RU device and control device

Abstract

The present invention executes flexible control of an energy saving (ES) mode of a radio unit (RU). When certain conditions are satisfied, the RU device autonomously transitions from the normal mode to the ES mode, or requests a control device to shift the RU device from the normal mode to the ES mode.

Description

RU device, control device, method, and program

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an RU device, a control device, a method, and a program.

[0002] In recent years, radio access networks have been adopted that separate the baseband and radio sections of base stations and connect them via a fronthaul. The O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul specifications established by the O-RAN Alliance define the fronthaul specifications between the O-RU (O-RAN Radio Unit), which corresponds to the radio section, and the O-DU (O-RAN Distributed Unit), which corresponds to the baseband section. One of the goals of the O-RAN fronthaul specifications is to facilitate the connection of O-RUs from different vendors to O-DUs, thereby realizing multi-vendor radio access networks. Note that the O-DU may also be simply referred to as the DU. The O-RU may also be simply referred to as the RU.

[0003] Non-Patent Document 1 defines specifications for the M (Management) Plane, which is defined to transmit management data between the O-RU and the O-DU. The M-Plane provides management functions for the O-RU. In the M-Plane, the O-DU or the SMO (Service Management and Orchestration) is defined as the device that manages the O-RU. The O-RU to be managed corresponds to the NETCONF server, and the device that manages (controls) the O-RU (RU control device) corresponds to the NETCONF client. The M-Plane supports protocol stacks that transmit signals used in NETCONF (NETwork CONFiguration protocol) using Ethernet / IP / TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / SSH (Secure SHell) and, optionally, Ethernet / IP / TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / TLS (Transport Layer Security) (see, for example, Sections 9.1.2 and 9.1.3 of Non-Patent Document 1).

[0004] For example, Non-Patent Document 1 describes a change in the power state of an O-RU. When the power state is AWAKE, the O-RU performs normal operation (operation other than ES mode (Energy saving mode)), and when the power state is SLEEPING, the O-RU operates in Energy saving mode. The power state of the O-RU is changed when the RU control device sends an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message indicating configuration edit (edit-config) to the O-RU. In other words, a change in the power state of the O-RU is usually triggered by the RU control device.

[0005] O-RAN-WG4.MP.0-v09.00,“O-RAN Working Group 4 (Open Fronthaul Interfaces WG) Management Plane Specification”

[0006] In Non-Patent Document 1, it is assumed that the DU device or SMO acts as the control entity to set the state of the RU device.

[0007] The inventors have found that flexible control of the ES mode of the RU device can be achieved by having the RU device make an independent decision to control the transition of the RU device to the ES mode (for example, by allowing the transition to the ES mode to be triggered by the RU device).Non-Patent Document 1 does not fully consider this point.

[0008] One of the objectives to be achieved by the embodiments disclosed in this specification is to provide a control device and an RU device that contribute to solving at least one of the problems, including the problems described above. It should be noted that this objective is only one of the objectives to be achieved by the embodiments disclosed in this specification. Other objectives or objectives and novel features will become apparent from the description of this specification or the accompanying drawings.

[0009] In one aspect, a radio unit (RU) device includes: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor autonomously transitions the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0010] In another aspect, a radio unit (RU) device includes: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor requests an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0011] In another aspect, the control device comprises: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor transmits a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) message, based on a Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) protocol and indicating an edit-config, to a Radio Unit (RU) device, the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to autonomously transition from a normal mode to an Energy Saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0012] In another aspect, the control device comprises: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor transmits a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) message, based on a Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) protocol and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), to a Radio Unit (RU) device, wherein the RPC message includes configuration information that allows the RU device to request an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an Energy Saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0013] In another aspect, a method performed by a radio unit (RU) device includes autonomously transitioning the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0014] In another aspect, a method performed by a radio unit (RU) device includes requesting an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0015] In another aspect, a method performed by a control device includes sending a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) message to a Radio Unit (RU) device, the RPC message being based on a Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) protocol and indicating an edit-config, the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to autonomously transition from a normal mode to an Energy Saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0016] In another aspect, a method performed by a control device includes sending a Remote Procedure Call (RPC) message to a Radio Unit (RU) device, the RPC message being based on a Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) protocol and indicating an edit-config, the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to request an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an Energy Saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0017] In another aspect, the program causes an RU (Radio Unit) device to perform processing including autonomously transitioning the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0018] In another aspect, the program causes an RU (Radio Unit) device to perform a process including requesting an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0019] In another aspect, the program causes the control device to perform a process including sending an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message to a RU (Radio Unit) device based on a NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to autonomously transition from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0020] In another aspect, the program causes a control device to perform a process including sending an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message to a RU (Radio Unit) device based on a NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to request an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0021] The present disclosure can provide an RU device, a control device, a method, and a program that contribute to solving at least one of multiple problems, including the problems described above.

[0022] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for obtaining the state of an RU. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for changing the state of an RU. FIG. 3 is a diagram explaining the power state of an RU. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing possible transitions and combinations of the "active" parameter and the "state" parameter. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a system. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the processing operation of an RU device and a control device of the present disclosure. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the processing operation of an RU device and a control device of the present disclosure. FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the processing operation of an RU device and a control device of the present disclosure. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a control device. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a DU device. FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an SMO device.

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In this disclosure, the drawings may relate to one or more embodiments. Furthermore, each element in the drawings may apply to one or more embodiments. Furthermore, in the embodiments, identical or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0024] The multiple embodiments described below can be implemented independently or in appropriate combination. These multiple embodiments have different novel features. Therefore, these multiple embodiments contribute to solving different purposes or problems and to achieving different effects.

[0025] The following embodiments are described primarily for RU devices and controllers that comply with O-RAN technical specifications, but may also be applied to other systems that support similar technologies to these RU devices and controllers.

