Cloud-based packet controller and methods for use therewith

• US 10,264,586 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.), AT&T Mobility II LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beattie, Jr., James Gordon, Peitzer, Haywood, Barnickel, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Latorre, Ivan O
• Application Number:
  US15/373,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20180167927A1
• Time in Patent Office: 858 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/046 the resource being in the space domain, e.g. beams
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/51 based on terminal or device properties
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/54 based on quality criteria

Abstract

Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, a cloud-based communication resource controller that operates by correlating communication requirements, network parameters, end-user device information for a plurality of end-user devices in accordance with the position and trajectory data for these devices to generate correlated end-user and network data. The cloud-based communication resource controller allocates communication resources of a wireless access network for communication to the plurality of end-user devices and controls beamforming by the communication nodes in accordance with the position and trajectory data.

Claims

1. A cloud-based communication resource controller including a processor and a memory, the cloud-based communication resource controller comprising:

a requirements correlator that operates via the processor and memory to;

receive end-user device information corresponding to a plurality of end-user devices communicating via a wireless access network;

receive position and trajectory data corresponding to a position and a trajectory of the plurality of end-user devices, wherein the position and trajectory data for at least one of the plurality of end-user devices includes lidar data received from a reference point at a fixed location, wherein the reference point is in communication with the mobile station;

receive communication requirements corresponding to the plurality of end-user devices;

receive network parameters corresponding to capabilities of a plurality of communication nodes of the wireless access network; and

correlate the communication requirements, the network parameters and the end-user device information for the plurality of end-user devices in accordance with the position and trajectory data to generate correlated end-user and network data; and

a packet scheduler that operates via the processor and memory to;

generate packet schedule data that allocates communication resources of the wireless access network in accordance with the correlated end-user and network data for communications to and from the plurality of end-user devices; and

control beamforming of the plurality of communication nodes in accordance with the correlated end-user and network data and based on the position and trajectory data to facilitate the communications to and from the plurality of end-user devices.

2. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the end-user device information includes channel state information.

3. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the end-user device information includes power and frequency information.

4. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of end-user devices includes at least one mobile device and wherein the position and trajectory data corresponding to the at least one mobile device includes a route plan.

5. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of end-user devices includes at least one stationary device and wherein the position and trajectory data corresponding to the at least one stationary device indicates that the at least one stationary device is stationary.

6. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of end user devices includes at least one unmanned aerial vehicle and wherein the position and trajectory data corresponding to the at least one unmanned aerial vehicle includes a flight plan.

7. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the communication resources of the wireless access network include physical resource blocks, a transmit power or a frequency.

8. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the packet scheduler allocates the communication resources of the wireless access network in accordance with a policy-based management.

9. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the position and trajectory data further includes global positioning system data, radar, sonar or location data received from the reference point.

10. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the position and trajectory data for at least one of the plurality of end-user devices are generated dynamically and on a crowd-sourced basis.

11. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein the position and trajectory data for at least one of the plurality of end-user devices are generated dynamically based on peer-to-peer communication with another one of the plurality of end-user devices.

12. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein at least two of the communication nodes correspond to a distributed antenna system and wherein the at least two of the plurality of communication nodes communicate via electromagnetic waves that are bound to a surface of a transmission medium that extends between the at least two of the plurality of communication nodes, wherein the electromagnetic waves propagate between the at least two of the plurality of communication nodes without requiring an electrical return path.

13. The cloud-based communication resource controller of claim 1, wherein at least two of the plurality of communication nodes correspond to a radio distributed antenna system and wherein the at least two of the plurality of communication nodes communicate via free space millimeter wave communications.

14. A method comprising:

receiving, at a processing system including a processor, end-user device information corresponding to a plurality of end-user devices communicating via a wireless access network;

receiving, at the processing system, position and trajectory data corresponding to a position and a trajectory of the plurality of end-user devices, wherein the position and trajectory data for at least one of the plurality of end-user devices includes lidar data received from a reference point at a fixed location, wherein the reference point is in communication with the mobile station;

receiving, at the processing system, communication requirements corresponding to the plurality of end-user devices;

receiving, at the processing system, network parameters corresponding to capabilities of a plurality of communication nodes of a distributed antenna system coupled to the wireless access network;

correlating, via the processing system, the communication requirements, the network parameters and the end-user device information for the plurality of end-user devices in accordance with the position and trajectory data to generate correlated end-user and network data;

allocating, via the processing system, communication resources of the wireless access network in accordance with the correlated end-user and network data for communications with the plurality of end-user devices; and

controlling beamforming of the plurality of communication nodes in accordance with the correlated end-user and network data and based on the position and trajectory data to facilitate the communications with the plurality of end-user devices.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the end-user device information includes channel state information, device power or frequency information.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of end-user devices includes:

at least one mobile device, and wherein the position and trajectory data corresponding to the at least one mobile device includes a route plan; and

at least one stationary device, and wherein the position and trajectory data corresponding to the at least one stationary device indicates that the at least one stationary device is stationary.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the communication resources of the wireless access network include physical resource blocks, a transmit power or a frequency.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the position and trajectory data further includes global positioning system data, radar, sonar or location data received from the reference point.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the allocating the communication resources of the wireless access network is in accordance with a policy-based management.

20. A cloud-based communication resource controller comprising:

means for receiving end-user device information corresponding to a plurality of end-user devices communicating via a wireless access network;

means for receiving position and trajectory data corresponding to a position and a trajectory of the plurality of end-user devices, wherein the position and trajectory data for at least one of the plurality of end-user devices includes lidar data received from a reference point at a fixed location, wherein the reference point is in communication with the mobile station;

means for receiving communication requirements corresponding to the plurality of end-user devices;

means for receiving network parameters corresponding to capabilities of a plurality of communication nodes of a distributed antenna system coupled to the wireless access network;

means for correlating the communication requirements, the network parameters and the end-user device information for the plurality of end-user devices in accordance with the position and trajectory data to generate correlated end-user and network data;

means for allocating communication resources of the wireless access network in accordance with the correlated end-user and network data to facilitate communications between the plurality of end-user devices and the wireless access network; and

means for controlling beamforming of the plurality of communication nodes in accordance with the correlated end-user and network data and based on the position and trajectory data to further facilitate the communications with the plurality of end-user devices.