Patent Description:
To provide voice, image, video, text, and other services, wireless networks are already expected to handle immense quantities of data with little to no appreciable delays. However, newer services are primed to demand even more from cellular and other wireless networks. Users will expect greater data bandwidth and even less delay, which is called latency, to accommodate such services. These new services include high-bandwidth applications like ultra-high definition (UHD) video that is delivered wirelessly from a streaming video service to a mobile device. Such services also include low-latency applications like autonomous-driving vehicles that communicate with each other to avoid accidents and that can therefore operate more safely if provided nearly instantaneous data communication capabilities. Some applications, like virtual reality (VR), will demand data delivery that provides a combination of both high-bandwidth and low-latency. Further, there is the ongoing development of the Internet of Things (IoT), which involves providing wireless communication capabilities to everything from medical devices to security hardware, from refrigerators to speakers, and to nearly ubiquitous sensors designed for safety and convenience. The deployment of IoT devices means hundreds of billions to trillions of new devices will soon be trying to communicate wirelessly.

Current <NUM> wireless networks are not expected to handle the data bandwidth and latency targets for these new applications, or the sheer number of new devices. Accordingly, to enjoy these new applications, new wireless technology is being developed. For example, Fifth Generation (<NUM>) wireless network technology will adopt higher frequency electromagnetic (EM) waves (e.g., <NUM> to <NUM> for millimeter wave (mmW) wireless connections) to attain higher data bandwidth in conjunction with lower latency. These new applications and higher EM frequencies, however, introduce new and different challenges that are yet to be overcome by current wireless technologies.

For example, with the multitude of IoT devices that are coming on-line, the EM spectrum that is allocated to cellular wireless usage will be shared among many more wireless connection endpoints. Also, the mmW EM signals that will be used in some wireless networks, including <NUM> cellular networks, attenuate more quickly than EM signals using lower-frequency bands. More specifically, mmW EM signals are attenuated more quickly by air molecules and other environmental factors, such as humidity or physical obstructions, as compared to those signaling frequencies used in earlier generations of wireless networks. Consequently, mmW EM signals are incapable of traveling as far through the atmosphere before their quality is reduced to a level at which the information in the wireless signal is lost or otherwise becomes unusable. To address these issues, engineers and manufacturers are striving to create new wireless network technologies that can enable utilization of these higher GHz frequencies while supporting many additional wireless devices in a cellular or other wireless network, including those operating in accordance with a <NUM> wireless network standard.

This background description is provided to generally present the context of the disclosure. Unless otherwise indicated herein, material described in this section is neither expressly nor impliedly admitted to be prior art to the present disclosure or the appended claims.

<CIT> relates to a method for supporting a Self Organized Network. The method comprises defining one or more events associated with a communication network; identifying a SON policy that specifies information to be collected relating to respective defined events and one or more procedures for reporting collected information; establishing a communication interface between a designated network node and one or more user equipments; and instructing communication of the SON policy from the designated network node to the one or more user equipments over the communication interface.

<CIT> relates to apparatuses and methods for measurement control in a wireless communications system, and more particularly, to apparatuses and methods for managing measurement configurations of component carriers in a wireless communications system.

In accordance with the invention, there is provided: a method performed by a user equipment as recited by claim <NUM>; a user equipment as recited by claim <NUM>; a method performed by a base station as recited by claim <NUM>; and a base station as recited by claim <NUM>.

The following summary is provided to introduce simplified concepts of facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement. The simplified concepts are further described below in the Detailed Description. Accordingly, this summary is not intended
to identify essential features of the claimed subject matter nor is it intended for use in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.

Methods and apparatuses for facilitating SON enhancement are described. Technology incorporated into a user equipment (UE) or a wireless network node enables a network enhancement mechanism to increase network performance in an automated manner. With each new generation of cellular standards, the corresponding cellular network becomes more complex. Newer UEs may be capable of maintaining two or more wireless connections simultaneously with a wireless network. Further, new cellular networks are expected to service an ever-increasing number of wireless device endpoints while juggling a myriad of different network settings, such as carrier frequencies, timer lengths, power levels, antenna directions, and so forth. Consequently, a wireless network may have thousands of configurable parameters, such as radio access or radio network parameters, which may be affected by hundreds of changing usage and environmental factors. As a result, manual adjustment of these parameters to improve network performance and accommodate the changing factors is infeasible.

To account for these issues, in example implementations, a wireless network liaison interacts with a network enhancement mechanism. Additionally or alternatively, a UE's ability to maintain multiple wireless connections is leveraged to safely test alternative network configurations in pursuit of network enhancement. A SON enhancement mechanism, such as a server having an artificial intelligence (AI) functionality, can process a current network configuration and generate an alternative network configuration to be used in a test scenario. The AI functionality can, for instance, implement an iterative refinement technique such as A/B testing over time. A wireless network SON liaison, such as a wireless network management node having SON network functionality, realizes an application programming interface (API) to interact with the SON enhancement mechanism. The SON liaison transforms the alternative network configuration into a transformed network configuration based on wireless network constraints that are unknown to the SON enhancement mechanism or to accommodate wireless network signaling protocols.

For example, the SON liaison can perform the transformation based on the availability of multiple wireless connections per UE and responsive to an associated quality of service (QoS) for each UE. In some cases, a first wireless connection can be stabilized for use with a given QoS while a second wireless connection can be adjusted as part of a test scenario for the alternative network configuration. In other cases, a first wireless connection can be established based on a known wireless connection configuration that is unchanged by a test scenario, and a second wireless connection can be established using at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. The SON liaison can also directly or indirectly generate, for each UE, a downlink (DL) SON message that describes the test scenario and specifies how the UE is to handle execution of the test scenario. The test scenario description can include, for instance, an assigned timeframe for executing the test and a termination configuration, which includes radio access or radio network configuration settings, that the UE is to adopt at a conclusion of the timeframe. In these manners, an automated enhancement mechanism can be applied to facilitate SON operations while certain network expectations, such as a contracted-for QoS, are achieved using multiple wireless connections with a UE.

Aspects described below include a user equipment (UE) for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement. The UE includes at least one antenna, at least one wireless transceiver coupled to the at least one antenna, and a processor and memory system. The processor and memory system are coupled to the at least one wireless transceiver and implement a SON facilitator. The SON facilitator is configured to receive, from a wireless network, a downlink (DL) SON message, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. The SON facilitator is also configured to instruct the at least one wireless transceiver to communicate with at least one base station using at least a first wireless connection and a second wireless connection. The first wireless connection is to be unchanged by the test scenario, and the second wireless connection is to use the at least one radio access network parameter.

Aspects described below include a base station for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement. The base station includes multiple antennas, multiple wireless transceivers coupled to the multiple antennas, and a processor and memory system. The processor and memory system is coupled to the multiple wireless transceivers and implements a SON facilitator. The SON facilitator is configured to transmit, to at least one user equipment (UE), a downlink (DL) SON message, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. The SON facilitator is also configured to instruct at least one wireless transceiver of the multiple wireless transceivers to communicate with the at least one UE using at least a first wireless connection and a second wireless connection. The first wireless connection is to be unchanged by the test scenario, and the second wireless connection is to use the at least one radio access network parameter.

Aspects described below include a method performed by a user equipment (UE) for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement. The method includes receiving, from a wireless network, a downlink (DL) SON message, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. The method also includes communicating, using at least one wireless transceiver, with at least one base station using a first wireless connection, with the first wireless connection to be unchanged by the test scenario. The method further includes communicating with the at least one base station using a second wireless connection using the at least one radio access network parameter.

Aspects described below include a method performed by a base station for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement. The method includes transmitting, to at least one user equipment (UE), a downlink (DL) SON message, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. The method also includes communicating, using one or more wireless transceivers, with the at least one UE using a first wireless connection, with the first wireless connection to be unchanged by the test scenario. The method further includes communicating with the at least one UE using a second wireless connection using the at least one radio access network parameter.

Aspects described below include a system for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement. The system includes at least one core network interface coupled to a core network of a wireless network. The system also includes a processor and memory system coupled to the at least one core network interface to communicate with the wireless network and implement a SON facilitator. The SON facilitator is configured to collect configuration information for at least a portion of the wireless network. The SON facilitator is also configured to obtain, for a test scenario, alternative configuration information that is based on the configuration information. The SON facilitator is further configured to process the alternative configuration information using at least one current network condition for a user equipment (UE) to produce transformed alternative configuration information, with the transformed alternative configuration information comprising a provision for the UE including at least a first wireless connection and a second wireless connection. The first wireless connection is to be unchanged by the test scenario, and the second wireless connection is to be configured in accordance with the alternative configuration information for the test scenario.

Aspects described below further include a system that may be realized as at least part of a user equipment (UE). The system includes means for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement at the UE. The means for facilitating SON enhancement is configured to receive, from a wireless network, a downlink (DL) SON message, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. The means for facilitating SON enhancement is also configured to instruct the at least one wireless transceiver to communicate with at least one base station using at least a first wireless connection and a second wireless connection. Here, the first wireless connection is to be unchanged by the test scenario, and the second wireless connection is to use the at least one radio access network parameter.

Apparatuses of and techniques for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement are described with reference to the following drawings. The same numbers are used throughout the drawings to reference like features and components:.

Today, users can watch HD video, monitor social-network feeds, and participate in video conferences using cellular wireless networks that operate in accordance with a <NUM> standard, such as LTE or LTE-Advanced. Soon, cellular wireless networks will be asked to handle newer applications that are technologically more difficult to provide to end users. Such applications may include watching ultra-HD (UHD) video or wirelessly coupling hundreds of billions more communication endpoints to the internet to support Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. Such applications may also entail providing a safer sharing of the roadways by empowering self-driving vehicles or exchanging three-dimensional (3D) virtual reality (VR) data for games, professional training, and educational activities. To enable these newer applications, current cellular wireless networks are expected to be upgraded from <NUM> technology.

