DU Transmitter Power Control via Scheduling Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing demand for power saving in fronthaul transmissions in 5G wireless communication systems, particularly in Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN)-based interfaces, due to the high energy consumption of base stations and the need to reduce unnecessary power waste, is not effectively addressed by existing technologies.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that power on and off transmitters in Distributed Units (DUs) and Radio Units (RUs) based on scheduling information, identifying intervals without Control plane (C-plane) and User plane (U-plane) messages, and determining the end timing based on stabilization time, to generate control signals for powering off transmitters when fronthaul is not used in synchronization and management plane messages.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transmitters in DUs and RUs are continuously powered on to ensure communication availability, then system reliability is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transmitter is powered on and off periodically based on the presence of scheduling information. When scheduling information is detected, the transmitter is activated; when no scheduling information is present, the transmitter is deactivated. This periodic activation/deactivation pattern reduces power consumption while maintaining communication availability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The transmitter's operational state is dynamically adjusted based on real-time scheduling information. The system transitions between active and inactive states according to the presence or absence of downlink and uplink scheduling information, allowing the transmitter to adapt its power consumption to actual communication needs.
2Loss of energy
If transmitters are powered off during idle intervals to save power, then energy efficiency is improved, but system response time may worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system checks for the presence of scheduling information in advance before activating the transmitter. By detecting scheduling information ahead of time, the transmitter can be activated just in time for communication, avoiding both premature activation (wasting energy) and delayed activation (increasing response time).
Data Source
AI summary
A method performed by a Distributed Unit (DU) in a wireless communication system, includes: identifying whether there are no downlink scheduling information and uplink scheduling information for a slot; when there are no downlink scheduling information and uplink scheduling information for the slot, identifying an interval without a downlink Control plane (C-plane) message, an uplink C-plane message, and a downlink User plane (U-plane) message; and generating a control signal for powering off a transmitter of the DU within the identified interval.