Reconfigurable BBU and RRH Processing for Flexible 5G Signals
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wireless communication technologies face challenges in efficiently processing 5G signals due to the complexity of hardware-specific implementations and the lack of flexible methodologies, leading to long lead times in designing and manufacturing hardware platforms.
Innovation Solution
A reconfigurable hardware platform is utilized for baseband units (BBUs) and remote radio heads (RRHs) to dynamically allocate processing units, allowing for flexible implementation of wireless processing stages in cloud computing networks or existing wireless structures, using a reconfigurable architecture that can change instruction types on processing units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If customized hardware platforms (ASIC, DSP, FPGA) are used for digital signal processing, then processing capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing lead time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal hardware platform that can perform multiple wireless communication functions (4G, 5G, different waveform types, multiple access schemes) through software configuration rather than requiring separate customized hardware for each function. The baseband unit and remote radio head are designed with reconfigurable processing units that can be programmed to handle different signal processing tasks, eliminating the need for multiple specialized hardware platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces dynamic reconfigurability to the hardware platform, allowing the system to adapt its processing capabilities in real-time based on the required wireless standard, waveform type, or multiple access scheme. The processing units can be dynamically allocated and reconfigured between different functions without requiring physical hardware changes, enabling the system to respond flexibly to changing communication requirements.
2Manufacturing precision
If hardware-specific signal processing methods are implemented, then processing precision is improved, but adaptability to different wireless standards deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic reconfigurability that allows the hardware platform to maintain optimized signal processing precision while adapting to different wireless standards, waveform types, and multiple access schemes through software configuration. The processing units can be reconfigured to apply standard-specific algorithms and parameters without sacrificing processing accuracy, enabling the same hardware to achieve precision-level performance across multiple protocols.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes parameter changes in the processing units to adapt to different wireless standards while maintaining processing precision. By changing software-controlled parameters such as filter coefficients, transformation matrices, and processing algorithms rather than hardware architecture, the system achieves adaptability across 4G, 5G, and different waveform types while preserving the precision benefits of hardware implementation.
3Ease of manufacture
If fixed architecture wireless processing is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but productivity and flexibility for 5G processing deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal baseband unit and remote radio head architecture that can process multiple wireless standards (4G, 5G, future standards) and waveform types through a single hardware platform. This universal design maintains manufacturing simplicity by avoiding the need to produce multiple specialized hardware variants, while simultaneously enabling high productivity for 5G processing through software-configurable processing units that can be optimized for different protocols.
4Reliability
If specialized hardware is designed for each processing portion, then processing reliability is improved, but ease of operation and programming complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal hardware platform with standardized interfaces and configuration mechanisms that maintains the reliability benefits of specialized hardware while significantly reducing programming complexity. The unified architecture provides consistent operation across different wireless standards and allows for centralized configuration and management, making the system easier to operate and program compared to coordinating multiple specialized hardware components.
Data Source
AI summary
Examples described herein include systems and methods which include wireless devices and systems with examples of configuration modes for baseband units (BBU) and remote radio heads (RRH). For example, a computing system including a BBU and a RRH may receive a configuration mode selection including information indicative of a configuration mode for respective processing units of the BBU and the RRH. The computing system may allocate the respective processing units to perform wireless processing stages associated with a wireless protocol. The BBU and/or the RRH may generate an output data stream based on the mixing of coefficient data with input data at the BBU and/or the RRH. Examples of systems and methods described herein may facilitate the processing of data for 5G (e.g., New Radio (NR)) wireless communications in a power-efficient and time-efficient manner.