Distributed Control Plane Architecture for 5G FLEX Wireless Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current wireless communication systems face challenges in efficiently managing system information distribution and user plane connectivity in distributed control plane architectures, particularly in 5G flexible radio access technology (5G FLEX), where on-demand system information delivery and multi-connectivity scenarios require optimized control and user plane coordination.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a distributed control plane architecture that replicates access control functions across multiple transmission/reception points, enabling concurrent control services and centralized management of core network connectivity, along with coordination between access control function instances, facilitates efficient system information delivery and user plane management through beamforming and multi-connectivity techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a distributed control plane architecture is implemented with multiple access control function instances across different transmission/reception points, then system information delivery flexibility and user plane management efficiency are improved, but device complexity and coordination overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control plane is segmented into multiple access control function (ACF) instances distributed across different transmission/reception points (TRPs). Each ACF instance independently handles system information delivery and user plane management for its associated TRP, enabling flexible on-demand system information requests while distributing the complexity burden across multiple independent units rather than one complex centralized controller
Solution Approach 2:
A centralized control function acts as an intermediary between the distributed ACF instances and the core network. This mediator coordinates between multiple ACF instances, manages core network connectivity, and handles inter-ACF communication, thereby reducing the direct coordination complexity between distributed nodes while maintaining system-wide consistency
2Productivity
If on-demand system information requests are enabled in distributed architecture, then information delivery efficiency is improved, but control coordination overhead and signaling complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
System information is pre-configured and cached at multiple ACF instances across different TRPs before being requested. When a WTRU needs system information, the requesting ACF can immediately serve it from local cache or coordinate with neighboring ACF instances that may already have the information, avoiding real-time generation delays and reducing signaling overhead for information retrieval
Solution Approach 2:
Each ACF instance is designed to independently handle system information delivery requests from WTRUs in its coverage area. The distributed ACF instances autonomously manage their own system information caches and can independently respond to on-demand requests without requiring centralized coordination for each individual request, thereby improving delivery efficiency while minimizing coordination overhead
Data Source
AI summary
Systems, procedures, and instrumentalities are disclosed for distributed control in wireless systems, such as 5G flexible radio access technology (RAT) (5gFLEX). Example procedures are provided for WTRU and network operation associated with a distributed control plane architecture, connectionless data transfer and dedicated system information acquisition. Distributed control may be provided, for example, by replicating a plurality of access control functions (ACFs) using a plurality of instances in a plurality of different transmission/reception points (TRPs) with multi-connectivity. The plurality of TRPs may concurrently provide control services to a WTRU. Centralized control functions may manage core network connectivity and/or a plurality of user plane instances for the WTRU and/or may facilitate coordination between the plurality of ACF instances for the WTRU in the plurality of different TRPs of the WTRU's configuration.