Network node

Abstract

This network node performs communication with a wireless unit by using an interface in a base station. The network node comprises: a transmission part that transmits, to the wireless unit, setting information related to remote monitoring and failure handling for the wireless unit; and a control part that executes, on the basis of the setting information, processing related to the remote monitoring and the failure handling.

Description

Network Node

[0001] The present invention relates to a network node in a wireless communication system.

[0002] In NR (New Radio) (also referred to as "5G") and a successor system of NR (for example, "6G"), which are wireless communication systems based on the 3GPP (registered trademark) standard, technologies that meet requirements such as a large-capacity system, high data transmission speed, low latency, simultaneous connection of a large number of terminals, low cost, and power saving are being studied (for example, Non-Patent Document 1).

[0003] In addition, in O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network), discussions on the resilience function against failures are planned to start. Since O-RAN supports deployment by multiple vendors, failures may occur at various levels such as nodes, interfaces, transports, and clouds.

[0004] 3GPP TS 38.300 V18.3.0 (2024-09)

[0005] Currently, in a wireless communication system, a resilience function against vendor-specific failures by an operator is implemented, and regarding the resilience function, the flow in the orchestration of the entire O-RAN architecture is not standardized.

[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is to provide a resilience function against failures in a base station in a wireless communication system.

[0007] According to the disclosed technology, there is provided a network node that communicates using an interface with a radio unit in a base station, the network node having a transmission unit that transmits setting information regarding remote monitoring and failure response to the radio unit, and a control unit that executes processing regarding the remote monitoring and the failure response based on the setting information.

[0008] According to the disclosed technology, a wireless communication system can provide resilience to faults at base stations.

[0009] This figure shows an example configuration of a wireless communication system in an embodiment of the present invention (1). This figure shows an example configuration of a wireless communication system in an embodiment of the present invention (2). This figure shows an example of the overall impact of resilience in O-RAN. This figure shows the architecture of the management plane in O-RAN. This figure shows an example of the parameters of the O1 interface in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the parameters of the O2 interface in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the parameters of the Open Fronthaul M-Plane in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of the base station 10 and network node 30 in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the functional configuration of the terminal 20 in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of the base station 10 or terminal 20 in an embodiment of the present invention. This figure shows an example of the configuration of a vehicle 2001 in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0010] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the embodiments described below are examples, and the embodiments to which the present invention applies are not limited to those described below.

[0011] Existing technologies may be used as appropriate in the operation of the wireless communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0012] In the operation of the wireless communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention, existing technologies may be used as appropriate. However, such existing technologies may include, for example, existing LTE or existing NR, but are not limited to existing LTE or NR.

[0013] In the operation of the wireless communication system according to the embodiment of the present invention, existing technologies may be used as appropriate. However, such existing technologies may include, for example, existing LTE or existing NR, but are not limited to existing LTE or NR.

[0014] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention described below, terms such as SS (Synchronization signal), PSS (Primary SS), SSS (Secondary SS), PBCH (Physical broadcast channel), PRACH (Physical random access channel), PDCCH (Physical Downlink Control Channel), PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared Channel), PUCCH (Physical Uplink Control Channel), and PUSCH (Physical Uplink Shared Channel), which are used in existing LTE systems, will be used. This is for convenience of description, and similar signals, functions, etc., may be called by other names. Also, the above terms in NR correspond to NR-SS, NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-PBCH, NR-PRACH, etc. However, even if a signal is used in NR, it is not necessarily explicitly stated as "NR-".

[0015] Furthermore, in the embodiments of the present invention, the duplex system may be a TDD (Time Division Duplex) system, an FDD (Frequency Division Duplex) system, or any other system (for example, a Flexible Duplex).

[0016] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, "configuring" wireless parameters means that predetermined values ​​are pre-configured, or that wireless parameters notified from the base station 10 or terminal 20 are configured. Also, in the following description, " / " means "and / or" unless otherwise specified, or unless it is clear from the context that it has a different meaning.

[0017] Figure 1 shows an example configuration (1) of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a base station 10 and a terminal 20, as shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows one base station 10 and one terminal 20, but this is an example, and there may be multiple base stations 10 and terminals 20.

[0018] Base station 10 is a communication device that provides one or more cells and communicates wirelessly with terminal 20. The physical resources of the wireless signal are defined in the time domain and the frequency domain. The time domain may be defined by the number of OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) symbols, and the frequency domain may be defined by the number of subcarriers or resource blocks. Base station 10 transmits synchronization signals and system information to terminal 20. Synchronization signals are, for example, NR-PSS and NR-SSS. System information is transmitted, for example, in NR-PBCH and is also called broadcast information. Synchronization signals and system information may also be called SSB (SS / PBCH block). As shown in Figure 1, base station 10 transmits control signals or data to terminal 20 via DL (Downlink) and receives control signals or data from terminal 20 via UL (Uplink). Both base station 10 and terminal 20 are capable of transmitting and receiving signals using beamforming. Furthermore, both the base station 10 and the terminal 20 can apply MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) communication to DL or UL. Also, both the base station 10 and the terminal 20 may communicate via Carrier Aggregation (CA) through secondary cells (SCell) and primary cells (PCell). Additionally, the terminal 20 may communicate via Dual Connectivity (DC) through the primary cell of base station 10 and the primary secondary cell group cell (PSCell) of another base station 10.

[0019] Terminal 20 is a communication device equipped with wireless communication capabilities, such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet, wearable device, or M2M (Machine-to-Machine) communication module. As shown in Figure 1, Terminal 20 receives control signals or data from the base station 10 via DL and transmits control signals or data to the base station 10 via UL, thereby utilizing various communication services provided by the wireless communication system. Terminal 20 also receives various reference signals transmitted from the base station 10 and performs propagation path quality measurement based on the reception results of said reference signals.

[0020] Furthermore, various requirements are being considered for the next generation of 6G. For example, these requirements may include ultra-broadband communication, mission-critical communication, ultra-massive connection, universal coverage, intelligent connection, and ubiquitous sensing.

[0021] Furthermore, these requirements may include ultra-high-speed communication, large-capacity communication, ultra-wide coverage, ultra-low power consumption, cost reduction, ultra-low latency, ultra-high reliability communication, ultra-high connectivity, and sensing.

[0022] To meet these requirements, the new concept aims for extensibility (e.g., making it more effective for future use), ease of operation, customizability (e.g., making it easier to operate), and sustainability (e.g., cost reduction, a more robust configuration, and resilience). Furthermore, guaranteed communication, ensuring a minimum level of performance at all times, is being considered.

[0023] Figure 2 shows an example configuration (2) of a wireless communication system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows an example configuration of a wireless communication system when DC (Dual connectivity) is performed. As shown in Figure 2, a base station 10A that will be an MN (Master Node) and a base station 10B that will be an SN (Secondary Node) are provided. Base stations 10A and 10B are each connected to the core network. Terminal 20 can communicate with both base station 10A and base station 10B.

[0024] A cell group provided by base station 10A, which is an MN (Mobile Network), is called an MCG (Master Cell Group), and a cell group provided by base station 10B, which is an SN (Mobile Network), is called an SCG (Secondary Cell Group). In a data center, an MCG consists of one PCell and one or more SCells, and an SCG consists of one PSCell (Primary SCG Cell) and one or more SCells.

