vRAN Expansion Card Power Dormancy for Low-Load Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The increased power consumption and limited dormancy states of virtualized Radio Access Networks (vRANs) due to the offloading of physical layer processing to expansion cards, which remain active due to stringent latency requirements, leading to inefficiencies in power management.
Innovation Solution
A dynamic, context-specific power dormancy and management architecture that includes a power control agent on an expansion card, an out-of-band management channel, and a data center-based Power Control Policy Function to generate optimized policies for vRANs, allowing dormancy states to be adjusted based on actual load and traffic patterns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If physical layer processing is offloaded to expansion cards in vRAN, then processing capability and functionality are improved, but power consumption increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power management by enabling the expansion card to transition between active and dormant states based on actual processing load. The system dynamically adjusts the power state of the expansion card according to traffic conditions, allowing it to consume power only when needed for physical layer processing, thus resolving the contradiction between processing capability and power consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters of the expansion card by adjusting its power state between active and dormant modes. This parameter change allows the expansion card to maintain high processing capability when active while significantly reducing power consumption when dormant, addressing the contradiction between functionality and energy usage.
2Reliability
If expansion card remains active to meet latency requirements, then performance and reliability are improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the power state of the expansion card based on actual traffic conditions and latency requirements. When traffic is present or latency requirements demand it, the expansion card transitions to active state; when underloaded, it transitions to dormant state. This dynamic approach allows the system to meet reliability requirements only when needed while reducing power consumption during low-activity periods.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor traffic conditions and latency performance to determine when the expansion card should be active or dormant. This feedback loop ensures that the power state adjustments are based on actual system conditions, maintaining reliability when necessary while optimizing power consumption during periods when full performance is not required.
3Ease of manufacture
If standard PCIe power control mechanisms are used, then implementation simplicity is improved, but adaptability to actual network conditions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal power control framework that can be applied across different vRAN deployments while providing context-specific optimization. The system uses a standardized approach for policy generation and execution that adapts to specific network conditions, traffic patterns, and hardware configurations, thus achieving both implementation simplicity and contextual adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service power management by automatically generating and executing context-specific power control policies based on monitored conditions. The expansion card and associated systems autonomously adjust their power states without requiring complex manual configuration, maintaining implementation simplicity while achieving high adaptability to actual network conditions through automated decision-making.
Data Source
AI summary
A dynamic, context-specific power dormancy and management architecture for virtualized RANs that include a PHY layer on an expansion card. The architecture includes (1) a power control agent in a programmable environment on the expansion card that obtains data from subcomponents in the programmable environment on the expansion card, correlates the data to at least a first power control policy stored at the expansion card, implements the correlated first power control policy on the expansion card; and facilitates communication of the selected correlation data and/or raw data to a non-transitory computer-readable medium at a data center; (2) a Power Control Policy Function at the data center where data is obtained from vRAN infrastructure and optimized power control policies that may be shared with the vRANs are developed; and (3) an out of band management channel that allows for direct communication between the power control agent and the data center.