[0026] As used herein, depending on the context, "if" may be interpreted to mean "when," "at or around the time," "after," "upon," "in response to determining," "in accordance with a determination," or "in response to detecting." These expressions may be interpreted to have the same meaning, depending on the context.

[0027] First, related art will be described, and the respective embodiments are based on these arts. In other words, these arts can be incorporated into the respective embodiments.

[0028] (Protocols) C (Control)-Plane is a protocol for transferring control signals. U (User)-Plane is a protocol for transferring user data. C / U-Plane supports a protocol stack that transmits signals used in eCPRI or RoE (Radio over Ethernet) directly over Ethernet, and an optional protocol stack that transmits via UDP (User Datagram Protocol) / IP. S (Synchronization)-Plane is a protocol for achieving synchronization between devices. S-Plane supports a protocol stack that transmits signals used in PTP (Precision Time Protocol) and SyncE (Synchronous Ethernet) over Ethernet. M (Management)-Plane is a protocol that handles maintenance and monitoring signals. M-Plane supports protocol stacks that transmit signals used in NETCONF (NETwork CONFiguration protocol) via Ethernet / IP / TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / SSH (Secure SHell), and optionally Ethernet / IP / TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) / TLS (Transport Layer Security).

[0029] (Logical Architecture) The O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) Alliance adopts a configuration in which the RAN's communication processing functions can be separated into three components: the Radio Unit (RU), the Distributed Unit (DU), and the Central Unit (CU). It also defines the RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC), a platform that optimizes radio resource management and automates operations, and the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO), a framework for RAN maintenance and orchestration. The RU and DU are connected via an open fronthaul. CUS / M-Plane signals are transmitted over this open fronthaul between the RU and DU. Alternatively, the RU and SMO may be connected via an open fronthaul, and M-Plane signals may be transmitted over this open fronthaul. Even in this case, CUS-Plane signals are transmitted over the open fronthaul between the RU and DU. The DU and SMO are connected via an O1 interface. The CU and SMO are also connected via an O1 interface. The RU to be managed corresponds to a NETCONF server, and the device that manages (controls) the RU (RU control device) corresponds to a NETCONF client. The NETCONF client may be located in a DU or an SMO.

[0030] (Retrieve state of RU) FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for retrieving the state of an RU. In FIG. 1, the RU controller uses NETCONF <get>Use the procedure to get the State of the RU.

[0031] Specifically, the RU control device sends an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message indicating acquisition (get) to the RU. In response to the RPC message, the RU sends an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the RU control device. This RPC reply message includes information indicating the state of the RU. In other words, the RU control device: <get>The state of the RU can be obtained by request.

[0032] (Modify state of RU) The RU control unit can change the configurable state of an RU that supports optional hardware-state features defined in the RU hardware. The RU control unit can change the configurable state of an RU by sending a NETCONF <edit-config>Procedures can be used to change the configurable State of an RU.

[0033] 2 is a diagram showing an example of a procedure for changing the state of an RU. The RU control device changes the NETCONF <edit-config>The procedure is used to change the configurable State of an RU.

[0034] Specifically, the RU control device sends an RPC message indicating configuration edit (edit-config) to the RU. The RU changes its own state based on this RPC message. If the change is successful, the RU: <ok>The RU controller sends an RPC response message indicating

[0035] [Power-State] The configurable state of the RU is, for example, the power-state. As shown in Figure 3, the power states of the RU are "AWAKE" and "SLEEPING". Figure 3 is a diagram used to explain the power states of the RU. The RU control device uses NETCONF <edit-config>The power state of an RU can be changed using a procedure. Specifically, the RU control device controls the power state of the RU by sending an RPC message indicating edit-config to the RU to edit the RU's "energy-saving-enabled" parameter. - AWAKE: This power state indicates that the RU is operating normally, that is, not in ES (Energy Saving) mode. - SLEEPING: This power state indicates that the RU is in ES mode.

[0036] (RU Carrier configuration) The RU control device uses NETCONF <edit-config>The procedure can be used to configure (update) RU parameters. For example, the RU control unit performs activation by setting the value of the "active" parameter for the tx-array-carrier(s) element (and / or rx-array-carrier(s) element) to "ACTIVE." The RU control unit also performs deactivation by setting the value of the "active" parameter for the tx-array-carrier(s) element (and / or rx-array-carrier(s) element) to "INACTIVE." The RU control unit also puts the tx-array-carrier(s) element (and / or rx-array-carrier(s) element) to sleep by setting the value of the "active" parameter for the tx-array-carrier(s) element (and / or rx-array-carrier(s) element) to "SLEEP." The tx-array-carrier(s) element (and / or the rx-array-carrier(s) element) is in sleep mode when the value of the "active" parameter is "SLEEP" and the value of the "State" parameter is "READY". Figure 4 shows possible transitions and combinations of the "active" and "state" parameters.

[0037] Here, tx-array-carrier(s) is a data node generated by the RU controller containing carrier configuration parameters and associated with the RU's transmit array (tx-array) information. rx-array-carrier(s) is a data node generated by the RU controller containing carrier configuration parameters and associated with the RU's receive array (rx-array) information. tx-array-carrier(s) and rx-array-carrier(s) are generated for each carrier and each transmit / receive array, and the carrier's center frequency, bandwidth, transmit power, etc. are configured for the RU.

[0038] <System Configuration Example> Next, an example of a system configuration common to multiple embodiments will be described. Fig. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of a system. In Fig. 5, system 1 has a DU device 10, an RU device 20, and an SMO device 30.

