KR102519357B1 - Method and apparatus for providing 5G mmWave broadband beamforming Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) service of Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) fronthaul - Google Patents

Abstract

A 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service apparatus of an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an O-RAN Distributed Unit (O-DU), the open distribution unit and the open It includes an open radio unit (O-RAN Radio Unit: O-RU) connected through a fronthaul (O-RAN Fronthaul).

Description

5G mmWave broadband beamforming MIMO service method and apparatus for O-RAN fronthaul

The present invention relates to a beamforming multiple input multiple output (MIMO) service technology, and more particularly, to a 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service method and apparatus for an open-radio access network (O-RAN) fronthaul It is about.

Existing 5G RU services using 100 MHz bandwidth, so the speed is limited in 5G, which requires high-capacity data, and radio waves are wasted because the radiated radio waves are serviced in a specific direction considered when installing the 5G RU.

Depending on circumstances, 5G RU transmits a 4x4 MIMO (100 MHz × 4) signal, but throughput is limited due to the limitation of 100 MHz bandwidth. That is, throughput reduction may occur at a location where radio wave concentration is required.

Korean Patent Publication No. 2019-0047687 published on May 08, 2019 (Name: Encrypted user data transmission and storage)

An object of the present invention is to provide an open-radio access network (O-RAN) fronthaul 5G mmWave broadband beamforming MIMO service method and apparatus therefor.

5G mmWave broadband beamforming MIMO service apparatus of O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object is an open distributed unit (O-RAN Distributed Unit: O-RAN Distributed Unit). DU), and an O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU) connected to the open dispersion device through an O-RAN Fronthaul.

The open wireless device is characterized by providing an 800 MHz band 2×2 MIMO service through a mmWave broadband dual polarization antenna.

The open radio device transmits and receives DL0 and UL0 signals and DL1 and UL1 signals, respectively, through a MIMO antenna configured through a mmWave wideband dual polarization antenna, but the DL0 and UL0 signals are +45 ° and the DL1 and UL1 signals are -45 ° signals Characterized in that it transmits and receives at an angle.

The open wireless device is characterized in that the coverage is divided into a plurality of concentration areas, and beamforming is performed to focus radio waves on one of the selected concentration areas through a MIMO antenna composed of mmWave wideband dual-polarized wave antennas.

The open wireless device is characterized in that the beamforming is performed by adjusting the height of the MIMO antenna within a range of ±60° and the azimuth of the MIMO antenna within a range of ±60°.

5G mmWave broadband beamforming MIMO service method of O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object is a target user for an open radio device to receive downlink data Selecting a concentration area where the device is located; adjusting the elevation and azimuth angle of the MIMO antenna so that the open radio device is beam-formed in the selected concentration area; Receiving downlink data, and transmitting, by the open radio device, the received downlink data to a user device as a DL0 signal having a signal angle of +45 ° and a DL1 signal having a signal angle of -45 ° include

5G mmWave broadband beamforming MIMO service method of O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention for achieving the above object is a target user to which an open radio device transmits uplink data Selecting a concentration area where the device is located; adjusting the elevation and azimuth of a MIMO antenna so that the open type wireless device beamforms in the selected concentration area; Receiving a DL0 signal having a signal angle of 45° and a DL1 signal having a signal angle of -45°, and transmitting uplink data from the open radio device to an open dispersion device through an open fronthaul .

While the conventional 5G RU is a 4×4 MIMO service with 100 MHz BW, the open wireless device (100, O-RU) of the present invention provides a 2×2 MIMO service with a bandwidth of 800 MHz (BW), which is a wideband, so that throughput can be improved. can In particular, the open wireless device of the present invention can increase service coverage and improve throughput through radio wave concentration by selectively performing beamforming in a specific location, that is, a concentration area, rather than a conventional specific direction-oriented service. there is.

