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: In one embodiment, a distributed unit (DU) is configured to do the following in connection with wirelessly transmitting user data to a UE using less than all of a plurality of radio units (RUs): include, in one or more user-plane messages for that UE that are communicated to the RUs, common header fields that contain a RU mask field for storing a bit mask comprising a plurality of bit positions. Each bit position is associated with a respective one of the RUs. Each RU is configured to: use the respective RU mask field included in any user-plane messages received by that RU in order to determine if the received user-plane message is intended for that RU and use the received message if the received message is intended for that RU and discard the received message if the received message is not intended for that RU.

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: A C-RAN includes a plurality of remote units; a central unit communicatively coupled to the remote units via a fronthaul network; and an entity coupled to the fronthaul network configured to perform deep packet inspection. The central unit is configured to determine sets of data to be sent to respective subsets of remote units across the fronthaul network and 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 add a respective indicator, based on the mapping, to packets for each set of data, wherein each respective indicator indicates each remote unit that the respective packet and set of data is intended for. The central unit is also configured to transmit the packets for the sets of data, each with the respective indicator, to the entity over the fronthaul network.

Abstract: A C-RAN includes a plurality of remote units; a central unit communicatively coupled to the remote units via a fronthaul network; and an entity coupled to the fronthaul network configured to perform deep packet inspection. The central unit is configured to determine sets of data to be sent to respective subsets of remote units across the fronthaul network and 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 add a respective indicator, based on the mapping, to packets for each set of data, wherein each respective indicator indicates each remote unit that the respective packet and set of data is intended for. The central unit is also configured to transmit the packets for the sets of data, each with the respective indicator, to the entity over the fronthaul network.

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: 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: 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.