US 12,231,166 B2
Hybrid distributed unit cellular network architecture
Daniel Steeves, Lakewood, CO (US)
Assigned to DISH Wireless L.L.C., Littleton, CO (US)
Filed by DISH Wireless L.L.C., Littleton, CO (US)
Filed on Apr. 7, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/715,773.
Prior Publication US 2023/0327763 A1, Oct. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. H04B 10/2575 (2013.01); H04W 16/00 (2009.01)
CPC H04B 10/25752 (2013.01) [H04W 16/00 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cellular network, comprising:
a plurality of light 5G base stations, wherein:
each light 5G base station of the plurality of light 5G base stations comprises a radio unit and an antenna; and
each light 5G base station of the plurality of light 5G base stations does not include a distributed unit; and
a local data center, comprising a distributed unit host server system, that is communicatively connected with each light 5G base station of the plurality of light 5G base stations, wherein:
the distributed unit host server system of the local data center hosts an instantiation of a distributed unit for each light 5G base station of the plurality of light 5G base stations; and
the local data center is geographically remote from the plurality of light 5G base stations;
a pass-through edge data center (P-EDC), distinct from the local data center, comprising one or more routers, wherein
the P-EDC is communicatively connected with a full base station and the local data center that is communicatively connected with the plurality of light 5G base stations;
the P-EDC routes communications from the local data center to a centralized unit (CU); and
the P-EDC routes communications from the full base station to the CU; and
the CU, wherein:
the CU is hosted separately from the P-EDC;
the CU is hosted on a cloud-computing platform; and
the CU is communicatively connected with the P-EDC.