Method and apparatus of virtualized resource sharing in cellular networks
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method in a base station having one or more physical sectors, comprising:
- receiving instructions from a network node which identify two or more cellular network operators that are parties to a sharing agreement, and which specify an amount of radio resources that are to be temporarily shared under the sharing agreement;
activating a sharing state in a selected one or more of the physical sectors in response to the sharing instructions; and
deactivating the sharing state when the sharing agreement expires or terminates, wherein activating the sharing state in each said physical sector comprises;
configuring the physical sector to instantiate at least two concurrently running protocol stacks dedicated to respective cellular network operators that are parties to the sharing agreement, whereby respective virtualized sectors are defined;
configuring at least one software-defined programmable radiofrequency front end (SDRFfe) of the physical sector for operation on spectrum that is allocated in response to the sharing agreement; and
directing mobile terminals subscribing to two or more of the network operators and served by the physical sector to operate on radio resources allocated to their respective operators.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
According to a disclosed method in a base station having one or more physical sectors, instructions received from a core network cellular network operators that are parties to a sharing agreement and specify an amount of radio resources that are to be temporarily shared under the sharing agreement. In the sharing state, the physical sector instantiates at least two concurrently running protocol stacks dedicated to respective cellular network operators that are parties to the sharing agreement, thus defining virtualized sectors.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method in a base station having one or more physical sectors, comprising:
-
receiving instructions from a network node which identify two or more cellular network operators that are parties to a sharing agreement, and which specify an amount of radio resources that are to be temporarily shared under the sharing agreement; activating a sharing state in a selected one or more of the physical sectors in response to the sharing instructions; and deactivating the sharing state when the sharing agreement expires or terminates, wherein activating the sharing state in each said physical sector comprises; configuring the physical sector to instantiate at least two concurrently running protocol stacks dedicated to respective cellular network operators that are parties to the sharing agreement, whereby respective virtualized sectors are defined; configuring at least one software-defined programmable radiofrequency front end (SDRFfe) of the physical sector for operation on spectrum that is allocated in response to the sharing agreement; and directing mobile terminals subscribing to two or more of the network operators and served by the physical sector to operate on radio resources allocated to their respective operators. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. Base station apparatus, comprising:
-
at least one physical sector configurable to instantiate at least two concurrently running protocol stacks; an activation module configured to activate a sharing state in at least one said physical sector in response to instructions to implement a sharing agreement received from a network node and to deactivate the sharing state when the sharing agreement expires or terminates, wherein the sharing state is characterized, in part, by concurrently running two or more protocol stacks dedicated to respective cellular network operators that are parties to the sharing agreement; at least one software-defined programmable radiofrequency front end (SDRFfe) comprised by the physical sector; a radio resource module configured to respond to the received instructions by configuring at least one said SDRFfe to operate on spectrum that is allocated in response to the sharing agreement; and a module operative to direct mobile terminals subscribing to two or more of said network operators to operate on radio resources allocated to their respective operators. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification