Pooling of baseband units for 5g or other next generation networks

Abstract

Based on a load prediction analysis performed by a machine learning enabled processor and a load balancer, the load of multiple distributed unit (DU) resources in a baseband unit (BBU) pool hub can be optimized. The BBU pool hub can comprise multiple DU functionality and redundant centralized unit (CU) functionality connected via a high-speed/low latency redundant switch to enable pooling of resources. DU resource pooling can facilitate efficiencies in the network by allocating resources based on active and/or inactive status, load, of radio units RUs as well as Radio Bearers activity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 tracking, by network equipment comprising a processor, radio communication-related metrics associated with distributed unit devices, wherein the distributed unit devices are associated with radio devices, and wherein the radio devices comprise first radio devices and second radio devices; and   based on the radio communication-related metrics, allocating, by the network equipment, distributed unit resources associated with the distributed unit devices to the first radio devices that are determined to be actively communicating packet data at a specified time and none of the distributed unit resources to the second radio devices that are determined to be inactive at the specified time.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the packet data is first packet data, and wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving, by the network equipment via a backhaul connection, second packet data from a user plane functionality device;   aggregating, by the network equipment, the distributed unit resources and a centralized unit resource;   determining, by the network equipment, a load status associated a load of a distributed unit device of the distributed unit devices;   in response to determining the load status, balancing, by the network equipment, the load, resulting in a balanced load;   based on the balanced load, selecting, by the network equipment, the distributed unit device to transmit the second packet data; and   in response to the selecting, sending, by the network equipment, the second packet data via the distributed unit device to a radio device of the first radio devices.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 identifying, by the network equipment, respective factor values associated with respective communication paths between a centralized unit device and the radio device, wherein the respective communication paths are associated with respective distributed unit devices of the distributed unit devices, wherein a factor value of the respective factor values is associated with the distributed unit device, and wherein the respective factor values are indicative of respective saturation levels relating to communication of packet data traffic that are associated with the respective distributed unit devices;   determining, by the network equipment, that the factor value associated with the distributed unit device is higher than other factor values of the respective factor values, wherein the factor value being determined to be higher than the other factor values is indicative of a saturation level associated with the distributed unit device that is lower than other saturation levels associated with other distributed unit devices of the respective distributed unit devices, and wherein the respective saturation levels comprise the saturation level and the other saturation levels; and   based on the factor value being determined to be higher than the other factor values, determining, by the network equipment, that the second packet data is to be sent via the distributed unit device to the radio device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the load status is representative of an inactivity of the distributed unit device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 predicting, by the network equipment, the load based on a previous inactivity of the distributed unit device.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the load status is a first load status, wherein the load is a first load, and wherein the method further comprises:
 based on a second load status representative of a second load associated with the distributed unit device, sending, by the network equipment, the second packet data via a fronthaul connection to the radio device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 multiplexing, by the network equipment, a signal carrying the second packet data to decrease a number of wired connections from a first number to a second number less than the first number.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 in response to the sending, receiving, by the network equipment, third packet data from another radio device of the first radio devices; and   in response to the receiving of the third packet data, updating, by the network equipment, a data structure associated with a front plane switch of the network equipment.   
     
     
         9 . A baseband unit, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 monitoring data communication-related metrics associated with distributed unit devices, wherein the distributed unit devices are associated with radio unit devices; and 
 based on the data communication-related metrics, allocating distributed unit functionalities associated with the distributed unit devices to a first subgroup of the radio unit devices that is determined to be involved in active data communication during a time period and none of the distributed unit functionalities to a second subgroup of the radio unit devices that is determined to be inactive during the time period. 
   
     
     
         10 . The baseband unit of  claim 9 , wherein the active data communication associated with the first subgroup of the radio unit devices relates to user equipment receiving or transmitting packet data, and wherein the user equipment is associated with the first subgroup of the radio unit devices. 
     
     
         11 . The baseband unit of  claim 9 , wherein the operations comprise:
 receiving packet data from a radio access network device comprising a user plane functionality;   aggregating the distributed unit functionalities and a centralized unit functionality;   determining a status associated with a load of a distributed unit device of the distributed unit devices;   in response to determining the status, balancing the load, wherein the balancing of the load comprises balancing the load to be proportional to a number of radio unit bearers being processed, resulting in a balanced load; and   based on the balanced load, sending the packet data via a fronthaul connection to the first subgroup of the radio unit devices.   
     
     
         12 . The baseband unit of  claim 11 , wherein the fronthaul connection comprises a fronthaul gateway located at a radio unit device of the first subgroup of the radio unit devices. 
     
     
         13 . The baseband unit of  claim 12 , wherein the fronthaul gateway is a first fronthaul gateway, and wherein the fronthaul connection further comprises a second fronthaul gateway located in the baseband unit. 
     
     
         14 . The baseband unit of  claim 11 , wherein the status is representative of an inactivity of the distributed unit device. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 tracking radio communication-related conditions associated with distributed unit devices, wherein the distributed unit devices are associated with radio unit devices; and   based on the radio communication-related conditions, assigning distributed unit resources associated with the distributed unit devices to a first subgroup of the radio unit devices that is determined to be actively communicating packet data at a particular time and none of the distributed unit resources to a second subgroup of the radio unit devices that is determined to be inactive at the particular time.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 predicting radio unit activity associated with the radio unit devices based on an analysis of information relating to previous radio unit activity associated with the radio unit devices, to facilitate balancing a load associated with the radio unit devices or the distributed unit devices.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving, via a backhaul connection, second packet data from a radio access network device;   aggregating the distributed unit resources and a centralized unit resource;   determining a load status associated a load of a distributed unit device of the distributed unit devices;   in response to determining the load status, balancing the load, resulting in a balanced load;   based on the balanced load, selecting, from the distributed unit devices, the distributed unit device to transmit the second packet data; and   in response to selecting the distributed unit device, sending the second packet data via the distributed unit device to a radio unit device of the radio unit devices.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the second packet data comprises third packet data, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 in response to the balancing of the load, updating an identifier or an address associated with the third packet data to facilitate re-routing the third packet data via the distributed unit device.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein a resource of the distributed unit resources is provided via a fronthaul connection between the radio unit device and a baseband unit hub. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the baseband unit hub comprises or is associated with a fronthaul gateway unit that facilitates the sending of the second packet data via the fronthaul connection.