IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,596,012
Granted Patent B2
US 11,596,012 · App. 16/961,225 · Granted Feb 28, 2023

Apparatus and method for selecting centralized unit-user plane in wireless communication system

Inventors: Lixiang Xu (Beijing, CN); Hong Wang (Beijing, CN); Weiwei Wang (Beijing, CN)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
H04W76/15H04L61/5007H04W76/27H04W88/085
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,596,012
App. No.
16/961,225
Granted
Feb 28, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a pre-5 th -Generation (5G) or 5G communication system to be provided for supporting higher data rates Beyond 4 th -Generation (4G) communication system such as Long Term Evolution (LTE). The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method for operating a centralized unit-control plane (CU-CP). The method includes acquiring, by the CU-CP in a base station, information regarding at least one centralized unit-user plane (CU-UP) connected to a distributed unit (DU), and selecting, by the CU-CP, a CU-UP, among the at least one CU-UP, suitable for an access of a user equipment, according to the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU.

Claims (32)

1. A method performed by a centralized unit-control plane (CU-CP) in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the CU-CP in a base station from a distributed unit (DU), information regarding at least one centralized unit-user plane (CU-UP) connected to the distributed unit (DU), wherein the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU comprises information on whether an interface between the at least one CU-UP and the DU is available; and

selecting, by the CU-CP, a CU-UP among the at least one CU-UP, for an access of a user equipment (UE), based on the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU further comprises:

receiving, by the CU-CP, an F1 setup request message from the DU,

wherein the F1 setup request message comprises the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU, which comprises at least one of an identity of the at least one CU-UP, an Internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one CU-UP, and a name of the at least one CU-UP.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU further comprises at least one of a load of the at least one CU-UP, and a load of a transport layer between the DU and the at least one CU-UP.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the acquiring the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU further comprises:

receiving, by the CU-CP, an F1 access protocol (AP) message from the DU, wherein the F1 AP message comprises the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU or information regarding at least one CU-UP selectable for the UE, which comprises at least one of an identity of the at least one CU-UP, an Internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one CU-UP, and a name of the at least one CU-UP.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU or the information regarding the at least one CU-UP selectable for the UE further comprises at least one of a load of the at least one CU-UP, and a load of a transport layer between the DU and the at least one CU-UP.

6. A method performed by a centralized unit-control plane (CU-CP) in a mobile communication system, the method comprising:

acquiring, by the CU-CP in a base station from at least one centralized unit-user plane (CU-UP), information regarding distributed units (DUs) connected to the at least one CU-UP, wherein the information regarding the DUs connected to the at least one CU-UP comprises information on whether interfaces between the DUs and the at least one CU-UP are available; and

selecting, by the CU-CP, a CU-UP among the at least one CU-UP, for an access of a user equipment (UE), based on the information regarding the DUs connected to the at least one CU-UP.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acquiring the information regarding the DUs connected to the at least one CU-UP further comprises:

transmitting, by the CU-CP, an E1 setup request message to CU-UP, wherein the E1 setup request message comprises an identity of the CU-CP and a list of Tracking Areas (TAs) supported by the CU-CP; and

receiving, by the CU-CP, an E1 setup response message from the CU-UP, wherein the E1 setup response message comprises an identity of the CU-UP and a list of TAs supported by the CU-UP, and the E1 setup response message further comprises information regarding DUs connected to the CU-UP, which comprises at least one of identities of the DUs, Internet protocol (IP) addresses of the DUs, and names of the DUs.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the acquiring the information regarding the DUs connected to the at least one CU-UP further comprises:

receiving, by the CU-CP, an E1 setup request message from CU-UP, wherein the E1 setup request message comprises at least one of an identity of the CU-UP and a name of the CU-UP, and the E1 setup request message further comprises information regarding DUs connected to the CU-UP, which comprises at least one of identities of the DUs, Internet protocol (IP) addresses of the DUs, and names of the DUs; and

transmitting, by the CU-CP, an E1 setup response message to the CU-UP, wherein the E1 setup response message comprises an identity of the CU-CP and a list of Tracking Areas (TAs) supported by the CU-CP.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the information regarding the DUs connected to the CU-UP further comprises, at least one of a load of the at least one CU-UP, and loads of transport layers between the DUs and the CU UP.

10. A base station in a mobile communication system, the base station comprising:

a distributed unit (DU); and

a centralized unit (CU) comprising a centralized unit-control plane (CU-CP) and at least one centralized unit-user plane (CU-UP),

wherein the CU-CP is configured to:

acquire, from the DU, information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU, wherein the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU comprises information on whether an interface between the at least one CU-UP and the DU is available; and

select a CU-UP among the at least one CU-UP, for an access of a user equipment (UE), based on the acquired information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU.

11. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the CU-CP is further configured to receive an F1 setup request message from the DU, and

wherein the F1 setup request message comprises the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU, which comprises at least one of an identity of the at least one CU-UP, an Internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one CU-UP, and a name of the at least one CU-UP.

12. The base station of claim 11 , wherein the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU further comprises at least one of a load of the at least one CU-UP, and a load of a transport layer between the DU and the at least one CU-UP.

13. The base station of claim 10 , wherein the CU-CP is further configured to receive an F1 access protocol (AP) message from the DU, and

wherein the F1 AP message comprises the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU or information regarding at least one CU-UP selectable for the UE, which comprises at least one of an identity of the at least one CU-UP, an Internet protocol (IP) address of the at least one CU-UP, and a name of the at least one CU-UP.

14. The base station of claim 13 , wherein the information regarding the at least one CU-UP connected to the DU or the information regarding the at least one CU-UP selectable for the UE further comprises at least one of a load of the at least one CU-UP, and a load of a transport layer between the DU and the at least one CU-UP.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 9, 2020
From: XU, LIXIANG; WANG, HONG; WANG, WEIWEI
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 053180/0486 →
Priority Claims (1)
CN 201810029412.6 · Jan 11, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210068183A1 · Mar 4, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,284,695