Apparatus and method for distributed data processing in shared RAN
A management apparatus of a Radio Access Network (RAN) that is shared by a plurality of operators, wherein the RAN comprises: a Central Unit (CU); a first Distributed Unit (DU) that is communicably connected to the CU; a second DU that is communicably connected to the CU; and a Radio Unit (RU) that is communicably connected to the first DU and the second DU, wherein the management apparatus comprises a processor that executes transmission of instructions to the CU, the first DU, and the second DU to cause the second DU to process, among data to be processed at the first DU for the RU, at least a portion of data for a specific equipment (UE) that is communicably connected to the RU.
1 . A management apparatus of a Radio Access Network (RAN) that is shared by a plurality of operators, wherein the RAN comprises:
a Central Unit (CU);
a first Distributed Unit (DU) that is communicably connected to the CU;
a second DU that is communicably connected to the CU; and
a Radio Unit (RU) that is communicably connected to the first DU and the second DU, and to a plurality of User Equipment (UE), the RU being configured to process data for the plurality of UE, each of the plurality of UE being in one of a guarantee type Service Level Agreement (SLA) or a best-effort type SLA with one of a plurality of operators,
wherein the management apparatus comprises a processor that executes transmission of instructions to the CU, the first DU, and the second DU to:
acquire the SLA of the plurality of UE;
among the plurality of UE, identify a first UE as being in the guarantee type SLA, and a second UE as being in the best-effort type SLA;
cause the first DU to process first data for the RU and second data for the RU, the first data being for the first UE and the second data being for the second UE; and
while the first DU processes the first data for the RU for the first UE and the second data for the RU for the second UE, cause the second DU to process only a portion of the first data for the first UE, among the first data and the second data being processed at the first DU.
2 . The management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the instructions are transmitted
when a resources usage rate of the first DU exceeds a predetermined first threshold, or
when traffic being monitored in the RAN exceeds a predetermined second threshold.
3 . The management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first data to be processed at the second DU is determined by a type of the first data for the first UE.
4 . The management apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the type of the first data for the first UE is defined for each application.
5 . The management apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the portion of the first data to be processed at the second DU is a fixed percentage portion of the first data for the first UE.
6 . The management apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the fixed percentage portion is selected in resource block units.
7 . A method for managing a Radio Access Network (RAN) that is shared by a plurality of operators, the method comprising:
providing the RAN, wherein the RAN comprises:
a Central Unit (CU),
a first Distributed Unit (DU) that is communicably connected to the CU,
a second DU that is communicably connected to the CU, and
a Radio Unit (RU) that is communicably connected to the first DU and the second DU, and to a plurality of User Equipment (UE), the RU being configured to process data for the plurality of UE, each of the plurality of UE being in one of a guarantee type Service Level Agreement (SLA) or a best-effort type SLA with one of a plurality of operators; and
instructing the CU, the first DU, and the second DU to:
acquire the SLA of the plurality of UE;
among the plurality of UE, identify a first UE as being in the guarantee type SLA, and a second UE as being in the best-effort type SLA;
cause the first DU to process first data for the RU and second data for the RU, the first data being for the first UE and the second data being for the second UE; and
while the first DU processes the first data for the RU for the first UE and the second data for the RU for the second UE, cause the second DU to process only a portion of the first data for the first UE, among the first data and the second data being processed at the first DU.
8 . A radio communication system comprising:
a Radio Access Network (RAN) that is shared by a plurality of operators, wherein the RAN comprises
a Central Unit (CU),
a first Distributed Unit (DU) that is communicably connected to the CU,
a second DU that is communicably connected to the CU, and
a Radio Unit (RU) that is communicably connected to the first DU and the second DU, and to a plurality of User Equipment (UE), the RU being configured to process data for the plurality of UE, each of the plurality of UE being in one of a guarantee type Service Level Agreement (SLA) or a best-effort type SLA with one of a plurality of operators; and
a management apparatus of the RAN,
wherein the management apparatus comprises a processor that executes instructing the CU, the first DU, and the second DU to:
acquire the SLA of the plurality of UE;
among the plurality of UE, identify a first UE as being in the guarantee type SLA, and a second UE as being in the best-effort type SLA;
cause the first DU to process first data for the RU and second data for the RU, the first data being for the first UE and the second data being for the second UE; and
while the first DU processes the first data for the RU for the first UE and the second data for the RU for the second UE, cause the second DU to process only a portion of the first data for the first UE, among the first data and the second data being processed at the first DU.