O-RAN Protocol Analyzer for Control Plane Error Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In O-RAN communication systems, the encrypted management plane and packet format based on configuration information make it difficult to analyze and detect errors in the control/user plane without configuration information, and existing techniques fail to effectively analyze packet contents and detect control/user plane errors.
Innovation Solution
A protocol analyzer that relays and detects errors in the control and user planes between a radio unit and a base band unit, generating failure detection packets based on error factor information and ether headers with timestamps, while interpreting planes using management plane information for transmission-reception conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the management plane is encrypted according to an encryption protocol, then security and confidentiality are improved, but the ability to analyze packet contents and detect errors in control/user plane is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a protocol analyzer as an intermediary device that can access and analyze the management plane information. This analyzer acts as a mediator between the encrypted management plane and the control/user plane packets, enabling error detection without compromising security. The analyzer uses the management plane configuration information to interpret control/user plane packets while the management plane itself remains encrypted.
2Reliability
If the packet format is based on configuration information sent and received by the management plane, then protocol accuracy and reliability are improved, but the ability to analyze packets without management plane information is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the protocol analyzer acquire management plane configuration information in advance before analyzing control/user plane packets. This allows the analyzer to pre-load the necessary configuration data (such as packet format definitions, parameter mappings, and protocol specifications) so that when control/user plane packets need to be analyzed, the reference information is already available, enabling accurate interpretation without real-time complexity.
3Productivity
If an intermediate node retrieves packets for transmission between radio unit and base band unit, then communication functionality is improved, but the capability to detect control/user plane errors is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the intermediate node (protocol analyzer) universal by equipping it with multiple functions: it can both relay/transmit control and user plane packets between the radio unit and base band unit, and simultaneously analyze these packets for error detection. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for separate error detection mechanisms while maintaining communication efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A protocol analyzer of the present disclosure includes a protocol check circuit that relays a control plane and a user plane between a radio unit and a base band unit while performing detection of an error in the control plane and the user plane, and a failure detection packet generation unit configured to generate a failure detection packet based on error factor information generated by the protocol check circuit in response to detection of the error in the control plane and the user plane and based on the ether head of the control plane or the user plane in which the error has been detected and a timestamp, in which the protocol check circuit interprets the control plane and the user plane based on information in a management plane that determines transmission-reception conditions for the control plane and the user plane between the radio unit and the base band unit.