1 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a communication system to which an open radio access network (O-RAN) according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.
2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an open radio access network (O-RAN) according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a diagram for explaining a 5G DU and RU MIMO service method according to the prior art.
4 is a diagram for explaining a 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service method of O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an open wireless device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a diagram for explaining a MIMO service method of an open wireless device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
7 is a flowchart for explaining a method of transmitting downlink data through a 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service of O-RAN fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a flowchart for explaining a method of transmitting uplink data through 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service of O-RAN fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Prior to the detailed description of the present invention, the terms or words used in this specification and claims described below should not be construed as being limited to a common or dictionary meaning, and the inventors should use their own invention in the best way. It should be interpreted as a meaning and concept corresponding to the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle that it can be properly defined as a concept of a term for explanation. Therefore, the embodiments described in this specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are only the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and do not represent all of the technical ideas of the present invention, so various equivalents that can replace them at the time of the present application. It should be understood that there may be water and variations.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. At this time, it should be noted that the same components in the accompanying drawings are indicated by the same reference numerals as much as possible. In addition, detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted. For the same reason, some components in the accompanying drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated, and the size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size.

First, the overall configuration of a communication system to which an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied will be described. 1 is a diagram for explaining the overall configuration of a communication system to which an open radio access network (O-RAN) according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. 2 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an open radio access network (O-RAN) according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the communication system according to the present invention basically includes an open-radio access network (ON), a backhaul network (BN), and a core network (CN). .

In particular, referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an open radio access network (ON) includes a plurality of open radio units (100, O-RAN Radio Unit: O-RU), and an open distribution unit (200, O-RAN Distributed Unit: Fronthaul including a plurality of open fronthauls (300, O-RAN Fronthaul) connecting each of the O-DU) and the plurality of open radio units (100, O-RU) and the open dispersion unit (200, O-DU) Network (FN: Fronthaul Network) is included.

As shown in FIG. 2, the open wireless device 100 and the open dispersion device 200 are formed separately from each other, and the open wireless device 100 and the open dispersion device 200 are formed through an open front hall 300. Connected.

The open radio device 100 is basically a logical node hosting a Low-PHY layer and RF processing based on lower layer functions. In addition, the open distributed device 200 is basically a logical node hosting an RLC / MAC / High-PHY layer based on lower layer functions. The open fronthaul 300 is basically a transmission path for transferring data between the open wireless device 100 and the open distributed device 200.

The open wireless device 100 is a device that is installed in a cell site and performs wireless communication with the user device 20 located in the cell site, and basically transmits and receives a radio signal with the user device 20 and filters the transmitted and received radio signal. It performs RF signal processing functions such as , amplification, analog/digital conversion, and digital/analog conversion. Each of the plurality of open wireless devices 100 installed in the cell site communicates with the open distribution device 200 through the corresponding open front hall 300 among the plurality of open front halls 300 constituting the fronthaul network (FN). Connected.

In the present invention, the open wireless device 100 may optionally further include at least some of the functions corresponding to the physical layer in addition to the above-described RF signal processing function. In this case, the open wireless device 100 performs processing according to some of the functions corresponding to the physical layer after processing the RF signal, and transmits the corresponding data to the open distributed device 200 through the open front hall 300. ) can be transmitted.

The open distribution device 200 is connected to a plurality of open wireless devices 100 through a fronthaul network (FN) including a plurality of open fronthaul networks (300), and is a core of a mobile communication system through a backhaul network (BN). It is connected to the network CN and processes data traffic between the user device 20 connected to the open wireless device 100 and the core network CN. Here, the core network (CN) is a configuration for performing signaling control and data traffic routing in a mobile communication system, and may exemplify an evolved packet core (EPC).

The fronthaul network (FN) including a plurality of open fronthaul 300 includes not only user data to be transmitted and received between user devices 20 by the open wireless device 100, but also data for transmission control and management, and synchronization information. etc. can be transmitted. In particular, through interworking between the open wireless device 100 and the open distribution device 200, the base station function performed in the existing base station device (eg, eNB) is performed.

A fronthaul network (FN) including a plurality of open fronthaul 300 is a transmission network for transferring data between the plurality of open wireless devices 100 and the open distributed device 200. Such an open fronthaul 300 may use eCPRI (enhanced Common Public Radio Interface) or RoE (Radio over Ethernet) as a communication interface. Here, the connection between the open distribution device 200 and the fronthaul network FN including the plurality of open fronthauls 300 may be performed in a centralized or distributed manner.

