E2 Node Measurement Containers for 5G Slice Performance
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for efficient methods to support differentiated services for users in virtualized 4G/5G communication systems, particularly in measuring performance on E2 interfaces within radio access networks.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves an E2 node transmitting measurement information to a radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC) through a container-based message, classified according to standalone or non-standalone structures, and based on quality identifiers such as QCI, 5QI, or Slice ID.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If measurement information is transmitted using traditional methods in virtualized networks, then basic performance monitoring is achieved, but the system cannot efficiently support differentiated services for multiple users and network slices
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement information is segmented into separate containers based on network slice type (E-UTRA, NR, inter-RAT). Each container holds measurement data specific to a particular slice, allowing the system to efficiently support differentiated services for multiple users while organizing the complex measurement reporting structure in a manageable way.
2Loss of information
If comprehensive measurement data is collected for all network slices, then complete performance visibility is achieved, but the signaling overhead and processing burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and separates measurement information for different network slices into distinct containers within the E2 indication message. This allows the RIC to receive only the specific measurement data relevant to each slice without processing unnecessary information from other slices, reducing signaling overhead while maintaining complete performance visibility for each individual slice.
3Productivity
If real-time measurement reporting is implemented across all slices, then network performance optimization is improved, but the processing load on E2 nodes and RIC increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting measurement reporting into slice-specific containers, the processing load on E2 nodes and RIC is distributed and organized by slice type. This allows real-time measurement reporting to be implemented efficiently, as each node only needs to process and forward measurements for its assigned slices rather than handling all slice measurements centrally, thus improving network performance optimization speed while managing processing load.
Data Source
AI summary
An example method for an E2 node may include transmitting an indication message including a measurement container to a radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (RIC), wherein the measurement container may include at least one among: first measurement information of a digital unit (DU), the first measurement information including at least one of physical resource block (PRB) usage information for a standalone (SA) structure and PRB usage information for a non-standalone (NSA) structure; second measurement information of a central unit control plane (CU-CP), the second measurement information including information about the number of active user equipments (UEs); and third measurement information including at least one of packet data conversion protocol (PDCP) usage information for the SA structure and the PRB usage information for the NSA structure.