Fronthaul System for Wireless Networks with Uplink Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current fronthaul systems in wireless telecommunication networks are limited by proprietary CPRI protocols, leading to inefficient use of fiber bandwidth and lack of interoperability between vendors, resulting in increased capital and operating expenses and limited scalability.
Innovation Solution
A wireless communication system with a customizable CPRI protocol implementation that allows dynamic assignment of antenna-carrier streams, supports multicast and broadcast, and enables hardware sharing, using a digital fronthaul network to optimize fiber usage and synchronize data transmission across multiple baseband units and radio equipment modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If proprietary customized CPRI protocols are used for direct BBU-RRH interface, then vendor-specific compatibility is ensured, but interoperability between different vendors' equipment is lost and bandwidth utilization is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal fronthaul interface that can handle multiple protocols (CPRI, OBSAI, and proprietary protocols) through a common architecture. The BBU pool and REs communicate using standardized protocol mappings that enable interoperability while maintaining compatibility with existing vendor-specific implementations, allowing the system to function across different vendor equipment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts protocol parameters and data mapping configurations to accommodate different vendor requirements. By changing the protocol interpretation parameters at the interface layer, the system maintains compatibility with various proprietary implementations while operating over a unified fiber infrastructure, thus resolving the contradiction between specificity and universality.
2Reliability
If dedicated optical cable links are provided for each BBU-RRH connection, then reliable point-to-point communication is achieved, but the number of fiber cables rapidly increases leading to high CAPEX and OPEX
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple dedicated BBU-RRH connections into a shared fiber infrastructure by introducing a pool architecture where multiple BBUs connect to multiple REs through common fiber links. The fronthaul network combines traffic from multiple sources and distributes it appropriately, reducing the total number of fiber cables needed while maintaining reliable communication paths.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the traditional one-to-one BBU-RRH mapping into a many-to-many pool architecture. By dividing the connection topology into logical groups and using virtualization techniques, the system allows multiple BBUs to share access to multiple REs over shared fiber infrastructure, reducing cable quantity while preserving communication reliability through logical channel separation.
3Device complexity
If static BBU-RRH mapping is used, then simple connection management is achieved, but dynamic reconfiguration for multicast, broadcast, and hardware sharing is not possible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic mapping capabilities that allow the BBU pool and REs to reconfigure their connections in real-time. The system can dynamically assign and reassign BBUs to different REs, support multicast and broadcast transmissions, and enable hardware sharing based on network conditions and requirements, all while maintaining manageable complexity through automated control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor network conditions, traffic patterns, and resource utilization to automatically adjust mappings and allocations. This feedback-driven approach enables dynamic reconfiguration for multicast, broadcast, and hardware sharing scenarios while keeping connection management complexity manageable through automated decision-making algorithms.
4Reliability
If digital data occupies only a small fraction of available bandwidth in dedicated fiber connections, then protocol-specific requirements are met, but bandwidth utilization efficiency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal fronthaul interface that can carry multiple protocol types (CPRI, OBSAI, and proprietary protocols) simultaneously over the same fiber infrastructure. By mapping different protocol data streams into a unified transport framework, the system achieves protocol compliance for each vendor while dramatically improving overall bandwidth utilization through shared high-capacity links.
Data Source
AI summary
System having baseband units; a radio equipment controller module; radio equipment modules coupled to a physical antenna port having a slave port coupled to a master port of the radio equipment controller module or another radio equipment module. The radio equipment modules receive an uplink antenna-carrier stream from a physical antenna port and transmit the stream to its slave port and, if a master port is connected to another radio equipment module, it synchronizes and sums the stream with an uplink antenna-carrier stream from said master port, creating a summed uplink antenna-carrier stream transmitted to its slave port. The radio equipment modules receive a downlink antenna-carrier stream from the radio equipment controller module or another radio equipment module to its slave port for transmission to said physical antenna port and, if a master port is connected to another radio equipment module, forwards the downlink antenna-carrier stream to the master port.