[0025] O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) supports deployments by multiple vendors, and failures can occur at various levels, including nodes, interfaces, transport, and O-Cloud. Currently, each solution provider (RAN, transport, cloud) provides recovery within their respective scope, but standardizing resilience features in O-RAN is crucial to ensuring the effective use of each solution provider's design. Specifically, managing components and interfaces in O-RAN through standardized interfaces enables coordinated resilience and fault handling across vendors.

[0026] Figure 3 shows an example of the overall impact of resilience in O-RAN. As shown in Figure 3, the impact of resilience can be seen at the node level, interface level, transport level, and O-cloud level in O-RAN. At the node level, nodes such as the Open-Distributed Unit (O-DU) and the Open-Central Unit (O-CU) are targeted. The central control unit may also be called the control unit. Also, O-DU / O-CU may be written as DU / CU. At the interface level, interfaces such as the Management Plane (M-Plane), Control / User / Synchronization (CUS) plane, O1, O2, E2, E1, and F1 are targeted. At the transport level, Front-Haul and Mid-Haul are targeted. At the O-Cloud level, there are influences at the application level, such as Network Function (NF) / Network Slice (NS), and at the hardware (component) level.

[0027] Figure 4 shows the architecture of the management plane in O-RAN. As shown in Figure 3, there are two types of models for the management plane (M-Plane) interface: the Hierarchical M-Plane Model and the Hybrid M-Plane Model. In the Hierarchical M-Plane Model, the O1 interface between the SMO and O-DU and the M-Plane interface between the O-DU and O-RU are used, while in the Hybrid M-Plane Model, the M-Plane interface between the SMO and O-RU is also used.

[0028] Currently, wireless communication systems implement vendor-specific resilience features implemented by operators. However, regarding resilience features, the orchestration flow and other aspects within the O-RAN architecture are not standardized, and the implementation of end-to-end resilience features is insufficient.

[0029] The following describes methods for providing resilience to base station failures in a wireless communication system. In particular, this description focuses on providing resilience in the interfaces (O1, O2, and Open Fronthaul M-plane) between the SMO (Service Management and Orchestration), a network node 30 that manages and orchestrates services in an O-RAN, and base station equipment. Furthermore, a combination of the following methods may be used.

[0030] (Method 1) Method relating to the O1 interface (O1IF) A method relating to the resilience function in the O1 interface between the SMO and the O-CU, O-DU, and the Near-Real Time RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller), which is a device that performs non-real-time control, will be described. The O1 interface may also be used between the SMO and the radio unit (Open-Radio Unit (O-RU)).

[0031] Figure 5 shows an example of the parameters of the O1 interface in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 shows the parameters set in the method described below.

[0032] (Method 1-1) Functions for fault detection and automatic recovery The O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may perform real-time fault detection and periodic health checks and notify the SMO of detected faults / health check responses via O1IF. The SMO may periodically send health check requests to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC.

[0033] After detecting a fault, the SMO may send a request to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real-time RIC to perform fault remediation (e.g., automatically apply a corrective patch), or to send a fault log. The O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real-time RIC may perform fault remediation (e.g., automatically apply a corrective patch), store the fault log, and send the log to the SMO.

[0034] Furthermore, the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may, after detecting a fault, perform processes related to fault repair (for example, automatically apply a corrective patch), store logs related to the fault, and send those logs to the SMO.

[0035] The SMO may notify the administrator of information regarding the failure (for example, by displaying information about the failure on the screen or by sending an email containing information about the failure to the administrator).

[0036] SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may perform log synchronization processing between multiple servers.

[0037] Additionally, SMO may send the parameters shown in Figure 5 below to O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC via O1IF regarding the settings for real-time fault detection and periodic health checks. • Real-time Alert Setting: Configures the system to send an alert immediately when an anomaly is detected. • Health Check Interval: Sets the interval for periodically checking the system's health. • Anomaly Detection Log Collection: Configures the system to automatically collect logs when an anomaly is detected. • Auto Recovery Trigger: Configures the system to automatically apply corrective patches after an anomaly is detected. • Log Synchronization Interval: Sets the interval for synchronizing logs across multiple servers.

[0038] (Method 1-2) Setting up redundant communication paths and failover function The SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may perform settings / processing related to redundant paths / failover for the communication paths in the O1IF. For example, the SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may set up a communication path in the O1IF that includes a primary path and a secondary path, and switch from the primary path to the secondary path when a failure is detected in the primary path.

[0039] Furthermore, this setting may also relate to a dynamic path reconfiguration / failover algorithm applied to the communication path in O1IF. Here, dynamic execution means that the desired process is executed without stopping or restarting the system / application, etc. The same applies hereafter.

[0040] Furthermore, the settings for communication paths in O1IF may include the parameters shown in Figure 5 below. • Communication Path Failover Threshold: Configures failover to occur when the communication volume / error rate on the communication path exceeds a threshold. • Primary Path Restore Trigger: Configures automatic restoration from the secondary path to the primary path when the primary path is restored. • Data Integrity Preservation Mechanism: Configures data integrity to be maintained during failover. • Multi-stage Failover Setting: Configures multi-stage failover to be performed for three or more redundant paths. • Dynamic Communication Path Addition: Configures dynamic addition of communication paths according to the communication load.

[0041] (Method 1-3) AI / ML utilization for anomaly detection and prediction SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may, via O1IF, configure / process settings related to early detection and prediction of anomalies / faults using algorithms based on artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning (ML). In addition, SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may predict future failures based on past data and take countermeasures in advance.

[0042] Here, the SMO may send configuration information regarding the process to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC, and the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may execute the process based on the configuration. The O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may also send the execution result of the process to the SMO.

[0043] Alternatively, the SMO may periodically receive the information necessary for the processing from the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC, and the SMO may execute the processing based on the received information. The SMO may also transmit the results of the processing to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC.

[0044] Also, the said setting may include the parameters shown in FIG. 5 below. - Anomaly Detection Model: Set to train an anomaly detection model to perform real-time anomaly prediction and automatic alerts. - Network Health Evaluation: Set to evaluate the network health and take measures to prevent expected failures. - Self-learning Function: Set to incorporate a self-learning function based on machine learning to improve accuracy according to environmental changes. - Regular Model Update: Set to update the AI model regularly and optimize performance based on the latest data. - Visual Alert Function: Set to visualize abnormal situations and provide graphical alerts to administrators.

[0045] (Method 1-4) Dynamic adjustment function for QoS management and optimization SMO may transmit setting information including parameters related to QoS (Quality of Service) to O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC via O1IF. O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may execute the setting / processing of the parameters included in the received setting information.

[0046] Furthermore, the configuration information may include the parameters shown in Figure 5 below. • QoS Parameter Monitoring: Configures monitoring and dynamic adjustment of QoS parameters such as bandwidth, latency, and packet loss rate. • Optimal Resource Allocation: Configures optimal resource allocation based on network traffic analysis. • Priority Traffic Setting: Configures priority resource allocation for high-priority traffic during congestion. • Personalized QoS Setting: Configures personalized QoS based on the user's profile. • Dynamic SLA Adjustment: Configures dynamic QoS adjustment according to different Service Level Agreements (SLAs). • Anomaly Log Collection: Configures the collection of detailed logs when an anomaly is detected to identify the suspected location.

[0047] (Method 1-5) Optimization of healing (reset) instructions to MANO when an anomaly is detected. The SMO may send configuration information to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC via O1IF when a fault is detected, to identify the suspected location of the fault and to notify the fault location. The SMO may also receive such notification from the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC.

