Information processing device and control method

Abstract

An information processing device (10) controls a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and mutually different servers (SA, SB, SC) respectively handle the processing of cells that are adjacent to one another, wherein the information processing device executes, with regard to GPUs of each of the plurality of servers, sensing processing to sense an increase in the GPU usage rate as well as update processing to update, with respect to a server in which an increase in the GPU usage rate was sensed, a handover threshold value applied to the cell for which the relevant server handles the processing.

Description

Information Processing Apparatus and Control Method

[0001] The present disclosure relates to an information processing apparatus and a control method.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method of adjusting the transmission power of a base station using a scheduler in a wireless communication system. According to the wireless communication system of Patent Document 1, it is possible to adjust the transmission power in real time, improve the throughput performance of user terminals, and achieve load distribution of the network.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-519403

[0004] However, even with the wireless communication system of Patent Document 1, it is not possible to optimize the number of cells accommodated per server or the number of connected users, and improve the resource utilization efficiency. One aspect of the present disclosure aims to improve the resource utilization efficiency.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, an information processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus that controls a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and different servers are responsible for the respective processes of adjacent cells. The information processing apparatus performs a detection process for detecting an increase in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) usage rate for each of the plurality of servers, and an update process for updating a handover threshold value applied to a cell for which the server is responsible, for the server in which an increase in the GPU usage rate is detected in the detection process.

[0006] A control method for an information processing device according to another aspect of the present disclosure is a control method for an information processing device that controls a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and adjacent cells are each handled by different servers, the control method comprising: a detection process in which the information processing device detects an increase in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of each of the plurality of servers; and an update process in which the information processing device causes the server in which an increase in GPU utilization has been detected in the detection process to update the handover threshold applied to the cell in which the server is responsible for processing.

[0007] According to one aspect of this disclosure, the efficiency of resource utilization can be improved.

[0008] This is a schematic diagram showing the general configuration of a wireless communication system according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. This is a block diagram showing the general configuration of the data center shown in Figure 1. This is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control method executed by the information processing device shown in Figure 2.

[0009] One embodiment of this disclosure will be described in detail below.

[0010] (Summary of this disclosure) In conventional RAN (Radio Access Network) systems, hardware and software are closely integrated and designed specifically for RAN. In such systems, the hardware is designed to handle full load (maximum load conditions). However, in 5G (5th Generation) networks, hardware resource virtualization and network isolation are progressing, enabling more flexible resource management.

[0011] In a 5G network, it is unlikely that the PRB (Physical Resource Block) utilization rate of each cell will always be 100%. Especially in situations where the load is assumed to be low, it is desirable to use server resources efficiently by running more cells on a single server.

[0012] However, if the number of cells running on a single server is increased, a problem may arise where the server's computing resources, particularly resources such as GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) responsible for L1 layer (physical layer) processing, become insufficient if the PRB utilization rate increases more than expected. In such circumstances, there is a need for a method to dynamically adjust the load between cells while maintaining the overall resource efficiency of the server.

[0013] This disclosure optimizes resource load by handing over User Equipment (UEs) located at the cell edge to an adjacent cell where another server is handling processing, when the server's GPU utilization becomes high. Here, "cell edge" refers to the state where a UE is located at the edge of the radio wave range of the cell to which it is connected.

[0014] This disclosure implements load balancing of cell processing across servers, ensuring that adjacent cells are processed by different servers. When a server's GPU utilization exceeds a certain threshold, a handover is performed to an adjacent cell for UEs located at the cell edge. This frees up resources on servers experiencing heavy processing loads, improving the overall resource efficiency of the system.

[0015] Furthermore, when performing a handover, the UE adjusts the handover threshold of at least one of the cells it is currently connected to and the adjacent cell to which it will hand over, thereby ensuring a smooth transition. This handover threshold refers to the signal strength and communication quality thresholds that serve as the basis for the UE to hand over to another cell.

[0016] According to this disclosure, when a server's GPU utilization becomes high, dynamic load balancing can be performed between cells, improving the efficiency of server resource utilization. This makes it possible to efficiently process cells with multiple servers in a 5G network, resulting in improved communication service quality and reduced resource costs. Furthermore, by configuring each server so that the cells it processes are not adjacent, the load on the entire system is evenly distributed, preventing resource shortages.

