Central Unit Forwarding UE Capability to Distributed Unit

Solution Overview

Problem

In a radio base station with a central unit (CU) and a distributed unit (DU), the DU cannot set suitable parameters for user equipment (UE) due to lack of recognition of UE capability information managed by the CU, hindering effective radio communication control.

Innovation Solution

The CU acquires and forwards UE capability information to the DU, enabling the DU to determine and set appropriate radio communication parameters based on the received capability information, using interfaces like X2 and F1 for data transmission and reception.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the CU manages UE capability information and the DU manages parameters affected by capability information, then the mutual dependence between CU and DU is reduced and multivendor operation becomes easier, but the DU cannot recognize the content of UE Capability and cannot set suitable parameters according to the capability information

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemultivendor operation capabilityVSAvoidparameter setting capability of DU

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary capability information from the complete UE capability set that is relevant to DU parameter management. The CU identifies and forwards specific capability elements to the DU through F1 interface signaling, rather than transferring all capability data. This extraction approach enables the DU to set appropriate parameters while maintaining the proposed management architecture where CU holds complete capability information and DU manages affected parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Reliability

If the DU determines parameters based on UE capability information, then suitable parameters can be set for radio communication, but additional data transmission and processing between CU and DU is required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparameter suitability for radio communicationVSAvoiddata transmission volume between CU and DU

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts only the necessary capability information from the complete UE capability set that is relevant to DU parameter management. The CU identifies and forwards specific capability elements to the DU through F1 interface signaling, rather than transferring all capability data. This extraction approach enables the DU to set appropriate parameters while maintaining the proposed management architecture where CU holds complete capability information and DU manages affected parameters.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies partial action by transferring only the subset of capability information that the DU actually needs for parameter determination, rather than all capability data. This partial transfer reduces signaling overhead while ensuring the DU has sufficient information to set appropriate radio communication parameters based on UE capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentEP3672303B1Wireless base station and communication control method

Publication Date: 2023.11.29 NTT DOCOMO INC

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AI summary

A central unit (210) acquires, from a user device (300) via a radio resource control layer, UE Capability indicative of a capability of the user device (300). The central unit (210) forwards the acquired UE Capability to a distributed unit (260) . The distributed unit (260) holds parameters for controlling radio communication beforehand and receives the UE Capability forwarded by the central unit (210) . The distributed unit 260 determines, based on the received UE Capability, content of the parameters according to the content of the UE Capability.