JP2015185938A - Base station device, architecture information acquisition method, and computer program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To contribute to performing dual connectivity by using a plurality of base station devices each supporting a different architecture.SOLUTION: The base station device for relaying a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device includes a communication section 12 that transmits support architecture information representing an architecture supported by own base station device to another base station device among a plurality of architectures that establishes other communication link with the terminal device through the other base station device while leaving part of communication link at a certain base station device when establishing the communication link.

Description

  The present invention relates to a base station apparatus, an architecture information acquisition method, and a computer program.

  A cellular network system called LTE (Long Term Evolution) standardized by a standardization organization “3GPP (3rd Generation Partnership Project)” (hereinafter referred to as LTE system) is known. FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of the LTE system. In FIG. 5, the base station apparatus (E-UTRAN NodeB) eNB_m provides a cell Cell_m. Each adjacent cell Cell_m is partially overlapped. Each base station apparatus eNB_m is connected to a communication apparatus S-GW called a serving gateway. The terminal equipment (user equipment) UE is connected to one base station apparatus eNB_m. The communication device S-GW establishes a communication link with the terminal device UE via the base station device eNB_m. A communication link established by the communication device S-GW with the terminal device UE via the base station device eNB_m is referred to as a bearer here. The communication device S-GW serves as an anchor point (a point for performing communication path switching) when the terminal device UE changes the connection destination base station device eNB_m. The change of the connection destination base station device eNB_m by the terminal device UE is referred to as “hand over” or “hand off”.

  FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating another configuration example of the LTE system. In FIG. 6, base station apparatus eNB_s is further provided with respect to the LTE system of FIG. Each base station apparatus eNB_s is connected to the communication apparatus S-GW. Each base station apparatus eNB_s provides a cell Cell_s. The cell Cell_s has narrower coverage than the cell Cell_m. The cell Cell_s is overlapped with the cell Cell_m. In the future, introduction of the LTE system in FIG. 6 is under consideration due to the use of a high frequency band and the necessity of accommodating many terminal apparatuses UE. Hereinafter, when the base station apparatus eNB_m and the base station apparatus eNB_s are not particularly distinguished, they are referred to as “base station apparatus eNB”.

  In 3GPP, when the communication device S-GW establishes a bearer with the terminal device UE via the base station device eNB, while leaving some bearers in a certain base station device eNB, An architecture for establishing a bearer with a terminal device UE via another base station device eNB has been studied (for example, see Non-Patent Document 1). 7 and 8 are conceptual diagrams showing examples of the architecture.

[Architecture 1A (see FIG. 7)]
FIG. 7 shows an architecture called “1A”. The architecture 1A is a configuration in which bearers are established between the communication device S-GW and the terminal device UE via different base station devices eNB. In FIG. 7, a bearer Br1 is established between the communication device S-GW and the terminal device UE via the base station device eNB (a). Further, a bearer Br2 is established between the communication device S-GW and the terminal device UE via the base station device eNB (b). In this architecture 1A, when viewed in units of bearers, the communication device S-GW and the base station device eNB, or between the base station device eNB and the terminal device UE can be regarded as a normal communication path. The communication device S-GW and the terminal device UE communicate with each other through different communication paths for each bearer.

[Architecture 3C (see FIG. 8)]
FIG. 8 shows an architecture called “3C”. In the architecture 3C, there is one communication path between the communication device S-GW and the base station device eNB, and one of the bearers passing through the base station device eNB is between the base station device eNB and the terminal device UE. A part of the bearers is divided into a plurality of base station apparatuses eNB, and a part of the divided bearers reaches the terminal apparatus UE via another base station apparatus eNB. In FIG. 8, a bearer Br3 passing through the base station device eNB (a) is established between the communication device S-GW and the terminal device UE. This bearer Br3 is not divided. Also, a bearer Br4 that passes through the base station device eNB (a) is established between the communication device S-GW and the terminal device UE. This bearer Br4 is divided into bearers Br4 (a) and (b) by the base station apparatus eNB (a). The bearer Br4 (a) directly reaches the terminal device UE from the base station device eNB (a). On the other hand, the bearer Br4 (b) reaches the terminal device UE from the base station device eNB (a) via the base station device eNB (b). Traffic transfer between the base station apparatuses eNB (a) and (b) is performed using a logical line called an X2 line.

