Joint optimization of a radio access network and a distributed antenna system
Certain features relate to systems and methods for jointly optimizing a radio access network (RAN) and distributed antenna system (DAS). A joint RAN-DAS self-optimizing network (SON) entity can determine target parameters based on parameters specific to the DAS and parameters specific to the RAN. The joint RAN-DAS-SON entity can optimize the RAN and DAS using the target parameters. Jointly optimizing the RAN and the DAS can improve the capacity characteristics, coverage characteristics, or the performance characteristics of the RAN and DAS. In some aspects, the joint RAN-DAS-SON entity can optimize the RAN and DAS by re-allocating power levels of downlink signals transmitted by remote units of the DAS to compensate for underutilized carrier signals in situations of low traffic load.
1. A head-end unit of a distributed antenna system, comprising:
an interface configured to communicate parameters with a joint radio access network-distributed antenna system-self-optimizing network (RAN-DAS-SON) entity, wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity is configured to jointly optimize a radio access network and the distributed antenna system;
wherein the head-end unit is configured to:
transmit a first set of parameters to the RAN-DAS-SON entity;
receive instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity; and
adjust one or more configuration settings of at least one node of the distributed antenna based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
2. The head-end unit of claim 1 , wherein the head-end unit is configured to adjust at least one of an uplink gain or a downlink gain of the head-end unit based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
3. The head-end unit of claim 1 , wherein the head-end unit is configured to adjust a simulcast factor of the distributed antenna system based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
4. The head-end unit of claim 1 , wherein the head-end unit is configured to adjust an output power level of one or more remote units the distributed antenna system based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
5. The head-end unit of claim 1 , wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity is included within the head-end unit.
6. The head-end unit of claim 5 , wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity comprises:
a first interface configured to receive parameters from one or more nodes of the radio access network;
a second interface configured to receive the parameters from the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system; and
a circuit configured to determine target parameters for the radio access network and the distributed antenna system and jointly optimize the radio access network and the distributed antenna system based on the parameters from one or more nodes of the radio access network, the parameters from the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system, and the target parameters.
7. The head-end unit of claim 6 , wherein the circuit is configured to determine target parameters by determining optimal configuration settings for meeting one or more key performance indicators of the radio access network.
8. The head-end unit of claim 6 , wherein the circuit is configured to jointly optimize the radio access network and the distributed antenna system by optimizing coverage characteristics, capacity characteristics, or performance characteristics of the radio access network and the distributed antenna system.
9. The head-end unit of claim 6 , wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity further comprises an element management system/network management system (EMS/NMS) interface configured to:
forward the parameters from one or more nodes of the radio access network and the parameters from the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system to an EMS/NMS entity; and
forward instructions received from the EMS/NMS entity to the one or more nodes of the radio access network and the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system.
10. The head-end unit of claim 9 , wherein the instructions from the EMS/NMS entity include optimal optimization settings determined by the EMS/NMS entity.
11. A radio access network (RAN) node, comprising:
an interface configured to communicate parameters with a joint radio access network-distributed antenna system-self-optimizing network (RAN-DAS-SON) entity, wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity is configured to provide instructions regarding target parameters to jointly optimize the radio access network and a distributed antenna system;
wherein the RAN node is configured to:
transmit a first set of parameters to the RAN-DAS-SON entity;
receive the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity; and
adjust one or more configuration settings of the RAN node based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
12. The RAN node of claim 11 , wherein the parameters include information indicating traffic loads on downlink signals transmitted by a remote unit of the distributed antenna system and wherein the target parameters include a boosting factor indicating an amount of gain to apply to the downlink signals transmitted by the remote unit of the distributed antenna system.
13. The RAN node of claim 11 , wherein the RAN node is configured to adjust an uplink gain of a low noise amplifier of the RAN node based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
14. The RAN node of claim 11 , wherein the RAN node is configured to adjust an uplink gain of a tower mounted amplifier of the RAN node based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
15. The RAN node of claim 11 , wherein the RAN node is configured to adjust an output power level of the RAN node based on the instructions regarding target parameters from the RAN-DAS-SON entity.
16. The RAN node of claim 11 , wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity is included within the RAN node.
17. The RAN node of claim 16 , wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity comprises:
a first interface configured to receive parameters from one or more nodes of the radio access network;
a second interface configured to receive the parameters from the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system; and
a circuit configured to determine target parameters for the radio access network and the distributed antenna system and jointly optimize the radio access network and the distributed antenna system based on the parameters from one or more nodes of the radio access network, the parameters from the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system, and the target parameters.
18. The RAN node of claim 17 , wherein the circuit is configured to determine target parameters by determining optimal configuration settings for meeting one or more key performance indicators of the radio access network.
19. The RAN node of claim 18 , wherein the circuit is configured to jointly optimize the radio access network and the distributed antenna system by optimizing coverage characteristics, capacity characteristics, or performance characteristics of the radio access network and the distributed antenna system.
20. The RAN node of claim 18 , wherein the RAN-DAS-SON entity further comprises a element management system/network management system (EMS/NMS) interface configured to:
forward the parameters from one or more nodes of the radio access network, the parameters from the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system to an EMS/NMS entity; and
forward instructions received from the EMS/NMS entity to the one or more nodes of the radio access network and the head-end unit of the distributed antenna system.