RAN System Information Broadcast for Infrastructure-Aware UE Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In disaggregated RAN deployments, the User Equipment (UE) is not aware of information related to the underlying infrastructure layer, which limits its ability to prioritize infrastructure nodes, comply with regulatory requirements, or utilize infrastructure-specific services.
Innovation Solution
The UE is provided with System Information (SI) elements that include both application layer (A-SI) and infrastructure layer (I-SI) information, generated and transmitted through a RAN composed of RAN software components, infrastructure management entities, and Radio Units (RUs), allowing the UE to recognize infrastructure-related details.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the RAN is disaggregated into application layer and infrastructure layer, then the flexibility and scalability of the network is improved, but the UE loses awareness of infrastructure layer information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces System Information (SI) elements as an intermediary mechanism that carries infrastructure layer information from the infrastructure management entity through the application layer to the UE. This mediator preserves and transmits essential infrastructure information without requiring direct UE-access to the infrastructure layer, thus maintaining the disaggregated architecture while preventing information loss.
2Reliability
If infrastructure information is hidden from UE, then the system security is improved, but the UE cannot perform network selection or compliance with regulatory requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential infrastructure information needed for UE operations (such as network selection and regulatory compliance) and places it into System Information elements that are broadcast to UEs. This extraction approach allows the UE to access necessary information without exposing the entire infrastructure layer, thus maintaining security while enabling operational capabilities.
3Adaptability or versatility
If all infrastructure details are exposed to UE, then the UE can make informed decisions, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different levels of information to different UEs based on their specific needs and capabilities. The System Information elements contain infrastructure information with appropriate granularity - enough detail for UEs to perform network selection and compliance checks, but not so much detail as to overwhelm the UE or expose unnecessary infrastructure complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A network includes a user equipment, and a Radio Access Network (RAN) composed of RAN nodes and includes RAN components. An infrastructure management entity generates system information elements (SI-IEs) relative to an infrastructure layer (I-SI-IEs), and inputs them to the RAN components. The RAN components generate SI composed of SI-IEs relative to the RAN, the SI-IE is relative to an application layer (A-SI-IE), and is either configured locally by the RAN components, or received from an operations and management system entity. An I-SI-IE inputted by an infrastructure management entity, and/or information derived from one or more A-SI-IEs and/or I-SI-IEs. The RAN components are configured to transmit the generated SI to radio units (RUs) via a fronthaul interface. The one or more RUs uses the information received from the RAN to generate and transmit a radio signal comprising the SI-IEs. The user equipment receives the radio signal transmitted by the RUs.