5G Base Station Cooperative Channels for Timely Cell Coordination
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Solution Overview
Problem
The distributed unit (DU) in a 5G base station cannot determine, in advance, the cells between which cooperative relationships and channels should be established by the physical layer-protocol stacks of layer-2, leading to a failure in timely satisfaction of cooperative work requirements between different cells.
Innovation Solution
A method where a network administrator configures cell configuration information and an activation number threshold for cooperative channels at the distributed unit, with the centralized unit determining adjacency and cooperative relationships, and the distributed unit establishing and managing cooperative channels based on this information to ensure timely and reliable transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If the CU manages all cell adjacency relationships centrally without transmitting them to the DU, then the system architecture maintains clear division of work between CU and DU, but the DU cannot obtain cell adjacency relationship information in advance and cannot establish cooperative channels timely
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the CU pre-determine and transmit cell adjacency relationship information to the DU before cooperative work is needed. The DU stores this information in advance in its memory, so when the DU needs to establish cooperative channels, it already has the necessary adjacency relationship data ready, eliminating the time delay while maintaining centralized management architecture.
2Ease of operation
If the DU operates autonomously without knowing cell adjacency relationships, then the DU has operational independence, but the DU cannot establish cooperative relationships with adjacent cells across different DUs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the information management responsibilities: the CU retains centralized control over cell adjacency relationship determination and configuration, while the DU maintains operational independence for executing cooperative work. The adjacency relationship information is segmented as separate configuration data that the CU transmits to the DU, allowing the DU to operate independently with the necessary information without compromising either autonomy or cooperative capability.
3Device complexity
If cell configuration information is transmitted from CU to DU through standard signaling interfaces, then the interface specification remains simple, but the DU cannot obtain comprehensive cell relationship information including adjacency relationships
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by extending the existing cell configuration information transmitted from CU to DU to include cell adjacency relationship data. The same standard signaling interface used for general cell configuration is also used to transmit adjacency relationship information, making the interface multi-functional without increasing its complexity. This allows the DU to obtain both basic cell configuration and adjacency relationship information through the existing interface mechanism.
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided in embodiments of the present disclosure are a cooperative channel management method and apparatus and a base station. The method includes: at a distributed unit side, a network administrator configures configuration information of cells and an activation number threshold for cooperative channels; a distributed unit control plane establishes the cells according to the configuration information, and allocates and stores identification information of the established cells; a centralized unit determines whether cells having an adjacency relationship and a cooperative relationship are located in a same distributed unit; cooperative channels between the cells having the adjacency relationship and the cooperative relationship are established according to a result of determination by the centralized unit; the distributed unit receives and accepts a cooperative relationship request established by the centralized unit for a user equipment, and transmits cooperation information using cooperative channels corresponding to the cooperative relationship. In some embodiments, it is ensured that timely and reliable transmission of cooperation information can be carried out between different cells, thus the cooperation efficiency of a lower layer of the base station can be improved and the implementations are simple and easy to carry out.