US 11,943,045 B2
Virtualization and orchestration of a radio access network
Alan Barbieri, La Jolla, CA (US); and Dario Fertonani, La Jolla, CA (US)
Assigned to CommScope Technologies LLC, Claremont, NC (US)
Filed by CommScope Technologies LLC, Hickory, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 2, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/806,574.
Application 16/806,574 is a continuation of application No. 15/765,254, granted, now 10,608,734, previously published as PCT/US2016/058351, filed on Oct. 23, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/297,111, filed on Feb. 18, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/245,113, filed on Oct. 22, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2020/0204252 A1, Jun. 25, 2020
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 36/24 (2009.01); G06F 9/455 (2018.01); H04B 7/155 (2006.01); H04B 7/26 (2006.01); H04W 28/02 (2009.01); H04W 36/08 (2009.01); H04W 36/22 (2009.01); H04W 88/08 (2009.01)
CPC H04B 7/2606 (2013.01) [G06F 9/45558 (2013.01); H04B 7/15507 (2013.01); H04W 28/0289 (2013.01); H04W 36/08 (2013.01); H04W 36/22 (2013.01); H04W 88/085 (2013.01); G06F 2009/45595 (2013.01)] 32 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, performed by a baseband unit (BBU), for facilitating communication between a core network and a cluster of remote radio units (RRUs) in a distributed radio access network (RAN), the cluster of RRUs used with the BBU to provide wireless service, the method comprising:
assigning one or more RRUs, selected from a group of RRUs communicably coupled to the BBU by a fronthaul link, to the cluster of RRUs based on one or more parameters;
performing at least a medium access control (MAC) protocol of the RAN; and
communicating over the fronthaul link with the cluster of RRUs;
wherein at least one of the RRUs of the group comprises a compound RRU that includes a plurality of logical RRUs, each of the plurality of logical RRUs configured to act as a respective separate RRU;
wherein said one or more RRUs assigned to the cluster includes at least one of the logical RRUs of the compound RRU; and
wherein each of the plurality of logical RRUs is configured to perform at least some layer one baseband processing for a wireless interface.