Conflict management in a shared O-RAN architecture
Provided herein are techniques to facilitate conflict management in a shared Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) architecture. In one instance, a method can be performed by a conflict manager of a near-real-time RAN intelligent controller of a shared RAN including radio unit (RU) nodes provided by a host operator. The method can include obtaining each of a requested radio unit (RU) configuration from each of a distributed unit (DU) node operated by each of a tenant operator and determining whether there are any conflicts among RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration. In one instance, upon determining one or more conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, the method may include providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration in accordance with a modification.
1 . A method performed by a conflict manager of a near-real-time radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (near-real-time RIC) of a shared RAN including a plurality of radio unit (RU) nodes in which the shared RAN is provided by a host operator, the method comprising:
obtaining each of a requested RU configuration from each of a distributed unit (DU) node operated by each of a tenant operator of a plurality of tenant operators for the plurality of RU nodes that are shared for use among the plurality of tenant operators, wherein each requested RU configuration comprises RU configuration parameters requested by each DU node;
determining whether there are any conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration obtained from each DU node;
upon determining no conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration; or
upon determining one or more conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, either:
providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration in accordance with a modification; or
providing a response to at least one DU node indicating that the at least one DU node is not allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using a corresponding requested RU configuration of the at least one DU node.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the conflict manager of the near-real-time RIC directly interfaces with each DU node via a corresponding interface with each DU node.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the corresponding interface with each DU node is a corresponding Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) E2AP interface with each DU node.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the determining includes determining any conflicts among each requested RU configuration obtained from each DU node and among any RU configurations for any applications operating at the near-real-time RIC.
5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether any requested RU configuration obtained from any DU node is not permitted; and
upon determining that a particular requested RU configuration obtained from a particular DU node is not permitted, providing a response to the particular DU node indicating that the particular DU node is not allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using the particular requested RU configuration.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the modification is a sharing schedule that each DU node is to follow in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration.
7 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the sharing schedule identifies one or more of:
one or more time slots that each DU node is to use in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration; or
one or more days that each DU node is to use in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each DU node is an Open Radio Access Network DU (O-DU) node, and the plurality of RU nodes are a plurality of Open Radio Access Network DU (O-RU) nodes.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of tenant operators are different from each other and are each different than the host operator.
10 . One or more non-transitory computer readable storage media encoded with instructions that, when executed by a processor of a conflict manager of a near-real-time radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (near-real-time RIC) of a shared RAN including a plurality of radio unit (RU) nodes in which the shared RAN is provided by a host operator, cause the processor to perform operations, comprising:
obtaining each of a requested RU configuration from each of a distributed unit (DU) node operated by each of a tenant operator of a plurality of tenant operators for the plurality of RU nodes that are shared for use among the plurality of tenant operators, wherein each requested RU configuration comprises RU configuration parameters requested by each DU node;
determining whether there are any conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration obtained from each DU node;
upon determining no conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration; or
upon determining one or more conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, either:
providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration in accordance with a modification; or
providing a response to at least one DU node indicating that the at least one DU node is not allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using a corresponding requested RU configuration of the at least one DU node.
11 . The media of claim 10 , wherein the determining includes determining any conflicts among each requested RU configuration obtained from each DU node and among any RU configurations for any applications operating at the near-real-time RIC.
12 . The media of claim 10 , wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform further operations, comprising:
determining whether any requested RU configuration obtained from any DU node is not permitted; and
upon determining that a particular requested RU configuration obtained from a particular DU node is not permitted, providing a response to the particular DU node indicating that the particular DU node is not allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using the particular requested RU configuration.
13 . The media of claim 10 , wherein the modification is a sharing schedule that each DU node is to follow in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration.
14 . The media of claim 13 , wherein the sharing schedule identifies one or more of:
one or more time slots that each DU node is to use in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration; or
one or more days that each DU node is to use in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration.
15 . A conflict manager of a near-real-time radio access network (RAN) intelligent controller (near-real-time RIC) of a shared RAN including a plurality of radio unit (RU) nodes in which the shared RAN is provided by a host operator, comprising:
at least one memory element for storing data; and
at least one processor for executing instructions associated with the data, wherein executing the instructions causes the conflict manager to perform operations, comprising:
obtaining each of a requested RU configuration from each of a distributed unit (DU) node operated by each of a tenant operator of a plurality of tenant operators for the plurality of RU nodes that are shared for use among the plurality of tenant operators, wherein each requested RU configuration comprises RU configuration parameters requested by each DU node;
determining whether there are any conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration obtained from each DU node;
upon determining no conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration; or
upon determining one or more conflicts among the RU configuration parameters for each requested RU configuration, either:
providing a response to each DU node indicating that each DU node is allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration in accordance with a modification; or
providing a response to at least one DU node indicating that the at least one DU node is not allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using a corresponding requested RU configuration of the at least one DU node.
16 . The conflict manager of claim 15 , wherein the conflict manager of the near-real-time RIC directly interfaces with each DU node via a corresponding interface with each DU node.
17 . The conflict manager of claim 16 , wherein the corresponding interface with each DU node is a corresponding Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) E2AP interface with each DU node.
18 . The conflict manager of claim 15 , wherein the determining includes determining any conflicts among each requested RU configuration obtained from each DU node and among any RU configurations for any applications operating at the near-real-time RIC.
19 . The conflict manager of claim 15 , wherein executing the instructions causes the conflict manager to perform further operations, comprising:
determining whether any requested RU configuration obtained from any DU node is not permitted; and
upon determining that a particular requested RU configuration obtained from a particular DU node is not permitted, providing a response to the particular DU node indicating that the particular DU node is not allowed to configure the plurality of RU nodes using the particular requested RU configuration.
20 . The conflict manager of claim 15 , wherein the modification is a sharing schedule that each DU node is to follow in configuring the plurality of RU nodes using each requested RU configuration.