Hybrid Cellular Network Virtual Routers for Geographic Redundancy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hardware-centric telecommunications systems face inefficiencies with the advent of network virtualization and open radio access networks, requiring new approaches to achieve geographic redundancy and high availability in hybrid cellular networks.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid cellular network system utilizing a mixture of specialized hardware and software-based network functions on cloud computing platforms, with subnets functioning as national and regional data centers, implementing virtual routers for load balancing and failover, and using transit gateways to bridge physical and virtual networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple instances of hardware are installed to provide geographic redundancy and high availability, then system reliability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates virtual copies of network functions through virtualization technology. Instead of installing multiple physical hardware instances, virtual network function instances are created and distributed across multiple data centers. These virtual instances can be rapidly deployed and managed without the complexity of physical hardware installation, while still providing geographic redundancy and high availability across different locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/physical hardware-based network function implementation with a software-based virtualized system. Network functions that traditionally required specialized hardware are now implemented as virtualized software instances that can run on general-purpose computing infrastructure. This substitution eliminates the need for complex hardware installation and management while maintaining the ability to provide geographic redundancy through virtual instance distribution.
2Device complexity
If network functions are virtualized and deployed on cloud platforms, then device complexity is reduced, but ensuring geographic redundancy across large areas becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network function deployment into multiple distributed virtual instances across different geographic data centers. Each data center hosts a portion of the virtualized network functions, and these segments can independently operate and provide local service. The segmentation allows the system to maintain geographic redundancy without requiring a single large centralized infrastructure, thus reducing device complexity while achieving wide geographic coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a single-dimensional centralized hardware deployment to a multi-dimensional distributed virtual infrastructure. Virtual network functions are deployed across multiple dimensions including different geographic locations, data centers, and even cloud providers. This dimensional expansion allows the system to achieve broad geographic footprint while maintaining low device complexity at each individual location, as each data center only needs to host virtual instances rather than complete hardware systems.
3Reliability
If multiple subnets are executed at different data centers, then geographic redundancy is improved, but network routing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal routing mechanisms that can handle multiple subnet configurations across different data centers through a standardized interface. The virtualized network infrastructure provides multi-functional routing capabilities that can adapt to various subnet deployments without requiring custom routing logic for each data center. This universality simplifies the routing complexity while maintaining geographic redundancy, as the same routing principles apply regardless of the number or location of subnets.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces intermediary components such as virtual routers and network address translation devices that mediate between the multiple subnets deployed at different data centers. These intermediaries abstract the complexity of inter-subnet routing by providing standardized communication protocols and address translation mechanisms. The intermediaries handle the routing logic centrally or semi-centrally, reducing the overall network routing complexity while enabling geographic redundancy through distributed subnet deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
Various arrangements of a hybrid cellular network are presented. The hybrid cellular network includes multiple base stations. Multiple subnets are created within a region of a public cloud computing platform. Each subnet can be executed at a different data center of the public cloud computing platform. Cellular network functions are instantiated within the subnets in the region of the public cloud computing platform. Multiple virtual routers that manage the routing of packets for the cellular network functions are created within the subnets.