Next, a method for providing a wideband beamforming MIMO service according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 3 is a diagram for explaining a 5G DU and RU MIMO service method according to the prior art. 4 is a diagram for explaining a 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service method of an Open-Radio Access Network (O-RAN) fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 3, in the conventional case, 5G RU services using a 100 MMHz bandwidth, and the speed is limited in 5G requiring high-capacity data. As a result, radio waves are wasted. However, 5G RU may transmit a 4 × 4 MIMO (100 MHz × 4) signal depending on circumstances, but the throughput is limited due to the limitation of the 100 MHz bandwidth. In addition, the throughput at locations where radio wave concentration is required is relatively further reduced.

On the other hand, referring to FIG. 4, the open type wireless device 100 is connected to the open type distribution device 200 and the open type front hall 300. The open wireless device 100 may provide MIMO service through a mmWave broadband dual polarization antenna. At this time, the open radio device 100 may receive a beamforming control command from the open dispersion device 200 through the open front hall 300 and perform beamforming through the mmWave wideband dual polarized wave antenna according to the received control command. there is.

In particular, according to an embodiment of the present invention, an open wireless device 100 providing a 5G mmWave broadband 2×2 MIMO service that is not in the form of a conventional 5G RU is provided. Accordingly, throughput can be improved.

That is, while the conventional 5G RU is a 4×4 MIMO service with 100 MHz BW, the open wireless device (100, O-RU) of the present invention provides a 2×2 MIMO service with 800 MHz bandwidth (BW), thereby improving throughput. can

In particular, the open wireless device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention selectively uses a beamforming function at a specific location rather than a conventional specific direction-oriented service to increase service coverage and improve throughput through radio wave concentration. can

Then, the open wireless device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail. 5 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an open wireless device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 6 is a diagram for explaining a MIMO service method of an open wireless device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , an open wireless device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an RF signal processing unit 110 , a physical signal processing unit 120 and an antenna unit 130 .

Basically, the open type wireless device 100 receives a downlink (DL) signal received from the open type distribution device 200 and transmits it to the user equipment 20 . In addition, the open wireless device 100 serves to receive an uplink (UL) signal received from the user device 20 and transmit it to the open distributed device 200.

The physical signal processing unit 110 performs processing according to some preset physical layer (PHY_low) functions among physical layer functions. After receiving downlink data from the open distribution device 200 through the open fronthaul 300, the physical signal processing unit 110 processes the received downlink data according to some pre-set physical layer (PHY_low) functions. It can be performed and transmitted to the RF signal processing unit 120. In addition, the physical signal processing unit 110 receives uplink data from the RF signal processing unit 120 and processes the received uplink data according to some pre-set physical layer (PHY_low) functions to form an open fronthaul 300. ) to the open dispersing device 200.

The RF signal processing unit 120 performs RF signal processing such as transmission and reception of radio signals and filtering, amplification, analog/digital conversion, and digital/analog conversion of transmitted and received radio signals. The RF signal processing unit 120 receives downlink data from the physical signal processing unit 110, performs RF signal processing on the received downlink data, and then transmits the downlink data to the user device 20 through the antenna unit 130. Link data can be transmitted. In addition, the RF signal processing unit 120 receives uplink data from the user device 20 through the antenna unit 130, performs RF signal processing on the received uplink data, and converts the uplink data into physical signals. It can be delivered to the processing unit 110.

The antenna unit 130 configures a MIMO antenna through a mmWave broadband double-polarized wave antenna. Basically, the antenna unit 130 may transmit and receive a 2×2 MIMO signal through a mmWave wideband dual-polarized wave antenna. According to an additional embodiment, the antenna unit 130 may transmit and receive a 4×4 MIMO signal through a mmWave wideband dual-polarized wave antenna.

Accordingly, the RF signal processing unit 120 receives the downlink (DL) signal from the open dispersion device 200 through the open front hall 300, amplifies it according to the gain, and then the MIMO antenna of the antenna unit 130 It is transmitted to the user device 20 through. In addition, the open type wireless device 100 receives an uplink (UL) signal from the user device 20 through the MIMO antenna of the antenna unit 130, amplifies it according to a gain, and then transmits it through the open front hall 300. It can be delivered to the open dispersing device 200.

The RF signal processor 120 may receive radio signals whose polarization directions are orthogonal to each other through the MIMO antenna. In addition, the RF signal processing unit 120 may form a plurality of radio signals so that polarization directions are orthogonal to each other through the MIMO antenna and transmit them to the user device 20 .

According to an embodiment, when the MIMO antenna is a 2×2 MIMO antenna, the RF signal processing unit 120 of the open wireless device 100 separately receives two radio signals polarized at +45 degrees and -45 degrees, respectively, or , can be transmitted. That is, the RF signal processing unit 120 transmits and receives the DL0 and UL0 signals and the DL1 and UL1 signals, respectively, through the MIMO antenna configured through the mmWave wideband double-polarized wave antenna, but the DL0 and UL0 signals are +45° and the DL1 and UL1 signals are - It can transmit and receive at a signal angle of 45°.

According to another embodiment, when the MIMO antenna is a 4×4 MIMO antenna, the RF signal processing unit 120 of the open wireless device 100 transmits four radios polarized at 0 degrees, +45 degrees, +90 degrees, and -45 degrees. Signals can be received or transmitted separately.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the open wireless device 100 divides the coverage from a plurality of concentration areas, for example, 58 concentration areas (areas 0 to 57), and selectively selects any one of the plurality of concentration areas. Beamforming may be performed to focus radio waves in a concentration area.

At this time, the RF signal processing unit 120 of the open type wireless device 100 performs beamforming in an elevation range of ±60° and an azimuth range of ±60° to select any one of a plurality of concentration areas. It is possible to focus the beam on the focusing area. At this time, the RF signal processing unit 120 of the open wireless device 100 configures a plurality of indexes corresponding to each of a plurality of concentration areas, selects an index corresponding to a concentration area to be selected, and performs beamforming. can do.

As an example, as shown in FIG. 6 , it is assumed that the coverage is divided into 58 concentration areas. Then, a plurality of indices 0 to 57 corresponding to each of the 58 concentration areas may be configured. For example, if index 6 is selected, the RF signal processing unit 120 of the open wireless device 100 may perform beamforming focusing on a concentration area corresponding to index 6.

Meanwhile, the open type wireless device 100 may receive the index as described above from the open type distribution device 200 through the open front hall 300. Then, the physical signal processing unit 110 of the open type wireless device 100 transfers the index to the RF signal processing unit 120, and the RF signal processing unit 120 beamforms the antenna unit 130 to the focused area corresponding to the corresponding index. ) is controlled to adjust the range of elevation and azimuth of the MIMO antenna. At this time, the RF signal processing unit 120 adjusts the elevation of the MIMO antenna composed of the mmWave broadband double-polarized wave antenna in the range of ±60° and the azimuth of the MIMO antenna in the range of ±60°. desirable.

Next, a 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service method of O-RAN fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.

7 is a flowchart for explaining a method of transmitting downlink data through a 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service of O-RAN fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 7 , the open wireless device 100 selects a concentration area where the target user device 20 to receive downlink data is located in step S110. As described above, the selection of the concentration area can be made by dividing the coverage into a plurality of concentration areas and selecting an index corresponding to the concentration area where the user device 20 is located among the divided plurality of concentration areas.

When the concentration area is selected, the open wireless device 100 adjusts the elevation and azimuth of the MIMO antenna composed of the mmWave broadband dual polarization antenna of the antenna unit 130 so that the beam is formed in the previously selected concentration area in step S120.

In addition, when the downlink data is received from the open distribution device through the open fronthaul in step S130, the open wireless device 100 converts the downlink data received in step S140 into a DL0 signal having a signal angle of +45° and a DL0 signal having a signal angle of -45° It is transmitted to the user device 20 as a DL1 signal having a signal angle of .

8 is a flowchart for explaining a method of transmitting uplink data through 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service of O-RAN fronthaul according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8 , the open wireless device 100 selects a concentration area where a target user device 20 transmitting uplink data is located in step S210. As described above, the selection of the concentration area can be made by dividing the coverage into a plurality of concentration areas and selecting an index corresponding to the concentration area where the user device 20 is located among the divided plurality of concentration areas.

When the focus area is selected, the open type wireless device 100 adjusts the elevation and azimuth angle of the MIMO antenna composed of the mmWave broadband dual-polarization antenna of the antenna unit 130 so that the beam is formed in the previously selected focus area in step S220.

In step S230, the open wireless device 100 receives uplink data from the user device 20 as a DL0 signal having a signal angle of +45° and a DL1 signal having a signal angle of -45°. Then, after performing necessary processing (RF, PHY_low), the open wireless device 100 transmits uplink data to the open distributed device 200 through the open fronthaul 300 in step S240.

The method according to the present invention can be implemented in the form of software readable by various computer means and recorded on a computer-readable recording medium. Here, the recording medium may include program commands, data files, data structures, etc. alone or in combination. Program instructions recorded on the recording medium may be those specially designed and configured for the present invention, or those known and usable to those skilled in computer software. For example, recording media include magnetic media such as hard disks, floppy disks and magnetic tapes, optical media such as CD-ROMs (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) and DVDs (Digital Video Disks), floptical Includes hardware devices specially configured to store and execute program instructions, such as magneto-optical media, such as floptical disks, and ROM, random access memory (RAM), flash memory, etc. do. Examples of program instructions may include high-level language codes that can be executed by a computer using an interpreter or the like as well as machine language codes generated by a compiler. These hardware devices may be configured to act as one or more software modules to perform the operations of the present invention, and vice versa.

The present invention has been described above using several preferred examples, but these examples are illustrative and not limiting. As such, those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs will understand that various changes and modifications can be made according to the doctrine of equivalents without departing from the spirit of the present invention and the scope of rights set forth in the appended claims.

10: Coverage
20: user device
100: open dispersion device
110: physical signal processing unit
120: RF signal processing unit
130: antenna unit
200: open wireless device
300: open front hole

Claims (7)

In the 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service device of the O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul,
O-RAN Distributed Unit (O-DU); and
An O-RAN Radio Unit (O-RU) connected to the open dispersion device through an O-RAN Fronthaul;
The open wireless device
Using a MIMO antenna configured through a mmWave broadband double-polarized wave antenna,
Transmitting and receiving DL0 and UL0 signals and DL1 and UL1 signals, respectively,
Characterized in that the DL0 and UL0 signals are transmitted and received at a signal angle of +45 ° and the DL1 and UL1 signals are -45 °
Broadband beamforming MIMO service device. According to claim 1,
The open wireless device
Through mmWave broadband double-polarized antenna
Characterized in that it provides 800 MHz band 2 × 2 MIMO service
Broadband beamforming MIMO service device. delete According to claim 1,
The open wireless device
Divide the coverage into a plurality of concentration areas,
Characterized in that beamforming is performed to focus radio waves on a selected concentration area through a MIMO antenna composed of mmWave wideband dual-polarization antennas.
Broadband beamforming MIMO service device. According to claim 4,
The open wireless device
The elevation of the MIMO antenna is adjusted in the range of ±60 °,
The azimuth angle of the MIMO antenna is adjusted in the range of ±60 °
Characterized in that performing the beam forming
Broadband beamforming MIMO service device. In the 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service method of O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul,
selecting, by an open wireless device, a concentration area in which a target user device to receive downlink data is located;
adjusting an elevation and an azimuth of a MIMO antenna so that the open wireless device is beam-formed in the selected concentration area;
receiving, by the open radio device, downlink data from an open distribution device through an open fronthaul; and
transmitting, by the open wireless device, the received downlink data to a user device as a DL0 signal having a signal angle of +45° and a DL1 signal having a signal angle of -45°;
characterized in that it includes
Wideband beamforming MIMO service method. In the 5G mmWave wideband beamforming MIMO service method of O-RAN (Open-Radio Access Network) fronthaul,
selecting, by an open wireless device, a concentration area in which a target user device transmitting uplink data is located;
adjusting an elevation and an azimuth of a MIMO antenna so that the open wireless device is beam-formed in the selected concentration area;
receiving, by the open wireless device, uplink data from the user device as a DL0 signal having a signal angle of +45° and a DL1 signal having a signal angle of -45°;
transmitting, by the open wireless device, uplink data to an open distribution device through an open fronthaul;
characterized in that it includes
Wideband beamforming MIMO service method.

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