Ongoing power and small cell power optimization
A method of controlling ongoing power consumption at a cellular base station includes determining a usage characteristic of the cellular base station, and preparing a notification of the usage characteristic. The method also includes sending the notification to a cloud computing network so as to be recognized by an artificial intelligence cellular base station management program. The method further includes receiving a power consumption instruction from the cloud computer network when the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program evaluates that the notification meets a criteria for changing power consumption at the cellular base station, and effectuating a change in power consumption at the cellular base station by executing the power consumption instruction.
1 . A method of controlling ongoing power consumption at a cellular base station via at least one processor of the cellular base station executing instructions so as to perform a process comprising:
collecting Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps from Remote Radio Units (RRUs) that are geographically remote from each other in the cloud computing network;
converting the SNMP traps to power-related events, wherein the power-related events include power outages;
determining a usage characteristic of the cellular base station;
preparing a notification of the usage characteristic of the cellular base station and the power-related events of the RRUs that is configured to be recognized by an artificial intelligence cellular base station management program operating on a cloud computing network;
sending the notification to the cloud computing network so as to be recognized by the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program;
receiving one or more power consumption instructions from the cloud computing network when the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program evaluates that the notification meets a criteria for changing power consumption at the cellular base station; and
effectuating a change in power consumption at the cellular base station by executing the one or more power consumption instructions.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power consumption instructions comprises a first power consumption instruction to turn off transmission of one radio unit of the cellular base station.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein if a power saving amount from the first power consumption instruction is below a first threshold, the one or more power consumption instructions further comprises a second power consumption instruction to turn off a communication band of the cellular base station.
4 . The method of claim 3 , wherein if a power saving amount from the second power consumption instruction is below a second threshold, the one or more power consumption instructions further comprises a third power consumption instruction to switch to one transmitter, four receiver (1T4R) communication.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining the usage characteristic of the cellular base station includes determining a change in quantity of users within a coverage area of the cellular base station.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more power consumption instructions is an instruction to reduce a number of channels operated by the cellular base station or reduce a number of carriers operating on the cellular base station.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the cellular base station is operating a small cell or micro cell, and the method includes powering down the small cell or micro cell when a power saving amount is below a threshold, and the method includes subsequently powering up the small cell or micro cell when the power saving amount reaches the threshold.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program is an Element Management System (EMS) or Network Management System (NMS).
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program is a Non-Real-Time Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (Non-RT RIC).
10 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
sending operating data to the cloud computing network; and
adjusting operational parameters of the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program using machine learning based on the operating data.
11 . A cellular base station comprising:
a transceiver configured to communicate with at least one user equipment;
a network communicator configured to communicate with a cloud computing network; and
a processor configured to:
collect Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traps from Remote Radio Units (RRUs) that are geographic remote from each other in the cloud computing network;
convert the SNMP traps to power-related events, wherein the power-related events include power outages;
determine a usage characteristic of the cellular base station;
prepare a notification of the usage characteristic of the cellular base station and the power-related events of the RRUs that is configured to be recognized by an artificial intelligence cellular base station management program operating on the cloud computing network;
send the notification to the cloud computing network so as to be recognized by the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program;
receive one or more power consumption instructions from the cloud computer network when the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program evaluates that the notification meets a criteria for changing power consumption at the cellular base station; and
effectuate a change in power consumption at the cellular base station by executing the one or more power consumption instructions.
12 . The cellular base station of claim 11 , wherein the one or more power consumption instructions comprises a first power consumption instruction to turn off transmission of one radio unit of the cellular base station.
13 . The cellular base station of claim 12 , wherein if a power saving amount from the first power consumption instruction is below a first threshold, the one or more power consumption instructions further comprises a second power consumption instruction to turn off a communication band of the cellular base station.
14 . The cellular base station of claim 13 , wherein if a power saving amount from the second power consumption instruction is below a second threshold, the one or more power consumption instructions further comprises a third power consumption instruction to switch to one transmitter, four receiver (1T4R) communication.
15 . The cellular base station of claim 11 , wherein the determining the usage characteristic of the cellular base station includes determining a change in quantity of users within a coverage area of the cellular base station.
16 . The cellular base station of claim 11 , wherein the usage characteristic is a current usage amount of the cellular base station.
17 . The cellular base station of claim 15 , wherein the cellular base station is operating a small cell or micro cell, and the processor is configured to power down the small cell or micro cell when a power saving amount is below a threshold, and subsequently power up the small cell or micro cell when the power saving amount reaches the threshold.
18 . The cellular base station of claim 11 , wherein the power saving instruction is an instruction to reduce a number of channels operated by the cellular base station or an instruction to reduce a number of carriers operating on the cellular base station.
19 . The cellular base station of claim 11 , wherein the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program is an Element Management System (EMS) or Network Management System (NMS).
20 . The cellular base station of claim 11 , wherein the artificial intelligence cellular base station management program is a Non-Real-Time Radio Access Network Intelligent Controller (Non-RT RIC).