority, improving energy efficiency, which will be described in detail below.

[0143] In one possible design, the first management device can also obtain the first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices.

[0144] The first energy consumption information of the i-th access network device among N access network devices is used to indicate the energy consumption of the i-th access network device during the first time period. Here, N is an integer greater than 1, and i is any integer in the interval (1, N].

[0145] The first time period can be any future time period, such as a future day, a future week, a future month, or a future time period T; there are no restrictions here. This first time period is the same as the first time period in step S201.

[0146] The energy consumption of the i-th access network device within the first time period includes at least the first energy consumption of the i-th access network device, and may also include other energy consumption-related information, which will not be elaborated here.

[0147] The first energy consumption of the i-th access network device refers to the total energy consumed by the i-th access network device within the first time period, which can be expressed in units such as joules or kilowatt-hours. For example, in the future time period T, the total energy consumed by the i-th access network device is 500 kilowatt-hours.

[0148] The method by which the first management device obtains the first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices is as follows: the first management device receives the second energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices from the third management device; based on the second energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices, the first management device determines the first energy consumption information of each of the N-1 access network devices. The second energy consumption information of the i-th access network device among the N access network devices is used to indicate the energy consumption of the i-th access network device during the second time period. The second time period can be any historical time period, such as a historical day, a historical week, a historical month, or a historical time period T, without any restrictions. In addition, the second time period is prior to the first time period. This second time period is the same as the second time period in step S201.

[0149] The energy consumption of the i-th access network device during the second time period includes at least the second energy consumption of the i-th access network device, and may also include other energy consumption-related information, which will not be elaborated here.

[0150] The second energy consumption of the i-th access network device refers to the total energy consumed by the i-th access network device during the second time period, which can be expressed in units such as joules or kilowatt-hours. For example, in the historical time period T, the total energy consumed by the i-th access network device is 500 kilowatt-hours.

[0151] For each access network device, the first management device can use the second energy consumption information of each access network device to fit the relationship between traffic and energy consumption for a certain historical time period. For example, the second energy consumption information of the i-th access network device includes 24-hour traffic and energy consumption data, and thp is defined. i,t Let EC be the traffic of the i-th access network device at time t. i,t To determine the energy consumption of the i-th access network device at time t, we fit the relationship f between the traffic and energy consumption of the i-th access network device using 24 sets of data, i.e.:

[0152] EC i,t =f(thp) i,t )

[0153] In addition, thp i,t Let EC represent the traffic of the i-th access network device at time t, which is the sum of the traffic of all cells under the i-th access network device at time t. i,t Let be the energy consumption of the i-th access network device at time t, which is the sum of the energy consumption of all cells under the i-th access network device at time t.

[0154] For example, such as Figure 3 The diagram shows the relationship between traffic and energy consumption of the i-th access network device. The relationship between traffic and energy consumption of the i-th access network device is as follows: EC i,t =0.0323thpi,t +0.0776.

[0155] Based on a certain historical period, the relationship between traffic and energy consumption of each access network device is related to the traffic of the cells under each access network device. When predicting the energy consumption of each access network device at future moments or in future periods, it is necessary to take into account the changes in cell traffic caused by user migration between cells under each access network device.

[0156] In one possible implementation, the first management device can be all cells (i.e., n cells, where n is a positive integer greater than N) under N access network devices within the physical area, defining the cell handover parameter thr. When cell b and cell a satisfy the condition RSRP... b -RSRP a Users in cell a can migrate to cell b if the sum of all reference signals received by cell b is greater than or equal to the mean value of the reference signal received by cell b. In other words, when the first management device monitors the linear average value of all reference signals received by cell b in real time, the migration can proceed to cell b. b The linear average value RSRP of all reference signals received by cell a in real time is monitored by the first management device. a If the difference is greater than or equal to the handover parameter thr, users on cell a can migrate to cell b.

[0157] Furthermore, when the access network equipment corresponding to a certain cell is shut down, the first management device can no longer receive the reference signal of that cell, i.e., RSRP = -∞dB, or denoted as RSRP = -999dB.