  Establishing a bearer with the communication device S-GW via the plurality of base station devices eNB as in the architectures 1A and 3C described above is referred to as dual connectivity. In addition, in the state where dual connectivity is performed, a base station device eNB that leaves a bearer carrying control information is called a master base station device (MeNB (Master E-UTRAN NodeB)), and a destination to which some bearers are moved This base station apparatus eNB is called a secondary base station apparatus (SeNB (Secondary E-UTRAN NodeB)).

  The above-described X2 line is used as a communication line for direct communication between base station apparatuses (see, for example, Non-Patent Document 2). FIG. 9 is a sequence chart showing a conventional X2 line establishment procedure. FIG. 10 is a sequence chart showing a conventional information transmission procedure between base station apparatuses using an X2 line.

  In establishing the X2 line, in FIG. 9, the base station apparatus eNB (a) first transmits an X2 line setup request message to the base station apparatus eNB (b). Next, the base station apparatus eNB (b) transmits an X2 line setup response message to the base station apparatus eNB (a) in response to the X2 line setup request.

  When transmitting information between base station apparatuses using the X2 line, in FIG. 10, first, the base station apparatus eNB (a) sends an eNB configuration update message to the base station apparatus eNB (b). Send. Next, the base station apparatus eNB (b) transmits an eNB configuration update acknowledge message to the base station apparatus eNB (a) in response to the eNB configuration update.

3GPP, TR 36.842, “Study on Small Cell enhancements for E-UTRA and E-UTRAN; Higher layer aspects”, V12.0.0, 2013-12 3GPP, TS 36.423, “Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN); X2 application protocol (X2AP)”, V12.0.0, 2013-12

  According to the above-described architectures 1A and 3C, for example, while leaving some bearers, such as bearers carrying control information, in a certain base station apparatus eNB, other bearers pass through the other base station apparatus eNB to the terminal apparatus UE. Can be established between. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when a large number of base station devices eNB_s with narrow coverage are arranged, the number of handovers that occur due to movement of the terminal device UE increases, and as a result, the amount of control information that flows in the LTE system There is a concern that data traffic exchange by the terminal device UE will be compressed. As one of the countermeasures, the architectures 1A and 3C can be considered.

  However, the conventional LTE system does not consider using both architectures 1A and 3C in the same system. For example, when the supported (usable) architecture is different depending on each base station apparatus eNB, when trying to implement dual connectivity, the eNB knows which architecture is supported by each other. There is a need. However, in the conventional LTE system, a certain base station apparatus eNB cannot know the architecture supported by another base station apparatus eNB.

  Moreover, in the architecture 3C, since the bearer divided | segmented by the base station apparatus eNB can use the radio | wireless resource between the some base station apparatus eNB and the terminal device UE, the peak throughput per bearer is reduced. It can be improved. On the other hand, since a part of the traffic of the bearer that reaches a certain base station apparatus eNB reaches the terminal apparatus UE via another base station apparatus eNB, in general, the communication apparatus S-GW and the terminal apparatus UE It can be considered that the delay time between the two increases. Depending on the characteristics of each architecture, there is an issue of properly using the architecture.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and a base station apparatus and architecture information acquisition method that can contribute to performing dual connectivity using a plurality of base station apparatuses that support different architectures. An object is to provide a computer program.

(1) A base station apparatus according to the present invention is a base station apparatus that relays a communication link established between a communication apparatus and a terminal apparatus. When establishing the communication link, some of the communication links are Support architecture indicating an architecture supported by its own base station apparatus among a plurality of architectures that establish other communication links with the terminal apparatus via other base station apparatuses while remaining in a certain base station apparatus A communication unit that transmits information to another base station apparatus is provided.
(2) The base station apparatus according to the present invention is the base station apparatus according to (1), wherein the support architecture information is a procedure for establishing a line established between the own base station apparatus and the other base station apparatus. It is included in the message.

(3) A base station apparatus according to the present invention is a base station apparatus that relays a communication link established between a communication apparatus and a terminal apparatus. When establishing the communication link, some of the communication links are Support architecture indicating an architecture supported by its own base station apparatus among a plurality of architectures that establish other communication links with the terminal apparatus via other base station apparatuses while remaining in a certain base station apparatus A communication unit that transmits information or communication quality information indicating communication quality of a line used in the architecture to another base station apparatus after the establishment of the line is provided.
(4) The base station apparatus according to the present invention is characterized in that, in the base station apparatus of (3), the line is established between the own base station apparatus and the other base station apparatus.
(5) A base station apparatus according to the present invention is the base station apparatus according to any one of the above (2) and (4), wherein the base station apparatus is an LTE system, and the line is an X2 line. To do.

