Patent Publication Number: US-2018034945-A1

Title: Radio access entity

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Priority is claimed to European Patent Application No. EP 16181838.0, filed on Jul. 29, 2016, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the radio access to a wireless communication network. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In modern communication networks, communication packets are assembled according to a communication protocol, for example the Internet protocol. In the field of radio access, the communication packets are transmitted via radio to a mobile communication device using a wireless data transmission technology, such as Long-Term Evolution (LTE) or Universal Mobile Telecommunications Service (UMTS), or are received from the mobile communication device. Communication with the mobile communication device is usually carried out by a wireless data transmission technology, such as LTE. 
     A mobile communication device usually has, however, a plurality of communication interfaces or communication ports, such as wireless local area network (WLAN) and LTE or UMTS, which are not collectively used for the communication. 
     SUMMARY 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides a radio access entity for communicating with a mobile communication device via a radio access network. The mobile communication device comprises a first communication port which is compliant with a first data transmission technology and a second communication port which is compliant with a second data transmission technology. The radio access entity includes: a first communication interface for receiving a data stream; a processor configured to split the data stream into a first sub-data stream and a second sub-data stream on the basis of a first efficiency level of the first communication port of the mobile communication device and a second efficiency level of the second communication port of the mobile communication device; and a second communication interface configured to send the first sub-data stream to the first communication port in a manner corresponding to the first data transmission technology and to send the second sub-data stream to the second communication port in a manner corresponding to the second data transmission technology. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be described in even greater detail below based on the exemplary figures. The invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. All features described and/or illustrated herein can be used alone or combined in different combinations in embodiments of the invention. The features and advantages of various embodiments of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description with reference to the attached drawings which illustrate the following: 
         FIG. 1  shows a communication system comprising a radio access entity; 
         FIG. 2  shows a mobile communication device; and 
         FIG. 3  shows a communication subnetwork. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide for efficient communication via a plurality of communication interfaces of a mobile communication device, for example a smartphone. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention provides for splitting a data stream coming from or travelling to the mobile communication device on the basis of the efficiency or performance of the communication ports of the mobile communication device. The sub-data streams are transmitted via the corresponding communication ports. 
     According to a first aspect, the invention relates to a radio access entity for communicating with a mobile communication device via a radio access network, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a first communication port which is compliant with a first data transmission technology and a second communication port which is compliant with a second data transmission technology, said radio access entity comprising a first communication interface for receiving a data stream, a processor configured to split the data stream into a first sub-data stream and a second sub-data stream on the basis of a first efficiency level of the first communication port of the mobile communication device and a second efficiency level of the second communication port of the mobile communication device, and a second communication interface configured to send the first sub-data stream to the first communication port in a manner corresponding to the first data transmission technology and to send the second sub-data stream to the second communication port in a manner corresponding to the second data transmission technology. 
     In one embodiment, the processor is configured to split the data stream into the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream on the basis of a ratio between the first efficiency level and the second efficiency level. 
     In one embodiment, the first efficiency level and the second efficiency level are data rates, bit error rates or performance indicators. 
     In one embodiment, the data stream comprises a plurality of data packets, wherein the processor is configured to assign a first number of data packets to the first sub-data stream and to assign a second number of data packets to the second sub-data stream. 
     In one embodiment, the first data transmission technology and the second data transmission technology are one of the following wireless data transmission technologies: LTE, UMTS, Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), High Performance Radio LAN (HiperLAN) or WLAN. 
     In one embodiment, the second communication interface comprises a first communication port for sending or receiving the first sub-data stream and a second communication port for sending or receiving the second sub-data stream. 
     In one embodiment, the radio access entity is configured to receive information on the first efficiency level and the second efficiency level from the mobile communication device. 
     In one embodiment, the radio access entity is configured to measure the first efficiency level and the second efficiency level of the mobile communication device, in particular on the basis of at least one measurement signal. 
     In one embodiment, the radio access entity is a point-to-point communication subnetwork, in particular a slice, in 5G technology. 
     According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a mobile communication device comprising a first communication port for sending or receiving a first sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to a first data transmission technology, a second communication port for sending or receiving a second sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to a second data transmission technology, and a processor configured to assemble a data stream from the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream or to split said data stream on the basis of a first efficiency level of the first communication port of the mobile communication device and a second efficiency level of the second communication port of the mobile communication device. 
     In one embodiment, the processor is configured to split the data stream into the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream on the basis of a ratio between the first efficiency level and the second efficiency level. 
     According to a third aspect, the invention relates to a communication subnetwork in a communication network comprising a plurality of subnetworks, comprising the radio access entity according to the first aspect, wherein the second communication interface is configured to receive or send the first sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to the first data transmission technology and to receive or send the second sub-data stream separately from the first sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to the second data transmission technology. 
     In one embodiment, the communication subnetwork comprises an additional network entity, in particular a router, configured to communicate with the radio access entity according to the first aspect. 
     In one embodiment, the additional network entity is configured to receive the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream separately from one another. 
