Provisioning of O-RAN energy conservation policies

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of this disclosure relate to the provisioning of one or more O-RAN energy saving policies. According to the exemplary embodiments, the system may include a non-real-time (Non-RT) radio access network intelligent controller (RIC). The Non-RT RIC may be configured to retrieve a policy schema and then generate at least one energy saving policy based on the policy schema for execution by a near-real-time (Near-RT) RIC. The at least one energy saving policy may include a policy scope identifier specifying the network nodes to which the energy saving policy applies, a policy objective specifying an energy saving goal, and a policy resource specifying conditions for resource usage for the energy saving policy. Thus, the Non-RT RIC may be configured to provide at least one energy saving policy to the Near-RT RIC via an A1 interface.

Claims

1. Non-Real-Time (Non-RT) Wireless Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC), Obtaining the policy schema, To generate at least one energy saving policy for execution by near-real-time (Near-RT) RIC based on the policy schema, wherein the at least one energy saving policy includes at least one policy scope identifier specifying at least one node to which the energy saving policy applies, at least one policy objective specifying an energy saving goal, and at least one policy resource specifying conditions for resource usage for the energy saving policy. To provide the Near-RT RIC with the at least one energy saving policy via the A1 interface. Non-RT RIC configured to perform the following A system that includes these features.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one energy saving policy includes at least one of an energy threshold-based energy saving policy, a service guarantee threshold-based energy saving policy, a network condition-based energy saving policy, and a timing condition-based energy saving policy.

3. The at least one policy objective of the energy threshold-based energy saving policy includes an energy parameter that defines a threshold for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations, The at least one policy objective of the service assurance threshold-based energy saving policy includes a quality of service (QoS) objective that defines a threshold for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations, The at least one policy resource of the network condition-based energy saving policy includes network conditions for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations. The system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one policy resource of the timing-condition-based energy saving policy includes a timing for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one policy scope identifier includes one or more of a cell identifier (ID), slice ID, network ID, gNodeB (gNB) ID, open radio access network (O-RAN) radio unit (O-RU) ID, O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU) ID, and O-RAN central unit (O-CU) ID, and the cell ID list includes a plurality of cell IDs, the gNB ID list includes a plurality of gNB IDs, the O-RU ID list includes a plurality of O-RU IDs, the O-DU ID list includes a plurality of O-DU IDs, the O-CU ID list includes a plurality of O-CU IDs, the slice ID list includes a plurality of slice IDs, and the network ID list includes a plurality of network IDs.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one policy objective includes one or more of the following: energy conservation objective, energy efficiency objective, RAN energy consumption objective, gNB energy consumption objective, network service energy consumption objective, network function energy consumption objective, and QoS objective.

6. The aforementioned at least one policy resource includes one or more of the following: a condition list, an inclusion list, and an exclusion list. The aforementioned list of conditions includes one or more of the network conditions and timing conditions. The inclusion list includes information on one or more nodes to which one or more energy-saving operations may be applicable. The system according to claim 1, wherein the exclusion list includes information about one or more nodes that should be excluded from the one or more energy-saving operations.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the policy schema includes a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) schema.

8. Obtaining the policy schema, To generate at least one energy-saving policy for execution by a Near-Real-Time (Near-RT) Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC) based on the policy schema, wherein the at least one energy-saving policy includes at least one policy scope identifier specifying at least one node to which the energy-saving policy applies, at least one policy objective specifying an energy-saving goal, and at least one policy resource specifying conditions for resource usage for the energy-saving policy. To provide the Near-RT RIC with the at least one energy saving policy via the A1 interface. Methods that include...

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one energy saving policy includes at least one of an energy threshold-based energy saving policy, a service assurance threshold-based energy saving policy, a network condition-based energy saving policy, and a timing condition-based energy saving policy.