To upgrade from current <NUM> wireless networks, various goals have been established for next-generation <NUM> networks. These goals involve adopting higher electromagnetic (EM) frequencies for wireless signaling in <NUM> networks than are used in <NUM> networks. For example, instead of only operating in the <NUM> of MHz to a few GHz like in <NUM> networks, <NUM> networks are expected to also operate in the <NUM> of GHz (e.g., from <NUM> to <NUM> for mmW signaling). These higher frequencies offer some advantages, such as the potential for greater communication bandwidth in conjunction with lower latency. However, there are many challenges to working with these higher frequencies, and the increase in numbers of wireless devices will further tax wireless network resources.

Unfortunately, addressing these challenges will result in wireless networks with more "moving parts" and a multitude of "adjustable dials," metaphorically speaking. For example, next-generation networks may employ beamforming in which antennas "aim" signal beams, carrier aggregation, micro-cells such that more base stations are obligated to interoperate in proximity with one another, diverse coding schemes, transmit power changes, different orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) numerologies, and so forth. Each of these aspects can be individually controlled. Consequently, wireless networks are becoming increasingly more complicated to configure.

To support these increasingly complicated wireless networks, wireless cellular networks are specified by tens of thousands of pages of specifications, with thousands of configurable parameters. As a result, there are far more parameters that can be optimized than can be practically configured using a manual approach. In contrast, an automated approach may involve utilizing self-organizing networks (SON) or minimization of drive tests (MDT). For example, deep learning, reinforcement learning, neural networks, or other machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies may be able to autonomously configure and enhance operation of wireless networks.

However, there are several issues with trying to employ an automated enhancement mechanism with a wireless network. First, existing AI mechanisms are not designed to account in real-time for the fluctuating operational and environmental factors that can impact wireless network performance. Second, existing AI mechanisms are not built to communicate using signaling protocols dictated by wireless standard specifications. Third, AI mechanisms are not aware of some transient network obligations, such as quality-of-service (QoS) guarantees. Thus, additional support from a wireless network can be provided to enable network enhancement using an AI algorithm while also meeting network obligations, such by enabling network configuration A/B testing while meeting QoS guarantees.

To do so, a liaison to an automated enhancement mechanism is provided by a wireless network, and/or multiple wireless connections can be established between a given UE and the wireless network for experimental testing, which are termed test scenarios herein. Generally, the automated enhancement mechanism can create a test scenario with an alternative network configuration that is implemented by the wireless network using the liaison. To ensure that QoS guarantees are met during execution of the test scenario, the liaison maintains at least one wireless connection to a given UE that is not changed by the test scenario even while another wireless connection may be changed as a result of the test scenario.

The liaison can be implemented by a wireless network management node (WNMN) that realizes an application programming interface (API). The API provides an interface between the automated enhancement mechanism and functionality of the wireless network core. A self-organizing network (SON) facilitator at the wireless network management node (WNMN) processes current configuration information for the wireless network to produce translated configuration information. The translated configuration information is adapted for input to and processing by a SON enhancer at a network enhancement server. The SON enhancer can implement, for example, an iterative refinement technique that utilizes a guided trial and error scheme to gradually enhance performance of the wireless network. Using an AI algorithm and based on the translated configuration information, the SON enhancer can produce a test scenario that is specified by alternative configuration information. The test scenario can change, for instance, network load or scheduling information, antenna direction, UL/DL configuration, and so forth.

The SON facilitator accepts the alternative configuration information from the SON enhancer and produces transformed alternative configuration information based on network signaling protocols and responsive to current network obligations. For example, if a given UE is associated with a certain QoS, the SON facilitator at the wireless network management node (WNMN) can provision multiple wireless connections for the given UE. Thus, the given UE may be provided a first wireless connection and a second wireless connection. During execution of the test scenario, the first wireless connection is unchanged such that the QoS obligation can be met regardless of how the alternative network configuration affects the second wireless connection. The SON facilitator at the wireless network management node (WNMN) can also generate a DL SON message for the UE that describes the test scenario from the perspective of the UE (e.g., how it will or may affect the UE).

To support the test scenario at the UE, the UE also includes a SON facilitator. The UE receives the DL SON message, and the SON facilitator thereof processes the DL SON message. The DL SON message describes the test scenario. This description can include, for example, a timeframe (e.g., a start time or an end time) over which the test scenario is to occur. The description can also indicate a termination configuration, which includes radio access or ratio network configuration settings, to be enacted at the conclusion of the timeframe. This termination configuration for the UE can correspond to a reversion to the previous configuration or another different configuration. Including a termination configuration can enable the UE to recover if the alternative configuration breaks a wireless connection of the UE or a wired connection within the core network leading to the wireless connection of the UE. The DL SON message can also specify at least a second wireless connection if the UE does not already have multiple wireless connections. In response to the DL SON message, the UE can utilize the multiple wireless connections and transmit a responsive UL SON message that acknowledges participation in the test scenario. The UE can also collect performance or other measurement data during the test scenario and send this measurement data to the SON facilitator.

In these manners, an automated enhancement mechanism can interface with a wireless network to enable the network to be self-organized and enhanced over time. Further, a wireless network can meet QoS obligations using multiple wireless connections with a given UE, with the wireless connections being established such that a test scenario created by the automated enhancement mechanism can be safely executed by the wireless network and the given UE.

Example implementations in various levels of detail are discussed below with reference to the associated figures. The discussion below first sets forth an example operating environment and then describes example schemes, techniques, and hardware. Example methods are described thereafter with reference to various flow diagrams.

<FIG> illustrates an example environment <NUM>, which includes at least one user equipment <NUM> (UE <NUM>) that communicates with a base station <NUM> that acts as a serving cell (serving base station <NUM>) through a wireless communication link <NUM> (wireless link <NUM>). In this example, the user equipment <NUM> and other user equipments <NUM> are depicted as respective smartphones. Although illustrated as smartphones, any of the user equipments <NUM> and <NUM> may be implemented as any suitable computing or electronic device, such as a mobile communication device, modem, cellular or mobile phone, mobile station, gaming device, navigation device, media or entertainment device, laptop computer, desktop computer, tablet computer, smart appliance, vehicle-based communication system, wearable computer, Internet of Things (IoTs) device, wireless interface for a machine, and the like. The base station <NUM> (e.g., an Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network Node B, E-UTRAN Node B, evolved Node B, eNodeB, eNB, Next Generation Node B, gNode B, gNB, or the like) may be implemented in a macrocell, microcell, small cell, picocell, and the like, or any combination thereof.

The base station <NUM> communicates with the user equipment <NUM> using the wireless link <NUM>, which may be implemented as any suitable type of wireless link. The wireless link <NUM> can include a downlink (DL) of data and control information communicated from the base station <NUM> to the user equipment <NUM>, an uplink (UL) of other data and control information communicated from the user equipment <NUM> to the base station <NUM>, or both. The wireless link <NUM> may include one or more wireless links or bearers implemented using any suitable communication protocol or standard, or combination of communication protocols or standards, such as 3rd Generation Partnership Project Long-Term Evolution (3GPP LTE), Fifth Generation New Radio (<NUM> NR), and so forth.

In some aspects, the user equipment <NUM> communicates with another base station <NUM> (a neighbor base station <NUM>) using a wireless link <NUM>. The wireless link <NUM> may be implemented using the same communication protocol or standard as, or a different communication protocol or standard than, that of the wireless link <NUM>. For example, the wireless link <NUM> can be implemented as a <NUM> NR link while the wireless link <NUM> is implemented as an LTE link. The base station <NUM>, the neighbor base station <NUM>, and any additional base stations (not illustrated for clarity) collectively form a Radio Access Network <NUM> (e.g., RAN <NUM>, Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network <NUM>, E-UTRAN <NUM>, or the like), which is connected using a core network <NUM> (e.g., an Evolved Packet Core (EPC) network <NUM>, a <NUM> core network <NUM>, or the like) to realize a wireless operator network. The base station <NUM> and the neighbor base station <NUM> can communicate using an Xn Application Protocol (XnAP), as indicated at <NUM>, to exchange user-plane and control-plane data. Using the Radio Access Network <NUM>, the user equipment <NUM> may connect, using the core network <NUM>, to one or more public networks, such as the Internet <NUM>, or another packet data network, to interact with a remote service <NUM>.

In example implementations, the environment <NUM> also includes a wireless network management node <NUM> (WNMN <NUM>). The wireless network management node <NUM> provides coordination and control over two or more nodes of the core network <NUM> or the base stations <NUM>/<NUM> of the Radio Access Network <NUM>. The wireless network management node <NUM> is depicted as being part of the core network <NUM>. However, the wireless network management node <NUM> may alternatively be located at least partially outside of the core network <NUM>, such as by being part of the internet <NUM>. The wireless network management node <NUM> can be co-located with other network functionality (NF), disposed at a single physical location (e.g., at one server computer), distributed across multiple locations (e.g., spread across geographically-separated cloud computing infrastructure), some combination thereof, and so forth. Example aspects of the wireless network management node <NUM> are described below with reference to <FIG>. As described below, the wireless network management node <NUM> can act as a liaison between a network enhancement server <NUM> and the core network <NUM>.

The network enhancement server <NUM> provides SON services to the core network <NUM>, and devices coupled thereto, using AI or other at least partly-autonomous analytical tools. To do so, the network enhancement server <NUM> is in communication with the wireless network management node <NUM>. The network enhancement server <NUM> can be implemented in the internet <NUM>, as part of the core network <NUM>, separate from or co-located with the wireless network management node <NUM>, some combination thereof, and so forth. In operation, the network enhancement server <NUM> can provide alternative network configurations for different test scenarios using an application programming interface (API) (not shown in <FIG>) instantiated by the wireless network management node <NUM>.