[0017] (Embodiment) As shown in Figure 1, the wireless communication system 1 is configured with multiple cells C1, C2, ..., C10, and each of these cells is operated and managed by a data center DC. In the wireless communication system 1, each cell is not operated independently but is managed by the data center DC, and resources are optimized and load balancing is performed. The data center DC also plays a role in performing handover control between cells based on the traffic and usage status of each cell.

[0018] Cell C1 is equipped with a Radio Unit (RU1), and cell C1 is formed by the emission of radio waves from RU1. Similarly, each cell from C2 to C10 is equipped with RU2 to RU10, and radio waves are emitted from these RUs, forming each cell from C2 to C10. The RUs are responsible for transmitting and receiving wireless signals and work in conjunction with the data center (DC) to ensure communication with the User Equipment (UE) within each cell.

[0019] This embodiment does not limit the number of cells to 10; 10 is merely one example. The number of cells can be changed depending on the configuration of the wireless communication system 1 and its communication needs.

[0020] Furthermore, although Figure 1 shows the data center DC located in the center of the area covered by the 10 cells, this arrangement is merely a schematic diagram, and the data center DC being located in the center of the coverage area of ​​the 10 cells is not an essential configuration in this embodiment. The arrangement of the data center DC can be changed according to the network design and operating conditions of the wireless communication system 1.

[0021] Figure 2 is a block diagram illustrating the schematic configuration of the data center DC shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 2, the data center DC comprises an information processing device 10, a server SA, a server SB, and a server SC.

[0022] The information processing device 10 is a device that performs overall management and control of the wireless communication system 1 in the data center DC, and has the function of controlling server SA, server SB, and server SC, respectively. The information processing device 10 is a server device that functions as a RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller), for example.

[0023] The information processing device 10 monitors the resource usage of each server (GPU, CPU, memory, etc.) and the PRB usage rate of each cell, and adjusts resources accordingly. The information processing device 10 also controls load balancing and handover across servers to optimize communication quality and resource efficiency.

[0024] Server SA is responsible for processing specific cell groups, specifically cells C1, C3, and C7, and performs wireless signal processing and data processing corresponding to these cells. More specifically, Server SA is equipped with a GPU to perform high-speed parallel processing of the L1 layer (also called the "physical layer"), and efficiently executes signal processing of the L1 layer.

[0025] Servers SB and SC have the same configuration as Server SA. Server SB is responsible for processing the corresponding cell groups, specifically cells C4, C6, and C9, while Server SC is responsible for processing the corresponding cell groups, specifically cells C2, C5, C8, and C10. Both Server SB and Server SC are equipped with GPUs to efficiently perform L1 layer processing. Each server is controlled by the information processing device 10 and load-balanced to optimize the resource utilization efficiency of the entire wireless communication system 1.

[0026] Furthermore, the information processing device 10 in the data center DC is equipped with a function to control handover between servers. Specifically, if the GPU utilization rate of server SA exceeds a certain threshold (hereinafter referred to as the "GPU utilization threshold"), the information processing device 10 hands over the UE located at the cell edge to another server, specifically, an adjacent cell handled by server SB or server SC. This reduces the load on server SA and improves the resource utilization efficiency of the entire wireless communication system 1.

[0027] As shown in Figure 1, adjacent cells are configured to be processed by different servers. This configuration allows each server to process a specific cell while load balancing is possible between adjacent cells, improving the overall resource utilization efficiency of the system.

[0028] For example, cell C2 is processed by server SC, and cell C4 is processed by server SB. Similarly, cell C1 is processed by server SA, and cell C5 is processed by server SC. By having these adjacent cells processed by different servers, it prevents the load from concentrating on a specific server and enables optimal resource distribution. Note that in Figure 1, the name of the server responsible for each cell is written in parentheses.

[0029] In this embodiment, if the server's GPU utilization exceeds the GPU utilization threshold, the information processing device 10 hands over the UE located at the cell edge of the cell handled by that server to an adjacent cell. Since the adjacent cell is handled by a different server, the load can be transferred to another server.

[0030] For example, in the example shown in Figure 1, if the GPU utilization of server SC exceeds the GPU utilization threshold, the information processing device 10 hands over the UE located at the cell edge of cell C2, which is handled by server SC, to the adjacent cell C4. Since the adjacent cell C4 is handled by server SB, which is different from server SC, the load can be shifted from server SC to server SB.