[0158] Subsequently, when the access network equipment status changes and / or under the constraints of cell handover parameters, the handover matrix for each cell is calculated as follows: These represent the handover matrices from the 1st cell to the nth cell, with each element P′... a,b This indicates whether a user in cell a can migrate to cell b, where a and b are any integers in the interval [1, N].

[0159] By considering whether cell b and cell a satisfy RSRP b -RSRP a The condition ≥ thr_a is used to determine whether users in cell a can migrate to cell b, where thr_a is the handover parameter for cell a. If the above condition is met, then users in cell a can migrate to users in cell b, and P′ is then... a,b The value of is 1; if the above conditions are not met, then users in cell a cannot migrate to users in cell b, and in this case, P′ a,b The value of is 0. For example, if a user in the first cell can migrate to another user in the first cell (keeping the user unchanged), P′ 1,1The value of P′ is 1. For example, a user in the first community can migrate to a user in the second community. 1,2 The value of P′ is 1. For example, a user in the first community cannot migrate to a user in the nth community. 1,n The value of is 0.

[0160] Once the value of each element in the handover matrix from cell 1 to cell n is determined, it can be determined which specific cells among the n cells a user in cell a can migrate to. That is, assuming a user in cell a can migrate to B cells out of the n cells (where B′ represents the specific cells out of the n cells), if B is a positive integer less than n and a positive integer greater than zero, then the proportion of users in cell a who can migrate to each of the B cells is p. a,b = 1 / |B|, if B is zero, then users in cell a have no cells to migrate to, and the proportion of users in cell a who can migrate to each of the B cells is p. a,b =0. Specifically, this can be represented as:

[0161] The first management device can predict that at a certain future moment, due to changes in the access network equipment status and / or changes in cell handover parameters, users in each cell will migrate. By calculating the handover matrix in the above manner, the migration ratio from cell a to cell b (at this time, cell b is any of the B cells mentioned above) can be determined. Furthermore, it can be determined that at a certain future moment, part of the traffic originally used by cell a (according to the migration ratio) will be transferred to cell b. In other words, at a certain future moment, part of the energy consumed by cell a (according to the migration ratio) will be consumed by cell b.

[0162] Therefore, the traffic of cell h on the i-th access network device at time t is thp. h,t =∑ a p a,h *thp a,t 'a' takes any integer value within the interval [1, n]. The traffic of the i-th access network device is the sum of the traffic of all cells on the i-th access network device: thp′ i,t =∑ h thp h,t The value of h ranges from 1 to the total number of cells on the i-th access network device. For example, if the first access network device has 6 cells, the value of h is any integer in the range [1, 6].

[0163] According to the i-th access network device, such as Figure 3The fitted relationship between traffic and energy consumption of the i-th access network device, and the calculated traffic of the access network device after adjusting the state and / or cell handover parameters of each access network device at time t, are used to calculate the first energy consumption EC′ of each access network device at time t. i,t =f(thp′) i,t Then, by accumulating these values, we can obtain the first energy consumption of each access network device in the future time period T.

[0164] In this embodiment of the application, as described above, there are N access network devices in the physical area. In the energy-saving method, the shutdown of the N access network devices may involve multiple combinations, and multiple switching parameters can also be preset. The following determines the combination of shutdown of the N access network devices and the cell switching parameters based on the first power supply information, the first energy consumption information, and the priority of the N access network devices. This can maximize the balance between power supply and energy consumption of the access network devices, ensure network availability, and improve energy efficiency.

[0165] Figure 4 Flowchart of the energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application Figure 2 This section introduces the combination methods for determining the shutdown of N access network devices, as well as the steps for cell handover parameters.

[0166] Step S401: The first management device presets a set of shutdown parameters for W combinations.

[0167] The shutdown parameter set includes shutdown parameters for N access network devices, which are used to indicate which of the N access network devices needs to be shut down.

[0168] The value of W is usually 2. N -2, excludes situations where all access network devices in the physical area are either fully on or fully off.

[0169] For example, the shutdown parameter set can be represented as {(the first access network device, shutdown parameter)...(the nth access network device, shutdown parameter)}, where a shutdown parameter value of 1 indicates that the access network device enters a sleep state (i.e., is shut down), and a shutdown parameter value of 0 indicates that the access network device is enabled. The shutdown parameter of each access network device can be either 0 or 1, without restriction.