[0039] The DU device 10 may be a logical node that performs functions in the Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) layer, Radio Link Control (RLC) layer, and Media Access Control (MAC) layer, as well as functions higher than the physical layer, or may be a physical device that incorporates these logical nodes. The functions higher than the physical layer may be, for example, encoding and modulation processing, and decoding and demodulation processing. The functions in the PDCP layer may be executed in a logical node called a Central Unit (CU) (not shown).

[0040] The RU device 20 may be a logical node that performs PHY-Low (lower level) functions and RF (Radio Frequency) processing, or may be a physical device that includes this logical node. The lower level functions of the physical layer may be, for example, Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) / Inverse FFT (IFFT) processing, Beam Forming (BF) processing, etc.

[0041] The SMO device 30 performs maintenance and orchestration of the RAN (Radio Access Network) and the RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller), which is a platform that realizes optimization of wireless resource management and automation of operations.

[0042] 5, the DU device 10 has a control unit (control device) 11. This control unit (control device) 11 corresponds to a NETCONF client. The RU device 20 has a control unit 21. The RU device 20 itself or the control unit 21 corresponds to a NETCONF server.

[0043] 5, the DU device 10 and the SMO device 30 are connected via an O1 interface. The DU device 10 and the RU device 20 are connected via an open fronthaul. This open fronthaul can transmit CUS-Plane signals and M-Plane signals.

[0044] The control unit (control device) 11 (NETCONF client) may be provided in the SMO device 30 instead of the DU device 10. In this case, the RU device 20 and the SMO device 30 may also be connected by an open fronthaul. In this case, the open fronthaul connecting the DU device 10 and the RU device 20 transmits CUS-Plane signals, while the open fronthaul connecting the RU device 20 and the SMO device 30 transmits M-Plane signals.

[0045] First Embodiment The system configuration may be the same as the example shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing an example of the processing operations of the RU device and control device of the present disclosure.

[0046] The control device 11 (NETCONF client) transmits a message indicating acquisition (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "first request message") to the RU device 20 (step S11). The message indicating acquisition may be an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message. In response to the first message, the RU device 20 transmits a response message (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "first response message") to the control device 11 (step S12). The response message may be an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message. That is, the processing operations of the RU device and the control device in the first embodiment shown in FIG. 6 are the same as those of the NETCONF <get>It may be a processing operation according to the procedure by the RU device 20 and the control device 11. The "first request message" may be an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message indicating acquisition (get-config).

[0047] The first request message may include, for example, "request information" indicating a request to the RU device 20 to transmit a first response message including "requested information." Furthermore, the request information may indicate a request for the entire information set including multiple information elements, or may indicate a request for each information element. The requested information is "information related to the RU device 20," and may be, for example, capability information of the RU device 20.

[0048] The RU device 20 receives the first request message and generates a first response message including requested information based on the request information of the first request message. For example, if the requested information is capability information of the RU device 20, the first response message includes the capability information. Note that the "information about the RU device 20" is generated based on the NETCONF <get>In addition to the procedure, or NETCONF <get>Instead of this procedure, the controller 11 may obtain the information from the RU device 20 during (as part of) the connection establishment between the RU device 20 and the controller 11, for example.

[0049] Next, a specific example of the above-mentioned "information related to the RU device 20" in the first embodiment will be described. That is, the first message may include request information for any one or any combination (including all) of the plurality of information elements described below. Furthermore, the first response message may include any one or any combination (including all) of the plurality of information elements described below based on the request information. Alternatively, the first response message may include some or all of the content related to any combination (including all) of the plurality of information elements described below based on the request information.

[0050] (Information Element Example 1) The information element of Example 1 is capability information indicating that the RU device 20 has the capability to autonomously transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode (or indicating whether the RU device 20 has this capability). If the capability of this RU device 20 is enabled, the RU device 20 autonomously transitions to ES mode when a "predetermined condition" for transitioning to ES mode is met. The mode in which the RU device 20 can autonomously transition to ES mode may be called a "self-saving mode." In other words, the self-saving mode can be said to be an ES mode triggered by the RU device 20. In other words, in the self-saving mode, transition from normal mode to energy saving mode is triggered by the RU device 20. Therefore, the self-saving mode may also be called an "RU-triggered saving mode." The "predetermined condition" and "ES mode" will be described in detail later.

[0051] (Information Element Example 2) The information element of Example 2 is capability information indicating that the RU device 20 has the capability to send a message (e.g., a Notification message) to the control device 11 to notify the control device 11 that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode (or indicating whether the RU device 20 has this capability). If the information element of Example 2 indicates that this capability is valid, the RU device 20 transmits this message (e.g., a Notification message) to the control device 11 when it autonomously transitions from normal mode to ES mode. When the control device 11 receives this message, the control device 11 can understand that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to ES mode.

[0052] Here, functions or configurations that can be stopped (or whose operation level can be lowered) by the RU device 20 in the "ES mode" will be described.

[0053] (ES Mode Example 1) In the ES mode, the RU apparatus 20 may stop the operation of at least some of the antennas included in the RU apparatus 20. Specifically, for example, the RU apparatus 20 may stop the operation of at least one antenna array among a plurality of antenna arrays (tx-arrays and rx-arrays) included in the RU apparatus 20.

[0054] In this case, the RU device 20 may set corresponding parameters when transitioning the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode. Specifically, for example, the RU device 20 may set parameters similar to "Parameter Example 1," "Parameter Example 2," or "Parameter Example 3" described in the third embodiment.

[0055] (Example 2 of ES mode) In ES mode, the RU device 20 may stop at least one of the C / U (Control / User) plane, the S (Synchronization) plane, the M (Management) plane, and components of the RU device 20.

[0056] The components of the RU device 20 may include a digital device unit, an analog device unit, or both. The digital device unit may be at least one of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a processor, and a network interface of the RU device 20. The analog device unit may be a power amplifier (PA). For example, if the RU device 20 includes multiple antenna arrays as analog device units, the RU device 20 may disable some of the multiple antenna arrays in the ES mode.

