Sharing of radio resources between a backhaul link and a radio access network

• US 9,167,474 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2011
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aviat U.S., Inc. (Aviat Networks Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Redline Innovations Group Inc.
• Inventors: Picker, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Chi H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kumar, Shailendra
• Application Number:
  US13/290,102
• Publication Number:
  US 20130070743A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,444 Days
• Field of Search: 370/338, 370/342, 455/450, 455/436, 455/410
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/22 Traffic shaping
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0247 based on conditions of the access network or the infrastructure network central resource management H04W28/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0268 using specific QoS parameters for wireless networks, e.g. QoS class identifier [QCI] or guaranteed bit rate [GBR] negotiating SLA or negotiating QoS H04W28/24
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/0846 between network providers, e.g. operators selecting a network or a communication service H04W40/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/52 based on load
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/542 using measured or perceived quality
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/08 Access point devices

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for effectively sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a Backhaul link and a Radio Access Network (RAN), in which there is a wireless Base Station (BS) with some number of radio transceiver chains, the system initially allocates such chains between the Backhaul link and the RAN according to some criterion, the system dynamically monitors the performance of the Backhaul link and RAN to detect any deficiencies in desired levels of performance, and the system then reallocates the radio transceiver chains between the Backhaul link and the RAN in a manner calculated to help achieve the desired levels of performance. Optionally and in various embodiments, the digital signals to and from the Backhaul link, or to and from the RAN, may be MIMO signals, MRC signals, MMSE signals, or ML signals.

Claims

1. A wireless base station system to split a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

a baseband subsystem comprising N digital ports to synthesize N digital baseband signals; and

N radio transceiver chains, each connects to one of the N digital ports of the baseband subsystem via an analog-digital interface;

wherein the system;

splits the N radio transceiver chains into a first set of K radio transceiver chains and a second sets of N minus K radio transceiver chains;

synthesizes, by the baseband subsystem, the N digital baseband signals according to the split, such that K digital baseband signals are operative to support a backhaul link, and N minus K digital baseband signals are operative to support a radio access network; and

inputs the N digital baseband signals to the N radio transceiver chains via the corresponding N digital ports and the corresponding analog-digital interfaces, thereby transmitting both the backhaul link and the radio access network, further wherein at least two of the N digital baseband signals driving at least two of the radio transceiver chains comprise at least two phased-array signals, thereby transmitting at least one of (i) the backhaul link and (ii) the radio access network using a phased-array scheme comprising the at least two of the radio transceiver chains.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein N is equal to at least 3, and therefore at least one of

(i) the backhaul link and

(ii) the radio access network are transmitted using at least two radio transceiver chains.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least two of the N digital baseband signals driving at least two of the radio transceiver chains comprise at least two multiple input multiple output signals, thereby transmitting at least one of

(i) the backhaul link and

(ii) the radio access network using a multiple input multiple output scheme.

4. A wireless base station system to split a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

a baseband subsystem comprising N digital ports to synthesize N digital baseband signals; and

N radio transceiver chains, each connects to one of the N digital ports of the baseband subsystem via an analog-digital interface;

wherein the system;

splits the N radio transceiver chains into a first set of K radio transceiver chains and a second sets of N minus K radio transceiver chains;

synthesizes, by the baseband subsystem, the N digital baseband signals according to the split, such that K digital baseband signals are operative to support a backhaul link, and N minus K digital baseband signals are operative to support a radio access network; and

inputs the N digital baseband signals to the N radio transceiver chains via the corresponding N digital ports and the corresponding analog-digital interfaces, thereby transmitting both the backhaul link and the radio access network;

wherein the baseband subsystem comprises a baseband processor, and the baseband processor simultaneously generates both the backhaul link and the radio access network, according to the setting of K; and

wherein the baseband processor comprises at least one device selected from a group consisting of application specific integrated circuit, field programmable gate array and digital signal processor, and simultaneous generation of the backhaul link and the radio access network is performed, at least in part, by the at least one device according to the setting of K.

