Method and apparatus for controlling a signal path of a radio communication

摘要

A method and a remote digital unit in a central office of a core network, for handling a radio communication for a mobile terminal being connected to an access point at a local site. The remote digital unit determines that the mobile terminal can be served locally by a local digital unit connected to a local signal switching unit at the local site, and instructs the local digital unit to locally process signals to or from the mobile terminal in the communication. The remote digital unit further schedules the signals over a radio interface between the mobile terminal and the access point, and sends updated scheduling information to the local digital unit to indicate the scheduling, thereby enabling the local digital unit to handle the radio communication according to the updated scheduling information. In this way, the functionality of a base station is divided into a relatively simple digital unit and switching function at the local site and a more advanced digital unit with scheduling function at the central office, such that the costs for implementing radio access at a local site are low and tromboning of communicated signals over the core network can be avoided.

主权项

1. A method performed by a remote digital unit for handling a radio communication for a mobile terminal being connected to an access point at a local site, wherein the remote digital unit is configured for signal processing and is implemented in a central office associated with a core network and remote from the local site, said core network being part of a public cellular network, the method comprising:
determining, by using a local digital unit associated with the local site and being configured for signal processing and connected to a local signal switching unit at the local site, whether the mobile terminal can be served locally based on a user classification of the mobile terminal indicating that the mobile terminal is a locally served user, said user classification of the mobile terminal being maintained in the cellular network, in response to determining that the mobile terminal can be served locally by the local digital unit,
instructing the local digital unit to locally process signals to or from the mobile terminal in the radio communication,scheduling said signals over a radio interface between the mobile terminal and the access point during the radio communication, andsending updated scheduling information to the local digital unit during the radio communication to indicate the scheduling of said signals over the radio interface, thereby enabling the local digital unit to handle said radio communication over the radio interface according to the updated scheduling information; and in response to determining that the mobile terminal cannot be served locally by the local digital unit, processing signals to or from the mobile terminal in the radio communication in the remote digital unit.