[0057] (Example 3 of ES Mode) In addition, in ES mode, the RU device 20 may lower the voltage of the RU device 20.

[0058] Reducing the voltage of the RU device 20 may be, for example, at least one of "reducing the antenna transmission power of the RU device 20," "stopping components of the RU device 20," and "stopping the supply of power from the RU device 20 to external devices connected to the RU device 20."

[0059] The above "reducing the antenna transmission power of the RU device 20" may mean autonomously reducing the antenna output to the minimum value of the antenna transmission power of the RU device 20. The minimum value of the antenna transmission power of the RU device 20 may be indicated from the RU device 20 to the control device 11 by the "min-power-per-antenna" parameter of the module-capability.yang module.

[0060] The above "stopping the components of the RU device 20" may mean switching off the components of the RU device 20.

[0061] The above-mentioned "stopping the power supply from the RU device 20 to an external device connected to the RU device 20" may be an external device connected to an ALD (Antenna Line Device) port of the RU device 20. This external device may be an antenna tilt control device that controls the tilt of the antenna of the RU device 20.

[0062] Next, the "predetermined conditions" will be described.

[0063] The "predetermined condition" may include any one or any combination of the following: (Condition 1) the "overheat determination parameter" of the RU device 20 satisfies the overheat condition; (Condition 2) the number of user equipment (UE) communicating with the RU device 20 is less than a threshold; or (Condition 3) a predetermined transition time to ES mode has arrived.

[0064] Condition 1 may be that the temperature (e.g., internal temperature) of the RU device 20 is higher than an overheat determination threshold. When Condition 1 is satisfied, the RU device 20 transitions to the ES mode, reducing the power consumption of the RU device 20 and reducing heat generation in the RU device 20. This prevents or eliminates overheating in the RU device 20.

[0065] Regarding (Condition 2), when performing beamforming based on channel information (Channel Info Based BF), the RU device 20 can grasp the number of UEs communicating with the RU device 20. Note that the RU device 20 may autonomously transition from the ES mode to the normal mode when the number of user equipments (UEs) communicating with the RU device 20 changes from a state where it is smaller than a threshold to a state where it is equal to or greater than the threshold.

[0066] As described above, according to the first embodiment, the RU device 20 transmits an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the control device 11 in response to an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message indicating acquisition (get or get-config). This RPC reply message includes information about the RU device 20. This information about the RU device 20 includes capability information indicating that the RU device 20 has the capability to autonomously transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode (or indicating whether the RU device 20 has this capability).

[0067] This configuration of the RU device 20 allows the control device 11 (NETCONF client) to flexibly control the "Self Saving mode" of the RU device 20.

[0068] Furthermore, the RU device 20 transmits an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the control device 11 in response to an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message indicating acquisition (get or get-config). This RPC reply message includes information about the RU device 20. This information about the RU device 20 includes capability information indicating that the RU device 20 has the capability to transmit a message (e.g., a Notification message) to the control device 11 to notify the control device 11 that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode (or indicating whether the RU device 20 has this capability).

[0069] This configuration of the RU device 20 allows the control device 11 to recognize that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to the ES mode.

[0070] <Modifications> The system in the first embodiment may be modified as follows. The first message may include request information for any one or any combination (including all) of the plurality of information elements described below, instead of the above-described information element examples 1 and 2. Furthermore, the first response message may include any one or any combination (including all) of the plurality of information elements described below, based on the request information. Alternatively, the first response message may include some or all of the content related to any combination (including all) of the plurality of information elements described below, based on the request information.

[0071] (Information Element Example 3) The information element in Example 3 is Capability information indicating that the RU device 20 has the capability to request the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode when a "predetermined condition" for the RU device 20 to transition to ES mode is satisfied (or indicating whether the RU device 20 has this capability). If this Capability is enabled, the RU device 20 requests the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode when the "predetermined condition" is satisfied. In response to this request, the control device 11 executes control to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode. This control is performed using, for example, edit-config. Even in this case, the transition from normal mode to ES mode can be said to be triggered by the RU device 20 at the point where the request from the RU device 20 is the starting point (RU triggered saving mode). Note that by receiving this Capability information, the control device 11 can determine whether it may receive the above request from the RU device 20 in the future.

[0072] (Information Element Example 4) The information element of Example 4 is Capability information indicating that the RU device 20 has the capability to send a message (e.g., a Notification message) to the control device 11 to request the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode when a "predetermined condition" for the RU device 20 to transition to ES mode is met (or indicating whether the RU device 20 has this capability). If this Capability is enabled, the RU device 20 transmits the message (e.g., a Notification message) to the control device 11 when the "predetermined condition" is met. In response to the message, the control device 11 executes control to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode. This control uses, for example, edit-config. Even in this case, the transition from normal mode to ES mode can be said to be triggered by the RU device 20 at the point where the message from the RU device 20 is the starting point (RU triggered saving mode). Note that by receiving this Capability information, the control device 11 can determine that it may receive the above message from the RU device 20 in the future.

[0073] In addition, the aspect of the information element of Example 4, "sending a message to the control device 11 to request the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode," can be said to be a specific example of the aspect of the information element of Example 3, "requesting the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode."

[0074] Second Embodiment The system configuration may be the same as the example shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing another example of the processing operations of the RU device and control device of the present disclosure.

