Patent Application
20080045254
The accompanying figures, where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, and which, together with the detailed description below, are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and explain various principles and advantages, all in accordance with the present invention:
Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated, relative to other elements, to help to improve an understanding of embodiments of the present invention.
Before describing in detail the particular method and an apparatus for maximizing resource utilization of base stations in a communication network, in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention, it should be observed that the present invention resides primarily in combinations of method steps related to maximizing resource utilization of base stations in a communication network. Accordingly, the apparatus components and method steps have been represented, where appropriate, by conventional symbols in the drawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent for understanding the present invention, so as not to obscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent to those with ordinary skill in the art, having the benefit of the description herein.
In this document, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements does not include only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. An element proceeded by “comprises . . . a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises the element.
A “set”, as used in this document, means a non-empty set, i.e., comprising at least one member. The term “another,” as used in this document, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “includes” and/or “having”, as used herein, are defined as comprising.
In an embodiment, a method and an apparatus for allocating at least one resource of one or more base stations in a communication network is provided. The method includes connecting a set of base stations to one or more Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) switches in the communication network. The method also includes connecting a set of radio heads to the one or more CPRI switches. Moreover, the method includes allocating the at least one resource of the one or more base stations in the communication network through the one or more CPRI switches.
In another embodiment, a method and an apparatus for allocating at least one resource of one or more base stations in a communication network is provided. The method includes housing the at least one resource in a distributed fashion. The method also includes connecting a set of base stations to one or more Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) switches in the communication network. The method further includes connecting a set of radio heads to the one or more Common Public Radio Interface (CPRI) switches in the communication network. Moreover, the method includes allocating at least one resource of the one or more base stations in the communication network through the one or more CPRI switches. Further, the method includes synchronizing the set of base stations to a master timing reference signal. The master timing reference signal is furnished by a CPRI switch of the one or more CPRI switches.
Typically, a base station is designed to support one or more users simultaneously for voice or data traffic. The one or more users can be referred to as BTS Capacity of the base station. Capacity related problems arise in a base station when at least one resource of the one or more resources of the base station is exhausted. The CPRI switch 102 is based on Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) switch architecture. Further, the CPRI switch 102 is capable of configuring itself according to the way in which the one or more base stations are connected to the one or more RHs or REs. As a result, the CPRI switch 102 can be used for allocating resources of the one or more base stations. Thereby, the high-traffic sites become capable of utilizing the resources of under-used base stations. Further, the CPRI switch 102 is non-blocking and may utilize some level of buffering to accommodate plesiosynchronous data transfers. It enables dedicated time slot for each resource of a base station. For an embodiment of the present invention, the CPRI switch 102 can be connected to one or more CPRI switches. In this embodiment, the number of base stations, modem cards, and RHs connected in the communication network can be increased. Further, the CPRI switch 102, the one or more base stations, and the one or more RHs or REs are synchronized with the same clock. They can select a master timing for synchronizing their clocks from an REC of the one or more RECs or a CPRI switch of the one or more CPRI switches. For another embodiment of the present invention, the CPRI switch 102 provides aggregation, switching, and distribution of baseband data between the one or more resources.
The CPRI switch 102 can be utilized by high-traffic sites for sharing resources of under-used base stations. For example, if the first base station 202 is a high-traffic site and the second base station 204 is an under-used site, then resources of the second base station 204 can be shared by the first base station 202. For another embodiment of the present invention, the central location 218 can house a plurality of CPRI switches, as well as the first base station 202, the second base station 204, and the third base station 206. The plurality of CPRI switches can be connected with each other to connect to additional base stations.
At step 306, a set of RHs are connected to the one or more CPRI switches through at least one of electrical or fiber optic cable. Clocks of the first base station 202, the second base station 204, the third base station 206, and of the one or more CPRI switches are synchronized with each other. The clocks are synchronized to a master timing from an REC of the one or more RECs or a CPRI switch of the one or more CPRI switches.
At step 308, the at least one resource of the first base station 202, the second base station 204, and the third base station 206 in the communication network 200 is allocated through the one or more CPRI switches. As described earlier, the first RH 208, the second RH 210, as well as the third RH 212 can be connected in the communication network 200 by using the at least one of electrical or fiber optic cable. For an embodiment of the present invention, the at least one resource can be housed in a distributed fashion, for example, the at least one resource can be utilized by one of the base station of the first base station 202, the second base station 204, and the third base station 206. Thereafter, the method terminates at step 310.
At step 408, first RH 208, the second RH 210, and the third RH 212 are connected to the one or more CPRI switches through the at least one electrical or fiber optic cable. The first base station 202, the second base station 204, the third base station 206, and the one or more CPRI switches can be synchronized to a master timing reference signal. At step 410, the at least one resource of the one or more base stations in the communication network 200 is allocated through the one or more CPRI switches. The first RH 208, the second RH 210, and the third RH 212 can receive and transmit the communication network data similar to a base station of the one or more base stations. At step 412, the first base station 202, the second base station 204, and the third base station 206, as well as the one or more CPRI switches are synchronized with a master timing reference signal. The master timing reference signal can be furnished by a CPRI switch of the one or more CPRI switches or an alternative resource. Examples of alternative resources include, but are not limited to, base stations, modems, and RHs. The method terminates at step 414.
The communication network 500 also includes the first RH 208, the second RH 210, and the third RH 212. The first RH 208, the second RH 210, and the third RH 212 are connected to the CPRI switch 102 and the second CPRI switch 502 through a plurality of electrical or fiber optic cables 506. For an embodiment of the present invention, the first base station 202, the second base station 204, and the third base station 206 and the CPRI switch 102 and the second CPRI switch 502 can be housed in the central location 218. The CPRI switch 102 and the second CPRI switch 502 can be connected to the first RH 208, the second RH 210, and the third RH 212 through a plurality of electrical or fiber optic cables 506. For another embodiment of the present invention, the CPRI switch 102 and the second CPRI switch 502 can be connected to additional CPRI switches. Each of the additional CPRI switches can then be connected to additional base stations and additional RHs to increase the number of base stations and RHs connected in the communication network 500.
Various embodiments of the present invention provide a method for allocating resources of one or more base stations. The method enables redistribution of resources from under-used sites to high-traffic sites by the use of CPRI switches. The method also reduces cost of installing elements in base stations such as infrastructure, air conditioning, electrical supply, batteries and the like by enabling redistribution of resources from an under-used base station to a high-traffic site. In accordance with an embodiment, the overall capacity of a set of base stations can be increased by effective utilization of resources of various base stations. Moreover, the method allows for integration of different types of base stations within the same network as the CPRI switches can connect to different type of base stations.
It will be appreciated that the method and system for allocating resources of base stations in a communication network described herein may comprise one or more conventional processors and unique stored program instructions that control the one or more processors, to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some, most, or all of the functions of the system described herein. The non-processor circuits may include, but are not limited to, signal drivers, clock circuits, power source circuits, and user input devices. As such, these functions may be interpreted as steps of a method to enable users to view a broadcasted media stream differently. Alternatively, some or all the functions could be implemented by a state machine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or more application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each function, or some combinations of certain of the functions, are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination of the two approaches could also be used. Thus, methods and means for these functions have been described herein.
It is expected that one of ordinary skill, notwithstanding possibly significant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example, available time, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein will be readily capable of generating such software instructions and programs and ICs with minimal experimentation.
In the foregoing specification, the invention and its benefits and advantages have been described with reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art appreciates that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, as set forth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figures are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of present invention. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element(s) that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced are not to be construed as a critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appended claims including any amendments made during the pendency of this application, and all equivalents of those claims as issued.