[0170] It is understood that the terms "shutdown parameter set" and "shutdown parameter" mentioned in the embodiments of this application can be replaced with any possible expression, such as "sleep parameter set" and "sleep parameter", without any limitation.

[0171] Step S402: The first management device traverses W combination methods. According to the switching parameters under the w-th combination method, after the user served by the shut-down access network device is switched to the non-shut-down access network device, the first power supply energy of each of the non-shut-down access network devices is greater than the first energy consumption, and W′ combination methods are determined.

[0172] Where w takes any integer value in the range [1, W], and W′ is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than W.

[0173] The handover parameters can be generated by the first management device based on a comprehensive consideration of various factors such as signal strength, signal quality, network load, and service quality requirements. They are primarily used to indicate that, under the condition that the handover parameters are met, users served by the cell of the shut-down access network device need to switch to the cell of the target access network device. The condition that the handover parameters are met means that the difference between the RSRP of the target access network device's cell and the RSRP of the cell of the shut-down access network device is greater than or equal to the handover parameters. This can be understood by referring to the above explanation of "when cell b and cell a meet the RSRP condition..." b -RSRP a "≥thr_a, users on cell a can migrate to cell b". Here, the cell of the target access network device can be understood as cell b in the above text, the cell of the access network device that is turned off can be understood as cell a, and the handover parameter can be understood as thr_a. Each cell corresponds to a handover parameter, and the handover parameters of each cell can be the same or different, without restriction.

[0174] The first management device calculates the first energy consumption EC′ of each access network device at time t in the future, under the constraints of changes in access network device status and / or cell handover parameters. i,t =f(Thp′) i,t This allows us to calculate the first energy consumption of the access network devices that are not turned off in the future time period T by summing the results. The specific calculation method is described above and will not be repeated here.

[0175] The first management device obtains the first power supply energy of the access network devices that have not been shut down during the next T time period. The specific acquisition method is described above and will not be repeated here.

[0176] By iterating through W combinations one by one, shutting down the access network equipment according to each combination, and calculating whether the first energy consumption of each access network equipment that is not shut down can be less than or equal to the first energy supply in the future T time period, W′ combinations that satisfy the above conditions are determined.

[0177] For example, if the first management device shuts down only the first access network device according to the first combination method, then, based on the calculations above, the first management device finds that in one hour after 24 hours, the first energy consumption of each access network device that was not shut down is less than or equal to the first energy supply. In this case, the first combination method is one of the W' combination methods. As another example, if the first management device shuts down only the Wth access network device according to the Wth combination method, then, based on the calculations above, the first management device finds that in one hour after 24 hours, the first energy consumption of some access network devices that were not shut down is greater than the first energy supply. In this case, the Wth combination method is not one of the W' combination methods.

[0178] In addition, the above mainly describes the situation where users on a cell of a shut-down access network device migrate to a cell of a non-shut-down access network device. In practice, it may also include some cells of non-shut-down access network devices that also meet the handover parameters. Users on these cells of non-shut-down access network devices can also migrate to the cell of their target access network device. There are no restrictions on this.

[0179] Step S403: The first management device iterates through W combination methods. Under the w-th combination method, it iterates through M switching parameters. According to the m-th switching parameter, after the user served by the shut-down access network device is switched to the access network device that is not shut down, the first power supply energy of each of the access network devices that is not shut down is greater than the first energy consumption. The W′ combination methods and the M′ switching parameters corresponding to each of the W′ combination methods are determined respectively.

[0180] Where m and M′ are any integers from 1 to M.

[0181] The difference from step S402 is that the first management device can also preset multiple switching parameters. In this case, when the first management device iterates through each of the W combination methods, it also needs to iterate through M switching parameters and calculate whether the first power supply energy of each of the non-shutdown access network devices is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption under each switching parameter in the future time period T. If the first power supply energy of each of the non-shutdown access network devices is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption under the switching parameter, the square of the absolute value of the difference between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of the non-shutdown access network devices is further calculated, and the squares of the absolute values ​​of the difference between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of all the non-shutdown access network devices are accumulated to obtain the accumulated value J, thereby determining the W′ combination method and the M′th switching parameter corresponding to each of the W′ combination methods.

