UE Steering in Disaggregated vRAN via Path-Aware Metrics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current steering techniques for user equipment (UE) between wireless wide area (WWA) and wireless local area (WLA) networks rely solely on signal strength, which is inadequate in disaggregated WWA vRAN architectures due to disjointed x-haul links and hardware capacity limitations, leading to suboptimal bandwidth allocation and user experience.
Innovation Solution
Implementing path-aware steering logic that collects and analyzes various performance metrics across WWA and WLA networks to determine steering events, enabling UE to connect to the network with available capacity and optimal performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If steering decisions are made based solely on signal strength, then the steering process is simple, but the bandwidth allocation becomes suboptimal and user experience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the decision parameters from simple signal strength to multiple performance metrics including available capacity, load conditions, and bandwidth metrics. This allows the steering system to make more informed decisions that optimize bandwidth allocation while maintaining reasonable operational complexity through automated threshold-based evaluation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring performance metrics from both WWA vRAN and WLA networks, comparing current conditions against thresholds, and dynamically adjusting steering decisions. This feedback loop ensures optimal bandwidth allocation by responding to real-time network conditions rather than relying on static signal strength measurements.
2Productivity
If path-aware steering logic is implemented to analyze multiple performance metrics, then bandwidth allocation is optimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the steering decision process into distinct components: metric collection from separate network interfaces, independent threshold evaluation for each metric type, and modular steering logic that can be implemented in the WLC, RAN-EMS, or O-RAN SC. This segmentation reduces overall system complexity by making each component manageable and independently configurable.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces intermediary elements such as performance metric collectors and threshold evaluators that mediate between raw network data and steering decisions. These intermediaries simplify the core steering logic by pre-processing and structuring data, thereby reducing the complexity of the decision-making process while maintaining optimized bandwidth allocation.
3Productivity
If steering decisions consider hardware capacity limitations and disjointed x-haul links, then resource utilization is optimized, but the measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-configuring thresholds for performance metrics and pre-establishing measurement protocols for collecting data from fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul links. This preparation work is done in advance, simplifying the real-time decision process while ensuring comprehensive consideration of hardware capacity limitations and x-haul link conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs universal measurement and collection mechanisms that can gather multiple performance metrics through standardized interfaces and protocols. This multi-functional approach allows the same infrastructure to collect signal strength, available capacity, load conditions, and bandwidth metrics, reducing measurement complexity while enabling comprehensive resource utilization optimization.
Data Source
AI summary
Presented herein are techniques to facilitate wireless wide area (WWA) virtualized Radio Access Network (vRAN) (e.g., 5G) to wireless local area (WLA) RAN (e.g., Wi-Fi) steering or WLA RAN to WWA vRAN steering for one or more UE. In one example, a method may include obtaining first performance metrics associated with links of a WWA vRAN (e.g., fronthaul, midhaul, and backhaul links); obtaining second performance metrics associated with links WLA RAN (e.g., backhaul links); and in response to determining that one of the WWA vRAN is experiencing degraded performance based on the first performance metrics or the WLA RAN the second performance metrics, activating a steering event that causes, at least in part, an indication to be communicated to a UE to cause the UE to connect to the WWA vRAN or the WLA RAN that is not experiencing degraded performance.