10. The at least one policy objective of the energy threshold-based energy saving policy includes an energy parameter that defines a threshold for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations, The at least one policy objective of the service assurance threshold-based energy saving policy includes a quality of service (QoS) objective that defines a threshold for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations, The at least one policy resource of the network condition-based energy saving policy includes network conditions for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations. The method according to claim 9, wherein the at least one policy resource of the timing condition-based energy saving policy includes a timing for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one policy scope identifier includes one or more of a cell identifier (ID), slice ID, network ID, gNodeB (gNB) ID, open radio access network (O-RAN) radio unit (O-RU) ID, O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU) ID, and O-RAN central unit (O-CU) ID, and the cell ID list includes a plurality of cell IDs, the gNB ID list includes a plurality of gNB IDs, the O-RU ID list includes a plurality of O-RU IDs, the O-DU ID list includes a plurality of O-DU IDs, the O-CU ID list includes a plurality of O-CU IDs, the slice ID list includes a plurality of slice IDs, and the network ID list includes a plurality of network IDs.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one policy objective includes one or more of the following: energy conservation objectives, energy efficiency objectives, RAN energy consumption objectives, gNB energy consumption objectives, network service energy consumption objectives, network function energy consumption objectives, and QoS objectives.

13. The aforementioned at least one policy resource includes one or more of the following: a condition list, an inclusion list, and an exclusion list. The aforementioned list of conditions includes one or more of the network conditions and timing conditions. The inclusion list includes information on one or more nodes to which one or more energy-saving operations may be applicable. The method according to claim 8, wherein the exclusion list includes information about one or more nodes that should be excluded from the one or more energy-saving operations.

14. The method according to claim 8, wherein the policy schema includes a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) schema.

15. A non-temporary computer-readable recording medium that records instructions executable by a system comprising a Non-RT RIC for causing a Non-Real-Time (Non-RT) Wireless Access Network Intelligent Controller (RIC) to carry out a method, wherein the method is Obtaining the policy schema, To generate at least one energy saving policy for execution by near-real-time (Near-RT) RIC based on the policy schema, wherein the at least one energy saving policy includes at least one policy scope identifier specifying at least one node to which the energy saving policy applies, at least one policy objective specifying an energy saving goal, and at least one policy resource specifying conditions for resource usage for the energy saving policy. To provide the Near-RT RIC with the at least one energy saving policy via the A1 interface. Non-temporary computer-readable recording media, including [specific type of media].

16. The non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the at least one energy saving policy includes at least one of an energy threshold-based energy saving policy, a service assurance threshold-based energy saving policy, a network condition-based energy saving policy, and a timing condition-based energy saving policy.

17. The at least one policy objective of the energy threshold-based energy saving policy includes an energy parameter that defines a threshold for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations, The at least one policy objective of the service assurance threshold-based energy saving policy includes a quality of service (QoS) objective that defines a threshold for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations, The at least one policy resource of the network condition-based energy saving policy includes network conditions for initiating the execution of one or more energy saving operations. The non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 16, wherein the at least one policy resource of the timing condition-based energy saving policy includes timing to initiate the execution of one or more energy saving operations.

18. The non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the at least one policy scope identifier includes one or more of a cell identifier (ID), slice ID, network ID, gNodeB (gNB) ID, open radio access network (O-RAN) radio unit (O-RU) ID, O-RAN distributed unit (O-DU) ID, and O-RAN central unit (O-CU) ID, and the cell ID list includes a plurality of cell IDs, the gNB ID list includes a plurality of gNB IDs, the O-RU ID list includes a plurality of O-RU IDs, the O-DU ID list includes a plurality of O-DU IDs, the O-CU ID list includes a plurality of O-CU IDs, the slice ID list includes a plurality of slice IDs, and the network ID list includes a plurality of network IDs.

19. The non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the at least one policy objective includes one or more of the following: energy conservation objective, energy efficiency objective, RAN energy consumption objective, gNB energy consumption objective, network service energy consumption objective, network function energy consumption objective, and QoS objective.

20. The aforementioned at least one policy resource includes one or more of the following: a condition list, an inclusion list, and an exclusion list. The aforementioned list of conditions includes one or more of the network conditions and timing conditions. The inclusion list includes information on one or more nodes to which one or more energy-saving operations may be applicable. The non-temporary computer-readable recording medium according to claim 15, wherein the exclusion list includes information about one or more nodes that should be excluded from the one or more energy-saving operations.

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