[0048] In addition, the setting information may include the parameters shown in FIG. 5 below. - Anomaly Log Collection: Set to collect detailed logs when an anomaly is detected and identify the suspected location. - Suspected Location Notification: Set to notify the MANO (Management and Orchestration) of the information on the suspected location and execute a healing (reset) instruction. - Post-recovery Confirmation: Set to check the state after reset and confirm that no re-anomaly occurs. - Pre-notification Flag: Set to notify the administrator before automatically executing the reset instruction (for example, display information related to the execution on the screen). - ML Algorithm: Set to use a machine learning algorithm to identify the suspected location.

[0049] (Method 1-6) Health check and anomaly notification between NFs using the inter-device IF (F1) It is assumed that the SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may perform a health check and anomaly notification between network functions (NFs) (for example, between the O-DU and the O-CU) using the inter-device IF (F1) between the O-DU and the O-CU. For example, it is assumed that a health check is periodically performed between NFs and an anomaly notification via another NF (for example, the Near-real time RIC) is implemented. The SMO may send the anomaly notification from the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC via the O1IF.

[0050] Furthermore, the SMO may send configuration information regarding health checks between NFs using inter-device IF(F1) and anomaly notifications via other NFs to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC via O1IF. This configuration information may also include the parameters shown in Figure 5 below: ・Health Check Interval: Sets the interval for performing periodic health checks. ・Anomaly Notification Path: Sets the notification of the anomaly of the relevant NF via other NFs when an anomaly is detected. ・Alternative Path Setting: Sets an alternative path to be automatically set simultaneously with the anomaly notification to prevent service interruption. ・Check Frequency Adjustment: Sets the dynamic adjustment of the health check frequency according to the network load. ・Security Function: Sets the anomaly notification system to add a security function to encrypt / protect the integrity of the notification messages.

[0051] (Method 1-7) Optimization of Network Topology (Device Configuration / Routing) The SMO may send configuration information regarding the optimization of the network topology (device configuration and routing) based on resource status using the Topology Exposure and Inventory Management Services (TE / IV) function to the O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC via the O1IF. For example, the SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC may dynamically change the network topology according to the network usage status to improve network utilization efficiency based on this configuration information. The configuration information may also include the parameters shown in Figure 5 below. ・TE Function Setting: Enables a function that uses the TE function to calculate the optimal route based on the current resource usage status and apply it in real time. ・IV Function Setting: Enables a function that uses the IV function to visualize the topology diagram of the entire network and make it easy to manage. ・Seamless Migration: Enables a seamless migration function to prevent data loss when the topology is changed. • AI / ML Prediction: Enables a function that uses AI / ML algorithms to predict future resource utilization trends and proactively optimize the network topology. • Audit Function: Enables an audit function that automatically records and tracks topology change history.

[0052] (Method 1-8) Action taken when retrieval from the file server fails SMO may send configuration information via O1IF to O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC regarding the action taken to address failures when access to the file server accessed by SMO / O-DU / O-CU / O-RU / Near-real time RIC fails. For example, such configuration information may include parameters to enable the following functions. - A function to retry a certain number of times when file acquisition fails. - A function to automatically switch to a pre-configured alternative file server if all file acquisition retries fail. - A function to collect logs when file acquisition fails and support analysis of the cause of the anomaly. - A function to notify the administrator before switching to an alternative server and provide the option to switch manually. - A function to continue providing the file temporarily using the cache on the acquisition device side when file acquisition fails. (Method 1-9) xApp status monitoring, anomaly notification, and optimization The SMO may monitor the status of the application (xAPP) in Near-real time RIC via O1IF and, based on the status, perform anomaly detection / notification of anomaly detection results / optimization of resource allocation / optimization of settings for the application.

[0053] For example, the SMO may receive xApp status information (performance data, resource usage, and performance metrics, etc.) from the Near-real-time RIC via the O1IF and detect anomalies based on that status information.

[0054] Furthermore, the SMO may notify the administrator of information regarding the detected anomaly (for example, by displaying the information on the screen or by sending an email containing the content of the information).

[0055] Furthermore, SMO may perform correlation analysis on multiple anomaly parameters before issuing an xApp anomaly notification to evaluate the degree of anomaly.

[0056] Furthermore, in performing anomaly detection, SMO may use anomaly detection algorithms based on machine learning models to improve the accuracy of anomaly detection.

[0057] (Method 2) Method relating to the O2 interface (O2IF) A method relating to the resilience function in the O2 interface between the SMO and the O-Cloud is described. The O-Cloud is a virtualization infrastructure that provides network functions for virtualized base stations, and the SMO may communicate with network nodes in the virtualization infrastructure via the O2IF.

[0058] Figure 6 shows an example of the parameters of the O2 interface in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 6 shows the parameters set in the method described below.

[0059] (Method 2-1) Dynamic relocation and provisioning of resources The SMO may send configuration information to the O-Cloud via O2IF, which includes parameters for resources within the O-Cloud. This configuration information may include, for example, parameters for dynamic relocation of resources within the O-Cloud to be performed in the event of a failure.

[0060] Furthermore, SMO and O-Cloud may use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) within O2IF to perform, for example, automatic scaling and provisioning of cloud resources.

[0061] (Method 2-1-1) SMO and O-Cloud may configure / process in O-Cloud to automatically allocate new resources when a specific resource becomes overloaded.

[0062] (Method 2-1-2) SMO and O-Cloud may monitor resource utilization in O-Cloud and perform configuration / processing to scale those resources in real time.

[0063] (Method 2-1-3) SMO and O-Cloud may perform configuration / processing to proactively reallocate resources when a failure indicator is detected in O-Cloud.

[0064] (Method 2-1-4) SMO and O-Cloud may configure / process to use a seamless migration algorithm to minimize service downtime when reallocating resources in O-Cloud.

[0065] (Method 2-1-5) SMO and O-Cloud may support resource provisioning in a multi-cloud environment and perform configuration / processing to enable dynamic load balancing across different cloud resources.

[0066] Furthermore, SMO and O-Cloud may send and receive configuration information via O2IF that includes at least one of the parameters shown in Figure 6 below: • SLA Monitoring: Enables monitoring and reporting of resource usage based on SLAs. • Threshold Setting: Sets the resource usage threshold for issuing alerts when exceeded. • Billing Integration: Enables integration with a billing system based on resource usage. • Resource Pooling: Enables the function of pooling multiple resources and allocating them efficiently. • Historical Data Analysis: Enables the prediction function based on analysis of historical resource usage data. • User Quota Management: Enables the function of managing resource allocation per user.

[0067] (Method 2-2) Resource Sharing Between Multiple Cloud Environments SMO and O-Cloud may send and receive configuration information regarding resource sharing between different cloud environments via O2IF. For example, SMO and O-Cloud may send and receive configuration information via O2IF to share resources between different cloud environments and ensure redundancy. Based on this configuration information, SMO and O-Cloud may perform processing related to resource sharing via O2IF. In addition, SMO and O-Cloud may use APIs in O2IF for, for example, lending and borrowing resources between clouds.

[0068] (Method 2-2-1) SMO and O-Cloud may perform configuration / processing related to seamless resource movement between clouds.

[0069] (Method 2-2-2) SMO and O-Cloud may perform configuration / processing to use a common data model for sharing resources between different cloud service providers.

[0070] (Method 2-2-3) SMO and O-Cloud may use a real-time API that enables the immediate allocation and release of resources across multiple cloud environments.

