Son function for dynamically configured RU in multi-protocol RAN

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12439314-B2
Application number	US-202418602413-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 12, 2024
Priority date	Nov 17, 2021
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

System, methods, and computer-readable media for switching a dynamic radio of a single RU between Radio Access Technology (RAT) protocols based on a Software-Defined RAN intelligent controller (SD-RIC). The SD-RIC efficiently assigning RAN resources by converting a radio access point to either 5G or Wi-Fi based on the load conditions and the number of users seen on the network, so that it appropriately servers the customer and end devices. To determine the load conditions may be based on active users on a particular cell, and then the resource utilization cue is a connection latency. A single radio unit includes a primary radio and a secondary radio, each being independently tuned. The primary radio is static while a secondary one can be influenced based on the conditions, turning into N-RU or Wi-Fi.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
receiving a report of conditions of a static radio of a first radio unit (RU) and a dynamic radio of the first RU, wherein the static radio is configured at boot-up and retains a network interface and the dynamic radio is reconfigurable to provide dynamic network service access across a plurality of different Radio Access Technologies (RATS);
determining that network service access needs of a User Equipment (UE) require that the dynamic radio switch from a first RAT to a second RAT of the plurality of different RATs based on the report of conditions;
running simulated scenarios to determine side effects of changing the dynamic radio to the second RAT; and
determining the dynamic radio is able to switch to a different radio technology to the second RAT without side effect issues based on the simulated scenarios; and
sending instructions to the first RU to switch the dynamic radio to the second RAT.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein a multi-protocol software-defined RAN intelligent controller (SD-RIC) performs the receiving, the determining and the sending.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
prior to the receiving the conditions, configuring, by a centralized multi-protocol SD-RIC, the static radio to provide network service access through either 5G or Wi-Fi at boot-up.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the side effects include one of QoS or latency side effects.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of different RATs include at least two of 5G New Radio (NR), 5G NR Unlicensed (NR-U), Wi-Fi, or a combination thereof.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
starting a counter while continuing to receive reports of the conditions of the client capabilities and network conditions, wherein the counter restarts when the conditions change such that a current RAT of the two RATs more closely meets the network service access needs; and
sending the instructions are sent to the first RU based on a position of the counter with respect to a defined threshold.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining there are clients on the dynamic radio; and
handing the clients over to a neighboring cell while the dynamic radio switches to the second RAT.

8. A system for switching a dynamic radio on a single RU between RAT protocols, comprising:
a storage configured to store instructions;
a processor programmed to execute the instructions and cause the processor to perform operations comprising:
receive a report of conditions of client capabilities and network conditions of a static radio of a first radio unit (RU) and a dynamic radio of the first RU, wherein the static radio is configured at boot-up and retains a network interface and the dynamic radio is reconfigurable to provide dynamic network service access across a plurality of different Radio Access Technologies (RATS),
determine that network service access needs of a User Equipment (UE) require that the dynamic radio switch from a first RAT to a second RAT of the plurality of different RATs based on the report of conditions of client capabilities and network conditions,
run simulated scenarios to determine side effects of changing the dynamic radio to the second RAT; and
determine the dynamic radio is able to switch to a different radio technology to the second RAT without side effect issues based on the simulated scenarios; and

send instructions to the first RU to switch the dynamic radio to the second RAT.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein a multi-protocol software-defined RAN intelligent controller (SD-RIC) performs the receiving, the determining and the sending.

10. The system of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
prior to the receiving the conditions, configuring, by a centralized multi-protocol SD-RIC, the static radio to provide network service access through either 5G or Wi-Fi at boot-up.

11. The system of claim 8 , wherein the side effects include one of QoS or latency side effects.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of different RATs include at least two of 5G New Radio (NR), 5G NR Unlicensed (NR-U), Wi-Fi, or a combination thereof.

13. The system of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
starting a counter while continuing to receive reports of the conditions of the client capabilities and network conditions, wherein the counter restarts when the conditions change such that a current RAT of the two RATs more closely meets the network service access needs; and
sending the instructions are sent to the first RU based on a position of the counter with respect to a defined threshold.

14. The system of claim 8 , the operations further comprising:
determining there are clients on the dynamic radio; and
handing the clients over to a neighboring cell while the dynamic radio switches to the second RAT.

15. A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising instructions, the instructions, when executed by a computing system, cause the computing system to perform operations comprising:
receive a report of conditions of client capabilities and network conditions of a static radio of a first radio unit (RU) and a dynamic radio of the first RU, wherein the static radio is configured at boot-up and retains a network interface and the dynamic radio is reconfigurable to provide dynamic network service access across a plurality of different Radio Access Technologies (RATS);
determine that network service access needs of a User Equipment (UE) require that the dynamic radio switch from a first RAT to a second RAT of the plurality of different RATs based on the report of conditions of client capabilities and network conditions;
run simulated scenarios to determine side effects of changing the dynamic radio to the second RAT; and
determine the dynamic radio is able to switch to a different radio technology to the second RAT without side effect issues based on the simulated scenarios; and
send instructions to the first RU to switch the dynamic radio to the second RAT.

16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein a multi-protocol software-defined RAN intelligent controller (SD-RIC) performs the receiving, the determining and the sending.

17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
prior to the receiving the conditions, configuring, by a centralized multi-protocol SD-RIC, the static radio to provide network service access through either 5G or Wi-Fi at boot-up.

18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the side effects include one of QOS or latency side effects.

19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of different RATs include at least two of 5G New Radio (NR), 5G NR Unlicensed (NR-U), Wi-Fi, or a combination thereof.

20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the operations further comprising:
starting a counter while continuing to receive reports of the conditions of the client capabilities and network conditions, wherein the counter restarts when the conditions change such that a current RAT of the two RATs more closely meets the network service access needs; and
sending the instructions are sent to the first RU based on a position of the counter with respect to a defined threshold.

Assignees

• Cisco Tech Inc

Inventors

• Anderson Fred J
• Potharaju Shailender
• Gandhi Indermeet Singh
• Carty Clark

Classifications

• H04W88/10

  adapted for operation in multiple networks, e.g. multi-mode access points · CPC title

• H04W16/14

  Spectrum sharing arrangements {between different networks} · CPC title

• H04W8/24

  Transfer of terminal data · CPC title

• H04W36/14 Primary

  Reselecting a network or an air interface · CPC title

• H04W24/02 Primary

  Arrangements for optimising operational condition · CPC title