Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a roll-bond evaporator having a heatpipe channel network spanning a primary panel area and at least one secondary multiple panel area, and at least one plurality of fins joined to at least one secondary panel area. The primary panel area is configured to receive electronic circuitry, heat transfer fluid is evaporated in heatpipe channels of the primary panel area, the heat transfer fluid is condensed in heatpipe channels in the secondary panel area(s), and heat is dissipated by the fins into an ambient environment. Secondary panel areas may be bent to bound a cavity and/or assume a generally cylindrical shape. The heat exchanger may be incorporated into a small cell radio node for 5G telecommunications.

Abstract: Optimization of resource allocation and management of shared radio infrastructure for a multi-operator radio access network (RAN) system. The RAN system includes multiple RANs that each provide a base station to provide a cell for a respective operator and shared radio nodes that service signals for one or more cells of its coupled RAN(s). The RAN system is configured for RUs to be shared between the multiple RANs. To provide for the flexibility of the RAN system to support multiple RANs but with shared remote units (RUs), the radio infrastructure includes shared radio resources. To avoid shared radio resource conflicts that may occur by the multiple RANs accessing a shared radio resource beyond its finite capability, the radio infrastructure is configured to selectively allocate the shared radio resources to the multiple RANs based on a radio resource configuration.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling enhanced Common Public Radio Interface (eCPRI) functionality in a CPRI-based distributed antenna system (DAS) in a wireless communication system (WCS) are disclosed. In particular, energy-saving and positioning functions that are provided in eCPRI are now enabled in a CPRI-based system. In an exemplary aspect, energy-saving functions are enabled by providing a flag in a channel sent from a headend unit (HEU) to a remote unit, where the flag indicates that an antenna carrier (AxC) is on or off. The remote unit may stop processing the AxC (i.e., not sending or receiving signals) based on the flag. The remote unit may determine when all AxC are off, and, responsive to that determination, turn off power amplifiers and/or other circuits to save power. Another flag may indicate that the remote unit may enter a low-power mode, allowing the remote unit to transmit using less power.

Abstract: Coupling multiple higher-layer radio access network (RAN) entities to a shared remote unit(s) (RU(s)) in an Open RAN (O-RAN) system and related methods and computer-readable media. To provide for a distribution unit (DU) of a RAN and its shared RUs to communicate signals to each other transparently as if the shared RU was dedicated to such DU, the RAN system includes a neutral host agent device. The neutral host agent device is communicatively coupled between one or more DUs of one or more RANs and their shared RU(s). The neutral host agent device is configured to support coordination and management of communications between RAN(s) and a shared RU(s). In this manner, the shared RU(s) do not have to be implemented in a customized fashion to handle and coordinate communications between the RAN(s) and user devices according to the RAN standard that does not support shared RU(s).

Abstract: In one embodiment, a metasurface reflector array includes a primary metasurface reflector operable to be positioned on a first surface to reflect a primary node beam from a radio node positioned on a second surface transverse to the first surface, where a center of the primary metasurface reflector has a first vertical offset on the first surface, a pair of secondary metasurface reflectors operable to be positioned on adjacent sides of the primary metasurface reflector, each secondary metasurface reflector of the pair of secondary metasurface reflectors operable to reflect a secondary node beam from the radio node, where a center of each secondary metasurface reflector has a second vertical offset on the first surface that is greater than the first vertical offset, and a pair of tertiary metasurface reflectors operable to be positioned on adjacent sides of the pair of secondary metasurface reflectors.

Abstract: Selective distribution and/or reception of wireless communications signals in a non-contiguous wireless distributed communications systems (WDCS) for reducing downlink transmission power and/or uplink noise is disclosed. A non-contiguous WDCS is a WDCS in which the remote units are clustered such that remote units with contiguous coverage areas receive downlink communications signals serviced by different cells to provide non-contiguous cell coverage areas. In one example, the WDCS is configured to selectively distribute, through each remote unit, only downlink communication signals for the cell that are identified as servicing the user equipment (UE) to conserve downlink power. In another example, the WDCS is configured to selectively receive uplink communications signals from remote units that contain user data from UE. Noise and/or interference signals associated with portions of the uplink communications signals that are not selectively received (e.g.

