Backhaul Link Load Adaptation for Wireless Small Cells
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Solution Overview
Problem
In heterogeneous wireless networks with increased indoor small cells, the lack of redundant backhaul links and exposure to disturbances leads to reduced Signal to Noise Ratio, causing capacity issues and service disruptions due to backhaul link failures.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a method for Radio Base Stations (RBS) to collect information about upcoming backhaul link events, estimate capacity reductions, and proactively hand over users to neighboring cells before capacity is reduced, ensuring sufficient load adaptation before procedures like retraining or rate adaptation occur.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If small cells are deployed indoors reusing existing copper cables for backhaul, then deployment flexibility and coverage are improved, but the backhaul links become vulnerable to disturbances and interference causing capacity reductions
Solution Approach 1:
The RBS proactively collects information about upcoming backhaul events (retraining, SRA, SOS) from the backhaul communication entity and estimates the reduced capacity before these events occur. Based on this advance knowledge, the RBS performs load adaptation by handing over UEs to neighboring cells before the actual capacity reduction happens, ensuring continuous service quality without waiting for the backhaul link to fail.
2Reliability
If backhaul procedures like retraining or rate adaptation are performed to handle interference, then backhaul link reliability is improved, but service disruptions occur during the procedure execution
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs load adaptation in advance by handing over UEs to neighboring cells before the backhaul procedure (retraining, SRA, or SOS) is executed. The RBS collects information about upcoming events, estimates the reduced capacity, and completes the handover process proactively, ensuring that service continues without interruption during the actual backhaul procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The RBS takes counter-action in advance by reducing the traffic load through UE handover before the backhaul capacity reduction occurs. This preliminary anti-action prevents the harmful effect of service disruption from happening in the first place, rather than reacting after the disruption has already occurred.
3Ease of operation
If the traffic load is maintained at current levels, then user service quality is improved, but the RBS cannot handle capacity reductions and service disruptions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The RBS dynamically adapts its traffic load based on upcoming backhaul events. By collecting information about future capacity reductions and estimating the reduced capacity, the RBS proactively adjusts the load by handing over UEs to neighboring cells. This dynamic load management ensures that the remaining traffic can be handled by the reduced capacity backhaul link while maintaining service quality and continuity.
Data Source
AI summary
Presented are methods and arrangements for adapting the load in a cell based on information on upcoming events related to a backhaul link. The upcoming events related to the backhaul link may be delayed in order to give enough time for an RBS to complete activities related to the load adaptation. Thus, UEs may be handed over to neighboring cells proactively, before the cell becomes overloaded due to events related to the backhaul link.