[0031] This prevents excessive load from being concentrated on specific servers and improves the overall resource utilization efficiency of the wireless communication system 1.

[0032] Next, we will explain how the information processing device 10 controls the handover described above. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the control method executed by the information processing device 10. In the following explanation, we will use an example in which the GPU utilization of server SC increases, and server SC hands over the UE from cell C2, which is responsible for processing, to cell C4, which is adjacent to cell C2 and is responsible for processing by server SB.

[0033] First, in Figure 3, the information processing device 10 monitors the resource utilization rates (GPU, CPU, PRB utilization, etc.) of each of the servers SA, SB, and SC in real time. If the GPU utilization rate of server SC exceeds a preset GPU utilization threshold, the information processing device 10 detects an increase in the GPU utilization rate of server SC (step S1). In step S1, resource load balancing is required before server SC becomes overloaded.

[0034] Next, the information processing device 10 sends an instruction to the server SC to update the handover threshold of the RU2 forming cell C2 to a value higher than the current value (step S2). This handover threshold is updated based on the signal strength at the cell edge, and when the communication quality of the UE located at the cell edge of cell C2 falls below the updated handover threshold, the handover to the adjacent cell C4 is facilitated. The update of the handover threshold is performed, for example, by RRC Reconfiguration. Since RRC Reconfiguration is a known technique, a detailed explanation is omitted here.

[0035] As described above, by setting the handover threshold for cell C2 to a high value, UEs located at the cell edge of cell C2 will be handed over to the adjacent cell C4 when the communication quality of cell C2 falls below the handover threshold. Since server SB is responsible for processing in the adjacent cell C4, server SB will take over the processing of the UEs. This handover reduces the load on server SC and improves the resource utilization efficiency of the entire wireless communication system 1.

[0036] Furthermore, in step S2, the information processing device 10 can also instruct the server SB to update the handover threshold applied to cell C4 to a value lower than the current value. As a result, the handover threshold for cell C4 is set to a lower value, and UEs handed over from cell C2 are more reliably handed over to cell C4.

[0037] By updating both the handover threshold applied to cell C2 (hereinafter referred to as the "first handover threshold") and the handover threshold applied to cell C4 (hereinafter referred to as the "second handover threshold"), the UE is reliably handed over to cell C4 when the communication quality of the UE located at the cell edge of cell C2 falls below the first handover threshold and the communication quality of cell C4 exceeds the second handover threshold. In this way, the information processing device 10 efficiently distributes the load between servers and improves the resource utilization efficiency of the entire system.

[0038] (Example of implementation by software) The functions of the information processing device 10 (hereinafter referred to as "device") can be realized by a program that causes the device to function as a computer.

[0039] In this case, the device includes a computer having at least one control device (e.g., a processor) and at least one storage device (e.g., memory) as hardware for executing the program. By executing the program using this control device and storage device, the functions described in each of the embodiments are realized.

[0040] The above program may be recorded on one or more computer-readable recording media, not temporary ones. These recording media may or may not be provided by the above device. In the latter case, the program may be supplied to the above device via any wired or wireless transmission medium.

[0041] In addition, part or all of the functions of the above device can also be realized by a logic circuit. For example, an integrated circuit in which a logic circuit functioning as the above device is formed is also included in the scope of the present disclosure. In addition to this, for example, it is also possible to realize the functions of each of the above control blocks by a quantum computer.

[0042] In addition, each process described in the above embodiment may be executed by AI (Artificial Intelligence). In this case, the AI may operate in the above control device, or may operate in another device (for example, an edge computer or a cloud server, etc.).

[0043] (Summary) The information processing apparatus according to Aspect 1 of the present disclosure is an information processing apparatus that controls a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and different servers are responsible for the respective processes of adjacent cells. The information processing apparatus includes a detection process for detecting an increase in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) usage rate for each of the plurality of servers, and an update process for updating the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the server is responsible when an increase in the GPU usage rate is detected in the detection process.

[0044] According to the above configuration, by updating the handover threshold of the cell for which the server is responsible for the server in which an increase in the GPU usage rate is detected, the UE existing at the cell edge can be handed over to an adjacent cell. Since the processing of the adjacent cell is carried out by a server different from the server in which an increase in the GPU usage rate is detected, this handover reduces the load on the server in which an increase in the GPU usage rate is detected, and improves the resource utilization efficiency of the entire wireless communication system.

