HetNet Gateway for 5G RAN Slicing Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently managing and deploying complex 5G networks that integrate various older generation technologies (2G, 3G, 4G) while addressing the diverse data requirements and quality of service needs for emerging use cases, such as Industrial IoT, Smart homes, and Low-latency Medical communication, which existing solutions struggle to handle due to heterogeneity and increasing data usage.
Innovation Solution
A multi-RAT coordinating gateway, such as the HetNet Gateway (HNG), abstracts core functionality between the RAN and core network, enabling interworking of different radio access technologies and providing network slicing capabilities to allocate resources dynamically and ensure quality of service across multiple generations of networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple radio access technologies (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) are integrated into a single network, then network versatility and service coverage are improved, but network complexity and management difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a multi-RAT coordinating gateway as an intermediary component that sits between the core network and multiple radio access technologies. This gateway abstracts the complexity of managing 2G, 3G, 4G, and 5G networks by providing a unified interface and coordination mechanism, allowing the core network to interact with all RATs through a single point of control rather than managing each technology separately.
Solution Approach 2:
The coordinating gateway is designed with multi-functional capabilities to handle multiple radio access technologies simultaneously. It provides universal functions including interworking between different RATs, network slicing across all technologies, and unified QoS management, thereby reducing the need for separate management systems for each radio technology.
2Reliability
If network slicing is implemented to handle diverse service requirements, then quality of service for emerging use cases is improved, but resource allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements network slicing by segmenting the network resources into multiple virtual networks, each optimized for specific service requirements. The coordinating gateway creates and manages these slices across different radio access technologies, allowing independent resource allocation and QoS management for each slice without affecting others, thereby handling diverse services like Industrial IoT, Smart homes, and Medical communication with appropriate quality guarantees.
3Ease of manufacture
If gradual migration from 4G to 5G is implemented, then deployment cost is reduced, but network heterogeneity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The coordinating gateway serves as a mediator that enables gradual migration from 4G to 5G by supporting multiple radio access technologies concurrently. It manages the coexistence and interworking of 4G and 5G networks, allowing operators to transition incrementally while maintaining unified QoS management and resource allocation across both technologies through the gateway's abstraction layer.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for providing 5G-RAN slicing control is disclosed, comprising:providing a gateway having a Radio Access Network (RAN) interface for communicating with the at least one RAN, a core network interface for communicating with the at least one core network, and a processor;processing, by the processor, 5G signaling received from the at least one RAN on the RAN interface and providing core signaling to at least one core network;processing, by the processor, signaling received from the at least one core on the core network interface and providing 5G RAN signaling to at least one RAN; andproviding network slicing, enabling building of multiple logical networks for different services across any of the at least one RAN and any of the at least one core network.