In some implementations for facilitating SON enhancement, the network enhancement server <NUM> configures at least one radio network parameter as part of a test scenario that can involve, for example, the core network <NUM>, the Radio Access Network <NUM>, and/or one or more user equipments <NUM> and <NUM> as described herein. One or multiple user equipments <NUM> (including other user equipments <NUM>) can participate individually or jointly in a given test scenario. A given test scenario can therefore simultaneously involve one or more user equipments <NUM> (including other user equipments <NUM>) that are in communication with the Radio Access Network <NUM> corresponding to each of one or more cells of a wireless network. Thus, a test scenario may include reconfiguring one user equipment, multiple user equipments, or all user equipments that are wirelessly connected to a base station <NUM>.

<FIG> is a diagram <NUM> illustrating example wireless devices, such as a user equipment (UE) <NUM> and a base station (BS) <NUM>. The UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM> may include additional functions and interfaces that are omitted from <FIG> for the sake of clarity. The UE <NUM> includes antennas <NUM>, at least one radio frequency front end <NUM> (RF front end <NUM>), at least one LTE transceiver <NUM>, and at least one <NUM> NR transceiver <NUM> for communicating with the base station <NUM>. The RF front end <NUM> of the UE <NUM> can couple or connect the LTE transceiver <NUM> and the <NUM> NR transceiver <NUM> to the antennas <NUM> to facilitate various types of wireless communication. The antennas <NUM> of the UE <NUM> may include an array of multiple antennas that are configured similar to or differently from each other. The antennas <NUM> and the RF front end <NUM> can be tuned to, and/or be tunable to, one or more frequency bands defined by the 3GPP LTE or the <NUM> NR communication standards and implemented by the LTE transceiver <NUM> or the <NUM> NR transceiver <NUM>, respectively. Additionally, the antennas <NUM>, the RF front end <NUM>, the LTE transceiver <NUM>, and/or the <NUM> NR transceiver <NUM> may be configured to support beamforming for the transmission and reception of communications with the base station <NUM> and/or to enable multiple wireless connections to be at least substantially simultaneously established between the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM>. For instance, two wireless connections can be established using two different wireless transceivers that can be operated at a same time, or two wireless connections can be established using a single wireless transceiver that is operated in a time-division duplex (TDD) manner, such as interleaving their usage every other radio frame. Thus, the UE <NUM> can include multiple transceivers <NUM>/<NUM>, such as at least one transceiver per simultaneous wireless connection. Example wireless connections between the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM> are described below with reference to <FIG>. By way of example and not limitation, the antennas <NUM> and the RF front end <NUM> can be implemented for operation in sub-gigahertz bands, sub-<NUM> bands, and/or above-<NUM> bands that are defined by the 3GPP LTE and <NUM> NR communication standards.

The UE <NUM> also includes one or more processors <NUM> and computer-readable storage media <NUM> (CRM <NUM>). The processor <NUM> may be a single core processor or a multiple core processor composed of a variety of materials, such as silicon, polysilicon, high-K dielectric, copper, and so on. The computer-readable storage media described herein excludes propagating signals. The CRM <NUM> may include any suitable memory or storage device, such as random-access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), read-only memory (ROM), or Flash memory, useable to store device data <NUM> of the UE <NUM>. The device data <NUM> includes user data, multimedia data, beamforming codebooks, applications, and/or an operating system of the UE <NUM>. Applications (not explicitly shown) and the device data <NUM> are executable by the processor(s) <NUM> to enable user-plane communication, control-plane signaling, and user interaction with the UE <NUM>.

The CRM <NUM> also includes a SON facilitator <NUM>. Alternately or additionally, the SON facilitator <NUM> may be implemented in whole or part as hardware logic or circuitry integrated with or separate from other components of the UE <NUM>. In at least some aspects, the SON facilitator <NUM> configures the RF front end <NUM>, the LTE transceiver <NUM>, and/or the <NUM> NR transceiver <NUM> to implement the techniques for facilitating SON enhancement as described herein with regard to UEs, possibly in conjunction with other components, such as a communications processor or modem. For example, the SON facilitator <NUM> can handle DL SON messages, UL SON messages, and activities to participate in a test scenario, including those relating to starting or terminating a test scenario.

The base station <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, can correspond to any of the example types of base stations set forth above or an equivalent thereof. The functionality of the base station <NUM> may be distributed across multiple network nodes or devices and may be distributed in any fashion suitable to perform the functions described herein. The base station <NUM> include antennas <NUM>, at least one radio frequency front end <NUM> (RF front end <NUM>), one or more LTE transceivers <NUM>, and/or one or more <NUM> NR transceivers <NUM> for communicating with the UE <NUM>. The RF front end <NUM> of the base station <NUM> can couple or connect the LTE transceivers <NUM> and the <NUM> NR transceivers <NUM> to the antennas <NUM> to facilitate various types of wireless communication. The antennas <NUM> of the base station <NUM> may include an array of multiple antennas that are configured similar to or differently from each other. The antennas <NUM> and the RF front end <NUM> can be tuned to, and/or be tunable to, one or more frequency bands defined by the 3GPP LTE and <NUM> NR communication standards and implemented by the LTE transceivers <NUM> and the <NUM> NR transceivers <NUM>, respectively. Additionally, the antennas <NUM>, the RF front end <NUM>, the LTE transceivers <NUM>, and/or the <NUM> NR transceivers <NUM> may be configured to support beamforming, such as massive multiple-input multiple-output (e.g., Massive-MIMO), for the transmission and reception of communications with the UE <NUM> or multiple UEs and may be configured to support test scenarios created by the network enhancement server <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG>) and prepared for implementation by the wireless network management node <NUM>.

The base station <NUM> also includes one or more processors <NUM> and computer-readable storage media <NUM> (CRM <NUM>). The processor <NUM> may be a single core processor or a multiple core processor composed of a variety of materials, such as silicon, polysilicon, high-K dielectric, copper, and so on. The CRM <NUM> may include any suitable memory or storage device, such as random-access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), read-only memory (ROM), Flash memory, or disk-based memory, useable to store device data <NUM> of the base station <NUM>. The device data <NUM> includes network scheduling data, radio resource management data, beamforming codebooks, applications, and/or an operating system of the base station <NUM>. Applications (not explicitly shown) and the device data <NUM> are executable by the processors <NUM> to enable communication with the UE <NUM> and network-side components, such as the neighbor base station <NUM> or the wireless network management node <NUM>.

The CRM <NUM> also includes a SON facilitator <NUM>. Alternately or additionally, the SON facilitator <NUM> may be implemented in whole or part as hardware logic or circuitry integrated with or separate from other components of the base station <NUM>. In at least some aspects, the SON facilitator <NUM> configures the RF front end <NUM>, the LTE transceivers <NUM>, and/or the <NUM> NR transceivers <NUM> to implement the techniques for facilitating SON enhancement as described herein with regard to base stations, possibly in conjunction with other components, such as a communications processor or modem. For example, the SON facilitator <NUM> can handle DL SON messages, UL SON messages, and activities to start, participate in, and terminate a test scenario based on network configuration information received from a wireless network management node <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG> and <FIG>).

The base station <NUM> also includes an inter-base station interface <NUM>, such as an Xn and/or X2 interface, as shown at <NUM> in <FIG>. The inter-base station interface <NUM> can be used to exchange user-plane and control-plane data with another base station <NUM> (of <FIG>) to manage communications between the base station <NUM> and the UE <NUM> with respect to the other base station <NUM>, such as for handovers or cooperative bandwidth delivery (e.g., over multiple wireless connections). The base station <NUM> further includes a core network interface <NUM> to exchange user-plane and control-plane data with functions and entities of the core network <NUM> of <FIG>, such as an EPC network or a <NUM> core network. Examples of core network functions are described below with reference to <FIG>. These core network communications can include those made with a wireless network management node <NUM>, an example of which is described below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram <NUM> illustrating an example network node, such as a wireless network management node <NUM> (WNMN <NUM>), that can implement various aspects of facilitating SON enhancement. The wireless network management node <NUM>, as shown in <FIG>, can correspond to any one or more network nodes, such as those realized in the core network <NUM>. Example of such network nodes include, but are not limited to, a mobile switching center (MSC), a Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN), a Mobility Management Entity (MME) node, a home subscriber server (HSS) node, a serving gateway (GW), a packet data network gateway (PDN GW), a Policy and Charging Rules Function (PCRF) server, a control node generally, a node realizing one or more of the functions described with reference to <FIG>, some combination thereof, and so forth. The functionality of the wireless network management node <NUM> may be distributed across multiple network nodes or devices and may be physically distributed in any fashion suitable to perform the functions described herein. The wireless network management node <NUM> includes a core network interface <NUM> for communicating with other network components, such as the base station <NUM>, using the core network <NUM>. The other interface <NUM> enables the wireless network management node <NUM> to communicate with other entities, servers, and/or networks, such as the internet <NUM> of <FIG>. Communications, such as user-plane data and control-plane data, can be made across network links to nodes providing different wireless network functionality as described below with reference to <FIG>.

The wireless network management node <NUM> also includes one or more processors <NUM> and computer-readable storage media <NUM> (CRM <NUM>). The processor <NUM> may be a single core processor or a multiple core processor composed of a variety of materials, such as silicon, polysilicon, high-K dielectric, copper, and so on. The CRM <NUM> may include any suitable memory or storage device, such as random-access memory (RAM), static RAM (SRAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), non-volatile RAM (NVRAM), read-only memory (ROM), Flash memory, or disk-based memory, useable to store device data <NUM> of the wireless network management node <NUM>. The device data <NUM> includes network organizational data, resource management data, applications, and/or an operating system of the wireless network management node <NUM>. Applications (not explicitly shown) and the device data <NUM> are executable by the processors <NUM> to enable communication with other network-side components, such as the base stations <NUM>/<NUM>, other wireless network nodes, or external networks.