[0075] The control device 11 (NETCONF client) sends a message indicating a configuration edit (edit-config) (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "second request message") to the RU device 20 (step S21). The second request message may be an RPC message. The second request message includes at least one of the following configuration information elements:

[0076] (Configuration Information Element Example 1) The second request message includes, for example, a configuration information element indicating that the RU device 20 is permitted to autonomously transition from normal mode to ES mode when a predetermined condition is satisfied. This configuration information element is used, for example, in pairs with the capability information of the "information element of example 1" described in the first embodiment. That is, the control device 11 may receive a first response message including the information element of example 1 to determine that "the RU device 20 has the capability to autonomously transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES (Energy Saving) mode," and then transmit a second request message including this configuration information element.

[0077] When the RU device 20 receives the second request message including the above-mentioned configuration information element, it enables a parameter indicating that the RU device 20 is permitted to autonomously transition to ES mode (step S22). This parameter may be a new parameter (e.g., a "self-saving-enabled" parameter) not described in Non-Patent Document 1. This sets the RU device 20 to the above-mentioned "Self Saving mode." In other words, the RU device 20 autonomously transitions from normal mode to ES mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Configuration Information Element Example 2)

[0078] Alternatively, for example, the second request message may include a configuration information element indicating that the RU device 20 is permitted to request the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode (more specifically, to send a message for the request to the control device 11) when a predetermined condition is satisfied. This configuration information element is used, for example, in pairs with the "information element of Example 3" or "information element of Example 4" described in the first embodiment. That is, the control device 11 may receive a first response message including the information element of Example 3 (or the information element of Example 4) to determine that the RU device 20 has the capability to request the control device 11 to transition the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode (more specifically, the capability to send a message for the request to the control device 11), and then transmit a second request message including this configuration information element.

[0079] When the RU device 20 receives the second request message including the above-mentioned setting information element, the RU device 20 may validate a parameter indicating that the request is permitted to be made to the control device 11 or a parameter indicating that the message is permitted to be transmitted to the control device 11 (step S22). As a result, the RU device 20 enters a state in which it makes the above-mentioned request (more specifically, a state in which it transmits a message for the above-mentioned request) when the above-mentioned predetermined condition is satisfied.

[0080] In response to the second message, the RU device 20 transmits an RPC reply message (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as a "second reply message") to the control device 11 (step S23). <edit-config>An example of the processing operations of the RU device 20 and the control device 11 according to the procedure is shown.

[0081] Third Embodiment The system configuration may be the same as the example shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the processing operation of the RU device and control device of the present disclosure. Note that the third embodiment is based on the premise that the RU device 20 is set to the self-saving mode described in the second embodiment.

[0082] The RU device 20 waits until the above-mentioned "predetermined condition" is satisfied (step S31 NO). If the above-mentioned "predetermined condition" is satisfied (step S31 YES), the RU device 20 autonomously transitions the mode of the RU device 20 from normal mode to ES mode (step S32). This allows the RU device 20 to flexibly control the transition to ES mode.

[0083] At this time, the RU device 20 may change the setting of any of the following parameters.

[0084] (Parameter Example 1) The RU device 20 may set the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device 20 to SLEEP or INACTIVE.

[0085] (Parameter Example 2) The RU device 20 may set the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device 20 to a value indicating that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to the ES mode. For example, the value indicating that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to the ES mode may be a new value (e.g., "SELF-SLEEP") that is not described in Non-Patent Document 1.

[0086] (Parameter Example 3) The RU device 20 may set the value of a parameter indicating autonomous transition of the RU device 20 to ES mode to SLEEP. The parameter indicating autonomous transition to ES mode may be, for example, a new parameter (e.g., a "self-active" parameter) that is not described in Non-Patent Document 1. The self-active is a parameter that selectively takes on the value of, for example, "ACTIVE" or "SLEEP."

[0087] Then, the RU device 20 transmits a notification to the control device 11 (NETCONF client) indicating that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to the ES mode (step S33). This allows the control device 11 to understand that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to the ES mode. Note that the order of steps S32 and S33 is not limited to this, and step S32 may be performed after step S33.

[0088] <Fourth embodiment> The system configuration may be the same as the example shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is a diagram showing another example of the processing operation of the RU device and control device of the present disclosure. Note that the fourth embodiment is based on the premise that the RU device 20 is in a state in which the request described in the second embodiment is permitted (more specifically, a state in which transmission of a message for the request is permitted).

[0089] The RU device 20 waits until the "predetermined condition" is satisfied (step S41: NO). If the "predetermined condition" is satisfied (step S41: YES), the RU device 20 transmits a message (e.g., a Notification message) to the control device 11 to request the control device 11 to change the mode of the RU device 20 (to ES mode) (step S42). This allows the RU device 20 to flexibly control the transition to ES mode.

[0090] When the control device 11 receives the above message, that is, in response to receiving the above message, it sends an RPC message indicating configuration editing (edit-config) (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as the "third request message") to the RU device 20 (step S43).

[0091] The third request message may include any of the following configuration information elements:

[0092] (Example 1 of Configuration Information Element) The configuration information element of Example 1 is configuration information that sets the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device 20 to SLEEP or INACTIVE.

[0093] (Example 2 of configuration information element) The configuration information element of Example 2 is configuration information that sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device 20 to a value indicating that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to ES mode.

[0094] (Example 3 of Configuration Information Element) The configuration information element of Example 3 is configuration information that sets the value of a parameter indicating autonomous transition of the RU device 20 to the ES mode to SLEEP.

[0095] Upon receiving the third request message, the RU device 20 transitions the mode of the RU device 20 from the normal mode to the ES mode (step S44).

[0096] Specifically, the RU device 20 changes the parameter setting based on the setting information included in the third request message. For example, if the third request message includes the setting information element of Example 1 above, the RU device 20 sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device 20 to SLEEP or INACTIVE. Furthermore, if the third request message includes the setting information element of Example 2 above, the RU device 20 sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device 20 to a value indicating that the RU device 20 has autonomously transitioned to ES mode. Furthermore, if the third request message includes the setting information element of Example 3 above, the RU device 20 sets the value of the parameter indicating the autonomous transition of the RU device 20 to SLEEP.