(6) An architecture information acquisition method according to the present invention is an architecture information acquisition method of a base station device that relays a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device, and the base station device transmits the communication link. Among a plurality of architectures for establishing another communication link with the terminal device via another base station device while leaving some communication links in the base station device. Support architecture information indicating an architecture supported by the base station apparatus is transmitted to another base station apparatus.
(7) An architecture information acquisition method according to the present invention is an architecture information acquisition method of a base station device that relays a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device, and the base station device transmits the communication link. Among a plurality of architectures for establishing another communication link with the terminal device via another base station device while leaving some communication links in the base station device. Transmitting support architecture information indicating an architecture supported by the base station apparatus or communication quality information indicating a communication quality of a line used in the architecture to another base station apparatus after the establishment of the line; Features.

(8) When a computer program according to the present invention establishes the communication link to a computer of a base station device that relays the communication link established between the communication device and the terminal device, Support architecture indicating an architecture supported by its own base station apparatus among a plurality of architectures that establish other communication links with the terminal apparatus via other base station apparatuses while remaining in a certain base station apparatus It is a computer program for executing the step of transmitting information to another base station apparatus.
(9) When the computer program according to the present invention establishes the communication link to the computer of the base station device that relays the communication link established between the communication device and the terminal device, Support architecture indicating an architecture supported by its own base station apparatus among a plurality of architectures that establish other communication links with the terminal apparatus via other base station apparatuses while remaining in a certain base station apparatus It is a computer program for causing information or communication quality information indicating communication quality of a line used in the architecture to be transmitted to another base station apparatus after the establishment of the line. To do.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to contribute to performing dual connectivity using a plurality of base station apparatuses each supporting different architectures.

It is a block diagram which shows the structure of the base station apparatus eNB which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence chart which shows the procedure of the architecture information acquisition method which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence chart which shows the procedure of the architecture information acquisition method which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence chart which shows the procedure of the architecture information acquisition method which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a configuration example of an LTE system. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the other structural example of a LTE system. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the architecture 1A. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the architecture 3C. It is a sequence chart which shows the conventional X2 line establishment procedure. It is a sequence chart which shows the conventional information transmission procedure between base station apparatuses using a X2 line.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present embodiment, an LTE system will be described as an example of a wireless communication system.

[First Embodiment]
First, a first embodiment will be described as an embodiment according to the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a base station apparatus eNB according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the base station apparatus eNB includes a radio communication unit 11, a communication unit 12, a control unit 13, and a storage unit 14. The wireless communication unit 11, the communication unit 12, the control unit 13, and the storage unit 14 are connected so that data can be transmitted and received between them. The radio communication unit 11 performs radio communication with the terminal device UE. The communication unit 12 communicates with other devices via the backbone network. The communication unit 12 communicates with, for example, the communication device S-GW and another base station device eNB. The control unit 13 controls operations related to the base station apparatus eNB. The storage unit 14 stores data.

  The storage unit 14 includes support architecture information 141 and architecture information 142. The support architecture information 141 indicates the architecture supported by the own base station apparatus eNB. In the LTE system according to the present embodiment, two architectures 1A (see FIG. 7) and 3C (see FIG. 8) are used in combination. Therefore, the support architecture information 141 indicates which architecture (1A or 3C, or both 1A and 3C) of the architectures 1A and 3C is supported by the own base station apparatus eNB.

  The architecture information 142 indicates an architecture supported by another base station apparatus eNB. Specifically, it shows which architecture (1A or 3C or both 1A and 3C) is supported by the other base station apparatus eNB among the architectures 1A and 3C.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 2, the operation | movement which concerns on the architecture information acquisition of the control part 13 in 1st Embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 2 is a sequence chart showing the procedure of the architecture information acquisition method according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The architecture information acquisition method according to the first embodiment uses an X2 line establishment procedure.

(Step S11) First, the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (a) transmits an X2 line setup request message to the base station apparatus eNB (b) by the communication unit 12. At this time, the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (a) uses the support architecture information 141 (information indicating the architecture supported by the base station apparatus eNB (a)) stored in the storage unit 14 as the X2 line setup request. It is included in the message and transmitted to the base station apparatus eNB (b).