The CRM <NUM> also includes network data <NUM> and a SON facilitator <NUM>. Alternately or additionally, the SON facilitator <NUM> may be implemented in whole or part as hardware logic or circuitry integrated with or separate from other components of the wireless network management node <NUM>. In at least some aspects, the network data <NUM> includes network configuration data which may be changed in accordance with a test scenario or measurement data from other network entities. The network configuration data can be altered between, for example, a first network configuration and a second network configuration to compare the first and second network configurations, which may be respectively tested at first and second times. As described herein, a test procedure can be performed safely and/or while maintaining a given QoS by instantiating at least two wireless connections with a UE for the test procedure. Of the at least two wireless connections, at least one wireless connection is configured in a manner that is known (e.g., based on experience or previous use) to be effective and/or to provide the given QoS should the wireless connection that is the subject of the test procedure fail. As used herein, a "failure," a "fail", or "failing" with regard to a wireless connection or some portion of a wireless network can refer to breaking a connection, falling under a targeted minimum bandwidth, exceeding a maximum latency, becoming unavailable to provide data throughput, ceasing to provide a network function, some combination thereof, and so forth.

Examples of network data <NUM>, as well as alterations thereto for a test scenario, are described below with reference to <FIG>. The SON facilitator <NUM> interacts with the network enhancement server <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG> and <FIG>) and other wireless network nodes and functions to implement the techniques for facilitating SON enhancement as described herein with regard to the wireless network management node <NUM>. For example, the SON facilitator <NUM> can act as a liaison between the wireless network and the network enhancement server <NUM> to translate network configurations and adapt alternative testing network configurations to account for wireless network obligations. Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> can instantiate and/or expose an API to support test scenarios created by the network enhancement server <NUM>. This is described further with reference to <FIG>.

The schematic diagram <NUM> also depicts multiple wireless connections <NUM> that can be established between the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM>. Specifically, a first wireless connection <NUM> and a second wireless connection <NUM> extend between the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM>. In some aspects, these wireless connections <NUM> can exist and can be utilized for communication simultaneously, such as if both the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM> have multiple wireless transceivers or if the UE <NUM> uses a single transceiver in a time-division multiplexed manner while the base station <NUM> has multiple transceivers. In example operation, if the UE <NUM> has at least two transceivers, both the wireless connections <NUM>/<NUM> can communicate data during a same radio frame. If, on the other hand, the UE <NUM> has a single transceiver, the two wireless connections <NUM>/<NUM> can interleave data communications on alternating radio frames with time-division duplexing (TDD). Although only two wireless connections <NUM>/<NUM> are explicitly shown, more than two wireless connections <NUM> can also be established. Each wireless connection <NUM> may be implemented using a same or a different wireless technology (e.g., both <NUM> LTE, both <NUM> NR, or one each of <NUM> LTE and <NUM> NR). Further, each wireless connection <NUM> may be established with a same base station <NUM> or with different base stations <NUM>.

The UE <NUM> can be associated with at least one QoS <NUM>. The QoS <NUM> relates to a guarantee or obligation from a network operator to an account holder or a UE thereof to provide some minimum level of service in terms of throughput, latency, security, and so forth. As shown, a quantity of different QoS levels or types may reach at least two: a first QoS <NUM> and a second QoS <NUM>. However, a network may implement greater or fewer different types of QoS. In the depicted example, the first wireless connection <NUM> is associated with the first QoS <NUM>, and the second wireless connection <NUM> is associated with the second QoS <NUM>. With multiple wireless connections <NUM>, a first wireless connection <NUM> can remain in effect and unchanged during a test scenario to guarantee the first QoS <NUM>. Meanwhile, a second wireless connection <NUM> can be adjusted in accordance with a test scenario in an attempt to improve network performance for the corresponding UE <NUM> individually or for the wireless network as a whole. In an example operation, the wireless network management node <NUM> is aware of the QoS <NUM> and the capabilities of the UE <NUM> as per the network data <NUM>. Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> can revise or adapt an alternative network configuration to transform the alternative configuration to ensure it meets this QoS <NUM> during execution of a test scenario.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram <NUM> of an example wireless network <NUM>, which can facilitate SON enhancement, from a functional perspective. The wireless network <NUM> is depicted to include one or more example network functions or network function entities. For example, the wireless network <NUM> includes a SON network function (NF) <NUM> (SON NF <NUM>). The SON facilitator <NUM> can implement the SON NF <NUM>. In addition to the base station <NUM>, the wireless network <NUM> can include an access and management function <NUM> (AMF <NUM>) and an authentication sever function <NUM> (AUSF <NUM>). The wireless network <NUM> can also include the following network functions: unified data management <NUM> (UDM <NUM>), a policy control function <NUM> (PCF <NUM>), an application function <NUM> (AF <NUM>), a user plane function <NUM> (UPF <NUM>), and a session management function <NUM> (SMF <NUM>). The wireless network <NUM> is coupled to a data network <NUM> (DN <NUM>), such as the internet <NUM> (of <FIG>), and an internet protocol (IP) multimedia subsystem or service <NUM> (IMS <NUM>), which can interface with other networks for voice, images, videos, texts, or messaging or for coupling to legacy phone systems.

The wireless network <NUM> is coupled together internally and to external nodes and functions using network links (N). Some example network links N2-N8, N10, N12, N13, and N15 are explicitly shown. For example, the network link N3 establishes a communication channel or protocol between the base station <NUM> and the UPF <NUM>. Similarly, the network link N5 establishes a communication channel or protocol between the SMF <NUM> and the AF <NUM>. The SON NF <NUM> can utilize existing network links N or newly-provisioned or specified network links to communicate with network functionalities and other components. For either approach, example SON links (SL) are shown between the SON NF <NUM> and certain functionalities and network nodes. For example, SON links SL1, SL2, SL3, and SL4 are explicitly depicted. However, as represented by SON link SL5, the SON NF <NUM> can directly or indirectly communicate with other functions and network nodes using other SON links SL. Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> can obtain network configuration from any given functionality or network node and can provide instructions or other directions related to execution of a test scenario to any particular functionality.

In <FIG>, the wireless network <NUM> is also shown to include multiple network slices <NUM> to implement network slicing. For example, a first slice <NUM> and a second slice <NUM> are explicitly depicted, but a wireless network can have more or fewer slices <NUM>. Generally, each slice <NUM> is responsible for provisioning network resources to accommodate some network service or enable some network capability, such as meeting a particular industry's network preferences or establishing some minimum level of authentication or security. For example, a given slice <NUM> may correspond to a QoS <NUM>. A QoS <NUM> corresponding to a slice <NUM> may be the same as or different from a QoS <NUM> associated with a UE, as shown in <FIG>. As illustrated in <FIG> by way of example, QoS levels for network slices may number at least two, such as a first QoS <NUM> and a second QoS <NUM>. Here, as shown in <FIG>, the first slice <NUM> corresponds to the first QoS <NUM>, and the second slice <NUM> corresponds to the second QoS <NUM>. Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> has access to a slice or slices <NUM> that can guarantee a given QoS <NUM> to enable the SON facilitator <NUM> to adapt a potential network configuration for a test scenario to ensure that a stipulated QoS for a UE is provided during and after execution of a test scenario, even if operation of one slice is degraded (e.g., slowed or becomes prone to packet loss) responsive to the execution of the test scenario. Example network configuration information and actions by the SON facilitator <NUM> to provide an API for SON enhancement are described below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates an example scheme <NUM> for facilitating SON enhancement with a UE <NUM> or a wireless network management node <NUM> (WNMN <NUM>), which interfaces with a network enhancement server <NUM>. In some aspects, the network enhancement server <NUM> includes a SON enhancer <NUM>. The network enhancement server <NUM> can include one or more processors or CRM and at least one network interface (not shown in <FIG>), similar to those that are described above for the wireless network management node <NUM> with reference to <FIG>. Although shown as two separate nodes or server devices, the wireless network management node <NUM> and the SON facilitator <NUM> can be merged with the network enhancement server <NUM> and the SON enhancer <NUM> (e.g., into a single node or a combined functional entity). The SON enhancer <NUM> can be realized using, for instance, an artificial intelligence (AI) mechanism that employs an AI algorithm. Examples of AI mechanisms include, but are not limited to, machine learning, neural networks, reinforcement learning, iterative refinement (e.g., guided trial and error or A/B testing), combinations thereof, and so forth. In operation, the SON enhancer <NUM> creates a test scenario as described below.

In example implementations, the SON facilitator <NUM> obtains configuration information <NUM>. The SON facilitator <NUM> can obtain the configuration information <NUM> from, for instance, the wireless network <NUM> of <FIG>, including from at least one base station <NUM> or one or more user equipments (UEs) that are wirelessly coupled thereto. The configuration information <NUM> can include network-wide configuration information, cell-level configuration information, UE configuration information, and so forth, depending on how much or what portions of a wireless network is or are being enhanced using a given test scenario <NUM>. To enable the SON enhancer <NUM> to process the configuration information <NUM>, the SON facilitator <NUM> instantiates an API <NUM> for interfacing the SON enhancer <NUM> with the wireless network. As part of an API <NUM>, in some aspects, the SON facilitator <NUM> translates the configuration information <NUM> to produce translated configuration information <NUM>.

This translation can include, for example, filtering of irrelevant data, conversion of data types, reformatting of the data to accommodate inputs of the SON enhancer <NUM>, disassociation of account information from configuration information, amalgamation of individual measurement and performance data into batches, and so forth. The SON facilitator <NUM> can also collect measurement information from the wireless network about a previous test scenario to feed back into the AI mechanism. To feed this information back, the SON facilitator <NUM> can add the collected measurement information into the translated configuration information <NUM>. The SON facilitator <NUM> provides the translated configuration information <NUM> to the SON enhancer <NUM>. The SON enhancer <NUM> processes the translated configuration information <NUM> to produce alternative configuration information <NUM> that represents a test scenario <NUM>. The SON enhancer <NUM> can change any of a multitude of network parameters, such as radio access or radio network parameters, to adapt performance in accordance with the SON principles implemented by a given SON enhancement system.