[0097] In response to the third request message, the RU device 20 transmits an RPC reply message ("third reply message") to the control device 11 (step S45). <edit-config>The figure shows an example of the processing operations of the RU device 20 and the control device 11 according to the procedure. Note that the order of steps S44 and S45 is not limited to this, and step S44 may be performed after step S45.

[0098] <Other Embodiments> <1> FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an example configuration of a control device. In FIG. 10, the control device 100 includes a processor 101 and a memory 102. The control device 11 may have the configuration illustrated in FIG. 10. The processor 101 may be, for example, a microprocessor, a microprocessing unit (MPU), or a central processing unit (CPU). The processor 101 may include multiple processors. The memory 102 is configured by a combination of volatile memory and nonvolatile memory. The memory 102 may include multiple physically independent memory devices. The volatile memory may be, for example, static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), or a combination thereof. The nonvolatile memory may be, for example, mask read only memory (MROM), electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, a hard disk drive, or any combination thereof. The memory 102 may include storage located remotely from the processor 101. In this case, the processor 101 may access the memory 102 via an I (Input) / O (Output) interface (not shown).

[0099] The memory 102 may store one or more software modules (computer programs) including instructions and data for performing the processes of the control device 11 described in the above-described embodiments. In some implementations, the processor 101 may be configured to read and execute the software modules from the memory 102, thereby performing the processes of the control device 11 described in the above-described embodiments.

[0100] <2> Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a DU device. In Fig. 11, a device 200 includes a network interface 201, a processor 202, and a memory 203. The DU device 10 may have the configuration shown in Fig. 11.

[0101] The network interface 201 is used to communicate with, for example, network elements (e.g., the SMO device 30, other RAN nodes), and may include, for example, a network interface card (NIC) compliant with the IEEE 802.3 series.

[0102] The processor 202 may be, for example, a microprocessor, an MPU, or a CPU. The processor 202 may include multiple processors.

[0103] The memory 203 is composed of volatile memory and nonvolatile memory. The memory 203 may include multiple physically independent memory devices. The volatile memory is, for example, Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic RAM (DRAM), or a combination thereof. The nonvolatile memory is, for example, Mask Read Only Memory (MROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, or a hard disk drive, or any combination thereof. The memory 203 may include storage located remotely from the processor 202. In this case, the processor 202 may access the memory 203 via the network interface 201 or an I / O interface.

[0104] The memory 203 may store one or more software modules (computer programs) including instructions and data for performing the processes of the DU device 10 described in the above-described embodiments. In some implementations, the processor 202 may be configured to read and execute the software modules from the memory 203, thereby performing the processes of the DU device 10 described in the above-described embodiments.

[0105] <3> Figure 12 shows an example configuration of an RU device. In Figure 12, the device 300 includes an antenna array 301, a radio frequency transceiver 302, a network interface 303, a processor 304, and a memory 305. The RU device 20 may have the configuration shown in Figure 12. The RF transceiver 302 performs analog RF signal processing for communication with UEs. The RF transceiver 302 may include multiple transceivers. The RF transceiver 302 is coupled to the antenna array 301 and the processor 304. The RF transceiver 302 receives modulation symbol data from the processor 304, generates a transmit RF signal, and provides the transmit RF signal to the antenna array 301. The RF transceiver 302 also generates a baseband receive signal based on the receive RF signal received by the antenna array 301 and provides the baseband receive signal to the processor 304. The RF transceiver 302 may include an analog beamformer circuit for beamforming. The analog beamformer circuitry includes, for example, multiple phase shifters and multiple power amplifiers.

[0106] The network interface 303 is used to communicate with network nodes (eg, the DU 10 and the SMO 30). The network interface 303 may include, for example, a network interface card (NIC) that complies with the IEEE 802.3 series.

[0107] The processor 304 performs digital baseband signal processing (data plane processing) and control plane processing for wireless communication. The processor 304 may include multiple processors. For example, the processor 304 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 a Micro Processing Unit (MPU)) that performs control plane processing.

[0108] The processor 304 may include a digital beamformer module for beamforming, which may include a Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) encoder and precoder.

[0109] The memory 305 is configured by a combination of volatile memory and non-volatile memory. The volatile memory is, for example, Static Random Access Memory (SRAM), Dynamic RAM (DRAM), or a combination thereof. The non-volatile memory is, for example, Mask Read Only Memory (MROM), Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, or a hard disk drive, or any combination thereof. The memory 305 may include storage located remotely from the processor 304. In this case, the processor 304 may access the memory 305 via the network interface 303 or an I / O interface (not shown).

[0110] The memory 305 may store one or more software modules (computer programs) including instructions and data for performing the processes of the RU device 20 described in the above-described embodiments. In some implementations, the processor 304 may be configured to read and execute the software modules from the memory 305 to perform the processes of the RU device 20 described in the above-described embodiments.

[0111] The antenna array 301 may correspond to the tx-array and rx-array described above.

[0112] <4> Figure 13 is a diagram showing an example configuration of an SMO device. In the example of Figure 13, the SMO device 400 is implemented as a computer system. The computer system 400 includes one or more processors 401, memory 402, and mass storage 403, which communicate with each other via a bus 407. The one or more processors 401 may include, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a graphics processing unit (GPU), or both. The computer system 400 may also include other devices such as one or more output devices 404, one or more input devices 405, and one or more peripherals 406. The one or more peripherals 406 may include a modem, a network adapter, or any combination thereof.

