Abstract: This disclosure is directed to techniques for implementing uplink spatial reuse in a C-RAN.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a system comprising a distributed unit (DU) and a plurality of remote units (RUs) to wirelessly transmit and receive radio frequency signals to and from the user equipment using a wireless interface. The DU and RUs are communicatively coupled to each other over a fronthaul and are configured to communicate over the fronthaul using an O-RAN fronthaul interface. Management-plane functionality in the system is configured to define a respective transport flow for one or more processing elements using an RU interface that specifies one or more multicast addresses in order to support multicast transmission from the DU to multiple RUs. In another embodiment, each RU is configured to advertise, during a capability discovery process, capabilities related to implementing a switched network shared cell configuration.

Abstract: A system includes remote unit(s) (RU(s)). The RU(s) is/are configured to transmit at least one signal on a plurality of different beam patterns, each beam pattern comprising an active subset an inactive subset of a plurality of fine beams covering an area of a cell. The RU(s) is/are also configured to receive, from each of a plurality of user equipment (UEs) in the area, a respective signal strength measurement for each of the plurality of different beam patterns. The system also includes a centralized unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of RUs via a fronthaul interface. The centralized unit is configured to determine a bit vector for each UE based on a combination of the signal strength measurements from the respective UE. The centralized unit is configured also to select a respective fine beam for each UE based on the respective bit vector for the UE.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to controlling a gain for a receive signal path for receiving wireless signals. The following are repeatedly performed: determining an estimate of the total noise and interference in a received signal and determining a gain value for the receive signal path based on the estimate of the total noise and interference in order to maintain the digital data at a digital set point for a signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) decoded with a highest modulation and coding scheme specified for the wireless channel. Another embodiment is directed to determining a received signal strength of the signals received at the receive signal path and determining a gain value for the receive signal path based on the received signal strength that maintains the digital data at a digital set point for a SINR sufficient to decode the MCS specified for the wireless channel.

Abstract: An example communication system includes remote units to exchange radio frequency (RF) signals with mobile devices, RF signals comprising information destined for, or originating from, a mobile device, the remote units performing at least some physical layer processing for an air interface used by the remote units to communicate with the mobile device. The communication system also includes two or more controllers comprising real-time schedulers for assigning airlink resources to the mobile device for the information. The communication system also includes a coordination function coupled to the two or more controllers to coordinate assignments made by the real-time schedulers in the two or more controllers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system comprises a distributed unit (DU) and a plurality of remote units (RUs). All of the RUs are used to serve the same cell. The system can be configured to wirelessly transmit at least some user data to a first user device using a first subset of the RUs and a first beam, where the first subset of the RUs includes less than all of the RUs otherwise used to serve the same cell. In such an embodiment, the system can be configured to determine which RUs are included in the first subset of RUs used to transmit said at least some user data to the first user device based on measurement reports made by the first user device of reference signal transmissions transmitted using multiple beams, where at least some of the reference signal transmissions are transmitted from less than all of the RUs.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a system comprising a distributed unit (DU) and a plurality of remote units (RUs) to wirelessly transmit and receive radio frequency signals to and from the user equipment using a wireless interface. The DU and RUs are communicatively coupled to each other over a fronthaul and are configured to communicate over the fronthaul using an O-RAN fronthaul interface. The DU and RUs are configured to communicate O-RAN control-plane and user-plane messages that include a new O-RAN section extension for use in communicating different section data to different RUs. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: An example communication system in a cellular network comprises: a processing system comprising a controller and remote units, with the remote units being configured to communicate with the controller and to communicate with mobile devices within a communication cell of the cellular network. At least part of the processing system is configured to perform operations comprising: estimating signal strength experienced by all or some of the mobile devices; identifying, based at least on the signal strength, one or more of the mobile devices that can be scheduled for communication with one or more of the remote units in the communication cell on a same airlink resource; and scheduling the communication.

Abstract: A system for channel access in Long Term Evolution (LTE) License-Assisted Access (LAA) is disclosed. The system includes a controller and a plurality of radio points. A level one radio point transmits a first reservation signal in response to a first backoff counter reaching zero. The first reservation signal indicates that the level one radio point will begin a first transmission of a first duration starting in a next subframe. A candidate level two radio point receives the first reservation signal and determines whether the candidate level two radio point received the first reservation signal with a signal to interference noise ratio (SINR) that exceeds a reservation detection threshold for the candidate level two radio point.

Abstract: Techniques for determining if a given remote unit of a centralized radio access network (C-RAN) has physically moved are disclosed. This can be done, for example, by determining signal reception metrics for other remote units in the C-RAN based on at least one transmission associated with the given remote unit and determining if the given remote unit has physically moved as a function of the signal reception metrics for the other remote units.

