METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EFFICIENT DISTRIBUTION IN DIGITAL DAS SYSTEMS
Embodiments are directed to configuring one or more nodes in a distributed antenna system (DAS) to route signals to different signal paths in the DAS based on operator information and/or band information identified from the signals. The operator information can include an operator identifier present in the signal such as a PC_ID in a header of an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) or enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) data packet. The band information can include a band identifier present in the signal such as a SEQ_ID in a header of the O-RAN or eCPRI data packet.
1 . A method for distributing signal coverage in a distributed antenna system (DAS), the DAS including at least one master unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of radio units, the plurality of radio units configured to radiate wireless signals to user equipment, the method comprising:
receiving a first signal from at least one base station entity;
determining at least one of first operator information corresponding to a first operator of a plurality of operators from the first signal or first band information corresponding to a first band of a plurality of bands from the first signal; and
routing the first signal to a first radio unit of the plurality of radio units based on the at least one of the first operator information or the first band information from the first signal.
2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a second signal from the at least one base station entity;
determining at least one of second operator information corresponding to a second operator of the plurality of operators different from the first operator from the second signal or second band information corresponding to a second band of the plurality of bands different from the first band from the second signal; and
routing the second signal to a second radio unit of the plurality of radio units different from the first radio unit based on the at least one of the second operator information or the second band information from the second signal.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein routing the first signal to the first radio unit of the plurality of radio units based on the at least one of the first operator information or the first band information comprises routing the first signal based on both the first operator information and the first band information.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first operator information comprises a first operator identifier from the first signal, wherein the first band information comprises a first band identifier from the first signal.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first signal is a digital signal, wherein the first operator identifier comprises a PC_ID in a header of at least one of an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) or enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) data packet, wherein the first band identifier comprises a SEQ_ID in the header of the at least one of the O-RAN or eCPRI data packet.
6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first operator identifier includes an identifier of at least one of: a physical channel, a user, a layer, or a port, associated with the first operator.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first band identifier includes an identifier of at least one of: an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing symbol associated with the first band, or a block of sub-carriers associated with the first band.
8 . A node of a distributed antenna system (DAS), the DAS including at least one master unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of radio units, the plurality of radio units configured to radiate wireless signals to user equipment comprising:
downlink circuitry, wherein the downlink circuitry is configured to:
receive a first downlink signal transmitted or derived from at least one base station entity;
determine at least one of first operator information corresponding to a first operator of a plurality of operators from the first downlink signal or first band information corresponding to a first band of a plurality of bands from the first downlink signal; and
route the first downlink signal to at least one other node of the distributed antenna system based on the at least one of the first operator information or the first band information from the first downlink signal.
9 . The node of claim 8 , wherein the node is a master unit of the at least one master unit, wherein the master unit comprises a plurality of output ports, wherein each of the plurality of output ports corresponds to at least one radio unit communicatively coupled to the master unit, wherein the master unit is configured to:
determine which of the plurality of output ports correspond to the first operator information from the first downlink signal; and
route the first downlink signal to one of the plurality of output ports that corresponds to the first operator information from the first downlink signal.
10 . The node of claim 8 , wherein the node is a master unit of the at least one master unit, wherein the master unit comprises a plurality of output ports, wherein each of the plurality of output ports corresponds to at least one radio unit communicatively coupled to the master unit, wherein the master unit is configured to:
determine which of the plurality of output ports correspond to the first band information from the first downlink signal; and
route the first downlink signal to one of the plurality of output ports that corresponds to the first band information from the first downlink signal.
11 . The node of claim 8 , wherein the node is an intermediate combining node (ICN) communicatively coupled to the at least one master unit and is communicatively coupled to at least a first radio unit and a second radio unit of the plurality of radio units, wherein the ICN comprises a plurality of output ports, wherein a first output port of the plurality of output ports corresponds to the first radio unit and a second output port of the plurality of output ports corresponds to the second radio unit, wherein the ICN is configured to:
receive the first downlink signal from the at least one master unit; and
route the first downlink signal to one of the first output port or the second output port that corresponds to the first operator information from the first downlink signal.
12 . The node of claim 8 , wherein the node is a switch communicatively coupled to the at least one master unit and is communicatively coupled to at least a first radio unit and a second radio unit of the plurality of radio units, wherein the switch comprises a plurality of output ports, wherein a first output port of the plurality of output ports corresponds to the first radio unit and a second output port of the plurality of output ports corresponds to the second radio unit, wherein the switch is configured to:
receive the first downlink signal from the at least one master unit; and
route the first downlink signal to one of the first output port or the second output port that corresponds to the first band information from the first downlink signal.
13 . The node of claim 8 , wherein the first operator information comprises a first operator identifier from the first downlink signal, wherein the first band information comprises a first band identifier from the first downlink signal.
14 . The node of claim 13 , wherein the first downlink signal is a digital signal, wherein the first operator identifier comprises a PC_ID in a header of at least one of an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) or enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) data packet, wherein the first band identifier comprises a SEQ_ID in the header of the at least one of the O-RAN or eCPRI data packet.
15 . The node of claim 8 , wherein the first operator information includes an identifier of at least one of: a physical channel, a user, a layer, or a port, associated with the first operator, wherein the first band information includes an identifier of at least one of: an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing symbol, or a block of sub-carriers, associated with the first band.
16 . A system, comprising:
a distributed antenna system (DAS), comprising:
at least one master unit communicatively coupled to at least one base station entity, wherein the at least one master unit is configured to receive downlink signals from the at least one base station entity;
a plurality of radio units communicatively coupled to the at least one master unit, wherein each of the plurality of radio units is configured to radiate downlink radio frequency (RF) signals based on the downlink signals to user equipment serviced by the distributed antenna system; and
a system controller communicatively coupled to the at least one master unit of the DAS, wherein the system controller is configured to:
determine at least one of a plurality of operator information or a plurality of band information, each respective operator information corresponding to one of a plurality of operators utilizing the distributed antenna system, each respective band information corresponding to one of a plurality of bands;
determine, for at least one of each respective operator of the plurality of operators or each respective band of the plurality of bands, a respective signal distribution path of the DAS; and
configure one or more nodes in the DAS to route a received signal having at least one of the respective operator information or band information according to the respective signal distribution path determined for at least one of the respective operator or the respective band.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the received signal is a digital signal.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the at least one master unit is configured to:
receive a first downlink signal from the at least one base station entity;
determine, from the first downlink signal, at least one of first operator information corresponding to a first operator of the plurality of operators from the first downlink signal or first band information corresponding to a first band of the plurality of bands from the first downlink signal; and
route the first downlink signal to a first radio unit of the plurality of radio units based on the at least one of the first operator information or the first band information from the first downlink signal.
19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein to determine the first operator information corresponding to the first operator of the plurality of operators comprises to determine a PC_ID in a header of an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) or enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) data packet corresponding to the first operator; and wherein to determine the first band information corresponding to the first band of the plurality of bands comprises to determine a SEQ_ID in the header of the O-RAN or eCPRI data packet corresponding to the first band.
20 . The system of claim 18 , further comprising at least one intermediate combining node (ICN) communicatively coupled to the at least one master unit and to the first radio unit and a second radio unit of the plurality of radio units, wherein the at least one ICN is configured to:
receive a second downlink signal from the at least one master unit; and
selectively route the second downlink signal to either the first radio unit or the second radio unit based on the at least one of the first operator information or the first band information.