[0045] The information processing apparatus according to Aspect 2 of the present disclosure may be such that, in the above Aspect 1, the handover threshold updated in the update process is updated to a value higher than the value before the update.

[0046] According to the above configuration, by setting the handover threshold to a high value, a UE existing at the cell edge will have the communication quality of the cell fall below the handover threshold and be handed over to an adjacent cell.

[0047] In the information processing apparatus according to Embodiment 3 of the present disclosure, in the above Embodiment 1, when a server in which an increase in GPU usage rate is detected in the detection process is referred to as an increasing server, and a server adjacent to a cell for which the increasing server is responsible for processing is referred to as an adjacent server, when the information processing apparatus executes the update process, it may update the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the adjacent server is responsible for processing.

[0048] According to the above configuration, by causing the adjacent server to update the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the adjacent server is responsible for processing to a value lower than the current value, the handover threshold of the cell is set to a lower value, and a UE handed over from the cell for which the increasing server is responsible for processing is more surely handed over to the adjacent cell.

[0049] In the information processing apparatus according to Embodiment 4 of the present disclosure, in the above Embodiment 3, when the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the increasing server is responsible for processing is referred to as a first handover threshold, and the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the adjacent server is responsible for processing is referred to as a second handover threshold, the first handover threshold may be updated to a value higher than the value before the update, and the second handover threshold may be updated to a value lower than the value before the update.

[0050] According to the above configuration, by updating both the first handover threshold and the second handover threshold, the communication quality of a UE located at the cell edge of the cell for which the increasing server is responsible for processing falls below the first handover threshold, and the communication quality of the cell for which the adjacent server is responsible for processing exceeds the second handover threshold, so that the UE is surely handed over to the cell for which the adjacent server is responsible for processing.

[0051] A control method for an information processing device according to aspect 5 of the present disclosure is a control method for an information processing device that controls a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and adjacent cells are each handled by different servers, the control method comprising: a detection process in which the information processing device detects an increase in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of each of the plurality of servers; and an update process in which the information processing device causes the server in which an increase in GPU utilization has been detected in the detection process to update the handover threshold applied to the cell in which the server is responsible for processing.

[0052] According to the above configuration, the same effects as in Embodiment 1 of this disclosure can be obtained.

[0053] Each aspect of the information processing device relating to this disclosure may be implemented by a computer, in which case the control program for the information processing device that enables the computer to implement the information processing device by operating the computer as the information processing device, and the computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded, also fall within the scope of this disclosure.

[0054] This disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of this disclosure. Furthermore, new technical features can be formed by combining the technical means disclosed in each embodiment.

[0055] 1 Wireless communication system 10 Information processing measures C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C6, C7, C8, C9, C10 Cell DC Data center SA, SB, SC Server

Claims

1. An information processing device for controlling a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and adjacent cells are each handled by different servers, wherein the information processing device performs a detection process for detecting an increase in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of each of the plurality of servers, and an update process for updating the handover threshold applied to the cell in which the server is responsible for processing, for the server in which an increase in GPU utilization has been detected in the detection process.

2. The information processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the handover threshold updated in the update process is updated to a value higher than the value before the update.

3. In the detection process, a server in which an increase in GPU usage is detected is referred to as an increased server, and an adjacent server is referred to as an adjacent server responsible for processing a cell adjacent to a cell responsible for processing by the increased server, the information processing device updates the handover threshold applied to the cell responsible for processing by the adjacent server when executing the update process, according to claim 1.

4. The information processing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the increased server is responsible for processing is referred to as the first handover threshold, and the handover threshold applied to the cell for which the adjacent server is responsible for processing is referred to as the second handover threshold, the first handover threshold is updated to a value higher than the value before the update, and the second handover threshold is updated to a value lower than the value before the update.

5. A control method for an information processing device that controls a plurality of servers in a wireless communication system in which a plurality of cells are arranged and adjacent cells are each handled by different servers, the control method comprising: a detection process in which the information processing device detects an increase in the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) of each of the plurality of servers; and an update process in which the information processing device updates a handover threshold applied to the cell in which the server is responsible for processing, in response to the detection process in which an increase in the GPU usage was detected.

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