Example configurable parameters that can be adjusted as part of a test scenario <NUM> include the following: carrier frequency (channel), physical cell identifier (PCI), OFDM numerology, transmit power, handoff/cell-selection thresholds, physical random-access channel (PRACH) resource configurations, timer values, network load/scheduling information, antenna configuration, antenna downtilt, antenna boresight direction, UL/DL configuration, another L1/L2/L3 radio resource control (RRC) configuration parameter, combinations thereof, and so forth. However, any parameter specified in a wireless open standard or proprietary standard can be adjusted to enhance network performance. Thus, the SON enhancer <NUM> can change any one or more of these parameters to produce alternative configuration information <NUM>. A scope or a scale of the test scenario <NUM> is selectively adjustable. The SON enhancer <NUM> can perform an enhancement procedure on, for example, a single user equipment, multiple user equipments, a single base station or cell, multiple base stations or cells, at least one network slice or portion thereof, a geographically-defined portion of a wireless network, a whole wireless network, and so forth. Further, the SON enhancer <NUM> can perform an enhancement procedure for a metro area at different times of day, as user equipment moves around, as the wireless network load fluctuates over time or varies geographically, and so forth. The SON enhancer <NUM> provides the alternative configuration information <NUM> to the SON facilitator <NUM> using the API <NUM>.

Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> accepts the alternative configuration information <NUM> that represents the test scenario <NUM>. Here, the alternative configuration information <NUM> includes at least the configuration information that is being changed as per the SON enhancer <NUM>. The SON facilitator <NUM> has access to some current network conditions (e.g., a QoS <NUM> that is in effect for a given UE <NUM>) that the SON enhancer <NUM> may not have access to. Further, the SON facilitator <NUM> has knowledge of the protocols to communicate with other network functionality, such as that involved with using the network links N of <FIG> or messaging formats. The SON facilitator <NUM> is therefore configured to convert the alternative configuration information <NUM> into instructions and messages interpretable by the other network functions. Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> uses these capabilities to process the alternative configuration information <NUM> and generates transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> based on the wireless network communication protocols and responsive to current network conditions.

To implement the test scenario <NUM>, multiple SON messages <NUM> are generated and communicated within the wireless network. Generally, a SON message <NUM> can be realized using, for instance, a network announcement message, such as network change announcement message. SON messages <NUM> include, for example, a SON network announcement message <NUM>, a downlink SON message <NUM> (DL SON Msg <NUM>), and an uplink (UL) SON message <NUM> (UL SON Msg <NUM>). Thus, using these SON messages <NUM>, network elements can communicate configuration information <NUM> or transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> to other network elements. For example, using these SON messages <NUM>, the transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> is disseminated around the wireless network to different network functions and devices that are to participate in the test scenario <NUM>. In this manner, those user equipments that are to be affected by the test scenario <NUM> are informed of the relevant configuration changes and other characteristics of the test scenario <NUM>. To do so, the SON facilitator <NUM> can generate a DL SON message <NUM> and populate the message with one or more indications descriptive of the test scenario <NUM> and at least those associated configuration changes that affect the UE <NUM>. The base station <NUM> then transmits the DL SON message <NUM> to the UE <NUM>.

Alternately or additionally, the SON facilitator <NUM> can send a SON network announcement message <NUM> to a network element, such as the base station <NUM>, describing aspects of the test scenario <NUM>, such as the first wireless connection <NUM> and the second wireless connection <NUM>. The base station <NUM> in turn generates the DL SON message <NUM> based on the SON network announcement message <NUM> and transmits the DL SON message <NUM> to the UE <NUM> to inform the UE <NUM> of the back-up connection and the test connection. Thus, network elements may also generate network change messages. In response, the UE <NUM> transmits an UL SON message <NUM> to the base station <NUM> acknowledging the test scenario <NUM> and indicating participation in the test scenario <NUM> (e.g., indicating a plan to execute a portion of the test scenario <NUM> that corresponds to the UE <NUM>). Example formats for the UL SON message <NUM> and the DL SON message <NUM>, as well as factors considered by the SON facilitator <NUM> for formulating the latter message, are described below with reference to <FIG>.

<FIG> illustrates example SON messages <NUM>, including an example UL SON message <NUM> and an example DL SON message <NUM>, which is for transmission to a UE to indicate the test scenario <NUM> and characteristics thereof. Although one SON message is shown for each of the UL and DL, multiple SON messages may be communicated for the UL or the DL as part of facilitating SON enhancement. At least one UL SON message <NUM> is transmitted by the UE <NUM> to a serving base station <NUM> to acknowledge receipt of a DL SON message and indicate that the UE <NUM> will participate in the test scenario <NUM>. At least one UL SON message <NUM> can include, for example, an acknowledgement <NUM>, measurement data <NUM>, and so forth. The acknowledgement <NUM> can include an acknowledgement of the test scenario <NUM> or of the specific network configuration parameters that will be utilized during the test scenario <NUM>. The acknowledgment <NUM> can comprise an affirmative indicator within the UL SON message <NUM> or be intrinsically represented by transmission of the UL SON message <NUM>-e.g., in response to receiving a DL SON message <NUM>. During or after the test scenario <NUM>, the UE <NUM> can populate the UL SON message <NUM> with the measurement data <NUM>. The measurement data <NUM> includes at least data indicative of network performance that may be affected by one or more parameters (e.g., radio access or radio network parameters) that are changed by the test scenario <NUM>. However, the measurement data <NUM> can include other types of data. In operation, the base station <NUM> receives the measurement data <NUM> and forwards the measurement data <NUM> in another SON message <NUM> (not explicitly shown) across a core network (e.g., of <FIG> and <FIG>) to the SON facilitator <NUM> for processing.

Additionally or alternatively, a SON facilitator <NUM> of a UE <NUM> may populate an UL SON message <NUM> with other information, including as part of an acknowledgment <NUM> or measurement data <NUM> or as part of another field or portion of the message. For example, the UL SON message <NUM> may be populated with UE configuration or status information for before, during, or after an execution of the test scenario <NUM>. Further, the UL SON message <NUM> may include a request to decline participation in the test scenario <NUM>, including a request that the test scenario not be implemented generally or that the UE receive special treatment, such as changing the UE configuration before the test. The SON facilitator <NUM> may also include in the UL SON message <NUM> a reason for declining participation in the test scenario <NUM>. An UL SON message <NUM> can alternatively include a request to change configuration (e.g., a request to move to another frequency) before the test scenario <NUM> is implemented. Other information that a SON facilitator <NUM> can incorporate as part of an UL SON message <NUM> includes one or more measurements related to at least one nearby base station, which measurements can help the network move the UE to a different base station if requested or if otherwise appropriate (e.g., to provide a given QoS). An UL SON message <NUM> can also include other information or combinations of information.

In some implementations generally, at least one DL SON message <NUM> announces which parameter (e.g., an RF carrier, one or more RAN nodes/sectors, a core network server, or a network slice) is going to be tuned for network enhancement. Alternatively, the DL SON message <NUM> can announce which carriers or other components are not involved in the test scenario <NUM>. The DL SON message <NUM> also indicates when the network change will take place and at what time it will conclude. The DL SON message <NUM> also indicates if the network will, upon conclusion of the test, return to the previous configuration or will change to a new different configuration. If a different configuration, the DL SON message <NUM> can include parameters specifying this future configuration, too. The wireless network can communicate the DL SON message <NUM> to the UE <NUM> using a broadcast mechanism (e.g., a broadcast message), a media access control (MAC) control element (CE) (e.g., an L2 MAC CE), an over-the-top message, and so forth.

Generally, information can be provided in at least one DL SON message <NUM> to prepare user equipments for execution of a test scenario. The information can include, for example, moving a primary component carrier (PCC) of a user equipment, adding a new secondary component carrier (SCC) to a user equipment, indicating measurements to be taken, identifying one or more Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) parameters for backup network-attachment opportunities, and so forth. As illustrated, at least one DL SON message <NUM> can include at least one parameter <NUM> that is being changed directly or that may otherwise be impacted by execution of the test scenario <NUM>. Thus, the parameter <NUM> can comprise a parameter that is being configured in accordance with the alternative configuration information <NUM> of <FIG>. The parameter <NUM> can relate, for example, to a carrier <NUM> (e.g., one or more characteristics of a wireless signal assigned to a UE <NUM>) or a network element <NUM> (e.g., a base station, a mobile management entity, a serving gateway, etc.). In some cases, the parameter <NUM> comprises a radio access parameter or a radio network parameter. As another example, the parameter <NUM> can include a PRACH resource on another carrier and/or cell to which a UE can move if the UE is declining to participate in the test scenario <NUM>. If a parameter <NUM> that is being changed by a test scenario <NUM> is not directly utilized by the UE <NUM> (e.g., a parameter that configures a network slice <NUM> that is opaque to a wireless connection <NUM> but can nevertheless impact performance of the wireless connection <NUM>), the parameter <NUM> can be omitted from the DL SON message <NUM>.

