Method and System for Virtualizing a Cellular Basestation

• US 20120051296A1
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Laboratories America Inc (NEC Corporation)
• Inventors: Kokku, Ravindranath, Mahindra, Rajesh, Zhang, Honghai, Rangarajan, Sampath
• Granted Patent: US 8,873,482 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/329
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/20 Negotiating bandwidth
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/26 Resource reservation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/121 for groups of terminals or users

Abstract

A network virtualization method in a wireless communication system includes aggregating sets of uplink and downlink flows on a cellular basestation into groups; allocating wireless resources to each of the sets as a respective basestation slice; and enabling each of the sets of flows to be under a distinct administrative entity.

Claims

1. A network virtualization method in a wireless communication system comprising the steps of:

aggregating sets of uplink and downlink flows on a cellular basestation into groups;

allocating wireless resources to each of the sets as a respective basestation slice; and

enabling each of the sets of flows to be under a distinct administrative entity.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said administrative entity being configured for requesting reservations for aggregate flows in terms of at least one of bandwidth and resources.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said cellular basestation allows optimal co-existence of said reservations using normalized weight functions per slice that are computed differently for resourced-based and bandwidth-based types of said reservations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said basestation enables said slices to perform at least one of customized slices for customized flow management functions and application optimizations.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said customized flow management functions can be enabled either external to said basestation or within a basestation in a virtual machine or as a loadable module.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein said co-existence being achieved, when at each time instant, said basestation scheduling said slice with maximum weight.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein for resource-based said reservations, said weight being based on at least one of reserved slots, average slots and a comparison of said reserved slots to said average slots, where slots are a measure of resources such as a frequency subchannel or a time slot.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein for bandwidth-based said reservations, said weight being based on at least one of a reserved bandwidth, an average bandwidth and a comparison of said reserved bandwidth to said average bandwidth.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said steps of aggregating, allocating and enabling are used for at least one of creating customized virtual basestations or networks;

providing for new business models such as isolated corporate bundles, services with reserved network resources; and

improving management innovation or evolution of basestations.

10. In a wireless communication system, a network virtualization apparatus comprising:

means for aggregating sets of uplink and downlink flows on a cellular basestation into groups;

means for allocating wireless resources to each of the sets as a respective basestation slice; and

means for enabling each of the sets of flows to be under a distinct administrative entity.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said administrative entity being configured for requesting reservations for aggregate flows in terms of at least one of bandwidth and resources.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein said cellular basestation allows optimal co-existence of said reservations using normalized weight functions per slice that are computed differently for resourced-based said reservations and bandwidth-based said reservations.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein said basestation enables said slices to perform at least one of customized slices for customized flow management functions and application optimizations.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein said customized flow management functions can be enabled either external to said basestation or within a basestation in a virtual machine or as a loadable module.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein said co-existence being achieved, when at each time instant, said basestation scheduling said slice with maximum weight.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein for resource-based said reservations, said weight being based on at least one of reserved slots, average slots and a comparison of said reserved slots to said average slots, where slots are a measure of resources such as a frequency subchannel or a time slot.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein for bandwidth-based said reservations, said weight being based on at least one of a reserved bandwidth, an average bandwidth and a comparison of said reserved bandwidth to said average bandwidth.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for aggregating, allocating and enabling being configured for at least one of creating customized virtual basestations or networks;

providing for new business models such as isolated corporate bundles, services with reserved network resources; and

improving management innovation or evolution of basestations.