  The control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (b) includes support architecture information (information indicating an architecture supported by the base station apparatus eNB (a) included in the X2 line setup request message received from the base station apparatus eNB (a). Is stored in the storage unit 14 as the architecture information 142 of the base station apparatus eNB (a).

(Step S12) In response to the X2 line setup request from the base station apparatus eNB (a), the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (b) sends an X2 line setup response message to the base station apparatus. Transmit to eNB (a).

[Second Embodiment]
Next, a second embodiment will be described as an embodiment according to the present invention. The configuration of the base station apparatus eNB is the same as that of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 3 is a sequence chart showing the procedure of the architecture information acquisition method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 3, the operation | movement which concerns on the architecture information acquisition of the control part 13 in 2nd Embodiment is demonstrated. In the architecture information acquisition method according to the second embodiment, the X2 line establishment procedure is used as in the first embodiment.

(Step S21) First, the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (a) transmits an X2 line setup request message to the base station apparatus eNB (b) by the communication unit 12.

(Step S22) Next, in response to the X2 line setup request from the base station apparatus eNB (a), the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (b) transmits an X2 line setup response message to the base station by the communication unit 12. It transmits to the station apparatus eNB (a). At this time, the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (b) uses the support architecture information 141 (information indicating the architecture supported by the base station apparatus eNB (b)) stored in the storage unit 14 as the X2 line setup response. It is included in the message and transmitted to the base station apparatus eNB (a).

  The control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (a) includes support architecture information (information indicating an architecture supported by the base station apparatus eNB (b) included in the X2 line setup response message received from the base station apparatus eNB (b). Is stored in the storage unit 14 as the architecture information 142 of the base station apparatus eNB (b).

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described as an embodiment according to the present invention. The configuration of the base station apparatus eNB is the same as that of FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment.

  FIG. 4 is a sequence chart showing the procedure of the architecture information acquisition method according to the third embodiment of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 4, the operation | movement which concerns on the architecture information acquisition of the control part 13 in 3rd Embodiment is demonstrated. In the architecture information acquisition method according to the third embodiment, an inter-base station information transmission procedure using an X2 line is used. Here, a case will be described as an example where X2 line information used when determining an architecture to be used between base station apparatuses is acquired.

(Step S31) First, the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (a) transmits an eNB configuration update message to the base station apparatus eNB (b) by the communication unit 12. At this time, the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (a) obtains information on the maximum quality (for example, the maximum transmission rate) of the X2 line established with the base station apparatus eNB (b) by eNB configuration. -It is included in the update message and transmitted to the base station apparatus eNB (b). The maximum quality of the X2 line is acquired by measurement or the like after the X2 line is established by the communication unit 12.

  The control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (b) stores, in the storage unit 14, information on the maximum quality of the X2 line included in the eNB configuration update message received from the base station apparatus eNB (a).

(Step S32) In response to the eNB configuration update from the base station apparatus eNB (a), the control unit 13 of the base station apparatus eNB (b) sends an eNB configuration update acknowledge message to the base station apparatus eNB (a ).

  The maximum quality of the X2 line is used when determining the architecture to be used between the base station apparatuses eNB (a) and (b).

  The base station apparatus eNB (a) includes its own support architecture information 141 (information indicating the architecture supported by the base station apparatus eNB (a)) in the eNB configuration update message, and the base station apparatus eNB ( You may send to b).

  According to the above-described embodiment, the architecture used by the base station apparatus eNB with another base station apparatus eNB can be recognized. Thereby, the effect that it can contribute to performing dual connectivity using the some base station apparatus eNB which supports each different architecture is acquired.

  Further, according to the third embodiment described above, it is possible to selectively use the architecture according to the characteristics of each architecture.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail with reference to drawings, the specific structure is not restricted to this embodiment, The design change etc. of the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention are included.

  For example, the information indicating the communication quality of the X2 line includes a transmission rate and a delay time. Further, as information representing the communication quality of the X2 line, for example, information representing the communication capability of the X2 line can be cited.

  In the third embodiment described above, the maximum communication quality of the X2 line is used. However, other communication quality such as the average communication quality of the X2 line may be used.

  In addition, as a place where the base station apparatus eNB stores the support architecture information of another base station apparatus eNB adjacent to the base station apparatus eNB, for example, an adjacent relation table may be used. The adjacency table holds information related to the base station apparatus eNB adjacent to the base station apparatus eNB in the LTE system. Moreover, you may store the information showing the communication quality of X2 line | wire established between the base station apparatus eNB and the other base station apparatus eNB adjacent to self in an adjacency table.