[0071] (Method 2-2-4) SMO and O-Cloud may perform configuration / processing to utilize a blockchain that manages and records resource exchanges between clouds on a token basis.

[0072] (Method 2-2-5) SMO and O-Cloud may perform settings / processes to perform encryption / integrity protection to minimize security risks when sharing resources.

[0073] (Method 3) Method related to Open Fronthaul M-Plane This section describes the method related to the resilience function in the Open Fronthaul M-plane (control plane) interface (hereinafter referred to as MPIF) between the SMO / O-DU and the O-RU. In the case of the Hierarchical M-Plane Mode shown in Figure 4, communication between the SMO and the O-RU is performed using the O1IF between the SMO and the O-DU and the MPIF between the O-DU and the O-RU.

[0074] Figure 7 shows an example of the parameters for an Open Fronthaul M-Plane in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 shows the parameters set in the method described below.

[0075] (Method 3-1) Automation of continuous remote monitoring and fault response The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may perform settings / processes related to the automation of continuous remote monitoring and fault response for the O-RU via MPIF, and may send and receive setting information related to such settings. The SMO and O-RU may, for example, perform processes to automatically respond to faults based on the results of collecting and analyzing monitoring data in real time.

[0076] (Method 3-1-1) When an abnormality occurs, the SMO / O-DU may send instructions to the O-RU to perform a remote restart / configuration change.

[0077] (Method 3-1-2) The SMO / O-DU may store the monitoring data received from the O-RU in a large-scale database and analyze it using a machine learning model to detect anomaly trends in the O-RU.

[0078] (Method 3-1-3) The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may send and receive information for automatically performing preventive maintenance, and the SMO / O-DU may decide on the process to prevent a failure before a failure occurs and send an instruction to the O-RU to execute the said process.

[0079] (Method 3-1-4) The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may identify the cause of the anomaly and perform processing to repair the anomaly.

[0080] (Method 3-1-5) The SMO / O-DU may use data obtained through remote monitoring of the O-RU to predict the timing of future equipment replacement / upgrades.

[0081] Furthermore, the SMO / O-DU and O-RU may send and receive configuration information via MPIF that includes at least one of the parameters shown in Figure 7 below. • Remote Monitoring: Enables a function to collect and analyze monitoring data in real time and respond automatically. • Automatic Restart: Enables a function to automatically perform remote restarts / configuration changes in the event of an anomaly. • Large-scale Data Collection: Enables a function to store monitoring data in a large-scale database and analyze it using machine learning models. • Predictive Maintenance: Enables a function to automatically perform preventive maintenance before a failure occurs. • Expert System: Enables a function to identify the cause of an anomaly and automatically apply repair procedures. • Future Equipment Upgrade Prediction: Enables a function to predict future equipment replacement / upgrade timing based on remote monitoring data.

[0082] (Method 3-2) Provisioning of RAN elements for dynamic configuration management The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may send and receive configuration information via MPIF to dynamically provision (deploy) other RAN elements connected to the O-RU (e.g., devices such as antennas and power supplies, or other O-RUs). The SMO and O-RU may also automatically add or remove new RAN elements dynamically, for example, depending on the traffic volume / processing load on the O-RU.

[0083] (Method 3-2-1) When a new antenna is connected, the O-RU may perform configuration / processing based on the profile for that antenna. The O-RU may also send a message to the SMO / O-DU requesting the profile for that antenna. The SMO / O-DU may send the profile to the O-RU.

[0084] (Method 3-2-2) When the O-RU is connected to the network, it may automatically perform the necessary configurations for itself, connect to the existing network, and perform communication.

[0085] (Method 3-2-3) When adding or changing equipment, the O-RU may perform dynamic provisioning to minimize downtime. For example, the O-RU may send a message to the SMO / O-DU requesting configuration information to perform such dynamic provisioning. The SMO / O-DU may then send the configuration information to the O-RU.

[0086] (Method 3-2-4) When a new RAN element is connected to the O-RU, the O-RU may set parameters determined using the AI / ML algorithm. For example, the O-RU may send a message to the SMO / O-DU requesting configuration information including the parameters. The SMO / O-DU may then send the configuration information to the O-RU.

[0087] (Method 3-2-5) When performing dynamic provisioning, the O-RU may automatically perform security checks and configure / process settings to ensure security. For example, when communicating with newly added equipment, the O-RU may perform mutual authentication with the communication partner and configure settings to encrypt / protect the integrity of the communication data. The O-RU may also send a message to the SMO / O-DU requesting configuration information regarding such settings. The SMO / O-DU may then send the configuration information to the O-RU.

[0088] Furthermore, the SMO / O-DU and O-RU may send and receive configuration information via MPIF that includes at least one of the parameters shown in Figure 7 below. • Dynamic Provisioning: Enables a mechanism for automatically adding / removing RAN elements. • Automatic Profile Download: Enables a function to automatically download and configure profiles when a new antenna is connected. • Self-configuration: Enables a function that automatically configures itself when the O-RU is connected to the network. • Minimal Downtime Provisioning: Enables provisioning that minimizes downtime during equipment changes. • AI / ML Parameter Suggestion: Enables a function that recommends optimal parameter settings using an AI / ML algorithm when a new RAN element is connected. • Security Check: Enables a function that automatically performs security checks during dynamic provisioning.

[0089] (Method 3-3) Data Security and Privacy Protection The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may perform settings / processes to protect the security and privacy of the data transmitted and received via MPIF. For example, the SMO / O-DU and O-RU may perform settings / processes related to mutual authentication with the communication partner and data encryption / integrity protection.

[0090] (Method 3-3-1) SMO / O-DU and O-RU may use TLS (Transport Layer Security) when sending and receiving data to encrypt / protect the data.

[0091] (Method 3-3-2) The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may use access control lists (ACLs) to set access restrictions for specific devices / users.

[0092] (Method 3-3-3) The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may perform integrity checks on the transmitted and received data and detect unauthorized data tampering.

[0093] (Method 3-3-4) The SMO / O-DU and O-RU may generate a security token when transmitting data, transmit the token along with the data, and use the token to verify the validity of the data when receiving the data.

[0094] (Method 3-3-5) SMO / O-DU and O-RU may, when transmitting data, attach a digital signature to the data to be transmitted, and when receiving data, use that digital signature to check for tampering with the data.

[0095] (Method 3-4) Fault notification via M-plane in the event of O1IF loss In the Hybrid M-Plane Model shown in Figure 4, if the O1IF is unavailable due to a failure or other reason, the SMO / O-DU / O-RU may use the MPIF between the SMO and the O-RU as a backup communication path. For example, if the O1IF is unavailable, the O-DU may send a fault notification to the SMO via the MPIF.

[0096] (Method 3-4-1) SMO / O-DU / O-RU may be assumed to automatically switch from O1IF to MPIF and send fault notifications if O1IF is unavailable.

[0097] (Method 3-4-2) If the SMO receives a fault notification via MPIF, it may perform appropriate repair / retries related to the fault notification.

[0098] (Method 3-4-3) The SMO / O-DU / O-RU may continuously monitor the status of both the O1IF and MPIF interfaces and, if an abnormality occurs in communication on one interface, switch to communication using the other interface.

[0099] (Method 3-4-4) After receiving a fault notification via MPIF, the SMO / O-DU / O-RU may collect logs necessary for processing the fault based on the fault notification and perform analysis of those logs.

[0100] (Method 3-4-5) SMO / O-DU / O-RU may automatically return to prioritizing O1IF communication when O1IF recovers from a failure.

[0101] (Effects) The above method enhances end-to-end resilience across the entire O-RAN network, enabling seamless fault handling and recovery between different vendors. Furthermore, it allows for rapid and automatic switching of communication paths in the event of a failure, minimizing service disruption. Standardization of functions related to communication traffic distribution and resource reallocation enables efficient orchestration across the entire O-RAN architecture, improving the reliability and stability of the communication infrastructure. In addition, promoting coordination of traffic sharing and resiliency plans among different operators improves overall network operational efficiency and the quality of the user experience.

[0102] In other words, by the method described above, a wireless communication system can be provided with a resilience function against faults at the base station.

[0103] (Device Configuration) Next, an example of the functional configuration of the base station 10, network node 30, and terminal 20 that perform the processing and operations described above will be explained. The base station 10, network node 30, and terminal 20 include the functions to perform the embodiments described above. However, the base station 10, network node 30, and terminal 20 may each be equipped with only some of the functions in the embodiments.

[0104] <Base Station 10 and Network Node 30> Figure 8 shows an example of the functional configuration of a base station 10 and a network node 30 in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 8, the base station 10 has a transmitting unit 110, a receiving unit 120, a setting unit 130, and a control unit 140. The functional configuration shown in Figure 8 is merely an example. The functional classifications and names of the functional units can be anything as long as they can perform the operations according to the embodiment of the present invention. The network node 30 may have the same functional configuration as the base station 10. Furthermore, a network node 30 having multiple different functions in the system architecture may be composed of multiple network nodes 30 separated by function.

[0105] The transmitting unit 110 includes the function of generating a signal to be transmitted to the terminal 20 or other network node 30 and transmitting the signal wirelessly. The transmitting unit 110 also transmits inter-network node messages to other network nodes. The receiving unit 120 includes the function of receiving various signals transmitted from the terminal 20 and other network nodes 30 and obtaining information from the received signals, for example, higher layer information. The transmitting unit 110 also has the function of transmitting NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-PBCH, DL / UL control signals, etc. to the terminal 20. The receiving unit 120 also receives inter-network node messages from other network nodes.

[0106] The setting unit 130 stores pre-configured setting information and various setting information to be transmitted to the terminal 20.

[0107] The control unit 140 performs control related to the processing described in the embodiment. The control unit 140 also performs scheduling. The signal transmission function unit of the control unit 140 may be included in the transmission unit 110, and the signal reception function unit of the control unit 140 may be included in the reception unit 120.

[0108] Furthermore, the base station 10 may include a distributed unit (O-DU), a radio unit (O-RU), a control unit (O-CU), and a near-real-time control device (Near-Real Time RIC), and the O-DU, O-RU, O-CU, and Near-Real Time RIC may each have a transmitting unit 110, a receiving unit 120, a setting unit 130, and a control unit 140. Also, the O-DU, O-RU, O-CU, and Real Time RIC may communicate with each other using the transmitting unit 110 and the receiving unit 120.

[0109] <Terminal 20> Figure 9 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of terminal 20 in an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in Figure 9, terminal 20 has a transmitting unit 210, a receiving unit 220, a setting unit 230, and a control unit 240. The functional configuration shown in Figure 9 is merely an example. Any functional classification and functional unit names are acceptable as long as they can perform the operations according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[0110] The transmitting unit 210 creates a transmission signal from the transmission data and transmits the transmission signal wirelessly. The receiving unit 220 wirelessly receives various signals and acquires signals from higher layers from the received physical layer signals. The receiving unit 220 also has the function of receiving NR-PSS, NR-SSS, NR-PBCH, DL / UL / SL control signals, etc. transmitted from the base station 10. For example, the transmitting unit 210 transmits PSCCH (Physical Sidelink Control Channel), PSSCH (Physical Sidelink Shared Channel), PSDCH (Physical Sidelink Discovery Channel), PSBCH (Physical Sidelink Broadcast Channel), etc. to other terminals 20 as D2D communication, and the receiving unit 220 receives PSCCH, PSSCH, PSDCH or PSBCH, etc. from other terminals 20.

[0111] The setting unit 230 stores various setting information received from the base station 10 by the receiving unit 220. The setting unit 230 also stores pre-configured setting information.

[0112] The control unit 240 performs control related to the processing described in the embodiment. The signal transmission function in the control unit 240 may be included in the transmission unit 210, and the signal reception function in the control unit 240 may be included in the reception unit 220.

[0113] (Hardware Configuration) The block diagrams (Figures 8 and 9) used in the description of the above embodiments show functional units. These functional blocks (components) are realized by any combination of at least one of hardware and software. Furthermore, the method of realizing each functional block is not particularly limited. That is, each functional block may be realized using one device that is physically or logically coupled, or it may be realized using two or more physically or logically separated devices that are directly or indirectly connected (for example, using wired or wireless connections). A functional block may be realized by combining the above one device or the above multiple devices with software.

[0114] Functions include, but are not limited to, judgment, decision, determination, calculation, calculation, processing, derivation, investigation, exploration, confirmation, reception, transmission, output, access, resolution, selection, selection, establishment, comparison, assumption, expectation, assumption, broadcasting, notifying, communicating, forwarding, configuring, reconfiguring, allocating (mapping), and assigning. For example, a functional block (configuration part) that enables transmission is called a transmitting unit or transmitter. In all cases, as mentioned above, the method of implementation is not particularly limited.

[0115] For example, the base station 10, terminal 20, etc. in one embodiment of the present disclosure may function as a computer that processes the wireless communication method of the present disclosure. Figure 10 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the base station 10 and terminal 20 according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. The above-mentioned base station 10 and terminal 20 may be physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1001, a storage device 1002, an auxiliary storage device 1003, a communication device 1004, an input device 1005, an output device 1006, a bus 1007, etc.

[0116] In the following explanation, the term "device" can be read as "circuit," "device," "unit," etc. The hardware configuration of the base station 10 and terminal 20 may include one or more of the devices shown in the figure, or it may be configured without some of the devices.

[0117] Each function in the base station 10 and terminal 20 is realized by loading predetermined software (programs) onto hardware such as the processor 1001 and storage device 1002, which allows the processor 1001 to perform calculations, control communication by the communication device 1004, and control at least one of data reading and writing in the storage device 1002 and auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0118] The processor 1001 controls the entire computer, for example, by running an operating system. The processor 1001 may consist of a central processing unit (CPU) that includes interfaces with peripheral devices, control devices, arithmetic units, registers, etc. For example, the control unit 140, control unit 240, etc., described above may be implemented by the processor 1001.

[0119] Furthermore, the processor 1001 reads programs (program code), software modules, or data from at least one of the auxiliary storage device 1003 and the communication device 1004 into the storage device 1002, and executes various processes accordingly. The program used is one that causes the computer to execute at least a part of the operations described in the above embodiment. For example, the control unit 140 of the base station 10 shown in Figure 8 may be implemented by a control program stored in the storage device 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Also, for example, the control unit 240 of the terminal 20 shown in Figure 9 may be implemented by a control program stored in the storage device 1002 and operated by the processor 1001. Although the above-described processes have been explained as being executed by one processor 1001, they may be executed simultaneously or sequentially by two or more processors 1001. The processor 1001 may be implemented by one or more chips. The program may also be transmitted from the network via a telecommunications line.