     In one embodiment, the second communication interface of the radio access entity is configured to communicate with the mobile communication device according to the second aspect. 
     In one embodiment, the communication subnetwork is a point-to-point communication subnetwork, in particular a slice, in 5G technology. 
       FIG. 1  shows a communication system comprising a radio access entity  100  for communicating with a mobile communication device via a radio access network, wherein the mobile communication device comprises a first communication port which is compliant with a first data transmission technology and a second communication port which is compliant with a second data transmission technology, said radio access entity comprising a first communication interface  101  for receiving a data stream, a processor  103  configured to split the data stream into a first sub-data stream and a second sub-data stream on the basis of a first efficiency level of the first communication port of the mobile communication device  111  shown by way of example and a second efficiency level of the second communication port of the mobile communication device  111 , and a second communication interface  105  configured to send the first sub-data stream to the first communication port in a manner corresponding to the first data transmission technology and to send the second sub-data stream to the second communication port in a manner corresponding to the second data transmission technology. The second communication interface  105  may comprise a first communication port  107  which operates according to the first data transmission technology and a second communication port  109  which operates according to the second data transmission technology. 
     In one embodiment, the data stream travelling to the UE  111  is split on the basis of the data rate or performance of the respective communication ports of the UE  111  that can be achieved by the relevant air interface (LTE, WLAN, etc.). 
       FIG. 2  shows a mobile communication device  111  (UE) comprising a first communication port  113  for sending or receiving a first sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to a first data transmission technology, a second communication port  115  for sending or receiving a second sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to a second data transmission technology, and a processor  117  configured to assemble a data stream from the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream, or to split said data stream on the basis of a first efficiency level of the first communication port  113  of the mobile communication device and a second efficiency level of the second communication port  115  of the mobile communication device. 
     The UE  111  has a plurality of air interfaces (communication ports), such as LTE or WLAN. In one embodiment, the controller or processor  103  of the radio access entity  100  continuously measures the performance of the relevant communication port  113 ,  115  of the UE  11  or receives the measurement from the UE  111  and splits the data stream accordingly. In the example, the communication port  113  has a higher performance level than the communication port  115  (for example a higher data rate, lower bit error rate, etc.), and therefore the data stream can be split into sub-data streams according to the performance ratio, for example. 
     The data stream can be split in a packet-oriented manner for example, and therefore the data packets are distributed between the air interfaces  111 ,  115 . The UE  111  assembles the data stream using the data packets in a manner corresponding to the splitting. In this way, the available radio access network (RAN) diversity is used in order to increase the transmission capacity. In the UE  111 , the data packets are split according to the performance of the air interfaces  113 ,  115 , as previously mentioned. By analogy with the case of downloading, the subpackets are sent to the RAN comprising the radio access entity  100  using various data transmission technologies. In one embodiment, the communication ports  113 ,  115  of the UEs  111  can comprise separate antennae for example. Alternatively, the antennae in the UEs  111  can be controlled separated (antenna diversity). 
       FIG. 3  shows a communication subnetwork  300  in a communication network (not shown) comprising a plurality of subnetworks, comprising the radio access entity  100 , wherein the second communication interface  105  is configured to receive or send the first sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to the first data transmission technology and to receive or send the second sub-data stream separately from the first sub-data stream in a manner corresponding to the second data transmission technology. 
     The communication subnetwork  300  may be a slice of a 5G communication network which brings about the splitting of the data stream into the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream or brings about the assembly of the data stream from the first sub-data stream and the second sub-data stream. The RAN slice  300  can be provided as a service and can be made available for each of the UEs  111  that allow for the data splitting. The RAN slice  300  may be given its own slice address/slice identifier. 
     In one embodiment, each sub-data stream may be given an identifier, as a result of which the data stream can be assembled from the sub-data streams in a simplified manner. 
     While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. It will be understood that changes and modifications may be made by those of ordinary skill within the scope of the following claims. In particular, the present invention covers further embodiments with any combination of features from different embodiments described above and below. Additionally, statements made herein characterizing the invention refer to an embodiment of the invention and not necessarily all embodiments. 
     The terms used in the claims should be construed to have the broadest reasonable interpretation consistent with the foregoing description. For example, the use of the article “a” or “the” in introducing an element should not be interpreted as being exclusive of a plurality of elements. Likewise, the recitation of “or” should be interpreted as being inclusive, such that the recitation of “A or B” is not exclusive of “A and B,” unless it is clear from the context or the foregoing description that only one of A and B is intended. Further, the recitation of “at least one of A, B and C” should be interpreted as one or more of a group of elements consisting of A, B and C, and should not be interpreted as requiring at least one of each of the listed elements A, B and C, regardless of whether A, B and C are related as categories or otherwise. Moreover, the recitation of “A, B and/or C” or “at least one of A, B or C” should be interpreted as including any singular entity from the listed elements, e.g., A, any subset from the listed elements, e.g., A and B, or the entire list of elements A, B and C.