[0182] For example, in the W1 combination, when the switching parameter is Thr1, there are 10 access network devices that are not turned off in the future T time period. Under this switching parameter, the first power supply energy of these 10 access network devices is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption. The square of the absolute value of the difference between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of these 10 access network devices is calculated, i.e., ‖EC-ES‖. 2 J(Thr1) is obtained by summing the squares of the absolute values ​​of the differences between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of the access network devices that have not been shut down.

[0183] In the W1 combination, when the switching parameter is Thr2, there are 10 access network devices that are not turned off in the future T time period. Under this switching parameter, there is a situation where the first power supply energy of these 10 access network devices is less than the first energy consumption, which directly excludes the case where the switching parameter is Thr2.

[0184] In the W1 combination, when the handover parameter is Thr3, there are 10 access network devices that are not turned off in the future time period T. Under this handover parameter, the first power supply energy of these 10 access network devices is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption. The square of the absolute value of the difference between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of these 10 access network devices is calculated, i.e., ||EC-ES||. 2 J(Thr3) is obtained by summing the squares of the absolute values ​​of the differences between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of the access network devices that have not been shut down.

[0185] By comparing the first power supply energy of each of the non-shutdown access network devices under the k-th switching parameter, which is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption, and the difference between the first power supply energy and the first energy consumption of each of the non-shutdown access network devices is less than other parameters except the k-th switching parameter, the M'-th switching parameter corresponding to each of the W'-th combination methods is determined.

[0186] For example, in the W1 combination, both the switching parameter Thr1 and the switching parameter Thr3 satisfy that the first power supply energy of the un-shutdown access network device is greater than or equal to the first energy consumption, and J(Thr3) is less than J(Thr1). Therefore, the switching parameter corresponding to the W1 combination is Thr3.

[0187] Either step S402 or step S403 can be selected. In practical applications, the choice can be made based on whether multiple switching parameters are set, and no restrictions are imposed here.

[0188] Step S404: The first management device determines the j-th combination method from W′ combinations based on the shutdown priority of the N access network devices.

[0189] According to step S402 or step S403, W′ combination methods and the corresponding M′ switching parameters for each of the W′ combination methods have been determined (if there is only one switching parameter in step S402, the corresponding M′ switching parameters for each of the W′ combination methods are the same switching parameter).

[0190] The first management device accumulates the squared absolute values ​​of the differences between the shutdown priority and shutdown parameters of each of the N access network devices in each of the W' combination methods, obtaining the accumulated value G, i.e. Then, by using the accumulated value G in each of the W′ combinations, determine the j-th combination with the smallest accumulated value among the W′ combinations.

[0191] For example, N is 4, and the shutdown parameter sets for the two determined combinations are {(first access network device, 1)(second access network device, 0)(third access network device, 1)(fourth access network device, 1)} and {(first access network device, 0)(second access network device, 0)(third access network device, 1)(fourth access network device, 1)}, respectively. The shutdown priority of each access network device has also been determined through the aforementioned step S202: the shutdown priority of the first access network device is 0.7, the shutdown priority of the second access network device is 0.3, the shutdown priority of the third access network device is 0.6, and the shutdown priority of the fourth access network device is 0.7. In this case, G1 = ||0.7-1|| 2 +‖0.3-1‖ 2 +‖0.6-1‖ 2 +‖0.7-1‖ 2 G2 = ||0.7-0|| 2 +‖0.3-0‖ 2 +‖0.6-1‖ 2 +‖0.7-1‖ 2 Since G1 has the smallest value, its corresponding combination method is selected.

[0192] That is, by combining the above steps, the first management device can determine the j-th combination method, that is, the shutdown parameters of each access network device under this combination method, and / or the M′-th handover parameters of the cell corresponding to the j-th combination method.