[0120] The storage device 1002 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: ROM (Read Only Memory), EPROM (Erasable Programmable ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable ROM), RAM (Random Access Memory), etc. The storage device 1002 may also be called a register, cache, main memory, etc. The storage device 1002 can store executable programs (program code), software modules, etc., for implementing a communication method according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0121] The auxiliary storage device 1003 is a computer-readable recording medium and may consist of at least one of the following: an optical disc such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital multipurpose disk, a Blu-ray® disk), a smart card, flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy® disk, a magnetic strip, etc. The above-mentioned storage medium may also be a database, server, or other suitable medium that includes at least one of the storage device 1002 and the auxiliary storage device 1003.

[0122] The communication device 1004 is hardware (transmitting / receiving device) for communicating between computers via at least one of a wired network and a wireless network, and is also referred to as a network device, network controller, network card, communication module, etc. The communication device 1004 may be configured to include, for example, a high-frequency switch, duplexer, filter, frequency synthesizer, etc., in order to implement at least one of frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD). For example, the transmitting and receiving antenna, amplifier section, transmitting and receiving section, transmission path interface, etc., may be implemented by the communication device 1004. The transmitting and receiving section may be implemented in a physically or logically separated manner, with a transmitting section and a receiving section.

[0123] The input device 1005 is an input device that accepts input from an external source (e.g., a keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, etc.). The output device 1006 is an output device that outputs to an external source (e.g., a display, speaker, LED lamp, etc.). The input device 1005 and the output device 1006 may be configured as an integrated unit (e.g., a touch panel).

[0124] Furthermore, each device, such as the processor 1001 and the storage device 1002, is connected by a bus 1007 for communicating information. The bus 1007 may be configured using a single bus, or different buses may be configured for each device.

[0125] Furthermore, the base station 10 and terminal 20 may be configured to include hardware such as a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), a PLD (Programmable Logic Device), and an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), and some or all of each functional block may be realized by such hardware. For example, the processor 1001 may be implemented using at least one of these hardware components.

[0126] Figure 11 shows an example of the configuration of vehicle 2001. As shown in Figure 11, vehicle 2001 includes a drive unit 2002, a steering unit 2003, an accelerator pedal 2004, a brake pedal 2005, a shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, an axle 2009, an electronic control unit 2010, various sensors 2021 to 2029, an information service unit 2012, and a communication module 2013. Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be applied to a communication device mounted on vehicle 2001, for example, to the communication module 2013.

[0127] The drive unit 2002 consists of, for example, an engine, a motor, or a hybrid of an engine and a motor. The steering unit 2003 includes at least a steering wheel (also called a handle) and is configured to steer at least one of the front wheels and the rear wheels based on the operation of the steering wheel, which is operated by the user.

[0128] The electronic control unit 2010 consists of a microprocessor 2031, memory (ROM, RAM) 2032, and communication ports (IO ports) 2033. Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2029 installed in the vehicle 2001 are input to the electronic control unit 2010. The electronic control unit 2010 may also be called an ECU (Electronic Control Unit).

[0129] Signals from various sensors 2021 to 2029 include current signals from current sensor 2021 for sensing motor current, front and rear wheel rotation speed signals acquired by rotation speed sensor 2022, front and rear wheel air pressure signals acquired by air pressure sensor 2023, vehicle speed signals acquired by vehicle speed sensor 2024, acceleration signals acquired by acceleration sensor 2025, accelerator pedal depression signals acquired by accelerator pedal sensor 2029, brake pedal depression signals acquired by brake pedal sensor 2026, shift lever operation signals acquired by shift lever sensor 2027, and detection signals acquired by object detection sensor 2028 for detecting obstacles, vehicles, pedestrians, etc.

[0130] The Information Service Unit 2012 consists of various devices for providing (outputting) various types of information such as driving information, traffic information, and entertainment information, including a car navigation system, audio system, speakers, television, and radio, and one or more ECUs that control these devices. The Information Service Unit 2012 uses information acquired from external devices via a communication module 2013, etc., to provide various multimedia information and multimedia services to the occupants of the vehicle 2001. The Information Service Unit 2012 may include input devices that accept input from the outside (e.g., keyboard, mouse, microphone, switch, button, sensor, touch panel, etc.) and output devices that perform output to the outside (e.g., display, speaker, LED lamp, touch panel, etc.).

[0131] The driver assistance system unit 2030 consists of various devices that provide functions to prevent accidents or reduce the driver's workload, such as millimeter-wave radar, LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), cameras, positioning locators (e.g., GNSS), map information (e.g., high-definition (HD) maps, autonomous vehicle (AV) maps), gyro systems (e.g., IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), INS (Inertial Navigation System)), AI (Artificial Intelligence) chips, and AI processors, as well as one or more ECUs that control these devices. The driver assistance system unit 2030 also transmits and receives various information via the communication module 2013 to realize driver assistance functions or autonomous driving functions.

[0132] The communication module 2013 can communicate with the microprocessor 2031 and components of the vehicle 2001 via its communication port. For example, the communication module 2013 sends and receives data via the communication port 2033 between the drive unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, axle 2009, the microprocessor 2031 and memory (ROM, RAM) 2032 in the electronic control unit 2010, and sensors 2021-29 provided in the vehicle 2001.

[0133] The communication module 2013 is a communication device that can be controlled by the microprocessor 2031 of the electronic control unit 2010 and can communicate with external devices. For example, it can send and receive various types of information with external devices via wireless communication. The communication module 2013 may be located either inside or outside the electronic control unit 2010. The external device may be, for example, a base station or a mobile station.

[0134] The communication module 2013 may transmit at least one of the following to an external device via wireless communication: signals from the various sensors 2021-2028 input to the electronic control unit 2010, information obtained based on said signals, and information based on input from an external source (user) obtained via the information service unit 2012. The electronic control unit 2010, the various sensors 2021-2028, the information service unit 2012, etc., may also be called input units that accept input. For example, the PUSCH transmitted by the communication module 2013 may include the information based on the above input.

[0135] The communication module 2013 receives various information (traffic information, signal information, inter-vehicle information, etc.) transmitted from an external device and displays it on the information service unit 2012 provided in the vehicle 2001. The information service unit 2012 may also be called an output unit, which outputs information (for example, outputs information to devices such as displays and speakers based on the PDSCH (or data / information decoded from the PDSCH) received by the communication module 2013). The communication module 2013 also stores the various information received from the external device in a memory 2032 that can be used by the microprocessor 2031. Based on the information stored in the memory 2032, the microprocessor 2031 may control the drive unit 2002, steering unit 2003, accelerator pedal 2004, brake pedal 2005, shift lever 2006, front wheels 2007, rear wheels 2008, axles 2009, sensors 2021-2029, etc., provided in the vehicle 2001.

[0136] <Notes> (Note 1) A network node that communicates using an interface with a wireless unit at a base station, comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information for remote monitoring and fault response to the wireless unit; and a control unit that performs processing for remote monitoring and fault response based on the configuration information. (Note 2) The network node according to Note 1, wherein the control unit remotely restarts or changes the configuration of the wireless unit when an abnormality occurs. (Note 3) A network node that communicates using an interface with a wireless unit at a base station, comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information for dynamically deploying devices connected to the wireless unit; and a control unit that dynamically deploys devices connected to the wireless unit based on the traffic volume or processing load of the wireless unit. (Note 4) The network node according to Note 3, further comprising: a receiving unit that receives a message from the wireless unit requesting a profile for the antenna when a new antenna is connected to the wireless unit, and the transmitting unit transmits the profile to the wireless unit. (Appendix 5) A network node that communicates using an interface between a distributed unit and at least one of a radio unit at a base station, comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information relating to the protection of security and privacy for data transmitted and received via the interface to the distributed unit or the radio unit; and a control unit that performs processing relating to encryption and integrity protection for data transmitted and received via the interface based on the configuration information.(Appendix 6) A network node that communicates with a distributed unit and a wireless unit at a base station, comprising: a control unit that uses the second interface as a backup communication path when the first interface is unavailable; and a receiving unit that receives notifications regarding failures via the second interface.