[0113] One or both of the memory 402 and the mass storage 403 may include a computer-readable medium having stored thereon one or more sets of instructions, which may be located partially or completely in memory within one or more processors 401. These instructions, when executed in one or more processors 401, cause the one or more processors 401 to provide the functionality of the SMO device 30 described in the above embodiments.

[0114] Although the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above. Various modifications that can be understood by those skilled in the art can be made to the configuration and details of the present disclosure within the scope of the disclosure. Furthermore, each embodiment can be combined with other embodiments as appropriate.

[0115] Some or all of the above embodiments can be described as, but are not limited to, the following supplementary notes. (Supplementary Note 1) An RU (Radio Unit) device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor autonomously transitions the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Supplementary Note 2) An RU (Radio Unit) device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor requests an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Supplementary Note 3) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the at least one processor receives an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message from the RU control device based on the NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating acquisition (get or get-config), and sends an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the RU control device in response to the RPC message, and the RPC reply message includes capability information indicating that the RU device has the ability to autonomously transition the RU device from normal mode to ES (Energy Saving) mode.(Supplementary Note 4) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein the at least one processor receives an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message from the RU control device based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicating acquisition (get or get-config), and sends an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the RU control device in response to the RPC message, the RPC reply message including capability information indicating that the RU device has the ability to request the RU control device to transition the RU device from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 5) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 1, wherein the at least one processor sends a notification message to the RU control device to notify the RU control device that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 6) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein the at least one processor sends a notification message to the RU control device to request the RU control device to transition the RU device from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 7) The RU device described in Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the specified condition includes any one or any combination of the following: an overheat determination parameter of the RU device satisfies an overheat condition; the number of user equipment (UE) communicating with the RU device is less than a threshold; or a predetermined transition time to ES mode has arrived.(Supplementary Note 8) The RU device described in Supplementary Note 1, wherein, when the at least one processor autonomously transitions the RU device from normal mode to ES mode, the processor sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE, sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode, or sets the value of the parameter (self-active) indicating the autonomous transition of the RU device to ES mode to SLEEP. (Supplementary Note 9) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 2, wherein the at least one processor receives an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), the RPC message being transmitted from the RU control device in response to a request from the RU device to transition the RU device from normal mode to ES (Energy Saving) mode, the RPC message including: configuration information for setting the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE; configuration information for setting the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode; or configuration information for setting the value of a parameter (self-active) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned to ES mode to SLEEP. (Supplementary Note 10) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein, in the ES mode, the at least one processor stops at least one of the C / U (Control / User) plane, the S (Synchronization) plane, the M (Management) plane, and components of the RU device.(Supplementary Note 11) The RU apparatus according to Supplementary Note 10, wherein the components include at least one of a digital device unit and an analog device unit. (Supplementary Note 12) The RU apparatus according to Supplementary Note 11, wherein the digital device unit includes at least one of a field programmable gate array (FPGA), a complex programmable logic device (CPLD), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a processor, and a network interface. (Supplementary Note 13) The RU apparatus according to Supplementary Note 11, wherein the analog device unit is an antenna array or a power amplifier (PA). (Supplementary Note 14) The RU apparatus according to Supplementary Note 1 or 2, wherein the at least one processor reduces the voltage of the RU apparatus in the ES mode. (Supplementary Note 15) The RU device according to Supplementary Note 14, wherein lowering the voltage of the RU device includes at least one of: lowering the antenna transmission power of the RU device, stopping a power amplifier (PA) of the RU device, and stopping power supply from the RU device to an external device connected to the RU device. (Supplementary Note 16) A control device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor transmits a remote procedure call (RPC) message to the RU (Radio Unit) device based on a network configuration protocol (NETCONF) and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to autonomously transition from a normal mode to an energy saving mode (ES) when a predetermined condition is met.(Supplementary Note 17) A control device comprising: at least one memory; and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor transmits an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message, based on a NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), to a RU (Radio Unit) device, the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to request an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Supplementary Note 18) The control device according to Supplementary Note 17, wherein, when the at least one processor is requested by the RU device to transition the RU device from normal mode to ES (Energy Saving) mode, the at least one processor sends an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message to the RU device based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), the RPC message including: configuration information for setting the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE; configuration information for setting the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode; or configuration information for setting the value of the parameter (self-active) indicating the autonomous transition of the RU device to ES mode to SLEEP. (Supplementary Note 19) A method executed by a RU (Radio Unit) device, the method including autonomously transitioning the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is satisfied.(Supplementary Note 20) A method executed by a radio unit (RU) device, the method including, when a predetermined condition is satisfied, requesting an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 21) The method according to Supplementary Note 19 further includes: receiving an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message from the RU control device based on the Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) and indicating a get (get or get-config) request; and sending an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the RU control device in response to the RPC message, the RPC reply message including capability information indicating that the RU device has the capability to autonomously transition the RU device from the normal mode to the energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 22) The method according to Supplementary Note 20, further comprising: receiving an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message from the RU control device based on the NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating acquisition (get or get-config); and sending an RPC reply (rpc-reply) message to the RU control device in response to the RPC message, wherein the RPC reply message includes capability information indicating that the RU device has the ability to request the RU control device to transition the RU device from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 23) The method according to Supplementary Note 19, further comprising: sending a Notification message to the RU control device to notify the RU control device that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode. (Supplementary Note 24) The method according to Supplementary Note 20, further comprising sending a Notification message to the RU control device to request the RU control device to transition the RU device from normal mode to energy saving (ES) mode.(Supplementary Note 25) The method of Supplementary Note 19 or 20, wherein the predetermined condition includes any one or any combination of: an overheat determination parameter of the RU device satisfies an overheat condition, the number of user equipment (UE) communicating with the RU device is less than a threshold, or a predetermined transition time to the ES mode has arrived. (Supplementary Note 26) The method of Supplementary Note 19, comprising, when autonomously transitioning the RU device from the normal mode to the ES mode, setting the value of an active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE, setting the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from the normal mode to the ES mode, or setting the value of a parameter (self-active) indicating autonomous transition of the RU device to SLEEP. (Supplementary Note 27) The method according to Supplementary Note 20, further comprising receiving an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message that is based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicates configuration editing (edit-config) and is transmitted from the RU control device in response to the RU control device receiving a Notification message, wherein the RPC message includes: configuration information that sets the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE; configuration information that sets the value of the active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode; or configuration information that sets the value of the parameter (self-active) indicating autonomous transition of the RU device to ES mode to SLEEP.(Supplementary Note 28) The method of Supplementary Note 19 or 20, wherein in the ES mode, at least one of the C / U (Control / User) plane, S (Synchronization) plane, M (Management) plane, and components of the RU equipment are stopped. (Supplementary Note 29) The method of Supplementary Note 28, wherein the components include at least one of a digital device unit and an analog device unit. (Supplementary Note 30) The method of Supplementary Note 29, wherein the digital device unit includes at least one of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), a CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a processor, and a network interface. (Supplementary Note 31) The method of Supplementary Note 29, wherein the analog device unit is an antenna array or a PA (Power Amplifier). (Supplementary Note 32) The method of Supplementary Note 19 or 20, wherein in the ES mode, the voltage of the RU equipment is reduced. (Supplementary Note 33) The method according to Supplementary Note 32, wherein lowering the voltage of the RU device includes at least one of: lowering the antenna transmission power of the RU device, stopping a power amplifier (PA) of the RU device, and stopping power supply from the RU device to an external device connected to the RU device. (Supplementary Note 34) A method executed by a control device, comprising: transmitting a remote procedure call (RPC) message based on the network configuration protocol (NETCONF) and indicating an edit-config to a radio unit (RU), the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to autonomously transition from a normal mode to an energy saving mode (ES) when a predetermined condition is met.(Supplementary Note 35) A method executed by a control device, comprising: transmitting an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message, based on a NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), to a RU (Radio Unit) device, wherein the RPC message includes configuration information that allows the RU device to request an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Supplementary Note 36) The method according to Supplementary Note 35, further comprising, when requested by the RU device to transition the RU device from normal mode to ES (Energy Saving) mode, sending to the RU device an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config), wherein the RPC message includes: configuration information for setting the value of an active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE, configuration information for setting the value of an active parameter of tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously transitioned from normal mode to ES mode, or configuration information for setting the value of a parameter (self-active) indicating autonomous transition to ES mode of the RU device to SLEEP. (Supplementary Note 37) A program that causes an RU (Radio Unit) device to execute processing including autonomously transitioning the RU device from normal mode to ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Supplementary Note 38) A program that causes an RU (Radio Unit) device to execute processing including requesting an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is satisfied.(Supplementary Note 39) A program causing a control device to execute a process including sending an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config) to an RU (Radio Unit) device, the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to autonomously transition from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met. (Supplementary Note 40) A program causing a control device to execute a process including sending an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message based on NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) and indicating a configuration edit (edit-config) to an RU (Radio Unit) device, the RPC message including configuration information that allows the RU device to request an RU control device to transition the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is met.

