Radio Access Network Controller Slice Creation Optimization

Solution Overview

Problem

Current slice creation in radio access networks is inefficient due to the heavy load on controllers when allocating resources, as they sequentially refer to resource information of all devices along the communication path.

Innovation Solution

A controller that acquires physical network information, calculates physical and abstract path resource information, and creates slices by determining if requested conditions are met, selecting suitable physical paths based on abstract path resource information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the controller sequentially refers to resource information of all devices along the communication path to allocate resources, then resource allocation accuracy is improved, but the load on the controller increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource allocation accuracyVSAvoidcontroller load

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network path into multiple hops and processes resource information in a distributed manner across network elements rather than centrally at the controller. Each network element along the path contributes its resource information locally, dividing the overall resource assessment task into smaller manageable segments that don't require centralized processing of all device information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary resource information collection and path computation before slice creation requests are processed. Network elements pre-compute and store resource information about their local devices and connections, so when a slice creation request arrives, the controller can quickly retrieve pre-prepared information rather than gathering it sequentially during the allocation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the controller refers to all device resource information to ensure accurate resource allocation, then resource management reliability is improved, but the time required for slice creation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource management reliabilityVSAvoidslice creation time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary resource information collection and path computation before slice creation requests are processed. Network elements pre-compute and store resource information about their local devices and connections, so when a slice creation request arrives, the controller can quickly retrieve pre-prepared information rather than gathering it sequentially during the allocation process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates and maintains copies of resource information at multiple network elements along the communication path. Each network element stores local resource information copies, eliminating the need for the controller to sequentially access every device. These distributed copies enable parallel verification of resource availability across the path without increasing slice creation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Loss of information

If the controller sequentially processes resource information of all devices, then complete resource assessment is achieved, but the complexity of the resource allocation process increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource assessment completenessVSAvoidresource allocation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the network path into multiple hops and processes resource information in a distributed manner across network elements rather than centrally at the controller. Each network element along the path contributes its resource information locally, dividing the overall resource assessment task into smaller manageable segments that don't require centralized processing of all device information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges resource information from multiple distributed network elements into a comprehensive path resource assessment. Instead of the controller separately gathering and processing information from each device sequentially, the system combines local resource assessments from each network element along the path, achieving complete resource assessment through parallel integration of distributed information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11399340B2Controller of a radio access network

Publication Date: 2022.07.26 MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORP

AI summary

A controller of a radio access network calculates physical path resource information which is resource information about physical paths between devices in the network, and abstract path resource information which expresses the physical path resource information in a representative manner. When receiving a request to create a slice, the controller determines whether a slice that satisfies a requested condition is creatable based on the abstract path resource information and, when determining that the slice that satisfies the requested condition can be created, creates the slice by selecting a physical path that satisfies the requested condition based on the physical path resource information.