The at least one DL SON message <NUM> can also include a timeframe <NUM> for the test scenario <NUM>, a termination configuration <NUM>, one or more extant connections <NUM> (e.g., that identify wireless connections <NUM>), and so forth. The timeframe <NUM> is indicative of when the test scenario <NUM> is scheduled to occur and can include a begin time <NUM> or an end time <NUM> (or both) for execution of the test scenario <NUM>. The begin time <NUM> and the end time <NUM> can be specified in different manners, such as with reference to a synchronized clock, at least one radio frame, at least one sub-frame, an event-including an arrival of a DL SON message <NUM>, combinations thereof, and so forth. In terms of clock time, a test scenario may last for minutes (e.g., <NUM> minutes, <NUM> minutes, or an hour). This may be appropriate for a bulk configuration testing scenario directed to determining a large-scale network configuration for blocks of time, such as commute hours versus non-commute hours. Alternatively, a test scenario may last on the order of milliseconds (e.g., <NUM> of milliseconds or half a second). This time period may be appropriate for testing an alternative configuration for a short-term or transient network condition or for a few user equipments wirelessly coupled to a given base station. In terms of frames, a test configuration may be employed for a few (e.g., <NUM>-<NUM>) sub-frames or radio frames. Other frame-based testing configurations can entail testing for some sequence of frames (e.g., every other frame for <NUM> milliseconds or every 5th frame for several <NUM> milliseconds). However, a timeframe <NUM> of a test scenario <NUM>, including a begin time <NUM> or an end time <NUM> thereof, may be specified in alternative manners, such as by specifying a period that starts to elapse after a particular event or a synchronized clock time and then extends for some number of frames or units of time or until another event. Thus, an end time <NUM> can be indicated using an elapsed period after a begin time <NUM>, a detectable terminating event, a synchronized clock time, a number of frames after a begin time <NUM> or a detectable starting event, some combination thereof, and so forth. After the specified end time <NUM> indicative of a conclusion of the timeframe <NUM>, a previous or other known configuration can be restored such that the UE can revert to a configuration with a predictable level of reliability.

The termination configuration <NUM> is indicative of a network configuration, at least as it pertains to the receiving UE, that is to be enacted responsive to termination of an execution of the test scenario <NUM>, such as at the end time <NUM>. The termination configuration <NUM> can correspond to radio access or ratio network configuration settings for a third wireless connection. The termination configuration <NUM> can include, for instance, a reversion indication <NUM>, a different configuration <NUM>, and so forth. The reversion indication <NUM> informs the receiving UE that a network configuration that was in effect prior to execution of the test scenario <NUM> is to be reactivated at the termination of the test scenario <NUM>. Thus, in response to receiving the reversion indication <NUM>, the UE can revert at the end time <NUM> to using at least one wireless connection configuration that was in use prior to the execution of the test scenario <NUM>. The different configuration <NUM> represents a third network configuration-after the initial configuration and the test configuration. The different configuration <NUM> can be specified by the DL SON message <NUM> as a configuration specification with explicit included information or by reference to a configuration that is sent to the UE at a different time. In either case, the UE is instructed to operate in accordance with the different configuration <NUM> responsive to the occurrence of the end time <NUM>. By way of example, a DL SON message <NUM> can announce that an RF carrier #<NUM> will have a change (e.g., to a transmit power configuration) during a specific time (e.g., from a begin time <NUM> of <NUM>:<NUM>:<NUM> pm to an end time <NUM> of <NUM>:<NUM>:<NUM> pm). As another example, the termination configuration <NUM> can specify one or more alternate cells, times, and/or PRACH options for attempting to return to the wireless network in case of a failure of a wireless connection or a network slice.

During the execution of the test scenario <NUM>, changed parameters may reduce network performance or even break a wireless connection of a UE or a wired connection of the core network that is coupled to the wireless connection of the UE. To protect against this potential, traffic with a relatively high QoS can be moved to other resources that are to remain unaffected during execution of the test scenario <NUM> to ensure that the QoS obligation is met. Thus, multiple connectivity, such as dual connectivity, can be utilized as part of autonomous network enhancement. Dual connectivity allows configuration changes to be implemented with respect to a second carrier while a first carrier can be used to maintain reliable network connectivity. This approach enables controlled A/B testing of a wireless network but uses multiple connectivity to insure communication reliability.

Thus, to facilitate SON enhancement, a UE <NUM> can be allocated multiple wireless connections, at least during execution of the test scenario <NUM>. To indicate these multiple wireless connections, the DL SON message <NUM> can include extant connections <NUM> that indicate what wireless connections <NUM> (of <FIG>) are to be in effect during the test scenario <NUM>. As shown in <FIG>, the extant connections <NUM> include a first wireless connection <NUM> and a second wireless connection <NUM>. During the execution of a network experiment, one wireless connection may remain unchanged by the test scenario <NUM>. This wireless connection, which can be explicitly identified by the extant connections <NUM>, can therefore be assigned to provide a particular QoS that is guaranteed to the UE <NUM>. The other wireless connection can be varied by the test scenario <NUM>, such as by changing at least one parameter that can impact that other wireless connection. If the UE is not already associated with multiple wireless connections, the SON facilitator <NUM> can provision a second wireless connection so that at least one wireless connection can be unaffected by the test scenario <NUM> as described herein.

The SON facilitator <NUM> of <FIG> can provision the connections <NUM> in many different manners. In some implementations, the SON facilitator <NUM> provisions a first connection <NUM> to provide a substantially reliable connection and the second connection <NUM> to be configured in accordance with the alternative configuration information <NUM> as per the transformed alternative configuration information <NUM>. To provide a substantially reliable connection, the first connection <NUM> can be substantially independent of the network resources being configured in accordance with the alternative configuration information <NUM> for the test scenario <NUM>, such as by being assigned to a different network slice <NUM>, a different base station <NUM>, or a different carrier than is assigned to the second connection <NUM>. Alternatively, the first connection <NUM> can be configured in accordance with a previously-utilized network configuration that has been tested or already achieved satisfactory field performance. As another example, the first connection <NUM> can be configured to have a given QoS <NUM>, such as by using radio access and core network resources in manner that has been used successfully at some time previously. In contrast, the second connection <NUM> is configured with an alternative or changed parameter (e.g., a radio access or radio network parameter) that is indicated by the alternative configuration information <NUM>. The changed or alternative parameter may be relative to that used previously by the UE <NUM> in another connection, may be relative to a different one employed by the first connection <NUM>, may be relative to an input to the SON enhancer <NUM> that results in the alternative parameter at the output thereof, and so forth.

To accommodate the factors presented above for provisioning the first and second connections <NUM> and <NUM>, the SON facilitator <NUM> can provision new connections for the first and second connections <NUM> and <NUM> relative to the connection or connections being used immediately previously by the UE <NUM>. In an alternative case, the SON facilitator <NUM> can maintain a current connection as the first connection <NUM> that provides a reliable connection for the UE. The SON facilitator <NUM> therefore directs the wireless network (e.g., using a SON network announcement message <NUM>) to establish a new connection in accordance with at least one alternative parameter of the alternative configuration information <NUM> for the second connection <NUM>. Other approaches to provisioning the first and second connections <NUM> and <NUM> can alternatively be implemented.

Thus, the first wireless connection <NUM> and the second wireless connection <NUM> can be realized in many different manners such that the first wireless connection <NUM> is to be unchanged by a test scenario <NUM> and the second wireless connection <NUM> is to use at least one radio access network parameter <NUM> specified by at least one DL SON message <NUM>. Two examples are described here. In a first example, a DL SON message <NUM> can include a secondary component carrier (SCC) activation message that directs the UE <NUM> to establish a new wireless connection as the second wireless connection <NUM> having at least one radio access network parameter <NUM> configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. In this first example, an existing primary component connection (PCC) can be continued as the first wireless connection <NUM>. In a second example, prior to a begin time <NUM> of the testing timeframe <NUM>, the UE can establish a known wireless configuration on an SCC as the first wireless connection <NUM>, including by moving an existing connection or creating a new one using a known configuration. In this second example, the PCC can then be configured to use the at least one radio access network parameter <NUM> that is configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. In both cases, the first wireless connection <NUM> can be unchanged by the test scenario <NUM> from a known wireless configuration that has been used previously to achieve a particular QoS or otherwise to provide a reliable data throughput for the UE <NUM>. Generally, the more recently the known wireless configuration was used previously, the more likely the first wireless connection <NUM> is to be functioning as a fallback should the second wireless connection <NUM> fail completely (e.g., drop a connection) or fail in terms of some targeted minimum bandwidth or maximum latency.

<FIG> is a schematic diagram <NUM> of two example wireless networks, which respectively correspond to two different network operators <NUM>, which can facilitate SON enhancement using a SON proxy <NUM>. As illustrated, the network operators <NUM> include a first network operator <NUM> and a second network operator <NUM>. However, additional network operators can be coupled to the SON proxy <NUM>. The first network operator <NUM> operates a first network that includes a first core network <NUM> and a first wireless network management node <NUM> having a first SON facilitator <NUM>. The first SON facilitator <NUM> is coupled to the SON proxy <NUM>. The second network operator <NUM> operates a second network that includes a second core network <NUM> and a second wireless network management node <NUM> having a second SON facilitator <NUM>. The second SON facilitator <NUM> is also coupled to the SON proxy <NUM>.

The SON proxy <NUM> allows different network operators <NUM> to communicate with each other to enable coordination on SON efforts using an inter-operator SON message. For example, the first SON facilitator <NUM> can generate a notification <NUM> and transmit the notification <NUM> to the second SON facilitator <NUM> using the SON proxy <NUM>. The notification <NUM> can provide information in advance of an upcoming test scenario <NUM> that is to be conducted by the first SON facilitator <NUM>. In other words, a SON proxy <NUM> can facilitate an exchange of courtesy messages, such as when a carrier plans to change a network configuration in an unlicensed band.