5. A wireless base station system to split a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

a baseband subsystem comprising N digital ports to synthesize N digital baseband signals; and

N radio transceiver chains, each connects to one of the N digital ports of the baseband subsystem via an analog-digital interface;

wherein the system ;

splits the N radio transceiver chains into a first set of K radio transceiver chains and a second sets of N minus K radio transceiver chains;

synthesizes, by the baseband subsystem, the N digital baseband signals according to the split, such that K digital baseband signals are operative to support a backhaul link, and N minus K digital baseband signals are operative to support a radio access network; and

inputs the N digital baseband signals to the N radio transceiver chains via the corresponding N digital ports and the corresponding analog-digital interfaces, thereby transmitting both the backhaul link and the radio access network;

further wherein the baseband subsystem comprises at least two baseband processors, and the at least two baseband processors are operative to simultaneously generate the backhaul link and the radio access network, via the corresponding K baseband signals and N minus K baseband signals, according to the setting of K; and

further wherein a configurable digital interconnect subsystem is used to interconnect each of the at least two baseband processors with at least some of the N digital ports, according to the setting of K and according to the assignment of the N radio transceiver chains between the backhaul link and the radio access network, such that the K radio transceiver chains are connected to one of the baseband processors, and the N minus K radio transceiver chains are connected to another of the baseband processors.

6. A wireless base station system, operative to split a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

a baseband subsystem comprising N digital ports to synthesize N digital baseband signals; and

N radio transceiver chains, each connects to one of the N digital ports of the baseband subsystem via an analog-digital interface;

wherein the system ;

splits the N radio transceiver chains into a first set of K radio transceiver chains and a second sets of N minus K radio transceiver chains;

synthesizes, by the baseband subsystem, the N digital baseband signals according to the split, such that K digital baseband signals are operative to support a backhaul link, and N minus K digital baseband signals are operative to support a radio access network;

inputs the N digital baseband signals to the N radio transceiver chains via the corresponding N digital ports and the corresponding analog-digital interfaces, thereby transmitting both the backhaul link and the radio access network; and

further wherein the N radio transceiver chains are connected to N omni-directional antennas respectively, thereby allowing both the backhaul link and the radio access network to span a 360 degrees coverage area around the wireless base station, regardless of assignment of radio transceiver chains between the backhaul link and the radio access network.

7. A method for sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, N radio transceiver chains;

splitting, by the wireless base station, according to a first criterion, the N radio transceiver chains into two sets of radio transceiver chains,

wherein the first set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a backhaul link and the second set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a radio access network; and

communicating

(i) a first set of data between the wireless base station and a core network data source via the backhaul link employing the first set of radio transceiver chains, and

(ii) a second set of data between the wireless base station and at least one subscriber station via the radio access network employing the second set of radio transceiver chains;

determining a minimum number of radio transceiver chains required by the wireless base station to communicate the first set of data, wherein the minimum number of radio transceiver chains is equal to at least one, and the minimum number of radio transceiver chains is equal to at most N minus one; and

setting the number of radio transceiver chains in the first set of radio transceiver chains to the minimum number determined.

8. A method for sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, N radio transceiver chains;

splitting, by the wireless base station, according to a first criterion, the N radio transceiver chains into two sets of radio transceiver chains,

wherein the first set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a backhaul link and the second set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a radio access network; and

communicating

(i) a first set of data between the wireless base station and a core network data source via the backhaul link employing the first set of radio transceiver chains, and

(ii) a second set of data between the wireless base station and at least one subscriber station via the radio access network employing the second set of radio transceiver chains;

determining a minimum number of radio transceiver chains required by the wireless base station to communicate the second set of data, wherein the minimum number of radio transceiver chains is equal to at least one, and the minimum number of radio transceiver chains is equal to at most N minus one; and

setting the number of radio transceiver chains in the second set of radio transceiver chains to the minimum number determined.

9. A method for sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, N radio transceiver chains;

splitting, by the wireless base station, according to a first criterion, the N radio transceiver chains into two sets of radio transceiver chains,

wherein the first set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a backhaul link and the second set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a radio access network; and

communicating

(i) a first set of data between the wireless base station and a core network data source via the backhaul link employing the first set of radio transceiver chains, and

(ii) a second set of data between the wireless base station and at least one subscriber station via the radio access network employing the second set of radio transceiver chains;

using, by at least most of the N radio transceiver chains, substantially omni-directional antennas, such that

(i) the first set of radio transceiver chains supports the backhaul link in substantially any direction,

(ii) the second set of radio transceiver chains supports the radio access network in substantially any direction, and

(iii) substantially any split of the N radio transceiver chains is supported regardless of the directions of the radio access network and backhaul links.

10. A method for sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, N radio transceiver chains;

splitting, by the wireless base station, according to a first criterion, the N radio transceiver chains into two sets of radio transceiver chains,

wherein the first set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a backhaul link and the second set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a radio access network;

communicating

(i) a first set of data between the wireless base station and a core network data source via the backhaul link employing the first set of radio transceiver chains, and

(ii) a second set of data between the wireless base station and at least one subscriber station via the radio access network employing the second set of radio transceiver chains;

determining that the number of radio transceiver chains in the first set is not sufficient to maintain the backhaul link; and

increasing the number of radio transceiver chains in the first set, at the expense of the number of radio transceiver chains in the second set, in order to improve the backhaul link.