  Moreover, although LTE system was mentioned as an example of a radio | wireless communications system in embodiment mentioned above, it is applicable similarly to other radio | wireless communications systems other than an LTE system. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the architecture 3C uses the X2 line, but another line may be used as another architecture.

Also, a computer program for realizing each step shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, or FIG. 4 is recorded on a computer-readable recording medium, and the program recorded on this recording medium is read into a computer system and executed. You may do it. Here, the “computer system” may include an OS and hardware such as peripheral devices.
“Computer-readable recording medium” refers to a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk, a ROM, a writable nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, a portable medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), and a built-in computer system. A storage device such as a hard disk.

Further, the “computer-readable recording medium” means a volatile memory (for example, DRAM (Dynamic DRAM) in a computer system that becomes a server or a client when a program is transmitted through a network such as the Internet or a communication line such as a telephone line. Random Access Memory)), etc., which hold programs for a certain period of time.
The program may be transmitted from a computer system storing the program in a storage device or the like to another computer system via a transmission medium or by a transmission wave in the transmission medium. Here, the “transmission medium” for transmitting the program refers to a medium having a function of transmitting information, such as a network (communication network) such as the Internet or a communication line (communication line) such as a telephone line.
The program may be for realizing a part of the functions described above. Furthermore, what can implement | achieve the function mentioned above in combination with the program already recorded on the computer system, and what is called a difference file (difference program) may be sufficient.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Wireless communication part, 12 ... Communication part, 13 ... Control part, 14 ... Memory | storage part, 141 ... Support architecture information, 142 ... Architecture information, eNB ... Base station apparatus, S-GW ... Communication apparatus, UE ... Terminal device

Claims (9)

A base station device that relays a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device;
When establishing the communication link, a plurality of architectures for establishing another communication link with the terminal device via another base station device while leaving some of the communication links in a certain base station device Among them, a communication unit that transmits support architecture information indicating an architecture supported by the base station device to another base station device,
A base station apparatus comprising:   The base station apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support architecture information is included in a message of a procedure for establishing a line established between the own base station apparatus and the other base station apparatus. A base station device that relays a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device;
When establishing the communication link, a plurality of architectures for establishing another communication link with the terminal device via another base station device while leaving some of the communication links in a certain base station device Among them, the support architecture information indicating the architecture supported by the base station apparatus or the communication quality information indicating the communication quality of the line used in the architecture is transmitted to the other base station apparatus after the establishment of the line. Communication department,
A base station apparatus comprising:   The base station apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the line is established between the base station apparatus and the other base station apparatus. The base station apparatus of the LTE system;
The base station apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the line is an X2 line. An architecture information acquisition method for a base station device that relays a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device,
When the base station apparatus establishes the communication link, while leaving a part of the communication link in a certain base station apparatus, another communication link is communicated with the terminal apparatus via another base station apparatus. Transmitting the support architecture information indicating the architecture supported by the own base station apparatus among the plurality of architectures established in step 1 to another base station apparatus,
An architecture information acquisition method characterized by the above. An architecture information acquisition method for a base station device that relays a communication link established between a communication device and a terminal device,
When the base station apparatus establishes the communication link, while leaving a part of the communication link in a certain base station apparatus, another communication link is communicated with the terminal apparatus via another base station apparatus. Support architecture information indicating the architecture supported by the base station apparatus, or communication quality information indicating the communication quality of the line used in the architecture, after the establishment of the line. Send to base station equipment,
An architecture information acquisition method characterized by the above. To the computer of the base station device that relays the communication link established between the communication device and the terminal device,
When establishing the communication link, a plurality of architectures for establishing another communication link with the terminal device via another base station device while leaving some of the communication links in a certain base station device A step of transmitting support architecture information indicating an architecture supported by the base station apparatus to another base station apparatus,
A computer program for running. To the computer of the base station device that relays the communication link established between the communication device and the terminal device,
When establishing the communication link, a plurality of architectures for establishing another communication link with the terminal device via another base station device while leaving some of the communication links in a certain base station device Among them, the support architecture information indicating the architecture supported by the base station apparatus or the communication quality information indicating the communication quality of the line used in the architecture is transmitted to the other base station apparatus after the establishment of the line. Step,
A computer program for running.

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