[0193] It is understandable that if shutdown priority is replaced by energy priority, the formula for calculating the initial energy priority is: In the above steps, a value of 0 for the shutdown parameter indicates that the access network device enters a sleep state (i.e., is off), and a value of 1 for the shutdown parameter indicates that the access network device is enabled. Other calculation methods are similar to those described above and will not be repeated here.

[0194] In conjunction with the above methods, in the application process of the energy-saving method of this application embodiment, when the first management device needs to perform energy-saving management of access network devices, the first management device (such as a computing server) obtains the power supply information and energy consumption information of the second management device (such as an energy management system) and the third management device (such as a network management platform) in real time. The first management device determines the shutdown parameters and / or cell handover parameters of each access network device according to the method of this application embodiment. Then, the first management device can send relevant instruction information to the third management device. This instruction information includes the shutdown parameters and / or cell handover parameters of each access network device. The network management platform converts the instruction information into MML instructions to trigger each access network management device to shut down based on its shutdown parameters and to perform inter-cell handover based on the handover parameters.

[0195] In other words, when the first management device needs to perform energy-saving management of the access network equipment, it acquires the power supply and energy consumption information of the second and third management devices in real time. Then, according to the method in this embodiment, the first management device determines the shutdown parameters and / or cell handover parameters for each access network device. This allows it to send indication information of the shutdown parameters and / or cell handover parameters for each access network device, instructing each access network management device to shut down based on its shutdown parameters and to perform inter-cell handover based on the handover parameters. This maximizes the balance between power supply and energy consumption of the access network equipment, ensures network availability, and improves energy efficiency.

[0196] The above combination Figure 4 The energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application is described in detail below. Figures 5-7 This document describes in detail the energy-saving device used to perform the energy-saving method provided in the embodiments of this application.

[0197] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the energy-saving device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 1 For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, the energy-saving device 500 includes: a traffic topology identification and clustering module 501, an access network equipment shutdown priority calculation module 502, and a wireless network energy consumption simulation module 503. It may also include a shutdown / handover parameter calculation module 504. For ease of explanation, Figure 5 Only the main components of the energy-saving device are shown.

[0198] The traffic topology identification and clustering module is used to process basic information such as engineering parameter data, cell configuration, and MR data of N access network devices and cells in this application embodiment.

[0199] The access network device shutdown priority calculation module is used to implement the above step S203. For details on how it is implemented, please refer to the above introduction, which will not be repeated here.

[0200] The wireless network energy consumption simulation module is used to implement the first energy consumption calculation of the N access network devices mentioned above. For details on how to implement it, please refer to the above introduction, which will not be repeated here.

[0201] The shutdown / switching parameter calculation module is used to implement steps S401-S404 in the above steps. For details on how it is implemented, please refer to the above introduction, which will not be repeated here.

[0202] It may also include a sending module for sending relevant indication information to a third management device, the indication information including shutdown parameters for each access network device in the shutdown parameter set and / or handover parameters for the cell.

[0203] It is understood that in each device embodiment of this application, the division of multiple units or modules is merely a logical division based on function and does not constitute a limitation on the specific structure of the device. In specific implementations, some functional modules may be subdivided into more smaller functional modules, and some functional modules may be combined into a single functional module. However, regardless of whether these functional modules are subdivided or combined, the general flow executed by the device is the same. Typically, each unit corresponds to its own program code (or program instructions). When the program code corresponding to each unit runs on the processor, it enables the corresponding flow of that unit to achieve the corresponding function.

[0204] It is understood that the energy-saving device can be the first management device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be set in the first management device, or a device that includes the first management device. This application does not limit this.

[0205] In addition, the technical effects of the energy-saving device 500 can be referenced. Figure 2 and Figure 4 The technical effects of the method shown will not be elaborated here.

[0206] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the energy-saving device provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 2 For example, such as Figure 6 As shown, the energy-saving device 600 includes a transceiver module 601 and a processing module 602. For ease of explanation, Figure 6 Only the main components of the energy-saving device are shown.

[0207] The transceiver module 601 is used to perform the transceiver function of the above information transmission method, and the processing module 602 is used to perform other functions of the above information transmission method besides the transceiver function.

[0208] Optionally, the transceiver module 601 may include a transmitting module ( Figure 6 (not shown in the image) and receiving module ( Figure 6(Not shown in the image). The transmitting module is used to implement the transmitting function of the energy-saving device 600, and the receiving module is used to implement the receiving function of the energy-saving device 600.

[0209] Optionally, the energy-saving device 600 may also include a storage module ( Figure 6 (Not shown in the image), the storage module stores programs or instructions. When the processing module 602 executes the program or instructions, the energy-saving device 600 can perform the above-described method. Figure 6 The method shown describes the function of the first management device.

[0210] It is understood that the energy-saving device 600 may be a first management device, or a chip (system) or other component or assembly that can be set in the first management device, or a device that includes the first management device. This application does not limit this.

[0211] In addition, the technical effects of the energy-saving device 600 can be referenced. Figure 2 and Figure 4 The technical effects of the method shown will not be elaborated here.

[0212] The following is combined with Figure 7 A detailed description of each component of the energy-saving device 700 is provided below:

[0213] The processor 701 is the control center of the energy-saving device 700. It can be a single processor or a collective term for multiple processing elements. For example, the processor 701 can be one or more central processing units (CPUs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), or one or more integrated circuits configured to implement the embodiments of this application, such as one or more digital signal processors (DSPs), or one or more field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs).

[0214] Optionally, the processor 701 can perform various functions of the energy-saving device 700 by running or executing software programs stored in the memory 702 and calling data stored in the memory 702, such as performing the energy-saving method in the embodiments of this application.

[0215] In a specific implementation, as one example, the processor 701 may include one or more CPUs, for example... Figure 7 CPU0 and CPU1 are shown in the diagram.

[0216] In a specific implementation, as one example, the energy-saving device 700 may also include multiple processors, for example... Figure 7 The processors 701 and 704 are shown. Each of these processors can be a single-core processor or a multi-core processor. A processor here can refer to one or more devices, circuits, and / or processing cores used to process data (e.g., computer program instructions).

[0217] The memory 702 is used to store the software program that executes the solution of this application, and is controlled by the processor 701 to execute it. The specific implementation method can be referred to the above method embodiment, and will not be repeated here.

[0218] Optionally, the memory 702 may be a read-only memory (ROM) or other type of static storage device capable of storing static information and instructions, random access memory (RAM) or other type of dynamic storage device capable of storing information and instructions, or electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage, optical disc storage (including compressed optical discs, laser discs, optical discs, digital universal optical discs, Blu-ray discs, etc.), magnetic disk storage media or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium capable of carrying or storing desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and accessible by a computer, but not limited thereto. The memory 702 may be integrated with the processor 701 or exist independently, and may be connected via the interface circuit of the power-saving device 700. Figure 7 (Not shown in the image) is coupled to the processor 701, but this application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0219] Transceiver 703 is used for communication with other communication devices. For example, if energy-saving device 700 is a first management device, transceiver 703 can be used to communicate with a second management device or a third management device.

[0220] Optionally, transceiver 703 may include a receiver and a transmitter. Figure 7 (Not shown separately). The receiver is used to implement the receiving function, and the transmitter is used to implement the sending function.

[0221] Optionally, the transceiver 703 can be integrated with the processor 701, or it can exist independently and be connected via the interface circuit of the energy-saving device 700. Figure 7(Not shown in the image) is coupled to the processor 701, but this application embodiment does not specifically limit this.

[0222] Understandable, Figure 7 The structure of the energy-saving device 700 shown does not constitute a limitation on the energy-saving device. Actual energy-saving devices may include more or fewer components than shown, or combine certain components, or have different component arrangements.

[0223] Furthermore, the technical effects of the energy-saving device 700 can be referred to the technical effects of the method described in the above-described method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0224] It should be understood that the processor in the embodiments of this application can be a central processing unit (CPU), or it can be other general-purpose processors, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, discrete hardware components, etc. The general-purpose processor can be a microprocessor or any conventional processor.

[0225] It should also be understood that the memory in the embodiments of this application can be volatile memory or non-volatile memory, or may include both volatile and non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory can be read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory (PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), or flash memory. The volatile memory can be random access memory (RAM), which is used as an external cache. By way of example, but not limitation, many forms of random access memory (RAM) are available, such as static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), double data rate synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM), enhanced synchronous DRAM (ESDRAM), synchronous linked DRAM (SLDRAM), and direct rambus RAM (DR RAM).

