SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR AUTOMATIC X2-U/XN-U LINK SELECTION

Abstract

Systems and methods for automatic X2-U/Xn-U link selection are provided herein. In one example, a method includes determining whether a local communication link between a first base station (FBS) and a second base station (SBS) is possible. In response to determining that the local communication link is possible, the method includes sending a request, including a local IP address for a FBS BBU, to the SBS for an address suitable for establishing a communication link. The method includes determining whether to include a local IP address for an SBS BBU in a response to the request. In response to determining to include the local IP address for the SBS, the method includes sending the response, including the local IP address for the SBS BBU to the FBS. The method includes establishing the local communication link between the FBS and SBS using the local IP addresses without using a security gateway.

Description

Claims

1. A method, comprising: determining, by a first base station, whether a local communication link between the first base station and a second base station is possible;in response to determining that the local communication link between the first base station and the second base station is possible, sending, by the first base station, a request to the second base station for an address suitable for establishing a communication link between the first base station and the second base station, wherein the request includes a first local Internet Protocol (IP) address for a baseband unit entity of the first base station;determining, by the second base station, whether to include a second local IP address for a baseband unit entity of the second base station in a response to the request from the first base station;in response to determining to include the second local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the second base station in the response, sending, by the second base station, the response to the request to the first base station, the response to the request including the second local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the second base station; andestablishing the local communication link between the first base station and the second base station using the first local IP address and the second local IP address without using a security gateway.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the local communication link is used to implement an X2-U interface or an Xn-U interface between the first base station and the second base station.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: in response to determining that the local communication link between the first base station and the second base station is not possible, sending, by the first base station, a tunnel inner address for the baseband unit entity of the first base station to the second base station;in response to determining not to include the second local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the second base station in the response, sending, by the second base station, the response to the request to the first base station, the response to the request including a tunnel inner address for the baseband unit of the second base station; andestablishing a base-station-to-base-station connection between the first base station and the second base station using the security gateway.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by a first base station, whether a local communication link between the first base station and a second base station is possible comprises: sending, by the first base station, a neighbor solicitation message to the second base station; andreceiving, by the first base station, a neighbor advertisement message from the second base station.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining, by the second base station, whether to include a second local IP address for a baseband unit entity of the second base station in a response to the request from the first base station comprises: checking the request to determine if the first local IP address is included in the request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the request to the second base station is sent through the security gateway via one or more IP Security (IPsec) connections, wherein the response to the request is sent through the security gateway via the one or more IPsec connections.

7. A secondary base station, comprising: an interface to communicatively couple the secondary base station to a network;wherein the secondary base station is configured to perform at least some processing associated with implementing an air interface to provide wireless service;wherein the secondary base station is configured to respond to a request from a master base station for an address suitable for establishing a communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station by: determining whether to include a local IP address for a baseband unit entity of the secondary base station in a response to the request from the master base station; andin response to determining to include the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station in the response, sending the response to the request to the master base station, the response to the request including the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station;wherein the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station is used to establish a local communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station without using a security gateway.

8. The secondary base station of claim 7, wherein the local communication link is used to implement an X2-U interface or an Xn-U interface between the master base station and the secondary base station.

9. The secondary base station of claim 7, wherein the secondary base station is a 5G NR base station, wherein the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station is a CU-UP.

10. The secondary base station of claim 7, wherein the secondary base station is a 4G LTE base station, wherein the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station is a baseband controller.

11. The secondary base station of claim 7, wherein the secondary base station is further configured to: in response to determining not to include the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station in the response, send the response to the request to the master base station, the response to the request including a tunnel inner address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station;wherein the tunnel inner address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station is used to establish a base-station-to-base-station connection between the master base station and the secondary base station using the security gateway.

12. The secondary base station of claim 7, wherein the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station is a standard IP address or a link-local IP address; andwherein the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station is an IPv4 address or an IPv6 address.

13. The secondary base station of claim 7, wherein the interface is configured to couple the secondary base station to an ETHERNET network.

14. A master base station, comprising: an interface to communicatively couple the master base station to a network;wherein the master base station is configured to perform at least some processing associated with implementing an air interface to provide wireless service; andwherein the master base station is configured to: determine whether a local communication link between the master base station and a secondary base station is possible;in response to determining that the local communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station is possible, send a request to the secondary base station for an address suitable for establishing a local communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station, wherein the request includes a first local network Internet Protocol (IP) address for a baseband unit entity of the master base station;receive a response to the request from the secondary base station, wherein the response to the request includes a second local IP address for a baseband unit entity of the secondary base station; andestablish the local communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station using the first local IP address and the second local IP address without using a security gateway.

15. The master base station of claim 14, wherein the local communication link is used to implement an X2-U interface or an Xn-U interface between the master base station and the secondary base station.

16. The master base station of claim 14, wherein the master base station is a 4G LTE base station, wherein the baseband unit entity of the master base station is a baseband controller.

17. The master base station of claim 14, wherein the master base station is a 5G NR base station, wherein the baseband unit entity of the master base station is a CU-UP.

18. The master base station of claim 14, wherein the master base station is further configured to: in response to determining that the local communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station is not possible, send a tunnel inner address for the baseband unit entity of the master base station to the secondary base station;receive the response to the request from the secondary base station, the response to the request including a tunnel inner address for the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station; andestablish a base-station-to-base-station connection between the master base station and the secondary base station using the security gateway, wherein the base-station-to-base-station connection between the master base station and the secondary base station is established using the tunnel inner address of the baseband unit entity of the master base station and the tunnel inner address of the baseband unit entity of the secondary base station.

19. The master base station of claim 14, wherein the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the master base station is a standard IP address or a link-local IP address; andwherein the local IP address for the baseband unit entity of the master base station is an IPv4 address or an IPv6 address.

20. The master base station of claim 14, wherein the master base station is configured to determine whether the local communication link between the master base station and the secondary base station is possible by: sending a neighbor solicitation message to the secondary base station; andreceiving a neighbor advertisement message from the secondary base station.