[0137] Any of the provisions of Appendix 1 to Appendix 6 can provide a resilience function against base station failures in a wireless communication system.

[0138] (Supplement to Embodiments) Embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the disclosed invention is not limited to such embodiments, and those skilled in the art will understand various modifications, alterations, alternatives, substitutions, etc. Specific numerical examples have been used to facilitate understanding of the invention, but unless otherwise specified, these numerical values ​​are merely examples, and any appropriate values ​​may be used. The division of items in the above description is not essential to the present invention, and matters described in two or more items may be combined as needed, and matters described in one item may be applied to matters described in another item (as long as they do not contradict each other). The boundaries of functional units or processing units in the functional block diagram do not necessarily correspond to the boundaries of physical parts. The operation of multiple functional units may be physically performed by one part, or the operation of one functional unit may be physically performed by multiple parts. The processing procedures described in the embodiments may be rearranged as long as they do not contradict each other. For the convenience of explaining the processing, the base station 10 and terminal 20 have been described using functional block diagrams, but such devices may be realized in hardware, software, or a combination thereof. The software operated by the processor of the base station 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention and the software operated by the processor of the terminal 20 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be stored in any suitable storage medium such as random access memory (RAM), flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), EPROM, EEPROM, register, hard disk (HDD), removable disk, CD-ROM, database, server, or other appropriate storage medium.

[0139] Furthermore, notification of information is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be carried out by other means. For example, notification of information may be carried out by physical layer signaling (e.g., DCI (Downlink Control Information), UCI (Uplink Control Information)), upper layer signaling (e.g., RRC (Radio Resource Control) signaling, MAC (Medium Access Control) signaling), broadcast information (MIB (Master Information Block), SIB (System Information Block)), other signals, or combinations thereof. Also, RRC signaling may be called RRC messages, and may be, for example, RRC Connection Setup messages, RRC Connection Reconfiguration messages, etc.

[0140] Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure refers to LTE (Long Term Evolution), LTE-A (LTE-Advanced), SUPER 3G, IMT-Advanced, 4G (4th generation mobile communication system), 5G (5th generation mobile communication system), 6th generation mobile communication system (6G), xth generation mobile communication system (xG) (xG (where x is, for example, an integer or decimal)), FRA (Future Radio Access), NR (new Radio), New radio access (NX), Future generation radio access (FX), W-CDMA (registered trademark), GSM (registered trademark), CDMA2000, UMB (Ultra Mobile Broadband), IEEE 802.11 (Wi-Fi (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.16 (WiMAX (registered trademark)), IEEE 802.20 may apply to at least one system utilizing UWB (Ultra-WideBand), Bluetooth®, or other appropriate systems, and to next-generation systems extended, modified, created, or defined based thereon. Alternatively, multiple systems may be applied in combination (e.g., a combination of at least one of LTE and LTE-A with 5G).

[0141] The processing procedures, sequences, flowcharts, etc., of each aspect / embodiment described herein may be reordered, provided they are consistent with each other. For example, the methods described herein present various step elements in an exemplary order and are not limited to the specific order presented.

[0142] In this specification, specific operations performed by the base station 10 may, in some cases, be performed by its upper node. In a network consisting of one or more network nodes having a base station 10, it is clear that various operations performed for communication with the terminal 20 can be performed by the base station 10 and at least one of the other network nodes (for example, an MME or S-GW, but not limited to these). Although the above example illustrates the case where there is one other network node besides the base station 10, the other network node may be a combination of multiple other network nodes (for example, an MME and an S-GW).

[0143] The information or signals described in this disclosure may be output from a higher layer (or lower layer) to a lower layer (or higher layer). They may also be input and output via multiple network nodes.

[0144] Input and output information may be stored in a specific location (e.g., memory) or managed using a management table. Input and output information may be overwritten, updated, or appended to. Output information may be deleted. Input information may be transmitted to other devices.

[0145] The determination in this disclosure may be made by a value represented by one bit (0 or 1), by a Boolean value (true or false), or by a numerical comparison (for example, a comparison with a predetermined value).

[0146] Software should be broadly interpreted to mean instructions, instruction sets, code, code segments, program code, programs, subprograms, software modules, applications, software applications, software packages, routines, subroutines, objects, executable files, execution threads, procedures, functions, and so on, whether they are called software, firmware, middleware, microcode, hardware description languages, or by any other name.

[0147] Furthermore, software, instructions, information, etc., may be transmitted and received via a transmission medium. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using at least one of wired technology (such as coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, or digital subscriber line (DSL)) and wireless technology (such as infrared or microwave), then at least one of these wired and wireless technologies is included in the definition of a transmission medium.

[0148] The information, signals, etc. described in this disclosure may be represented using any of the various different techniques. For example, the data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, chips, etc. that may be referred to throughout the above description may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or magnetic particles, optical fields or photons, or any combination thereof.

[0149] In addition, terms used in this disclosure and terms necessary for understanding this disclosure may be replaced with terms having the same or similar meanings. For example, at least one of the channel and symbol may be a signal (signaling). Also, a signal may be a message. Furthermore, a component carrier (CC) may be called a carrier frequency, cell, frequency carrier, etc.

[0150] The terms “system” and “network” as used in this disclosure are interchangeable.

[0151] Furthermore, the information, parameters, etc., described in this disclosure may be expressed using absolute values, relative values ​​from a given value, or other corresponding information. For example, wireless resources may be indicated by an index.

[0152] The names used for the parameters described above are not restrictive in any way. Furthermore, the formulas and other expressions using these parameters may differ from those expressly disclosed in this disclosure. Various channels (e.g., PUCCH, PDCCH, etc.) and information elements can be identified by any suitable name, and therefore, the various names assigned to these various channels and information elements are not restrictive in any way.

[0153] In this disclosure, terms such as "Base Station (BS)", "wireless base station", "base station equipment", "fixed station", "NodeB", "eNodeB (eNB)", "gNodeB (gNB)", "access point", "transmission point", "reception point", "transmission / reception point", "cell", "sector", "cell group", "carrier", and "component carrier" may be used interchangeably. Base stations may also be referred to by terms such as macrocell, small cell, femtocell, and picocell.

[0154] A base station can accommodate one or more (e.g., three) cells. If a base station accommodates multiple cells, the entire coverage area of ​​the base station can be divided into multiple smaller areas, each of which may also be provided with communication services by a base station subsystem (e.g., a Remote Radio Head (RRH)). The terms “cell” or “sector” refer to part or all of the coverage area of ​​at least one of the base station and / or base station subsystems that provide communication services in that coverage.

[0155] In this disclosure, the transmission of information by a base station to a terminal may be interpreted as the base station instructing the terminal to perform control or operation based on the information.

[0156] In this disclosure, terms such as "Mobile Station (MS)," "user terminal," "User Equipment (UE)," and "terminal" may be used interchangeably.

