Multiplexing core networks in RAN sharing

摘要

An apparatus, includes core interface means adapted to provide an eastbound interface to a first core network element and to a second core network element different from the first core network element; radio interface means adapted to provide a westbound interface to a first radio access network element and to a second radio access network element different from the first radio access network element; multiplex detecting means adapted to detect if a first request received at one of the eastbound and westbound interfaces is directed to the first and/or the second of the network elements of the respective other interface; adapting means adapted to adapt the first request according to the network element to which it is directed; multiplexing means adapted to multiplex the adapted first request to the first and/or the second of the network elements of the respective other interface according to detection by the multiplex detecting means.

主权项

1. An apparatus, comprising:
at least one computing device and one or more storage mediums tangibly storing a computer program, wherein the one or more computing device is configured with the one or more storage mediums and the tangibly stored computer program to cause the apparatus to at least:
provide a first interface to a first core network element of a first mobile network operator and to at least one second core network element of one or more second mobile network operators;provide a second interface to one or more first radio access network elements and to one or more second radio access network elements of the first mobile network operator;buffer a previous request until a request is received;detect if the received request received at one of the first and second interfaces is directed to the first and/or the second of the network elements of the respective other interface;correlate the previous request and the received request;adapt the received request according to the network element to which it is directed by at least:
deciding if the received request requires mediating by a mediating function; andproviding the mediating function for the received request in dependence on the decision if the received request requires mediating; andmultiplex the adapted request to the first and/or the second of the network elements of the respective other interface according to the detection of the received request; wherein one or more logical representations of the one or more second radio access network elements are presented to at least one of the second mobile network operators as radio access network elements being accessible and configurable by the at least one second mobile network operator; wherein the mediating function for the received request is provided, for each of the one or more receiving network elements to which the received request is multiplexed, based on at least one of a status of the receiving network element, the previous request which was previously multiplexed to the receiving network element, and a predefined rule; and wherein the mediating of the received request is based on the previous request using the correlation.