Telecommunication networks

Abstract

A mobile telecommunications network includes a core and a radio access network having a radio for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the network. The radio access network includes a controller operable to control the use of network resources by the mobile terminals. The controller may include an application programming interface, API, which provides a consistent interface to a multiplicity of applications hosted on the control mean. The controller may be provided at an access node site and/or a gateway site.

1 . A mobile telecommunications network comprising:
 a core; and   a radio access network having radio means for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the network, the radio means including a plurality of radio frequency parts and a plurality of baseband parts, each of the baseband parts being operable to provide a plurality of baseband functions, wherein the network includes control means in the radio access network operable to control the use of the baseband parts, wherein the control means is operable to temporarily disable selected baseband functions of its associated baseband part that are underused and to enable equivalent baseband functions of the disabled baseband functions to be provided by alternative ones of the baseband parts that are associated with other control means.   
     
     
         2 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein each of the baseband parts corresponds to a respective one of the radio frequency parts, and wherein a respective one of the control means is provided in the radio access network for each of the baseband parts. 
     
     
         3 . The network of  claim 1 , wherein the control means is operable to determine at least one efficiency characteristic of the associated baseband part. 
     
     
         4 . The network of  claim 3 , wherein the efficiency characteristic comprises at least one of load, power consumption, bandwidth, radio outage, hardware resilience, heat production, power sources, spectrum efficiency, number of supported terminals, number of connected terminals and the location of the terminals. 
     
     
         5 . The network of  claim 1 , including a gateway node operable to control the sharing of baseband functions between respective baseband parts, or wherein the control means are operable to control the sharing of baseband functions between respective baseband parts. 
     
     
         6 . The network of  claim 5 , wherein the gateway node or the control means is operable to disable selected baseband functions. 
     
     
         7 . The network of  claim 5  wherein the gateway node or control means is operable to share or disable baseband functions in dependence upon the efficiency characteristic thereof. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating a mobile telecommunications network including a core and a radio access network having radio means for wireless communication with mobile terminals registered with the network, the radio means including a plurality of radio frequency parts and a plurality of baseband parts, each of the baseband parts providing a plurality of baseband functions, the method comprising:
 using control means in the radio access network to control the use of the baseband parts, wherein the control means temporarily disables selected baseband functions of its associated baseband part that are underused and enables equivalent baseband functions of the disabled baseband functions to be provided by alternative ones of the baseband parts that are associated with other control means.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein each of the baseband parts corresponds to a respective one of the radio frequency parts, and wherein a respective one of the control means is provided in the radio access network for each of the baseband parts. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the control means determines at least one efficiency characteristic of the associated baseband part. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the efficiency characteristic comprises at least one of load, power consumption, bandwidth, radio outage, hardware resilience, heat production, power sources, spectrum efficiency, number of supported terminals, number of connected terminals and the location of the terminals. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a gateway node is provided to control the sharing of baseband functions between respective baseband parts, or wherein the control means controls the sharing of baseband functions between respective baseband parts. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the gateway node or the control means disables selected baseband functions. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the gateway node or control means shares or disables baseband functions in dependence upon the efficiency characteristic thereof. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled)