Energy-efficient power control for 5G VRAN

Abstract

This paper describes methods and apparatus for improving the performance and energy efficiency of a wireless access network (RAN). Various power control schemes may dynamically adjust RAN power consumption based on fluctuations in network traffic, throughput, latency, queue size, and / or packet error rate, with the aim of increasing energy efficiency while maintaining quality of service metrics. Power control schemes may be implemented using a PRB controller that dynamically allocates physical resource blocks (PRBs) to user devices, and a CPU controller that allocates a CPU power profile based on the amount of PRB allocated to user devices. The PRB controller and CPU controller may periodically acquire real-time telemetry data and wireless network performance information, then adjust the number of PRBs for user devices, and adjust the CPU power profile that executes RAN functions based on the telemetry data and wireless network performance information.

Claims

1. A memory (271) configured to store threshold queue delays, One or more processors (270) communicating with the memory, and when executed by the one or more processors, During the first period, the mean queuing delay for data transmission between the wireless access network and the user device is determined, The detection of the average queue delay exceeding the threshold queue delay, In response to the detection that the mean queue delay exceeds the threshold queue delay, the number of physical resource blocks used for data transmission between the wireless access network and the user device is adjusted. One or more processors (270) in which the memory stores computer executable instructions that cause the system to perform operations including and A system that includes this.

2. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, To increase the number of physical resource blocks used for data transmission between the wireless access network and the user device. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

3. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, To detect that the queue size of the queue used for data transmission between the wireless access network and the user device has increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

4. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, To detect that the number of physical resource blocks should be increased in response to the detection that the queue size of the queue has increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time. The system according to claim 3, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

5. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, To detect that the queue size of the queue used for data transmission between the wireless access network and the user device has not increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

6. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, Detecting that the number of physical resource blocks should be reduced in response to the detection that the queue size of the queue has not increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time. The system according to claim 5, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

7. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, To detect that the queue size of the queue has decreased since the previous determined time interval before the first time. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

8. When executed by one or more of the aforementioned processors, The number of physical resource blocks is increased additively in response to the detection that the mean queue delay exceeds the threshold queue delay. The system according to claim 1, further comprising a computer-executable instruction causing the system to perform an operation including the following.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more processors are configured to determine the number of physical resource blocks using reinforcement learning techniques.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the number of physical resource blocks is determined by applying a reinforcement learning technique to select a physical resource block profile from a discrete number of physical resource block profiles based on the history of average queuing delays prior to the first time.

11. The user device includes a mobile phone, The aforementioned wireless access network includes a virtualized wireless access network. The system according to claim 1.

12. A method for dynamically allocating physical resource blocks (PRBs) by a PRB controller in a virtualized wireless access network (vRAN), During the first period, the mean queue delay for data transmission related to downlink and uplink queues transmitting data between the vRAN and the user device is determined (410), Detecting when the average queue delay exceeds the threshold queue delay (414), (416) Adjust the number of PRBs used for data transmission between the vRAN and the user device in response to the detection that the average queue delay exceeds the threshold queue delay. A method that includes this.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein adjusting the number of PRBs includes increasing the number of physical resource blocks.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting that the queue size of the queue used for data transmission between the vRAN and the user device has increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising detecting that the number of PRBs should be increased in response to the detection that the queue size of the queue has increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising detecting that the queue size of the queue used for data transmission between the vRAN and the user device has not increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising detecting that the number of PRBs should be reduced in response to the detection that the queue size of the queue has not increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time.

18. The method according to claim 12, further comprising determining the number of PRBs using a reinforcement learning technique.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the number of PRBs by selecting a PRB profile from a discrete number of PRB profiles based on the history of average queue delays prior to the first time.

20. One or more storage devices comprising processor-readable code constituting one or more processors, wherein the processor-readable code is During the first period, the average queuing delay for data transmission related to the wireless access network is determined (410), The system detects that the average queue delay exceeds the threshold queue delay (414), It is detected that the queue size of the queue used for data transmission related to the wireless access network has increased since the previous determined time interval before the first time (454), In response to the detection that the queue size of the queue has increased since the previous determined time interval prior to the first time, and the detection that the average queue delay exceeds the threshold queue delay, the number of physical resource blocks used for the data transmission related to the wireless access network is increased (456). The one or more processors are configured in this manner. One or more storage devices.

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