[0226] The above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, by software, hardware (such as circuits), firmware, or any other combination thereof. When implemented using software, the above embodiments can be implemented, in whole or in part, in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions or computer programs. When the computer instructions or computer programs are loaded or executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that includes one or more sets of available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a semiconductor medium. A semiconductor medium can be a solid-state drive.

[0227] It should be understood that the term "and / or" in this article is merely a description of the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. A and B can be singular or plural. Additionally, the character " / " in this article generally indicates an "or" relationship between the preceding and following related objects, but it can also represent an "and / or" relationship. Please refer to the context for a more accurate understanding.

[0228] In this application, "at least one" means one or more, and "more than one" means two or more. "At least one of the following" or similar expressions refer to any combination of these items, including any combination of single or multiple items. For example, at least one of a, b, or c can mean: a, b, c, ab, ac, bc, or abc, where a, b, and c can be single or multiple.

[0229] It should be understood that in the various embodiments of this application, the order of the above-mentioned processes does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0230] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the units and algorithm steps of the various examples described in conjunction with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented in electronic hardware, or a combination of computer software and electronic hardware. Whether these functions are implemented in hardware or software depends on the specific application and design constraints of the technical solution. Those skilled in the art can use different methods to implement the described functions for each specific application, but such implementation should not be considered beyond the scope of this application.

[0231] Those skilled in the art will understand that, for the sake of convenience and brevity, the specific working processes of the systems, devices, and units described above can be referred to the corresponding processes in the foregoing method embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0232] In the several embodiments provided in this application, it should be understood that the disclosed systems, apparatuses, and methods can be implemented in other ways. For example, the apparatus embodiments described above are merely illustrative; for instance, the division of units is only a logical functional division, and in actual implementation, there may be other division methods. For example, multiple units or components may be combined or integrated into another system, or some features may be ignored or not executed. Furthermore, the coupling or direct coupling or communication connection shown or discussed may be through some interfaces; the indirect coupling or communication connection between apparatuses or units may be electrical, mechanical, or other forms.

[0233] The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. The components shown as units may or may not be physical units; that is, they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the units can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs.

[0234] In addition, each functional unit in each embodiment of this application can be integrated into a processing unit, or each unit can exist physically separately, or two or more units can be integrated into a unit.

[0235] If the aforementioned functions are implemented as software functional units and sold or used as independent products, they can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium. Based on this understanding, the technical solution of this application, in essence, or the part that contributes to the prior art, or a portion of the technical solution, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product is stored in a storage medium and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute all or part of the steps of the methods described in each embodiment of this application. The aforementioned storage medium includes various media capable of storing program code, such as USB flash drives, portable hard drives, read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disks, or optical disks.

[0236] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, but the scope of protection of this application is not limited thereto. Any variations or substitutions that can be easily conceived by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in this application should be included within the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. An energy saving method, characterized by, The method is applied to a first management device, and the method comprises: The first management device acquires first energy supply information of N access network devices respectively, the first energy supply information of an i-th access network device in the N access network devices being used to indicate a case of supplying energy to the i-th access network device in a first time period; The first management device determines off-priorities of the N access network devices according to the first energy supply information of the N access network devices respectively, and the i-th access network device needs to be powered off preferentially if the off-priority of the i-th access network device is higher; The first management device determines an access network device needing to be powered off in the N access network devices according to the off-priorities of the N access network devices; N is an integer greater than 1, i is any integer from 1 to N, and areas served by the N access network devices are adjacent to each other.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, The method further comprises: The first management device receives second energy supply information of the N access network devices respectively from a second management device, the second energy supply information of the i-th access network device in the N access network devices being used to indicate a case of supplying energy to the i-th access network device in a second time period, wherein the second time period is before the first time period, the second time period is a historical time period, and the first time period is a future time period; The first management device acquires the first energy supply information of the N access network devices respectively, comprising: The first management device determines the first energy supply information of the N access network devices respectively according to the second energy supply information of the N access network devices.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The first energy supply information of the i-th access network device comprises at least one of a first energy supply cost of the i-th access network device, a first energy supply energy of the i-th access network device, or a first energy supply time length of the i-th access network device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein, The off-priority of the i-th access network device is related to the first energy supply cost of the i-th access network device, and / or the first energy supply energy of the i-th access network device, and / or the first energy supply time length of the i-th access network device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein, The first energy supply information of the i-th access network device and the off-priority of the i-th access network device satisfy the following relationship: P' = P - (Q + R + S) / T i is the initial shutdown priority of the ith access network device, Q i is the first energy supply duration of the ith access network device, R i is the first energy supply cost of the ith access network device, S i is the first energy supply energy of the ith access network device, Q i , R i , and S i are positive numbers greater than zero; The initial off-priority of the i-th access network device and the off-priority of the i-th access network device satisfy the following relationship: wherein P i is the shutdown priority of the i-th access network device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, The method further comprises: The first management device acquires first energy consumption information of the N access network devices respectively, the first energy consumption information of the i-th access network device in the N access network devices being used to indicate a case of energy consumption of the i-th access network device in the first time period.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein, The method further comprises: The first management device receives second energy consumption information of the N access network devices respectively from a third management device, the second energy consumption information of the i-th access network device in the N access network devices being used to indicate a case of energy consumption of the i-th access network device in a second time period, wherein the second time period is before the first time period, the second time period is a historical time period, and the first time period is a future time period; The first management device acquires first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices, including: The first management device determines the first energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices according to the second energy consumption information of each of the N access network devices.

8. The method according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that, The first energy consumption information of the ith access network device at least includes first energy consumption of the ith access network device.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein, The method further includes: The first management device presets a set of shutdown parameters of W combination modes, the set of shutdown parameters including shutdown parameters of the N access network devices, for indicating access network devices that need to be shut down among the N access network devices; The first management device traverses W combination manners, and determines W combination manners according to the first energy supply energy of each of the unshut down access network devices being greater than the first energy consumption after users served by the shut down access network devices are switched to the unshut down access network devices according to switching parameters in the wth combination manner ′ The switching parameters are used to indicate that users served by the shut down access network devices need to be switched to target access network devices in the case that conditions of the switching parameters are met. The first management device determines the jth combination mode from the combination modes according to the shutdown priorities of the N access network devices, and sends the jth combination mode to the W ′ access network devices. wherein W is 2 N -2, w, j are any integer from 1 to W, W ′ is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than W.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein, The method further includes: The first management device presets M switching parameters when the first management device traverses each of the W combination modes; The first management device traverses the M switching parameters, and determines the switching parameter according to the following condition: under the mth switching parameter, the first energy supply energy of each of the access network devices that are not shut down is greater than / equal to the first energy consumption, and the square of the absolute value of the difference between the first energy supply energy of each of the access network devices that are not shut down and the first energy consumption is less than that of other parameters except the mth switching parameter; determining W ′ a first M ′ switching parameter corresponding to each of the combination manners. wherein m, M ′ is any integer from 1 to M.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, The first management device determines the jth combination mode from among the combinations of the N access network devices according to the shutdown priorities of the N access network devices, and sends the jth combination mode to the second management device. ′ The first management device determines the jth combination mode from among the combinations of the N access network devices according to the shutdown priorities of the N access network devices, and sends the jth combination mode to the second The first management device adds the square of the absolute value of the difference between the off priority and the off parameter of each of the N access network devices according to each of the W ′ combinations, and determines the jth combination from the W ′ combinations.

12. An energy saving device characterized by, The device includes modules for performing the method of any one of claims 1-11.

13. An energy saving device, characterized by, The energy-saving device includes a processor and a memory; the memory is used to store computer instructions, when the processor executes the instructions, to make the energy-saving device perform the method of any one of claims 1-11.

14. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions, when the computer program or instructions are executed, to make the method of any one of claims 1-11 be performed.

15. A computer program product, characterised in that, The computer readable storage medium includes a computer program or instructions, when the computer program or instructions are executed, to make the method of any one of claims 1-11 be performed.

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