Virtual Base Station Aggregation for RAN Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cellular telephony networks face challenges in accommodating rapid increases in data demand, leading to overwhelmed capacity, particularly during events with large populations, due to difficulties in integrating and provisioning shared base stations across networks, which results in dropped communications and battery drain for user equipment.
Innovation Solution
The aggregation of multiple wireless base stations into a virtual base station, managed by a base station aggregator, allows for increased capacity and seamless handoffs, enabling efficient communication and reducing battery drain by minimizing the need for constant registration with multiple base stations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If multiple base stations are shared across networks to increase capacity, then network capacity is improved, but neighbor cell provisioning and network integration become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the base station functionality into two distinct components: the radio access network (RAN) layer that handles wireless communications, and the core network layer that handles switching and routing. This segmentation allows virtual base stations to be created by aggregating RAN resources from multiple networks while maintaining separate core network operations, thereby increasing capacity without proportionally increasing provisioning complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a virtual base station as an intermediary layer between user equipment and the core network. This virtual base station aggregates multiple physical base stations and presents a unified interface to the core network, simplifying neighbor cell provisioning and network integration by hiding the complexity of multiple underlying base stations behind a single virtual entity.
2Reliability
If user equipment constantly registers with multiple base stations for seamless handoff, then communication continuity is improved, but battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple base station resources into a single virtual base station that serves multiple networks. When a user equipment moves between coverage areas, the virtual base station coordinates handoffs across the aggregated base stations, maintaining communication continuity while reducing the number of separate registration procedures the UE must perform, thereby lowering battery consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual base station provides universal service across multiple network operators and base stations, enabling a single point of contact for handoff management. This multi-functionality allows the system to maintain communication continuity through coordinated handoffs while reducing UE battery drain by eliminating the need for the UE to independently manage multiple separate base station registrations.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods herein provide for the aggregation of a plurality of wireless base stations for access by a Mobile Central Office (MCO) communicating with user equipment (UEs) through a network. In one embodiment, a communication system includes a first plurality of wireless base stations, each being operable to communicate with UEs. The system also includes a base station aggregator operable to aggregate the wireless base stations into a virtual base station, and to interface with the MCO. The base station aggregator is further operable to process a request from the MCO for access to communications provided by the virtual base station, to grant the request, to intermediate on behalf of the MCO, and to exchange communications between the MCO and a UE subscribing to the MCO and operating within the coverage of the virtual base station.