[0116] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2022-151204, filed September 22, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.

[0117] 1 System 10 DU device 11 Control unit (control device) 20 RU device 21 Control unit 30 SMO device < / get> < / get> < / get> < / ok> < / get> < / get>

Claims

1. An RU (Radio Unit) device, comprising at least one memory, and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory, wherein when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the at least one processor autonomously shifts the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode. The RU device.

2. The at least one processor receives from an RU control device an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message based on the NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol and indicating a get (get or get-config), and in response to the RPC message, transmits an RPC response (rpc-reply) message to the RU control device, wherein the RPC response message includes Capability information indicating that the RU device has the ability to autonomously shift the RU device from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode. The RU device according to Claim 1.

3. The at least one processor transmits to the RU control device a Notification message for notifying the RU control device that the RU device has autonomously shifted from a normal mode to an ES (Energy Saving) mode. The RU device according to Claim 1.

4. The predetermined condition includes any one or an arbitrary combination of: that the overheat determination parameter of the RU device satisfies an overheat condition; that the number of user equipment (UE) communicating with the RU device is less than a threshold; or that it is a predetermined time to shift to the ES mode. The RU device according to Claim 1.

5. When the at least one processor autonomously shifts the RU device from a normal mode to an ES mode, the at least one processor sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to SLEEP or INACTIVE, or sets the value of the active parameter of the tx / rx-array-carriers of the RU device to a value (SELF-SLEEP) indicating that the RU device has autonomously shifted from a normal mode to an ES mode. ​ ​ ​ Set the value of the parameter (self-active) indicating the autonomous transition of the RU device to the ES mode to SLEEP. The RU device according to claim 1.

6. In the ES mode, the at least one processor stops at least one of the C / U (Control / User)-plane, S (Synchronization)-plane, M (Management)-plane, and components of the RU device. The RU device according to claim 1.

7. The component includes at least one of a digital device part and an analog device part. The RU device according to claim 6.

8. The digital device part includes at least one of an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device), ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a processor, and a network interface. The RU device according to claim 7.

9. The analog device part is an antenna array or a PA (Power Amplifier). The RU device according to claim 8.

10. At least one memory; At least one processor coupled to the at least one memory; Comprising: The at least one processor transmits an RPC (Remote Procedure Call) message indicating edit-config based on the NETCONF (Network Configuration Protocol) protocol to the RU (Radio Unit) device. The RPC message includes configuration information that permits the RU device to autonomously transition the RU device from the normal mode to the ES (Energy Saving) mode when a predetermined condition is satisfied. Control device.