Dynamic RAN Availability Zones for Excess Edge Capacity

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing radio-based networks face challenges in efficiently utilizing excess computational capacity at cell sites, leading to underutilization of resources and high operational costs, while manual deployment and vendor-specific software constraints hinder flexibility and scalability.

Innovation Solution

Implementing RAN-enabled edge servers with dynamic availability zones that leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict and utilize excess capacity, offering it to third-party customers and CSPs, and enabling cloud-native network functions with microservices architecture for elastic scaling and management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If manual deployment and vendor-specific software are used, then network functions can be deployed, but flexibility and scalability are hindered

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveflexibilityVSAvoiddeployment complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service through automated deployment agents that autonomously provision and configure network functions on edge servers. The availability zone management service automatically discovers excess capacity, creates dynamic availability zones, and orchestrates workload placement without manual vendor-specific deployment steps, enabling the network to self-configure and adapt to changing conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements universality by creating a vendor-agnostic platform that can host multiple types of network functions (DUs, CUs, core network functions) and customer workloads on standardized edge servers. The dynamic availability zones provide a universal interface for deploying diverse workloads across heterogeneous radio access networks, eliminating vendor-specific constraints

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Productivity

If excess computational capacity is not utilized, then network operations are simple, but resource utilization is low and operational costs are high

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback through the availability zone management service that continuously monitors excess computational capacity at cell sites, dynamically adjusts availability zone configurations, and orchestrates workload placement based on real-time capacity conditions. This closed-loop feedback mechanism automatically utilizes excess resources while maintaining simple operations through automated decision-making

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary availability zone management service that acts as a mediator between radio access networks and customer workloads. This intermediary automatically discovers excess capacity, creates dynamic availability zones, and orchestrates workload placement, thereby utilizing underused resources without requiring complex direct integration between network elements and customers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If dynamic availability zones are created, then resource utilization improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource utilizationVSAvoidmanagement complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements self-service through automated deployment agents that autonomously provision and configure network functions on edge servers. The availability zone management service automatically discovers excess capacity, creates dynamic availability zones, and orchestrates workload placement without manual vendor-specific deployment steps, enabling the network to self-configure and adapt to changing conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements feedback through the availability zone management service that continuously monitors excess computational capacity at cell sites, dynamically adjusts availability zone configurations, and orchestrates workload placement based on real-time capacity conditions. This closed-loop feedback mechanism automatically utilizes excess resources while maintaining simple operations through automated decision-making

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS20250254563A1Dynamic availability zones in radio-based networks

Publication Date: 2025.08.07 AMAZON TECH INC

AI summary

Disclosed are various embodiments for dynamic availability zones in radio-based networks. In one embodiment, excess resource capacity on a radio access network (RAN)-enabled edge server in a cloud provider network is determined. The RAN-enabled edge server is located at a cell site and is configured to perform distributed unit (DU) and/or centralized unit (CU) functions for a RAN. The excess resource capacity is offered as part of a cellular capacity zone that is generally available to customers of the cloud provider network.