U-plane C-plane Separation for Local 5G Cost Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high cost of core equipment for local 5G and other communication services, such as private LTE, makes it difficult for users to introduce and promote these services due to the need for expensive infrastructure at each user site.
Innovation Solution
A communication support system with an inter-site setting unit and an in-site setting unit that establishes inter-site and in-site communication paths, allowing for low-latency communication by sharing core equipment across user sites and reducing the equipment cost at each user site, with the C-plane installed externally and the U-plane installed locally.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If core equipment is installed at each user site for local 5G, then communication service reliability is improved, but equipment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The core equipment is segmented into C-plane functions and U-plane functions. The C-plane is centralized at a carrier site while the U-plane is distributed at user sites. This segmentation allows reliability to be maintained through centralized control while reducing equipment costs at individual user sites by eliminating redundant C-plane installations.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple user sites share a common C-plane installation at a carrier site. The U-plane at each user site connects to this shared C-plane via communication paths, merging the control functions across sites while maintaining independent user plane operations, thereby reducing overall equipment quantity and cost.
2Quantity of substance
If core equipment is shared across user sites, then equipment cost is reduced, but communication latency increases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating C-plane and U-plane functions and placing them at different locations (carrier site and user sites respectively), the system maintains localized user data processing through the distributed U-plane while sharing control functions, thus reducing latency for user data transmission while still achieving equipment cost reduction through sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The U-plane acts as an intermediary between the user terminal and the centralized C-plane. It processes user data locally at the user site before forwarding to the carrier site, reducing the time delay that would result from all processing occurring at a centralized location while still enabling equipment sharing.
3Quantity of substance
If C-plane and U-plane are separated, then equipment cost is reduced through sharing, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into distinct C-plane and U-plane components with clearly defined functions. The C-plane handles control functions (authentication, session management) while the U-plane handles user data processing. This functional segmentation simplifies the overall system architecture by separating concerns, making each component easier to understand and manage despite the distributed nature of the deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
From among a U-plane and a C-plane, the U-plane is installed in a first user site which has a base station, and the C-plane is installed in a C-plane site (any site that is not a user site). A system sets a U-plane inter-site path which is an inter-site communication path that connects a first user site with a second user site via a wide area network, and a C-plane inter-site path which is an inter-site communication path that connects a C-plane site with the first user site via the wide area network. In addition, the system sets an in-site communication path which is a communication path within the first user site and which connects to an inter-site communication path. A U-plane inter-site path is an inter-site communication path via which data is transmitted or received by a U-plane. A C-plane inter-site path is an inter-site communication path via which a signal is transmitted or received by a C-plane.