Split Base Station Architecture for Secondary Node Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The implementation of a secondary base station protocol in mobile communications is complex, requiring full functionality similar to a common base station, which increases costs, especially for micro base stations.
Innovation Solution
A primary base station configures data transmission parameters for the secondary base station, allowing it to perform uplink and downlink data transmission with simplified buffering and transceiving functions, reducing the need for extensive processing and thus lowering costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the secondary base station implements a full protocol stack and functions similar to a common base station, then data transmission capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the base station functions by introducing a split architecture where the control plane functions remain at the primary base station while the user plane functions are distributed to secondary base stations. This segmentation allows secondary base stations to implement only simplified protocol stacks for data transmission without needing full base station functionality, thereby reducing complexity while maintaining transmission capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The primary base station acts as an intermediary between the core network and secondary base stations. It handles complex protocol processing, control signaling, and coordination, while secondary base stations focus solely on data transmission under the primary base station's control. This intermediary role resolves the contradiction by centralizing complexity while distributing transmission functionality.
2Reliability
If the secondary base station implements full base station functions, then transmission reliability is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting base station functionality into control plane (primary base station) and user plane (secondary base station), the patent enables cost-effective deployment of secondary base stations with simplified hardware and software while maintaining transmission reliability through the coordinated control of primary base stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The primary base station serves multiple functions including acting as a controller for secondary base stations, handling control plane signaling, and providing fallback data transmission paths. This multi-functionality ensures reliability while the simplified secondary base stations reduce manufacturing costs through their specialized, single-purpose design.
3Productivity
If the secondary base station performs extensive data processing, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts complex processing functions from secondary base stations and relocates them to primary base stations. Secondary base stations perform only basic data forwarding and buffering operations, while the primary base station handles complex protocol processing, packet assembly/disassembly, and coordination tasks. This extraction maintains transmission efficiency while significantly reducing the processing complexity required at secondary base stations.
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide a data transmission method, a base station, and a user equipment (UE), wherein a primary base station configures a data transmission parameter for a secondary base station, to assist the secondary base station to perform uplink and downlink data transmission for the UE. Therefore, the primary base station and the secondary base station transmit and receive data according to the same data transmission parameter, and there is no need to perform extra processing on the data transmitted and received by the secondary base station, that is, the secondary base station can only reserve simple buffering, encapsulating, and transceiving functions, or even only reserve buffering and transceiving functions, so that a protocol design of the secondary base station is simplified, and cost of the secondary base station, especially cost of a micro base station serving as the secondary base station is reduced.