Dynamic RAN Configuration for cRIC and dRIC Admission Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current RAN systems lack scalability and require component-level restarts for parameter changes, making them unsuitable for production environments, and there is a need for dynamic configuration of parameters during runtime.
Innovation Solution
A configuration management pod within the RIC management system converts application configurations from JSON to XML format and manages RICs, including cRICs and dRICs, to enable automated admission control services, using FCAPS management pods for validation and updating configuration tables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If static provisioning is used for configuration management during deployment, then configuration management is simple, but the system lacks scalability and requires component-level restarts for parameter changes
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments configuration management into multiple independent components: configuration files in JSON format, conversion to XML format, validation against schemas, and runtime application. This segmentation allows each component to be modified independently without restarting the entire system, resolving the contradiction between configuration flexibility and system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic configuration management where parameters can be changed at runtime without system restarts. The system uses hot-reload mechanisms that monitor configuration files and automatically apply changes, transforming the static provisioning model into a dynamic one that maintains both flexibility and controlled complexity.
2Reliability
If component-level restarts are required for parameter changes, then configuration validation is thorough, but operational efficiency decreases and scalability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary validation of configuration parameters against XML schemas before applying changes. This preliminary action ensures configuration reliability by catching errors early, while the validation occurs asynchronously during runtime rather than requiring system restarts, thus maintaining operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous configuration validation and hot-reload mechanisms that allow the system to validate and apply parameter changes without interruption. The useful action of configuration management continues uninterrupted, with validation occurring in the background and changes applied seamlessly, maintaining both reliability and productivity.
3Ease of operation
If JSON format is used for configuration input, then ease of operation is improved, but compatibility with telephony-based standards requires format conversion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary conversion layer that translates between JSON format (easy for operators) and XML format (required by telephony standards). This intermediary component handles the format conversion automatically, allowing operators to use the user-friendly JSON format while ensuring compatibility with underlying systems, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and system complexity.
4Measurement precision
If manual configuration management is used, then system control is precise, but scalability is limited and runtime configuration is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated feedback mechanisms where the system monitors configuration files, validates changes against schemas, and applies updates automatically. This feedback loop maintains precise control over configuration parameters while enabling runtime changes, eliminating the need for manual intervention and allowing the system to scale without sacrificing control precision.
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for providing automated admission control services for a RAN system. The method receives a trigger alert that includes an application identifier for an application, a dRIC identifier associated with a dRIC to which the application is to be deployed, and a set of configurations for the application that are in a first format. The method converts the set of configurations from the first format to a second format and sends the set configurations in the second format to an FCAPS management pod deployed to the dRIC. Upon receiving positive acknowledgment indicating successful implementation of the set of configurations from the FCAPS management pod, the method updates a configuration table stored in a database of the RAN with a set of admissions control information for the application. The method sends a notification to an API server for the RAN indicating the set of configurations have been successfully implemented for the application.