Abstract: Flow control assistance for bursty traffic in a wireless communication system contemplates a radio link control (RLC) sublayer that may control credits issued to a packet data convergence protocol (PDCP) sublayer to control how many packets the PDCP sublayer may send to the RLC sublayer. As the PDCP sublayer sends packets to the RLC sublayer, the PDCP sublayer tracks (and decrements) an internal count of available (unredeemed) credits. Concurrently, the RLC sublayer tracks (and decrements) issued credits as packets are received (effectively redeemed) at the RLC sublayer from the PDCP sublayer. When the tally of unredeemed credits falls below a threshold, the RLC sublayer issues new credits, which the PDCP sublayer adds to its internal tally. Further, the RLC sublayer may have an inactivity timer which causes some credits (up to a calculated maximum) to be sent to the PDCP sublayer even if the threshold has not been passed.

Abstract: Determining geo-location of user devices in a multi-radio distributed wireless communication system (WCS) using measured uplink power in radio units (RUs) on a per user device basis is disclosed. Active user devices in the WCS are scheduled to transmit an uplink reference signal (e.g., a sounding reference signal (SRS)) at different times so that uplink power in the uplink reference signal received by multiple RUs can be analyzed on a per user device basis. The measured uplink power of a received uplink reference signal in each RU can be measured in the time domain before any combining of uplink communication signals and then reported to create a user device report. The user device report includes the measured uplink power in multiple RUs that each received the uplink reference signal transmitted by the scheduled remote unit that can be analyzed to determine the geo-location of the user device within the WCS.

Abstract: Machine learning (ML) assisted energy saving optimization in a wireless communications system (WCS) is provided. The WCS includes multiple radio nodes (RNs) each configured to provide radio frequency (RF) coverage in a coverage area. In a conventional approach, each RN emits high RF power to maintain sufficient signal strength at a respective edge of the coverage area, regardless of whether users (stationary and mobile) are present and how users are distributed in the coverage area. To help reduce potential energy waste, the WCS is configured to utilize a sensor network and invoke an ML service to help detect user presence, determine user distribution, and optimize transmit power in the coverage area. As a result, it is possible to configure each RN to radiate an appropriate amount of RF energy based on actual user distribution in the coverage area, thus helping to reduce unnecessary energy waste in the WCS.

Abstract: Signal compression and noise shaping in a wireless communications system (WCS) is provided. Herein, a block compression circuit is integrated with a noise shaping circuit to concurrently perform downlink/uplink signal compression and noise shaping in the WCS. The block compression circuit performs block scaling compression on the downlink/uplink signal, which can cause a compression noise being distributed across an entire sampling bandwidth of the downlink/uplink signal. As such, the noise shaping circuit is configured to redistribute the compression noise from the entire sampling bandwidth to a selected portion of the sampling bandwidth. Accordingly, the redistributed compression noise can be effectively suppressed and/or filtered out when the downlink/uplink signal is received and decompressed.

Abstract: Dynamic network resource management in a wireless communications system (WCS) is disclosed. The WCS includes multiple radio access network (RAN) remote units each configured to communicate a radio frequency (RF) signal(s) in a respective one of multiple coverage cells. The multiple coverage cells can be associated with a number of cell groups, with each of the cell groups including one or more of the multiple coverage cells. Given that all of the cell groups are operating based on a set of network functions configured for the WCS, the WCS further employs a network device to dynamically determine a set of sharable network functions and share the set of sharable network functions among the cell groups. By dynamically sharing the sharable network functions across the cell groups, it is possible to maximize throughput in each of the cell groups based on the set of sharable network functions.

Abstract: Autonomous power saving in a remote unit in a wireless communications system (WCS) is provided. The remote unit can be part of a distributed communications system (DCS) in the WCS, wherein the remote unit communicates downlink and uplink communications signals over a set of radio resources based on a non-cooperative connectivity to a signal source. Herein, the remote unit is configured to opportunistically engage in a power saving mode operation without requiring control signaling and/or a real time trigger from the signal source. More specifically, the remote unit is configured to determine an inactivity period(s) in the set of radio resources that is suited for the power saving mode operation and autonomously enter the power saving mode operation during the determined inactivity period(s). By autonomously engaging in the power saving mode operation, it is possible to reduce power consumption in the remote unit and overall operating expense of the WCS.

Abstract: Beamforming codebook optimization in a wireless communication system (WCS) is provided. In a WCS, a wireless node (e.g., base station) simultaneously emits multiple reference beams in a coverage area based on a set of codewords that is optimized for a specific number (a full or a partial set) of antenna elements in an antenna array. The wireless node is configured to determine a different set(s) of codewords that are fine-tuned for forming the reference beams from a different number of the antenna elements in the antenna array and steer the reference beams toward identical directions. During deployment of the wireless node, there may be dead zones or low coverage zones. Aspects of the present disclosure facilitate the discovery of these low-coverage zones using feedback from multiple deployed Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Based on the feedback, the codebook of codewords may be optimized to reduce or eliminate such low coverage zones.