Base Station Load Balancing via PLMN-Specific Contribution Monitoring
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current radio access network (RAN) sharing standards are limited in scenarios where the network owner is not a service provider, lacking mechanisms to ensure fair usage and monitoring of network resources among operators with unequal shares, and do not support load balancing between base stations effectively.
Innovation Solution
A base station capable of sharing resources between multiple network operators, equipped with load balancing mechanisms that adjust handover trigger levels and distribute load based on contributions from each operator, using X2 interfaces for communication and PLMN ID-based resource management to ensure fair usage and efficient load distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If RAN sharing is implemented between multiple operators, then capital expenditure and operating costs are reduced, but mechanisms to ensure fair usage and monitor network resources among operators with unequal shares are lacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the network resource management by introducing PLMN ID-specific load balancing, where the base station separately determines and manages load contributions from each network operator. This segmentation allows independent monitoring and control of resources allocated to different operators, enabling fair usage enforcement while maintaining overall cost efficiency of the shared RAN infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms through X2 interface communication between base stations, where load contribution information from each PLMN is exchanged and used to dynamically adjust handover decisions. This feedback loop ensures that operators with unequal shares can be monitored and managed fairly, preventing resource starvation while maintaining the economic benefits of RAN sharing.
2Productivity
If load balancing is performed without considering PLMN-specific contributions, then base station load is reduced, but operators with unequal shares cannot ensure fair usage of network resources
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making handover trigger levels PLMN-specific rather than uniform across all operators. The base station determines load contribution separately for each PLMN and applies different handover parameters accordingly. This allows the system to optimize load balancing efficiency for each operator's specific service level requirements and contractual agreements, ensuring both productivity and reliability.
3Reliability
If handover trigger levels are adjusted dynamically based on PLMN contributions, then fair usage is ensured, but the complexity of base station control increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by extending the existing X2 interface-based load balancing mechanism to handle PLMN-specific scenarios. Rather than creating a completely new control system, the invention makes the existing base station control architecture multi-functional by adding PLMN ID identification and separate load contribution determination capabilities. This approach ensures fair usage enforcement while minimizing the increase in base station control complexity by reusing existing interfaces and protocols.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A wireless communication system is described comprising one or more base stations able to divide resources between multiple network operators sharing the base station. A shared base station is configured to monitor a contribution to the load on the base station associated with network operators sharing the base station resources and to provide the determined contribution to the load to one or more other base stations for use in load balancing between the base stations.