11. A method for sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, N radio transceiver chains;

splitting, by the wireless base station, according to a first criterion, the N radio transceiver chains into two sets of radio transceiver chains,

wherein the first set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a backhaul link and the second set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a radio access network;

communicating

(i) a first set of data between the wireless base station and a core network data source via the backhaul link employing the first set of radio transceiver chains, and

(ii) a second set of data between the wireless base station and at least one subscriber station via the radio access network employing the second set of radio transceiver chains;

determining that the number of radio transceiver chains in the second set is not sufficient to maintain the radio access network; and

increasing the number of radio transceiver chains in the second set, at the expense of the number of radio transceiver chains in the first set, in order to improve the radio access network.

12. A method for sharing a plurality of radio transceiver chains between a backhaul link and a radio access network, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, N radio transceiver chains;

splitting, by the wireless base station, according to a first criterion, the N radio transceiver chains into two sets of radio transceiver chains,

wherein the first set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a backhaul link and the second set of radio transceiver chains is allocated to a radio access network;

communicating

(i) a first set of data between the wireless base station and a core network data source via the backhaul link employing the first set of radio transceiver chains, and

(ii) a second set of data between the wireless base station and at least one subscriber station via the radio access network employing the second set of radio transceiver chains;

having a capability, in the N radio transceiver chains, to operate in at least two frequency bands;

setting the radio transceiver chains in the first set to operate in a first frequency band to support the backhaul link; and

setting the radio transceiver chains in the second set to operate in a second frequency band to support the radio access network.

13. A method for boosting performance of a backhaul link associated with a wireless base station, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, K radio transceiver chains associated with a backhaul link, and M radio transceiver chains associated with a radio access network;

detecting that the K radio transceiver chains are not sufficient to maintain a predetermined level of performance associated with the backhaul link;

increasing the number of radio transceiver chains associated with the backhaul link from K to at least K plus one, at the expense of the M radio transceiver chains;

using the K radio transceiver chains in a multiple-input-multiple-output configuration;

detecting that the K radio transceiver chains are not sufficient to maintain a predetermined wireless data capacity associated with the backhaul link; and

using the at least K plus one radio transceiver chains to increase the level of the multiple -input-multiple-output configuration, thereby boosting the wireless data capacity associated with the backhaul link.

14. A method for boosting performance of a backhaul link associated with a wireless base station, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, K radio transceiver chains associated with a backhaul link, and M radio transceiver chains associated with a radio access network;

detecting that the K radio transceiver chains are not sufficient to maintain a predetermined level of performance associated with the backhaul link;

increasing the number of radio transceiver chains associated with the backhaul link from K to at least K plus one, at the expense of the M radio transceiver chains;

using the K radio transceiver chains to realize a wireless reception scheme selected from a group consisting of phase-array reception, maximal ratio combining reception, minimum mean square error reception, and maximum likelihood reception;

detecting that the K radio transceiver chains are not sufficient to maintain a predetermined wireless sensitivity associated with the backhaul link; and

using the at least K plus one radio transceiver chains to increase the level of the wireless reception scheme, thereby boosting the wireless sensitivity associated with the backhaul link.

15. A method for boosting performance of a backhaul link associated with a wireless base station, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, K radio transceiver chains associated with a backhaul link, and M radio transceiver chains associated with a radio access network;

detecting that the K radio transceiver chains are not sufficient to maintain a predetermined level of performance associated with the backhaul link; and

increasing the number of radio transceiver chains associated with the backhaul link from K to at least K plus one, at the expense of the M radio transceiver chains;

wherein the K and M radio transceiver chains operate in a first band, thereby implementing in-band-backhaul communication scheme.

16. A method for boosting performance of a backhaul link associated with a wireless base station, comprising:

operating, by a wireless base station, K radio transceiver chains associated with a backhaul link, and M radio transceiver chains associated with a radio access network;

detecting that the K radio transceiver chains are not sufficient to maintain a predetermined level of performance associated with the backhaul link; and

increasing the number of radio transceiver chains associated with the backhaul link from K to at least K plus one, at the expense of the M radio transceiver chains;

wherein;

the K and M radio transceiver chains operate in two separate bands respectively, thereby operating the backhaul link in a different band than the radio access network;

at least one of the M radio transceiver chains is capable of operating in both the first and the second bands; and

the at least one of the M radio transceiver chains is reset from the first band to the second band before being assigned to the backhaul link, thereby increasing the number of radio transceiver chains associated with the backhaul link from K to the at least K plus one.