System and design method for integrated macro next-generation wireless unit

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a 5G next-generation integrated macro radio unit. The integrated radio unit includes an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB) and a radio frequency front-end board (RFEB), and the RFEB is operatively coupled to the IBTB. The IBTB includes at least a baseband processor, a transceiver, and a clock synchronization module. The RFEB includes one or more RF chains for receiving RF signals from the IBTB. Furthermore, the RFEB blind-mates with the IBTB through one or more RF connectors.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] Reservation of Rights A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains matter that is the subject of intellectual property rights, including, but not limited to, copyright, design, trademark, integrated circuit (IC) layout design, and / or trade dress protection, belonging to Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) or its affiliates (hereinafter referred to as the Owner). The Owner has no objection to the reproduction by anyone of this patent document or this patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all rights whatsoever. All rights to such intellectual property are fully reserved by the Owner.

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to network devices, and more particularly to the design and architecture of an integrated next generation wireless unit. [Background technology]

[0003] The following description of the related art is intended to provide background information pertaining to the field of the present disclosure. This section may include some aspects of the art that may be related to various aspects of the present disclosure. However, it should be understood that this section is not intended as an admission of prior art, but is merely intended to enhance the reader's understanding of the present disclosure.

[0004] Fifth generation (5G) communication systems are expected to be implemented in sub-6 gigahertz (GHz) and higher frequency (millimeter (mm) wave) bands, e.g., 60 GHz, to achieve higher data rates. To reduce radio wave propagation loss and increase transmission distance, beamforming techniques, massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) techniques, full-dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO) techniques, array antenna techniques, analog beamforming techniques, and large-scale antenna techniques are being discussed for use in 5G communication systems.

[0005] Generally, 5G new radio (NR) next generation radio units or base stations (gNBs) are high power gNBs. However, existing systems implementing 5G NR gNBs are not optimally integrated because the individual components are designed and manufactured by different manufacturers. In addition to that, existing 5G NR gNBs have further shortcomings in terms of the overall layout and interconnection of the various sub-components therein. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] Therefore, there is a very real need for an improved and efficient 5G NR integrated macro gNB that addresses at least the above-mentioned problems and shortcomings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] This section is provided to introduce in a simplified form certain objects and aspects of the disclosure, which are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0008] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an integrated radio unit. The integrated radio unit includes an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB) and a radio frequency front-end board (RFEB) operably coupled to the IBTB. The IBTB includes at least a baseband processor, a transceiver, and a clock synchronization module, and the RFEB includes one or more RF chains for receiving RF signals from the IBTB. The RFEB blind-mates with the IBTB through one or more RF connectors.

[0009] In one embodiment, the integrated radio unit includes one or more cavity filters and an interface for one or more antennas, In one embodiment, the one or more cavity filters are configured between each of the one or more RF chains of the RFEB and the one or more antennas.

[0010] In one embodiment, one or more antennas are connected to the RFEB using one or more jumper RF cables.

[0011] In one embodiment, the one or more RF chains include one or more transmit chains and one or more receive chains. In one embodiment, each RF chain holds a matching balun, a pre-driver amplifier, and a final RF power amplifier as a final stage power amplifier (PA). In one embodiment, each receive chain holds a low noise amplifier bandpass SAW filter and a matching network.

[0012] In one embodiment, the IBTB is configured to receive an external voltage, downconvert the external voltage to a first voltage using an isolated power supply, and downconvert the first voltage to a second voltage using a non-isolated power supply.

[0013] In one embodiment, the IBTB includes a power management integrated chipset, one or more DC-DC converters, and one or more low drop-out (LDO) regulator devices for generating a first voltage and a second voltage.

[0014] In one embodiment, the IBTB is configured to self-heal from failure occurrences.

[0015] In one embodiment, the IBTB includes one or more sensors to provide a thermal profile of the IBTB.

[0016] In one embodiment, the clock synchronization module includes a system synchronizer and a clock generator circuit.

[0017] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to an apparatus including the proposed integrated radio unit.

[0018] In another aspect, the present disclosure relates to a user equipment (UE) communicatively coupled to the proposed integrated radio unit, the UE configured to receive a connection request from the integrated radio unit, send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the integrated radio unit, and transmit a number of signals in response thereto.

[0019] In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to a non-transitory computer-readable medium including processor-executable instructions that cause a processor to receive a connection request from an integrated radio unit, send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the integrated radio unit, and in response, transmit a plurality of signals, the integrated radio unit including an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB), the IBTB including at least a baseband processor, a transceiver, and a clock synchronization module, and a radio frequency front-end board (RFEB) operatively coupled to the IBTB, the RFEB including one or more RF chains for receiving RF signals from the IBTB, the RFEB blind-mating with the IBTB through one or more RF connectors.

[0020] Objective of the invention It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an integrated system having an integrated baseband and transceiver board and a radio frequency front-end board.

[0021] An objective of the present disclosure is to provide a hybrid design approach to address Outdoor Small Cell (ODSC) capacity and Massive MIMO Radio Unit (MRU) coverage requirements for rural and suburban areas.

[0022] An objective of the present disclosure is to achieve an all-in-one class design having a physical layer, a media access control layer, and an application layer in a single enclosure with a complete mechanical housing.

[0023] One objective of the present disclosure is to accommodate the complex routing of radio frequency and digital signals within a radio frequency front end board.

[0024] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an integrated system with a cableless design.

[0025] One objective of the present disclosure is to maintain uniform radio frequency power output over a specified temperature range.

[0026] An objective of the present disclosure is to automatically repair a system from software corruption and from any other undesirable failure due to software failure.

[0027] It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a power efficient system having unique power supply designs, including isolated and non-isolated power supply designs.

[0028] One objective of the present disclosure is to enable closed-loop monitoring and control of output radio frequency power on each antenna port based on ambient temperature.

[0029] One objective of the present disclosure is to provide a hardware architecture and design of a 4T4R-based 5G integrated macro gNB for standalone mode, where the proposed 5G integrated macro gNB is an all-in-one unit that includes a baseband unit, a radio frequency (RF) unit, and an antenna unit in a single enclosure that can be easily and efficiently installed.

[0030] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and form a part of the present invention, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the methods and systems disclosed herein, in which like reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the various drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the invention. Some drawings may use block diagrams to illustrate components and may not depict the internal circuitry of each component. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the inventions in such drawings include inventions in electrical, electronic, or circuitry commonly used to implement such components. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary design architecture of an integrated next-generation wireless unit, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary design architecture of an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is an example block diagram of a clock section in an IBTB in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary design architecture of a radio frequency front-end board (RFEB), in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary combined representation of a user equipment and the proposed integrated next generation radio unit, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary computer system in or in conjunction with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0032] The foregoing will become more apparent from the following more detailed description of the present disclosure.

[0033] In the following description, for the purpose of explanation, various specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments of the present disclosure. However, it will be apparent that the embodiments of the present disclosure can be practiced without these specific details. Each of the several features described below can be used independently of each other or in any combination with other features. An individual feature may not address all of the problems discussed above, or may address only some of the problems discussed above. Some of the problems discussed above may not be fully addressed by any of the features described herein.

[0034] The following description provides only exemplary embodiments and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the present disclosure. Instead, the following description of exemplary embodiments provides those skilled in the art with an enabling description for implementing the exemplary embodiments. It should be understood that various changes can be made in the function and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as described.

[0035] Specific details are given in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. For example, circuits, systems, networks, processes, and other components may be shown as components in block diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments in unnecessary detail. In other instances, well-known circuits, processes, algorithms, structures, and techniques may be shown without unnecessary detail in order to avoid obscuring the embodiments.

[0036] It is also noted that particular embodiments may be described as a process that is depicted as a flowchart, a flow diagram, a data flow diagram, a structure diagram, or a block diagram. Although a flowchart may describe operations as a sequential process, many of the operations may be performed in parallel or simultaneously. Additionally, the order of operations may be rearranged. A process terminates when its operations are completed, but may have additional steps not included in the diagram. A process may correspond to a method, a function, a procedure, a subroutine, a subprogram, etc. When a process corresponds to a function, its termination may correspond to a return of the function to a calling function or to a main function.

[0037] The words "exemplary" and / or "illustrative" are used herein to mean serving as an example, instance, or illustration. For the avoidance of doubt, the subject matter disclosed herein is not limited by such examples. In addition, any aspect or design described herein as "exemplary" and / or "illustrative" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other aspects or designs, nor is it intended to exclude equivalent exemplary structures and techniques known to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, to the extent that the terms "includes," "has," "contains," and other similar terms are used in the detailed description or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive, similar to the term "comprising" as an open transitional term, without excluding any additional or other elements.

[0038] Throughout this specification, references to "one embodiment," or "one embodiment," or "one example," or "one example" mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrase "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.

[0039] The terms used herein are merely for the purpose of describing particular embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" as used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0040] In this disclosure, various embodiments are described using terminology used in some communication standards (e.g., 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), extensible radio access network (xRAN), and open radio access network (O-RAN)) for illustrative purposes only. Various embodiments of the present disclosure can be easily adapted and applied to other communication systems.

[0041] Typically, a base station is a network infrastructure that provides wireless access to one or more terminals. A base station has coverage that is defined to be a given geographic area based on the distance over which a signal can be transmitted. In addition to "base station", a base station may also be referred to as "access point (AP)", "evolved NodeB (eNodeB) (eNB)", "fifth generation node (5G node)", "next generation NodeB (gNB)", "wireless point", "transmit / receive point (TRP)", or other terms having an equivalent technical meaning.

[0042] Several terms and phrases are used throughout this disclosure, which, in the context of the present disclosure in progress, have the following meanings:

[0043] The term "multiple-input / multiple-output (MIMO)" can refer to a wireless technology that uses multiple transmitters and receivers to transmit more data simultaneously.

[0044] The term "massive MIMO" can refer to a type of wireless communications technology in which base stations are equipped with a very large number of antenna elements to improve spectral and energy efficiency.

[0045] The term "orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM)" can refer to a method of data transmission in which a single information stream is divided among several closely spaced narrowband subchannel frequencies.

[0046] The terms "blind mate," or "blind mating," or "blind mate condition," or "blind mate connector" may refer to a connector in which mating occurs via a sliding or snapping action and which is constructed with a self-aligning feature. Additionally, a blind mate condition is used when the connection area is hidden from view or cannot be reached for alignment. It should be understood that the terms "blind mate," "blind mating," "blind mate condition," and "blind mate connector" are used interchangeably throughout this disclosure.

[0047] The term "4T4R" may refer to a base station transmission and reception mode having four transmit antennas and four receive antennas.

[0048] The term "digital predistortion (DPD)" can refer to a method of first stimulating a nonlinear power amplifier (PA) with baseband samples and then observing the results of that stimulation at the output of the nonlinear power amplifier (PA).

[0049] The term "small form-factor pluggable (SFP)" can refer to a small, hot-pluggable network interface module format used in both telecommunications and data communications applications.

[0050] The term "phase-locked loop (PLL)" or "phase-locked loop (PLL)" can refer to a feedback circuit designed to allow a circuit board to synchronize the phase of its on-board clock with an external timing signal. A PLL circuit works by comparing the phase of the external signal with the phase of a clock signal generated by a voltage-controlled crystal oscillator (VCXO).

[0051] The present disclosure relates to a 5G new radio (NR) integrated macro next generation NodeB (gNB). In an exemplary and non-limiting embodiment, the present disclosure provides a hardware architecture and design of a 4T4R-based 5G integrated macro gNB for standalone mode, and the proposed 5G integrated macro gNB is an all-in-one unit that includes a baseband unit, a radio frequency (RF) unit, and an antenna unit in a single enclosure that can be easily and efficiently installed. Those skilled in the art will understand that 4T4R is a transmission and reception mode of a base station with four transmitting antennas and four receiving antennas.

[0052] In one embodiment, the proposed 5G integrated macro gNB addresses the outdoor small cell (ODSC) capacity and massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) radio unit (MRU) coverage requirements for rural and suburban areas. In one embodiment, the proposed 5G integrated macro gNB includes an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB), radio frequency front-end board (RFEB), cavity filters, and interfaces for external antennas as part of a single enclosure / unit that can be easily and efficiently installed.

[0053] In one embodiment, the IBTB includes a baseband processor and a transceiver. Furthermore, the IBTB includes a clock synchronization circuit / module, which includes a system synchronizer integrated circuit (IC) and a clock generator. In one embodiment, the RFEB includes one or more RF chains, each of which is connected to one or more external antennas through a cavity filter. Furthermore, the IBTB and the RFEB are blind-mated. Those skilled in the art will understand that blind mating or blind-mate connectors may refer to connectors that mate via a sliding or snapping action and are constructed with self-aligning features. Furthermore, the blind-mate state is used when the connection area is hidden from view or cannot be reached for alignment. Therefore, the 5G integrated macro gNB proposed herein utilizes the blind-mate state to connect the IBTB and the RFEB, etc., thereby making the 5G integrated macro gNB proposed herein a cable-less design architecture.

[0054] However, it should be understood that the design and architecture of each of the node components / units proposed herein is novel and inventive as far as the invention proposed herein is concerned, and therefore each should be protected through their respective corresponding patent applications.

[0055] Various embodiments throughout the disclosure will now be described in more detail with reference to FIGS.

[0056] 1 illustrates an exemplary design architecture of an integrated next generation radio unit, i.e., a 5G integrated macro gNB 100, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. It should be understood that the terms "5G integrated macro gNB," "radio unit," or "5G integrated macro node" may be used interchangeably throughout this disclosure.

[0057] 1, the proposed 5G integrated macro gNB 100 may be implemented as a seamless integration of one or more sections, including but not limited to an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB) 102, an RF front-end board (RFEB) 104, and a cavity filter and interface for an external antenna 106.

[0058] In one embodiment, the IBTB 102 includes a baseband processor (or network processor) 102-1 and a transceiver 102-2. It should be understood that the terms "baseband processor" and "network processor" may be used interchangeably throughout this disclosure.

[0059] In one embodiment, development and system control of the L2 and L3 layers may be implemented / responsible within the baseband processor 102-1. In one embodiment, the baseband processor 102-1 may be connected to the transceiver 102-2, and the baseband processor 102-1 may be configured to control the transceiver 102-2 to transmit and receive signals. In one embodiment, the baseband processor 102-1 may be configured to control the transceiver 102-2 to transmit and receive signals in the 5G sub-6 GHz band. In addition, the baseband processor 102-1 may implement MIMO or diversity over a backhaul connection.

[0060] In one embodiment, the baseband processor 102-1 may include a modem processor (e.g., a digital signal processor (DSP)) that performs digital baseband signal processing, and a protocol stack processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU) or memory protection unit (MPU)) that performs control plane processing.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 1, the formation of the L1 physical (PHY) layer and the generation of the bit stream may be implemented / responsible within the transceiver 102-2. As shown in FIG. 1, the transceiver 102-2 is coupled to the baseband processor 102-1 and the RFEB 104. In one embodiment, the transceiver 102-2 may include, but is not limited to, a commercial grade field programmable gate array (FPGA). It should be understood that any other equivalent transceiver is fully within the scope of this disclosure, and thus the scope of the FPGA should be treated as the scope of any transceiver or technically equivalent component, such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC). In one embodiment, the transceiver 102-2 may include multiple transceivers.

[0062] In one embodiment, the transceiver 102-2 may include a digital up-converter (DUC) for frequency up-conversion and a digital down-converter (DDC) for frequency down-conversion. The selection and design of the DUC and DDC blocks may be optimized to match and align with the spectral mask requirements mentioned in the 3GPP standard. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the transceiver 102-2 may utilize a crest factor reduction (CFR) scheme to reduce the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) of the input signal. Furthermore, in one embodiment, the transceiver 102-2 may perform digital pre-distortion (DPD). It should be understood that DPD may refer to a method of first stimulating a nonlinear power amplifier (PA) with a baseband sample and then observing the results of the stimulation at the output of the nonlinear power amplifier (PA). In addition, the transceiver 102-2 may include a controller for time division duplexing (TDD).

[0063] In one embodiment, the transceiver 102-2 may receive modulation symbol data from the baseband processor 102-1, generate a transmit RF signal, and provide the transmit RF signal to the RFEB 104. Furthermore, the transceiver 102-2 may generate a baseband receive signal based on the receive RF signal received from the RFEB 104, and provide the baseband receive signal to the baseband processor 102-1. Alternatively or in addition, the transceiver 102-2 may also include an analog beamformer circuit (not shown) for beamforming. The analog beamformer circuit may include, for example, multiple phase shifters and multiple power amplifiers.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 1, the RFEB 104 can be coupled to the IBTB 102 through a blind-mate state. In one embodiment, the RFEB 104 can receive a control signal (RF signal) from the IBTB 102 (e.g., the transceiver 102-2) through a connector along with a supply power. The RFEB 104 can be configured to act as an expanded signal to incorporate four RF chains (108-1, 108-2, 108-3, 108-4), including four transmit chains for signal transmission, four receive chains for signal reception, and four observation chains that can act as DPD feedback paths from the power amplifier (PA) to the transceiver 102-2 for linearization.

[0065] In one embodiment, the RFEB 104 can include driver amplifiers, digital step attenuators, power amplifiers (PAs), low noise amplifiers, circulators, etc. In one embodiment, the RFEB 104 can include RF TDD switches that can pair each transmit-receive pair. Further, referring to FIG. 1, a cavity filter 106 can be used between each RF switch and the antenna port of the RFEB 104. In one embodiment, the cavity filter 106 can consist of a 4-port cavity filter for a 4T4R configuration, which allows for a steeper roll-off outside the operating band.

[0066] In one embodiment, the cavity filter and antenna unit 106 blind mates with the RFEB 104. Additionally or alternatively, one or more antennas are connected to the RFEB 104 via jumper RF cables.

[0067] In one embodiment, the RFEB 104 can be configured to blind mate with the IBTB 102, thereby eliminating cable routing clutter and avoiding RF signal oscillation. A mating bullet / connector provides a robust connection between the IBTB 102 and the RFEB 104 to meet optimal design considerations. Similarly, the RFEB 104 can be configured to blind mate with the cavity filter 106.

[0068] In one exemplary, non-limiting aspect of the present disclosure, the proposed 5G integrated macro gNB 100 is a 200 watt (W) high power gNB operating at macro class (typically 50W or 47 decibel-milliwatts (dBm) per antenna port) and configured to provide a macro-level wide area solution requiring good coverage and finite capacity, yet with low latency beneficial for rural and suburban areas. The proposed 5G integrated macro gNB 100 integrates an application layer based on a baseband processor chipset (e.g., 102-1), a medium access control (MAC) layer, a baseband layer, an RF transceiver based on an ASIC transceiver (e.g., 102-2), and an RFEB (e.g., 104) including RF high power amplifiers, low noise amplifiers (LNAs), RF switches, and cavity filters, all in a convection-cooled passive enclosure and weighs less than 25 kilograms (kg). In one embodiment, the unified macro gNB 100 can provide good coverage and capacity for dense urban high-rise buildings with eight downlink beams and four uplink beams under multi-user equipment (UE) scenarios. For rural and suburban areas, the proposed 5G unified macro gNB 100 can be deployed as a hybrid solution to meet the coverage and limited capacity requirements.

[0069] In another embodiment, the proposed 5G integrated radio unit 100 can be configured as a design with an integrated cavity filter solution that does not require the use of cables, thereby making the 5G integrated radio unit 100 a cableless design. The proposed radio unit 100 can be deployed in, but not limited to, tower sites, ground based towers (GBTs), and ground based masts (GBMs). Furthermore, the proposed radio unit 100 can be rapidly deployed to provide high performance and low power consumption, thereby making the radio unit 100 a power efficient solution. In one embodiment, the proposed radio unit 100 has a power consumption of 665W, which allows for significant improvement in operational costs. The proposed radio unit 100 can be connected to the network via two 10G fiber optic small form factor pluggable (SFP) backhaul interfaces, as shown in FIG. 1.

[0070] It should be appreciated that the proposed radio unit 100 meets all RF performance requirements mentioned in the 3GPP standard (TS38.141) after integrating a TDD-based 5G NR integrated macro gNB with a CFR module and a DPD module in a digital front-end lineup. Furthermore, the proposed radio unit 100 consumes low power and is optimally thermally addressed with an IP65 ingress protected mechanical housing and printed circuit board (PCB) embedded copper coin technology for easy heat conduction through the board.

[0071] Although Figure 1 illustrates example components of a 5G unified macro gNB 100, in other embodiments, the radio unit 100 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than those illustrated in Figure 1. Additionally or instead, one or more components of the radio unit 100 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of the radio unit 100.

[0072] 2 illustrates an exemplary design architecture of an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB) 200 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the IBTB 200 may be similar in functionality to the IBTB 102 of FIG. 1, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, the IBTB 200 may not be described in detail again.

[0073] In one embodiment, the IBTB 200 can include complex subsystems such as digital high-speed signals, switching power supplies, clock sections, and radio frequency signals designed on 18 or more layers of PCB. The PCB design includes proprietary design techniques to route RF signals and PCIe Gen3.0 signals operating at high speeds of 8GT / s on adjacent layers to meet design specifications.

[0074] In one embodiment, the IBTB 200 may include a baseband processor 202, a transceiver 204, and a clock section 206. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the baseband processor 202 and the transceiver 204 may be similar in their functionality to the baseband processor 102-1 and the transceiver 102-2, respectively, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, the baseband processor 202 and the transceiver 204 may not be described in detail again.

[0075] In one embodiment, as described above, the formation of the L2 and L3 layers and system control may be implemented / responsible within the baseband processor 202. In one embodiment, the baseband processor 202 may be coupled to the transceiver 204 and may be configured to control the transceiver 204 to transmit and receive signals.

[0076] In an exemplary embodiment, the baseband processor 202 can perform digital baseband signal processing (i.e., data plane processing) and control plane processing for wireless communication. Digital baseband signal processing can include (but is not limited to) (a) data compression / decompression, (b) data segmentation / concatenation, (c) transmission format (i.e., transmission frame) assembly / disassembly, (d) channel coding / decoding, (e) modulation (i.e., symbol mapping) / demodulation, and (f) generation of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol data (i.e., baseband OFDM signal) by inverse fast Fourier transform (IFFT). Meanwhile, control plane processing can include but is not limited to Layer 1, or L1, communication management (e.g., transmit power control), Layer 2, or L2, communication management (e.g., radio resource management and hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) processing), and Layer 3, or L3, communication management (e.g., signaling related to attachment, mobility, and call management).

[0077] The digital baseband signal processing by the baseband processor 202 may include, for example, Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, MAC layer, and PHY layer signal processing. Additionally, the control plane processing performed by the baseband processor 202 may include Non-Access Stratum (NAS) protocol, Radio Resource Control (RRC) protocol, and MAC Control Element (CE) processing. In one embodiment, the baseband processor 202 may perform MIMO encoding and precoding for beamforming.

[0078] In one embodiment, the baseband processor 202 may include a modem processor (eg, a DSP) that performs digital baseband signal processing, and a protocol stack processor (eg, a CPU or MPU) that performs control plane processing.

[0079] Further, in one embodiment, the formation of the L1 PHY layer and the generation of the bitstream may be performed / responsible within the transceiver 204. In one embodiment, the transceiver 204 may include, but is not limited to, a commercial grade FPGA. It should be understood that any other equivalent transceiver is fully within the scope of this disclosure, and thus the scope of the FPGA should be treated as the scope of any transceiver or technically equivalent component, such as an ASIC. In one embodiment, the transceiver 204 may include multiple transceivers.

[0080] In one embodiment, the transceiver 204 may perform analog RF signal processing. In one embodiment, the analog RF signal processing performed by the transceiver 204 may include, but is not limited to, frequency up-conversion, frequency down-conversion, and amplification. In one embodiment, the transceiver 204 may include one or more integrated circuits and associated electrical components. In an exemplary embodiment, the transceiver 204 may include a transmitting integrated circuit, a receiving integrated circuit, a switching circuit, an amplifier, etc.

[0081] In one embodiment, the IBTB 200 can be configured to receive an external -48 volt (V) input direct current (DC) voltage and downconvert it to various lower voltages (such as 28V and then 12V, among other combinations, as desired) based on requirements from various devices on the board. Any or a combination of the power supply section 208, DC-DC converter 210, etc. can be used to generate these desired voltages. In one embodiment, the IBTB 200 can be configured to receive an external -48V input DC voltage. The IBTB 200 then downconverts the received voltage to 28V using an isolated power supply and downconverts it again to 12V using a non-isolated power supply. In one embodiment, the power supply section 208 can include, but is not limited to, a switching buck / boost regulator, a low dropout (LDO) regulator, etc.

[0082] In one embodiment, this complete system synchronization can be done within the IBTB 200 (using, for example, the clock / sync section 206). In one embodiment, the clock section 206 can include any or a combination of an ultra-low noise clock generation phase locked loop (PLL), a programmable oscillator, and a system synchronizer.

[0083] In one embodiment, the IBTB 200 may include one or more sensors, such as, but not limited to, temperature sensors. In such an embodiment, the unique design of the IBTB 200 allows one or more sensors to measure the temperature of every section within the IBTB 200, thereby providing a thermal profile of the complete board. The IBTB 200 also has the ability to make a decision in the event of thermal failure. In one embodiment, the unique design approach of the IBTB 200 has the ability to automatically recover from any software corruption or failure occurrence, thereby ensuring that the system does not go down due to a software failure.

[0084] Although Figure 2 illustrates example components of IBTB 200, in other embodiments, IBTB 200 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than those illustrated in Figure 2. Additionally or instead, one or more components of IBTB 200 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of IBTB 200.

[0085] 3 illustrates an example block diagram of a clock section 300 of an IBTB according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the clock section 300 may be similar in functionality to the clock section 206 of FIG. 2, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, the clock section 300 may not be described in detail again.

[0086] In one embodiment, this complete system, i.e., an IBTB such as IBTB 102 in Figure 1 or IBTB 200 in Figure 2, may be synchronized within the IBTB (using, for example, clock / synchronization section 300). In one embodiment, clock section 300 may include any or a combination of an ultra-low noise clock generation PLL, a programmable oscillator, and a system synchronizer.

[0087] In one embodiment, the clock section 300 may be a clock synchronization architecture based on the IEEE 1588v2 precision time-based protocol (PTP) using a system synchronizer IC and a clock generator.

[0088] 3, a global positioning system (GPS) module 302 can send a signal to a system synchronizer 304. The system synchronizer 304 synchronizes the entire system and further sends this signal to a clock generator PLL 306 communicatively coupled to a baseband processor 308 and a transceiver 310 of the IBTB. Those skilled in the art will understand that the baseband processor 308 and the transceiver 310 may be similar to the baseband processor 102-1 of FIG. 1 or the baseband processor 202 of FIG. 2, and the transceiver 102-2 of FIG. 1 or the transceiver 204 of FIG. 2, respectively, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, the baseband processor 308 and the transceiver 310 may not be described in detail again.

[0089] 4 illustrates an example design architecture of an RFEB 400 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the RFEB 400 may be similar in functionality to the RFEB 104 of FIG. 1, and therefore, for the sake of brevity, the RFEB 400 may not be described in detail again.

[0090] In one embodiment, the RFEB 400 can be configured to receive a control signal (RF signal) from an IBTB (e.g., IBTB 102 in FIG. 1 or IBTB 200 in FIG. 2) through a connector along with a supply power. Additionally, in one embodiment, the RFEB 400 can be configured to act as an extended signal to incorporate four transmit chains for signal transmission, four receive chains for signal reception, and four observe chains that can act as DPD feedback paths from the PA to the transceiver (e.g., transceiver 102-2 in FIG. 1 or transceiver 204 in FIG. 2) for linearization.

[0091] In one embodiment, each transmit chain can be configured to include a matched balun, a pre-driver amplification (402, 404), a driver amplification 406, and a final RF power amplification 412 as part of the final stage power amplification (PA). In one embodiment, each transmit chain can include a circulator (408, 416) and a combiner (410, 414).

[0092] In one embodiment, each receive chain, on the other hand, can be configured to hold a low noise amplifier (LNA), bandpass SAW filter, and matching network 420. In one embodiment, each receive chain can also include the necessary gain block 422. In one embodiment, each observe chain can be configured to hold a directional coupler (410, 414), a digital step attenuator (DSA) (424), and a matching network.

[0093] In one embodiment, the RFEB 400 can include an RF TDD switch 418 that can pair each transmit-receive pair. In one embodiment, the switch 418 can be a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that an SPDT switch can refer to a switch that can be on in both positions, thereby turning on separate devices in each case. In one embodiment, a circulator 416 and a cavity filter can be used between each RF switch and the antenna port.

[0094] In one embodiment, the RFEB 400 can be formed on a multi-layer substrate using copper coin embedding technology to enable the high power GAN amplifier to thermally efficiently deliver 200 W of output power. In one embodiment, the RFEB 400 blind-mates with the IBTB (e.g., IBTB 102 in FIG. 1 or IBTB 200 in FIG. 2) and the cavity filter (e.g., cavity filter 106 in FIG. 1), thereby eliminating cable routing clutter and avoiding RF signal oscillation.

[0095] Although Figure 4 illustrates example components of RFEB 400, in other embodiments, RFEB 400 may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional functional components than those illustrated in Figure 4. Additionally or instead, one or more components of RFEB 400 may perform functions described as being performed by one or more other components of RFEB 400.

[0096] 5 illustrates an exemplary combined representation of a UE 502 and a proposed integrated radio unit 506. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the proposed integrated radio unit 506 may be similar to the proposed integrated radio unit 100 of FIG. 1 and therefore may not be described in detail again for the sake of brevity.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 5, the UE 502 may be communicatively coupled to the integrated radio unit 506. The coupling may be through a wireless network 504. In an exemplary embodiment, the communication network 504 may include at least a portion of one or more networks having one or more nodes that transmit, receive, forward, generate, buffer, store, route, switch, process, or any combination thereof, such as, for example and without limitation, one or more messages, packets, signals, waves, voltage or current levels, any combination thereof, and the like. The UE 502 may be any handheld device, mobile device, palmtop, laptop, smartphone, and the like. As a result of the coupling, the UE 502 may be configured to receive a connection request from the integrated radio unit 506, send an acknowledgment of the connection request to the integrated radio unit 506, and transmit a number of signals in response to the connection request.

[0098] FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary computer system 600 in which or with which embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented. As shown in FIG. 6, computer system 600 may include an external storage device 610, a bus 620, a main memory 630, a read-only memory 640, a mass storage device 650, a communication port 660, and a processor 670. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that computer system 600 may include more than one processor and communication port. Processor 670 may include various modules associated with embodiments of the present disclosure. Communication port 660 may be an RS-232 port for use with a modem-based dial-up connection, a 1 Gigabit or 10 Gigabit port using copper or fiber, a serial port, a parallel port, or any other existing or future port. Communication port 660 may be selected depending on the network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or any network to which computer system 600 is connected. Main memory 630 may be a random access memory (RAM), or any other dynamic storage device commonly known in the art. The read-only memory 640 can be any static storage device. The mass storage device 650 can be any present or future mass storage solution that can be used to store information and / or instructions.

[0099] The bus 620 communicatively couples the processor 670 to other memory, storage, and communication blocks. Optionally, operator and administrative interfaces, such as a display, keyboard, and cursor control devices, may also be coupled to the bus 620 to support direct operator interaction with the computer system 600. Other operator and administrative interfaces may be provided through a network connection connected through a communication port 660. The components described above are merely illustrative of various possibilities. The exemplary computer system 600 described above should in no way limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0100] Although great emphasis has been placed herein on the preferred embodiment, it will be understood that many embodiments can be made and that many modifications can be made to the preferred embodiment without departing from the principles of the present invention. These and other modifications of the preferred embodiment of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein. It should therefore be clearly understood that the foregoing description is to be implemented merely as an illustration of the present invention and not as a limitation.

[0101] Advantages of the Invention The present disclosure provides a cost-effective solution that can provide good coverage as well as capacity.

[0102] This disclosure provides an integrated solution that integrates a TDD-based 5G NR integrated macro gNB with a crest factor reduction (CFR) module and a digital pre-distortion (DPD) module in a digital front-end lineup, and meets all radio frequency performance requirements mentioned in the 3GPP standard (TS38.141).

[0103] The present disclosure allows for low power consumption and is thermally well addressed with an IP65 ingress protected mechanical housing and PCB copper coin embedding technology to easily conduct heat through the board.

[0104] The present disclosure provides devices / solutions that provide cost and energy efficient solutions to any network, thereby providing OPEX benefits.

[0105] This disclosure provides an overall hardware overview of the macro gNB design for standalone mode, and provides a 5G integrated macro gNB configured as an "all-in-one" unit consisting of a baseband unit, an RF unit, and an antenna unit in a single closure that can be easily and efficiently installed.

[0106] The present disclosure enables the 5G integrated macro gNB to bring an all-in-one class design, with PHY, MAC and application layers in one box with complete mechanical housing.

[0107] The present disclosure provides a novel design approach to automatically repair a system from software corruption and any other undesirable failure due to software failure to minimize engineer site visits, thereby helping to save operational expenses (OPEX). [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 100 5G integrated macro gNB, 5G integrated radio unit 102 Integrated Baseband and Transceiver Board (IBTB) 102-1 Baseband processor, network processor 102-2 Transceiver 104 RF Front-end Board (RFEB) 106 Cavity filter and interface for external antenna, cavity filter, unit 108-1 RF Chain 108-2 RF Chain 108-3 RF Chain 108-4 RF Chain 200 Integrated Baseband and Transceiver Board (IBTB) 202 Baseband Processor 204 Transceiver 206 Clock Section, Clock / Sync Section 208 Power Section 210 DC-DC Converter 300 Clock Section, Clock / Sync Section 302 Global Positioning System (GPS) Module 304 System Synchronizer 306 Clock Generator PLL 308 Baseband Processor 310 Transceiver 400RFEB 402 Pre-driver amplifier 404 Pre-driver Amplification 406 Driver Amplification 408 Circulator 410 coupler, directional coupler 412 Final RF Power Amplification 414 Coupler, directional coupler 416 Circulator 418 RF TDD Switch 420 Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) Bandpass SAW Filters and Matching Networks 422 Gain Block 424 Digital Step Attenuator (DSA) 502UE 504 Wireless networks, communication networks 506 Integrated Wireless Unit 600 Computer Systems 610 External Storage Device 620 Bus 630 Main Memory 640 Read Only Memory 650 Mass Storage Device 660 communication port 670 Processor

Claims

1. An integrated radio unit, comprising: an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB), the IBTB comprising at least a baseband processor, a transceiver, and a clock synchronization module; a radio frequency front end board (RFEB) operably coupled to the IBTB, the RFEB comprising one or more RF chains for receiving RF signals from the IBTB; Equipped with The RFEB blindmates with the IBTB via one or more RF connectors. Integrated radio unit.

2. one or more cavity filters; and Interface for one or more antennas Equipped with the one or more cavity filters are configured between each of the one or more RF chains of the RFEB and the one or more antennas; 2. The integrated radio unit of claim 1.

3. 3. The integrated radio unit of claim 2, wherein the one or more antennas are connected to the RFEB using one or more jumper RF cables.

4. 2. The integrated radio unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more RF chains comprise one or more transmit chains and one or more receive chains, each RF chain having a matching balun, a pre-driver amplifier, and a final RF power amplifier as a final stage power amplifier (PA), and each receive chain having a low noise amplifier, a bandpass SAW filter, and a matching network.

5. The IBTB, Receives external voltage, down-converting the external voltage to a first voltage using an isolated power supply; Down-converting the first voltage to a second voltage using a non-isolated power supply.

2. The integrated radio unit of claim 1, configured to:

6. 6. The integrated radio unit of claim 5, wherein the IBTB comprises a power management integrated chipset, one or more DC-DC converters, and one or more low dropout (LDO) regulator devices for generating the first voltage and the second voltage.

7. The integrated radio unit of claim 1 , wherein the IBTB is configured to automatically recover from a failure occurrence.

8. 10. The integrated radio unit of claim 1, wherein the IBTB comprises one or more sensors for providing a thermal profile of the IBTB.

9. The integrated radio unit of claim 1 , wherein the clock synchronization module comprises a system synchronizer and a clock generator circuit.

10. An apparatus comprising the integrated radio unit of claim 1.

11. A user equipment (UE) communicatively coupled to an integrated radio unit, receiving a connection request from the integrated wireless unit; sending an acknowledgement of the connection request to the integrated radio unit; In response thereto, transmitting a plurality of signals. configured to: The integrated wireless unit comprises: an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB), the IBTB comprising at least a baseband processor, a transceiver, and a clock synchronization module; a radio frequency front end board (RFEB) operably coupled to the IBTB, the RFEB comprising one or more RF chains for receiving RF signals from the IBTB; Equipped with The RFEB blindmates with the IBTB via one or more RF connectors. U.E.

12. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising processor-executable instructions, the processor-executable instructions causing a processor to: receiving a connection request from an integrated wireless unit; sending an acknowledgement of the connection request to the integrated radio unit; In response thereto, transmitting a plurality of signals; Let them do so, The integrated wireless unit comprises: an integrated baseband and transceiver board (IBTB), the IBTB comprising at least a baseband processor, a transceiver, and a clock synchronization module; a radio frequency front end board (RFEB) operably coupled to the IBTB, the RFEB comprising one or more RF chains for receiving RF signals from the IBTB; Equipped with The RFEB blindmates with the IBTB via one or more RF connectors. Non-transitory computer-readable medium.

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