Fronthaul Clock Offset Monitoring for Multi-BBU Fault Handling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In distributed base station architectures, time asynchrony between baseband units (BBUs) leads to signal interference, necessitating manual on-site testing with high operation and maintenance costs and low fault handling efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A communication method and apparatus that determines clock offsets between BBUs through a fronthaul interface, enabling automated fault handling without manual test devices, and synchronizes radio frequency devices with master and non-master clock BBUs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual on-site testing with test devices is used to check time synchronization of BBUs, then fault handling can be performed, but operation and maintenance costs increase and fault handling efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-diagnosis of clock offset between BBUs through the fronthaul interface. The radio frequency device automatically obtains time information from multiple BBUs, calculates clock offset, and sends notification information to indicate the abnormality, eliminating the need for manual on-site testing and improving fault handling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the radio frequency device continuously monitors time information from BBUs, calculates clock offset, and sends notification information back to indicate synchronization abnormalities. This automated feedback loop enables rapid fault detection and handling without manual intervention
2Reliability
If manual on-site testing with test devices is used to check time synchronization of BBUs, then fault handling can be performed, but operation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic self-diagnosis of clock offset between BBUs through the fronthaul interface. The radio frequency device automatically obtains time information from multiple BBUs, calculates clock offset, and sends notification information to indicate the abnormality, eliminating the need for manual on-site testing and improving fault handling efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses existing time information synchronization mechanisms already present in the fronthaul interface rather than requiring separate test devices. The same communication channels used for normal operation are copied for diagnostic purposes, eliminating the need for additional expensive test equipment
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple BBUs are connected to a single radio frequency device, then system capacity increases, but signal interference occurs when BBUs are not time-synchronized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the radio frequency device continuously monitors time information from multiple BBUs, calculates clock offset, and sends notification information back to indicate synchronization abnormalities. This automated feedback loop enables rapid fault detection and handling without manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The radio frequency device acts as an intermediary that mediates between multiple BBUs by monitoring their time synchronization status. It calculates the clock offset between BBUs and generates notification information to indicate abnormalities, preventing signal interference while maintaining high system capacity
Data Source
AI summary
This application discloses a communication method and apparatus. A switch device or a radio frequency device in a fronthaul network monitors clock offset information between first time information and second time information, where the first time information is time information synchronized through a fronthaul interface corresponding to a first baseband unit, and the second time information is time information synchronized through a fronthaul interface corresponding to a second baseband unit. The clock offset information is used to assist in fault handling of a baseband unit, thereby reducing operation and maintenance costs and improving fault handling efficiency.