[0157] A mobile station may also be referred to by those skilled in the art as a subscriber station, mobile unit, subscriber unit, wireless unit, remote unit, mobile device, wireless device, wireless communication device, remote device, mobile subscriber station, access terminal, mobile terminal, wireless terminal, remote terminal, handset, user agent, mobile client, client, or several other appropriate terms.

[0158] At least one of the base station and the mobile station may be called a transmitting device, a receiving device, a communication device, etc. At least one of the base station and the mobile station may also be a device mounted on a mobile body, the mobile body itself, etc. The mobile body refers to a movable object, and its speed of movement is arbitrary. This also includes the case when the mobile body is stationary. The mobile body includes, but is not limited to, vehicles, transport vehicles, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, connected cars, excavators, bulldozers, wheel loaders, dump trucks, forklifts, trains, buses, handcarts, rickshaws, ships and other watercraft, airplanes, rockets, satellites, drones (registered trademark), multicopters, quadcopters, balloons, and items mounted on them. The mobile body may also be a mobile body that moves autonomously based on operation commands. It may be a vehicle (e.g., a car, an airplane, etc.), an unmanned mobile body (e.g., a drone, an autonomous vehicle, etc.), or a robot (manned or unmanned). Furthermore, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may include devices that do not necessarily move during communication operations. For example, at least one of the base station and the mobile station may be an IoT (Internet of Things) device such as a sensor.

[0159] Furthermore, the term "base station" in this disclosure may be interpreted as "user terminal." For example, the various aspects / embodiments of this disclosure may be applied to a configuration in which communication between a base station and a user terminal is replaced with communication between multiple terminals 20 (which may be called, for example, D2D (Device-to-Device), V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything), etc.). In this case, the terminals 20 may have the functions that the base station 10 has. Also, terms such as "uplink" and "downlink" may be interpreted as terms corresponding to terminal-to-terminal communication (for example, "side"). For example, uplink channel, downlink channel, etc., may be interpreted as side channel.

[0160] Similarly, the term "user terminal" in this disclosure may be replaced with "base station." In this case, the base station may be configured to have the same functions as the user terminal described above.

[0161] As used in this disclosure, the terms “determining” and “determining” may encompass a wide variety of actions. “Determining” may include, for example, judging, calculating, computing, processing, deriving, investigating, looking up, searching, or inquiring (e.g., searching in a table, database, or other data structure), or ascertaining. “Determining” may also include receiving (e.g., receiving information), transmitting (e.g., sending information), inputting, outputting, or accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory). Furthermore, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after resolving, selecting, choosing, establishing, comparing, etc. In other words, "judgment" and "decision" can include considering something as having been "judged" or "decided" after some action. Also, "judgment (decision)" can be reinterpreted as "assuming," "expecting," or "considering."

[0162] The terms “connected,” “coupled,” or any variation thereof, mean any direct or indirect connection or coupling between two or more elements, and may include the presence of one or more intermediate elements between two elements that are “connected” or “coupled” with each other. The coupling or connection between elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, “connection” may be reinterpreted as “access.” As used in this disclosure, two elements may be considered to be “connected” or “coupled” with each other using at least one of one or more wires, cables, and printed electrical connections, and, in some non-limiting and non-exclusive examples, electromagnetic energy having wavelengths in the radio frequency domain, microwave domain, and optical (both visible and invisible) domain.

[0163] The reference signal can also be abbreviated as RS (Reference Signal), and may be called a pilot depending on the applicable standard.

[0164] In this disclosure, the phrase "based on" does not mean "based solely on" unless otherwise specified. In other words, the phrase "based on" means both "based solely on" and "based at least on."

[0165] Any reference to elements using the designations “first,” “second,” etc., as used in this disclosure does not generally limit the quantity or order of those elements. These designations may be used in this disclosure as a convenient way to distinguish between two or more elements. Accordingly, references to the first and second elements do not imply that only two elements may be employed, or that the first element must precede the second element in any way.

[0166] In the configuration of each of the above devices, "means" may be replaced with "part," "circuit," "device," etc.

[0167] Where the terms “include,” “including,” and variations thereof are used in this disclosure, these terms are intended to be inclusive, as is the term “comprising.” Furthermore, the term “or” as used in this disclosure is not intended to mean exclusive OR.

[0168] In this disclosure, if articles are added through translation, such as a, an, and the in English, this disclosure may include the fact that the noun following these articles is plural.

[0169] In this disclosure, the term "A and B are different" may mean "A and B are different from each other." The term may also mean "A and B are each different from C." Terms such as "separate" and "combine" may be interpreted similarly to "different."

[0170] Each aspect / embodiment described in this disclosure may be used individually, in combination, or switched between as needed during implementation. Furthermore, notification of specific information (e.g., notification that "X is") is not limited to explicit notification, but may also be implicit (e.g., by not providing such notification).

[0171] Although the present disclosure has been described in detail above, it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described herein. The present disclosure can be implemented in modified and altered forms without departing from the intent and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the claims. Therefore, the descriptions in the present disclosure are illustrative and not intended to be restrictive in any way.

[0172] 10 Base station 110 Transmitting unit 120 Receiving unit 130 Setting unit 140 Control unit 20 Terminal 210 Transmitting unit 220 Receiving unit 230 Setting unit 240 Control unit 30 Network node 1001 Processor 1002 Storage device 1003 Auxiliary storage device 1004 Communication device 1005 Input device 1006 Output device 2001 Vehicle 2002 Drive unit 2003 Steering unit 2004 Accelerator pedal 2005 Brake pedal 2006 Shift lever 2007 Front wheel 2008 Rear wheel 2009 Axle 2010 Electronic control unit 2012 Information service unit 2013 Communication module 2021 Current sensor 2022 Rotation speed sensor 2023 Air pressure sensor 2024 Vehicle speed sensor 2025 Acceleration sensor 2026 Brake pedal sensor 2027 Shift lever sensor 2028 Object detection sensor 2029 Accelerator pedal sensor 2030 Driver assistance system unit 2031 Microprocessor 2032 Memory (ROM, RAM) 2033 Communication port (I / O port)

Claims

1. A network node that communicates using an interface with a wireless unit at a base station, comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information relating to remote monitoring and fault response for the wireless unit to the wireless unit; and a control unit that performs processing relating to the remote monitoring and fault response based on the configuration information.

2. The network node according to claim 1, wherein the control unit remotely restarts or changes the settings of the wireless unit when an abnormality occurs.

3. A network node that communicates using an interface with a wireless unit at a base station, comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information to the wireless unit for dynamically deploying devices connected to the wireless unit; and a control unit that dynamically deploys devices connected to the wireless unit based on the traffic volume or processing load at the wireless unit.

4. The network node according to claim 3, further comprising a receiving unit that receives a message from the wireless unit requesting a profile relating to the antenna when a new antenna is connected to the wireless unit, and the transmitting unit transmitting the profile to the wireless unit.

5. A network node that communicates using an interface between a distributed unit and at least one of a radio unit at a base station, comprising: a transmitting unit that transmits configuration information relating to the protection of security and privacy for data transmitted and received via the interface to the distributed unit or the radio unit; and a control unit that performs processing relating to encryption and integrity protection for data transmitted and received via the interface based on the configuration information.

6. A network node that communicates with a distributed unit and a wireless unit at a base station, comprising: a control unit that uses the second interface as a backup communication path when the first interface is unavailable; and a receiving unit that receives notifications regarding failures via the second interface.

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