In some implementations, the SON proxy <NUM> is realized as a network server that exists between the core networks of two cellular carrier networks and is operationally disposed between their respective SON NFs <NUM> (of <FIG>). The SON proxy <NUM> can be operated by either network operator <NUM>, by a partnership including both the first and second network operators <NUM> and <NUM>, by a third party, and so forth. Exchanging inter-operator SON messages can facilitate announcement of network changes across different carriers, such as if two carriers have proximate spectrum allocations or for unlicensed bands (e.g., <NUM> or Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)) with carrier that are geographically close. An example of an unlicensed, or shared, band is CBRS. In the case of CBRS, a network change notification <NUM> can alternatively be routed through a CBRS spectrum access system (SAS) server.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram <NUM> illustrating examples of operations performed by, and communications exchanged between, a UE <NUM> and a base station <NUM> to facilitate SON enhancement in accordance with a wireless signaling protocol. The operations or communications can be performed at least partially by a SON facilitator <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>) of the UE <NUM> or by a SON facilitator <NUM> (also of <FIG>) of the base station <NUM>. In the example sequence diagram <NUM>, time <NUM> increases in a downward direction. Along the time <NUM>, a begin time <NUM> and an end time <NUM> are indicated for a test scenario <NUM> that is to be executed. However, the arrow for time <NUM> is not necessarily depicted to scale relative to the occurrences of the operations and communications. Two example types of SON message communications are shown: a DL SON message <NUM> and an UL SON message <NUM>.

In example implementations, the base station <NUM> obtains a DL SON message at <NUM>. The base station <NUM> can receive a prepared DL SON message from a SON facilitator <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG> and <FIG>). Alternatively, the base station <NUM> can receive from the SON facilitator <NUM> information regarding a test scenario <NUM> that is usable to populate a DL SON message, and the base station <NUM> can then generate the DL SON message using the received information. Regardless, the base station <NUM> wirelessly transmits the DL SON message <NUM> (DL SON Msg) to the UE <NUM> with the DL SON message <NUM> including a description of at least one aspect of the test scenario <NUM> as described above with reference to <FIG>. For example, the DL SON message <NUM> can be indicative of the test scenario <NUM> and specify at least one radio access network parameter that is configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>.

The UE <NUM> receives the DL SON message <NUM> from the base station <NUM>. In response to the received DL SON message <NUM>, the UE <NUM> formulates a first UL SON message <NUM> (UL SON Msg #<NUM>) that acknowledges receipt (e.g., as represented by the acknowledgement <NUM>) of the DL SON message <NUM> and indicates that the UE <NUM> will participate in the test scenario <NUM>. Accordingly, the UE <NUM> transmits the first UL SON message <NUM> (#<NUM>) to the base station <NUM>. The base station <NUM> therefore receives the first UL SON message <NUM> (#<NUM>).

Responsive to an occurrence of the begin time <NUM>, the UE <NUM> participates in the test scenario <NUM> at <NUM>, and the base station <NUM> participates in the test scenario <NUM> at <NUM>. During execution of the test scenario <NUM>, the base station <NUM> and the UE <NUM> can communicate using multiple wireless connections <NUM>, such as a first wireless connection <NUM> and a second wireless connection <NUM>. Although the first and second wireless connections <NUM> and <NUM> are depicted "sequentially" relative to the arrow of time <NUM>, the existence or usage of the wireless connections may overlap and/or be extant during substantially all of the test scenario <NUM>. Responsive to the end time <NUM> for the execution of the test scenario <NUM>, the UE <NUM> switches to the termination configuration <NUM> (of <FIG>) at <NUM> to establish a third wireless connection, which may correspond to the wireless connection configuration of the first wireless connection. Further, the base station <NUM> also switches to the termination configuration <NUM> at <NUM>. Thus, both the UE <NUM> and the base station <NUM> can start to communicate using a same set of the corresponding radio access or ratio network configuration settings at the end time <NUM>.

Using a configuration of the termination configuration <NUM>, the UE <NUM> transmits a second UL SON message <NUM> (UL SON Msg #<NUM>) to the base station <NUM>. The second UL SON message <NUM> (#<NUM>) includes measurement data <NUM> taken by the UE <NUM> during the test scenario <NUM>. Alternatively, the UE <NUM> can upload the measurement data <NUM> to the wireless network using the base station <NUM> at the end of, or otherwise during, the test scenario <NUM> (e.g., before switching to the termination configuration <NUM>). In either case, the base station <NUM> receives the measurement data <NUM> from the UE <NUM> using the second UL SON message <NUM> (#<NUM>). The base station <NUM> forwards the measurement data <NUM> to the core network <NUM> (e.g., to a SON facilitator <NUM>) using another SON message <NUM> (e.g., a SON message <NUM> of <FIG>). This measurement data <NUM> can form a part of configuration information <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG> and <FIG>) that is provided to and collected by the SON facilitator <NUM> of the wireless network management node <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG>). Alternately or additionally, the base station <NUM> can perform measurements, including with respect to the second wireless connection <NUM>, and transmit the resulting measurement data to the SON facilitator <NUM> using another SON message <NUM>.

<FIG> is a sequence diagram <NUM> illustrating examples of operations performed by, and communications exchanged between, a SON facilitator <NUM> of a wireless network management node <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>) and a SON enhancer <NUM> of a network enhancement server <NUM> (e.g., of <FIG> and <FIG>) in accordance with an application programming interface <NUM> (API <NUM>) to facilitate SON enhancement in accordance with a wireless signaling protocol. Additional example communications are shown that also include the core network <NUM>. Each of the communications depicted in <FIG> may be implemented as a SON message <NUM> (of <FIG>): these include a message <NUM>, a message <NUM>, and a message <NUM>. In the example sequence diagram <NUM>, time <NUM> increases in the downward direction; the arrow for time <NUM> is not necessarily depicted to scale relative to the occurrences of the operations and communications.

In example implementations, the core network <NUM> sends configuration information <NUM> to the SON facilitator <NUM> using at least one message <NUM>. Entities in the core network <NUM> that may contribute at least a portion of the configuration information <NUM> include management nodes, network elements, network functions, network slices, base stations coupled to the core network, combinations thereof, and so forth. Thus, the other SON message <NUM> (of <FIG>) that carries the measurement data <NUM> may be, for instance, part of or an example instance of the message <NUM> carrying configuration information <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the SON facilitator <NUM> translates the configuration information <NUM>, which is formatted for consumption, transmission, or usage by a wireless network, into a format that is appropriate for input to an enhancement mechanism, which formatted information is called translated configuration information <NUM> herein. For example, the SON facilitator <NUM> can convert configuration information received using one or more wireless network protocols into data that can be applied to an input layer of an AI-based enhancement mechanism, such as a neural network. The SON facilitator <NUM> provides the translated configuration information <NUM> to the SON enhancer <NUM> using at least one message <NUM> in accordance with the API <NUM>.

The SON enhancer <NUM> processes the translated configuration information <NUM> to produce alternative configuration information <NUM> as part of an enhancement procedure at <NUM>. In some cases, the enhancement procedure uses guided learning to incrementally improve performance of the wireless network based on feedback from an earlier experimental configuration that is included as part of the configuration information <NUM>. However, a different enhancement procedure at <NUM> that utilizes a different, e.g., AI-based analysis mechanism can alternatively be performed. The SON enhancer <NUM> provides the alternative configuration information <NUM> to the SON facilitator <NUM> using at least one message <NUM> in accordance with the API <NUM>. The alternative configuration information <NUM> includes different network parameters that are expected to improve network performance over the previous ones as represented by the configuration information <NUM> and the translated configuration information <NUM>. These different network parameters can include different radio access or radio network parameters.

In this example, the alternative configuration information <NUM> comprises at least a portion of an output layer of a deep learning algorithm. However, the alternative configuration information <NUM> may be organized or formatted differently. The SON facilitator <NUM> performs a transformation procedure at <NUM> on the alternative configuration information <NUM> to produce transformed alternative configuration information <NUM>. This transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> is organized or formatted for usage by, and communication among, various aspects of the wireless network. The SON facilitator <NUM> packages at least the parameter changes of the transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> into messages that can be transmitted over and interpreted by different network components. Thus, the SON facilitator <NUM> disseminates the parameter changes of the transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> using one or more SON network announcement messages <NUM> (of <FIG>). These messages <NUM> are sent to network elements, various network functions, multiple slices, and so forth of the core network <NUM>. Upon receipt of such messages, a base station can generate a DL SON message <NUM> for transmission to an affected UE. Alternatively, the SON facilitator <NUM> can generate a DL SON message <NUM> for routing and transmission to the affected UE prior to the begin time <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

Having generally described schemes and apparatuses for facilitating self-organizing network (SON) enhancement, this discussion now turns to example methods.

Example methods are described below with reference to various flow diagrams of <FIG>, <FIG>, and <FIG>. These methods relate to facilitating SON enhancement for a UE, a base station, and a network management node, respectively. Aspects of these methods may be implemented in, for example, hardware (e.g., fixed logic circuitry, a communication-oriented processor such as a modem, or a general-purpose processor in conjunction with a memory system), firmware, or some combination thereof. These techniques may be realized using one or more of the wireless devices or components shown in <FIG>, which devices or components may be further divided, combined, and so on. The electronic devices and components of these figures generally represent firmware, hardware-such as user or server devices, IC chips, circuits, or a combination thereof. Thus, these figures illustrate some of the many possible systems or apparatuses capable of implementing the described techniques.

For these flow diagrams, the orders in which operations are shown and/or described are not intended to be construed as a limitation. Any number or combination of the described method operations can be combined in any order to implement a given method, or an alternative method. Also, operations may be omitted or added to the described techniques. Further, described operations can be implemented in fully or partially overlapping manners. Although the three flowcharts are described separately, their operations may be interrelated. For example, if a UE <NUM> is described as transmitting an UL SON message <NUM> with a particular payload with respect to one flow diagram, a corresponding serving base station <NUM> can therefore be receiving the payload.

<FIG> illustrates, with a flow diagram <NUM>, example methods for facilitating SON enhancement with a UE <NUM>. In example implementations, the UE <NUM> is informed of an upcoming test scenario so that the UE <NUM> can safely participate in the test scenario and successfully maintain data throughput during execution of the test scenario. At <NUM>, a downlink (DL) SON message is received from a wireless network, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. For example, the UE <NUM> can receive, from a wireless network <NUM>, a DL SON message <NUM>, with the DL SON message <NUM> indicative of a test scenario <NUM> and specifying at least one radio access network parameter <NUM> configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. The radio access network parameter <NUM> can be one for which the UE <NUM> affirmatively makes a change (e.g., to transceiver settings) to implement, one that the UE <NUM> can directly detect a change of but is realized at a serving base station, one that the UE <NUM> is or may be indirectly affected by, and so forth. A parameter <NUM> may generally comprise, for instance, a maximum transmit power level permitted by the UE <NUM> on a given carrier, a base station handover threshold, a network function or location thereof that is to be different, and so forth.

