SDN orchestration and optimization of antennas and frequencies in radio access networks

1. A method for orchestration of antennas and frequencies in a heterogeneous Radio Access Network (RAN), the method comprising:

maintaining status of a plurality of devices connected to the heterogeneous RAN to determine a real-time global view of the heterogeneous RAN based on the plurality of devices, associated bandwidth, and antenna usage;

determining whether to upgrade connections of a first subset of the plurality of devices;

determining whether to downgrade connections of a second subset of the plurality of devices, wherein each device of the plurality of devices initially connects to the heterogenous RAN based on a choice by that device, and wherein the determining steps perform load balancing of the heterogenous RAN based on the real-time global view that each of the plurality of devices lack individually; and

providing instructions to the heterogeneous RAN for the first subset and the second subset,

wherein the determining whether to upgrade connections and whether to downgrade connections comprises determining each channel's availability in the heterogeneous RAN and determining whether a current channel is sufficient for each of the plurality of devices, wherein a channel is formed by an antenna at a frequency in the heterogeneous RAN, wherein whether the current channel is sufficient is based on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) associated with each device defining a level of service in the RAN of a plurality of levels, and wherein determining each channel's availability utilizes the SLA to determine which level of the plurality of levels can connect.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is implemented in one of i) a Software Defined Networking (SDN) application executed on one or more servers communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN and ii) a Virtual Networking Function (VNF) executed on a backhaul network element communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heterogeneous RAN comprises a plurality of towers and cell sites, each with one or more antennas and one or more frequencies, wherein the upgrade connections and the downgrade connections comprise a change of one or more of an antenna, a frequency, and an access point in the heterogeneous RAN.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the maintaining the status comprises obtaining data from the plurality of devices, and one or more of obtaining data from backhaul network elements in the heterogeneous RAN and data from an external database.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of devices initially chooses an antenna, frequency, and access point for accessing the heterogeneous RAN, maintaining compatibility with the heterogeneous RAN, and the upgrade connections and the downgrade connections is used to rapidly move each of the plurality of devices to an optimal configuration.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the downgrade connections is configured to lower or disconnect lower priority devices in favor of higher priority devices, wherein priority is customizable by an operator of the heterogeneous RAN.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein one of more devices of the plurality of devices execute an application configured to provide the status and receive and implement the instructions.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing notifications to a Content Distribution Network (CDN) communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN, instructing the CDN to adjust manifest files based on resource availability in the heterogeneous RAN.

9. An apparatus configured to perform orchestration of antennas and frequencies in a heterogeneous Radio Access Network (RAN), the apparatus comprising:

a network interface communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN;

a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed, cause the processor to

maintain status of a plurality of devices connected to the heterogeneous RAN based on communication through the network interface to determine a real-time global view of the heterogeneous RAN based on the plurality of devices, associated bandwidth, and antenna usage,

determine whether to upgrade connections of a first subset of the plurality of devices,

determine whether to downgrade connections of a second subset of the plurality of devices, wherein to determine whether to upgrade connections and to determine whether to downgrade connections comprises a determination of each channel's availability in the heterogeneous RAN and a determination whether a current channel is sufficient for each of the plurality of devices, wherein a channel is formed by an antenna at a frequency in the heterogeneous RAN, and wherein whether the current channel is sufficient is based on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) associated with each device defining a level of service in the RAN of a plurality of levels, and wherein determining each channel's availability utilizes the SLA to determine which level of the plurality of levels can connect, and

provide instructions to the heterogeneous RAN through the network interface for the first subset and the second subset;

wherein each device of the plurality of devices initially connects to the heterogenous RAN based on a choice by that device, and wherein the determining steps perform load balancing of the heterogenous RAN based on the real-time global view that each of the plurality of devices lack individually.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the apparatus is one of i) a server executing a Software Defined Networking (SDN) application communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN and ii) a backhaul network element executing a Virtual Networking Function (VNF) communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the heterogeneous RAN comprises a plurality of towers and cell sites, each with one or more antennas and one or more frequencies, wherein the upgrade connections and the downgrade connections comprise a change of one or more of an antenna, a frequency, and an access point in the heterogeneous RAN.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the status is maintained by obtaining data from the plurality of devices, and one or more of obtaining data from backhaul network elements in the heterogeneous RAN and data from an external database.

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of devices initially chooses an antenna, frequency, and access point for accessing the heterogeneous RAN, maintaining compatibility with the heterogeneous RAN, and the upgrade connections and the downgrade connections is used to rapidly move each of the plurality of devices to an optimal configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the downgrade connections is configured to lower or disconnect lower priority devices in favor of higher priority devices, wherein priority is customizable by an operator of the heterogeneous RAN.

15. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein one of more devices of the plurality of devices execute an application configured to provide the status and receive and implement the instructions.

16. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the memory storing instructions that, when executed, further cause the processor to

provide notifications to a Content Distribution Network (CDN) communicatively coupled to the heterogeneous RAN, instructing the CDN to adjust manifest files based on resource availability in the heterogeneous RAN.

17. A heterogeneous Radio Access Network (RAN) with an overlaid system configured to perform orchestration of antennas and frequencies, the heterogeneous RAN comprising:

a plurality of access points each with one or more antennas and one or more frequencies; and

a live spectrum analysis system communicatively coupled to the plurality of access points and a plurality of devices communicatively coupled to the plurality of access points, wherein the live spectrum analysis system is configured to

maintain status of the plurality of devices connected to the heterogeneous RAN to determine a real-time global view of the heterogeneous RAN based on the plurality of devices, associated bandwidth, and antenna usage,

determine whether to upgrade connections of a first subset of the plurality of devices,

determine whether to downgrade connections of a second subset of the plurality of devices, wherein to determine whether to upgrade connections and to determine whether to downgrade connections comprises a determination of each channel's availability in the heterogeneous RAN and a determination whether a current channel is sufficient for each of the plurality of devices, wherein a channel is formed by an antenna at a frequency in the heterogeneous RAN, and wherein whether the current channel is sufficient is based on a Service Level Agreement (SLA) associated with each device defining a level of service in the RAN of a plurality of levels, and wherein determining each channel's availability utilizes the SLA to determine which level of the plurality of levels can connect, and

provide instructions to the heterogeneous RAN for the first subset and the second subset;

wherein each device of the plurality of devices initially connects to the heterogenous RAN based on a choice by that device, and wherein the determining steps perform load balancing of the heterogenous RAN based on the real-time global view that each of the plurality of devices lack individually.

18. The heterogeneous RAN of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of devices initially chooses an antenna, frequency, and access point for accessing the heterogeneous RAN, maintaining compatibility with the heterogeneous RAN, and the upgrade connections and the downgrade connections is used to rapidly move each of the plurality of devices to an optimal configuration, considering a global view of the heterogeneous RAN.