Abstract: A C-RAN includes a plurality of remote units; and a central unit communicatively coupled to the remote units via a fronthaul network. The central unit is configured to determine sets of data to be sent to respective subsets of remote units across the fronthaul network. The central unit is also configured to determine a mapping of each of the sets of data to a respective one of the subsets of remote units. The central unit is also configured to, for each of the sets of data, if at least one of the multicast groups wholly contains the respective subset of remote units mapped to that set of data, transmit that set of data to the respective subset of remote units over the fronthaul network by multicasting that set of data to the multicast group that best matches the respective subset of remote units mapped to that set of data.

Abstract: A C-RAN includes a plurality of remote units (RUs), each being configured to exchange RF signals with at least one UE. The C-RAN also includes a central unit communicatively coupled to the plurality of RUs via a fronthaul interface. The central unit is configured to determine sets of data to be sent to a plurality of remote units across the fronthaul interface. The central unit is also configured to determine a mapping of each of the sets of data to at least one of the plurality of remote units. The central unit is also configured to add a respective indicator, based on the mapping, to each set of data, wherein each respective indicator indicates each remote unit that the respective set of data is intended for. The central unit is also configured to broadcast the sets of data, each with the respective indicator, to the plurality of remote units.

Abstract: A communication system that provides wireless service to at least one wireless device is provided. The communication system includes a baseband controller communicatively coupled to a plurality of radio points and at least one image capture device at a site. The baseband controller is configured to determine a signature vector for a wireless device associated with a first user. The communication system also includes a machine learning computing system configured to determine an image-based location of the first user based on image data from the at least one image capture device. The communication system is also configured to determine mapping data that associates the signature vector with the image-based location of the first user.

Abstract: Embodiments of a C-RAN are disclosed that support using Licensed-Assisted Access (LAA) deliver Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless service using unlicensed radio frequency (RF) spectrum.

Abstract: Some embodiments are directed to systems and methods for performing automatic transmit power control for a subset of radio points of a centralized radio access network (C-RAN) deployed in a venue (such as a stadium or arena) that are mounted in or near the venue so as to primarily provide wireless coverage to user equipment located in the event area of the venue.

Abstract: A Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) communication system is provided. The CBRS communication system includes at least one baseband controller communicatively coupled to a spectrum access system (SAS) that allocates radio frequency (RF) channels in the CBRS communication system. The at least one baseband controller is communicatively coupled to at least one radio point (RP) using a switched ETHERNET network. Each of the at least one RP implements at least one Citizens Broadband Radio Service device (CBSD) that is communicatively coupled to the SAS and configured to provide wireless service to user equipment (UEs) using one or more of the RF channels allocated by the SAS.

Abstract: A communication system that provides wireless service to at least one wireless device is provided. The communication system includes a baseband controller communicatively coupled to a plurality of radio points and at least one image capture device at a site. The baseband controller is configured to determine a signature vector for a wireless device associated with a first user. The communication system also includes a machine learning computing system configured to determine an image-based location of the first user based on image data from the at least one image capture device. The communication system is also configured to determine mapping data that associates the signature vector with the image-based location of the first user.

Abstract: A system for reporting UE measurements is disclosed. The system includes a spectrum access system (SAS) configured to allocate a frequency band in the system, a coexistence manager (CxM) communicatively coupled to the SAS and allocate a set of radio frequency (RF) channels within the frequency band. The system also includes one or more CBSDs communicatively coupled to the SAS and CxM and configured to provide wireless service to user equipment (UEs) using one or more of the RF channels allocated by the CxM. The CxM is configured to manage co-existence of the CBSDs and advise the SAS on how to allocate the RF channels based, at least in part, on aggregated measurement reports provided to the CxM from the CBSDs.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to controlling a gain for a receive signal path for receiving wireless signals. The following are repeatedly performed: determining an estimate of the total noise and interference in a received signal and determining a gain value for the receive signal path based on the estimate of the total noise and interference in order to maintain the digital data at a digital set point for a signal-to-interference-plus-noise-ratio (SINR) decoded with a highest modulation and coding scheme specified for the wireless channel. Another embodiment is directed to determining a received signal strength of the signals received at the receive signal path and determining a gain value for the receive signal path based on the received signal strength that maintains the digital data at a digital set point for a SINR sufficient to decode the MCS specified for the wireless channel.

Abstract: One embodiment is directed to a system to provide wireless service to user equipment using licensed radio frequency spectrum and unlicensed RF spectrum. The system comprises a controller and a plurality of radio points to transmit and receive radio frequency signals to and from the user equipment using the licensed RF spectrum. The system further comprises a wireless termination to transmit and receive radio frequency signals to and from the user equipment using unlicensed RF spectrum. The controller is configured to use a mobility group for providing the wireless service to the user equipment using the unlicensed RF spectrum and a plurality of WLAN access points. The controller is configured to establish an interface with the wireless termination for the mobility group to communicate control plane data to the wireless termination associated with providing the wireless service to the user equipment using the unlicensed RF spectrum. Other embodiments are disclosed.