At <NUM>, at least one base station is communicated with using a first wireless connection, with the first wireless connection to be unchanged by the test scenario. For example, the UE <NUM> can communicate with a base station <NUM> using at least a first wireless connection <NUM>, with the first wireless connection <NUM> to be unchanged by the test scenario <NUM>. Here, the first wireless connection <NUM> can be unchanged by the test scenario <NUM> based on the first wireless connection <NUM> being established with one or more resources that are separate from those resources configured in accordance with the test scenario. For the two wireless connections to be used for communication during the testing scenario <NUM>, the UE <NUM> may transmit or receive a signal to or from the base station <NUM> using both the first wireless connection <NUM> and a second wireless connection <NUM>, which is described below, at least once during a timeframe <NUM> of a test scenario <NUM>. The first wireless connection <NUM> may be allocated to radio access or core network resources (e.g., hardware, network functions, a network slice, air interface resources, some combination thereof) that are to be unaffected by the planned network configuration changes or differences implemented in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. In some aspects, the DL SON message <NUM> may indicate the extant connections <NUM> and identify which wireless connection is to be unchanged by the test scenario <NUM> and thus separate from (e.g., not subject to) the alternative configurations to be implemented in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. The UE <NUM> can therefore maintain at least one reliable (e.g., previously used successfully) wireless connection, the first wireless connection <NUM>.

At <NUM>, at least one base station is communicated with using a second wireless connection using the at least one radio access network parameter. For example, responsive to the DL SON message <NUM>, the UE <NUM> can participate in the test scenario <NUM> by communicating with the base station <NUM> using the second wireless connection <NUM> using the at least one radio access network parameter <NUM>. Thus, the UE <NUM> may experience different network performance characteristics, while using the second wireless connection <NUM> during the test scenario <NUM> due to the one or more alternative radio access network parameters <NUM>. These different network performance characteristics may be different as compared to those experienced with the first wireless connection <NUM>, with a previous version of the second wireless connection <NUM>, or another earlier wireless connection.

<FIG> illustrates, with a flow diagram <NUM>, example methods for facilitating SON enhancement with a base station <NUM>. In example implementations, the base station <NUM> informs a UE of an upcoming test scenario so that the UE can safely participate in the test scenario using multiple wireless connections, at least one of which has been used successfully before (e.g., successfully provided a given QoS or did not otherwise fail). At <NUM>, a downlink (DL) SON message is transmitted to at least one UE, with the DL SON message indicative of a test scenario and specifying at least one radio access network parameter configured in accordance with the test scenario. For example, the base station <NUM> can transmit to at least one UE <NUM> a DL SON message <NUM>, with the DL SON message <NUM> indicative of a test scenario <NUM> and specifying at least one radio access network parameter <NUM> configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. The DL SON message <NUM> may also specify how the radio access network parameter <NUM> is to be configured for the test scenario <NUM> for a particular wireless connection or include other attributes of the test scenario <NUM> as described above with reference to <FIG>.

At <NUM>, the at least one UE is communicated with using a first wireless connection, with the first wireless connection to be unchanged by the test scenario. For example, the base station <NUM> can communicate with the at least one UE <NUM> using at least a first wireless connection <NUM>, with the first wireless connection <NUM> to be unchanged by the test scenario <NUM>. The first wireless connection <NUM> may be able to provide a corresponding QoS <NUM> that is associated with the at least one UE <NUM> by separating the first wireless connection <NUM> from changes scheduled for implementation during the test scenario <NUM> (e.g., by allocating the first wireless connection <NUM> to resources of an unaffected slice <NUM> of a radio access or core network).

At <NUM>, the at least one UE is communicated with using a second wireless connection using the at least one radio access network parameter. For example, based on the DL SON message <NUM>, the base station <NUM> can communicate with the at least one UE <NUM> using the second wireless connection <NUM> using the at least one radio access network parameter <NUM>. For instance, the base station <NUM> may communicate with the at least one UE <NUM> using the second wireless connection <NUM> while the second wireless connection <NUM> has a different level of performance or at least different characteristics because of the alternative configuration implemented by the specified radio access network parameter <NUM>. Here, the first wireless connection <NUM> is independent of the second wireless connection <NUM> such that the first wireless connection <NUM> can continue to provide connectivity to the at least one UE <NUM> even if the second wireless connection <NUM> fails as a result of the specified radio access network parameter <NUM> or another aspect of the test scenario <NUM> being executed.

<FIG> illustrates, with a flow diagram <NUM>, example methods for facilitating SON enhancement with a SON facilitator <NUM> of a wireless network management node <NUM>. In example implementations, the SON facilitator <NUM> directs a wireless network to undergo a testing scenario as an experimental round intended to gradually discover iterative network performance improvements using a guided scheme. At <NUM>, configuration information is collected for at least a portion of a wireless network. For example, a SON facilitator <NUM> can collect configuration information <NUM> for at least a portion of a wireless network <NUM>. The SON facilitator <NUM> may collect current network configuration information, such as current parameter settings, from other control or management nodes, from nodes or functions of the core network <NUM>, from base stations <NUM>, from UEs <NUM>, and so forth using SON messages <NUM>. As part of the configuration information <NUM>, the SON facilitator <NUM> may also collect data measured by network entities as the data existed in a previous test scenario <NUM>.

At <NUM>, alternative configuration information is obtained for a test scenario, with the alternative configuration information based on the configuration information. For example, the SON facilitator <NUM> can obtain, for a test scenario <NUM>, alternative configuration information <NUM> that is based on the configuration information <NUM> being processed by a self-organizing network (SON) enhancer <NUM>. The SON facilitator <NUM> and the SON enhancer <NUM> can be located at a same node or different nodes, can be operated by a same entity or different entities, can be distributed across a same server or different servers, and so forth. The SON enhancer <NUM> may, for instance, be realized using an AI algorithm (e.g., machine learning or iterative refinement). If so, the SON enhancer <NUM> can produce the alternative configuration information <NUM> by applying translated configuration information <NUM>, which is derived from the configuration information <NUM> by the SON facilitator <NUM>, to a neural network with reinforcement learning. In some aspects, the SON facilitator <NUM> may translate the configuration information <NUM> from a format that is compatible with operating a wireless network into a format that is compatible for inputting into an AI mechanism, such as the neural network, to produce the translated configuration information <NUM>. Interaction between the SON facilitator <NUM> and the SON enhancer <NUM> can be realized using an API <NUM>, which can be instantiated by the SON facilitator <NUM>.

At <NUM>, the alternative configuration information is processed using at least one current network condition for a user equipment to produce transformed alternative configuration information, with the transformed alternative configuration information comprising a provision for the user equipment including at least a first wireless connection and a second wireless connection. The first wireless connection is to be unchanged by the test scenario, and the second wireless connection is to be configured in accordance with the alternative configuration information for the test scenario. For example, the SON facilitator <NUM> can process the alternative configuration information <NUM> using at least one current network condition (e.g., a current geospatial location, a current serving base station, a current radio access parameter, a current QoS, or current network functions interacting with the UE) for a UE <NUM> to produce transformed alternative configuration information <NUM>. The transformed alternative configuration information <NUM> comprises a provision for the UE <NUM> including at least a first wireless connection <NUM> and a second wireless connection <NUM>. The first wireless connection <NUM> is to be unchanged by the test scenario <NUM>, and the second wireless connection <NUM> is to be configured in accordance with the alternative configuration information <NUM> for the test scenario <NUM>.

To do so, the SON facilitator <NUM> may transform the alternative configuration information <NUM> from a format corresponding to output from the AI mechanism into a format compatible with at least one wireless network protocol. Alternately or additionally, communication resources, such as radio access or core network resources, may be provisioned for the UE <NUM> by the SON facilitator <NUM> based on a current network condition (e.g., a QoS <NUM> that is currently contractually due to, or otherwise associated with, the UE <NUM>) such that the UE <NUM> is assigned two wireless connections. Further, multiple wireless connections may be assigned to those UEs that do not have a particular QoS currently to ensure reliability, or multiple wireless connections may be assigned to those UEs that are determined to have a greater likelihood of losing service quality due to the parameter changes planned for the test scenario <NUM>. In some aspects, the first wireless connection <NUM> can be unchanged by a test scenario <NUM> by being provisioned substantially separately from radio access network parameters configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM>. Further, the first wireless connection <NUM> can be provisioned substantially separately from the radio access network parameters configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM> by being assigned radio access or core network resources for the first wireless connection <NUM> that persist through a failure of other radio access or core network resources, such as those that are configured in accordance with the test scenario <NUM> (e.g., for the second wireless connection <NUM>).

Claim 1:
A method performed by a user equipment (<NUM>) to facilitate self-organizing network, SON, enhancement in a wireless network, the method comprising:
receiving (<NUM>), from the wireless network, a downlink SON message (<NUM>), the downlink SON message (<NUM>) indicative of a test scenario (<NUM>) and specifying at least one radio access network parameter (<NUM>) for an alternative network configuration to be used in the test scenario (<NUM>); and
communicating (<NUM>, <NUM>) user data with at least one base station (<NUM>) using at least a first wireless connection (<NUM>) and a second wireless connection (<NUM>) that are simultaneously extant during at least a portion of an execution of the test scenario (<NUM>), the first wireless connection (<NUM>) to be unchanged by the test scenario (<NUM>), and the second wireless connection (<NUM>) to use the at least one radio access network parameter (<NUM>).