O-RAN IP Filing Trends: Building a Faster Internet

Open Radio Access Network, or O-RAN for short, is a concept that emphasises the standardisation and interoperability of RAN components, including an uniform connectivity standard for white-box hardware and open-source software from different suppliers. Because it satisfies the high reliability and low latency requirements of 5G applications, it is perfect for deployment at the network edge. To take advantage of the many potential offered by this location, a number of businesses from across the world are inventing in this area. A growth in innovation in the industry and its expanding use are also indicated by O-RAN IP filing trends.

This article talks about O-RAN, its market, technological advancements in the field, and patterns in O-RAN IP filing.

What is O-RAN?

It is important to comprehend RAN before delving into O-RAN. Mobile networks with base stations often use Radio Access Network, commonly referred to as classic RAN. It facilitates the use of radio access technologies, such as 4G and 5G, to link mobile devices to the core network. In a traditional RAN, all of the entities are typically controlled by just one vendor.

O-RAN, on the other hand, represents standardisation and is very different from its previous incarnation. Built on open standards, the O-RAN architecture and specifications place a strong emphasis on alignment with other industry bodies to assure interoperability. The organisations in the industry include 3GPP, GSMA, Telecom Infra Project, ETSI, and others.

The RAN functions of Open-RAN are separated and can be carried out by many vendors. O-CU (Central Unit), O-DU (Distributed Unit), O-RU (Remote Unit), and RIC are the several categories that these functions fall under (Radio Intelligent Controller). The control plane processing and user plane processing are kept apart in a typical RAN architecture. The situation in Open-RAN is comparable.

In this case, the O-DU is in charge of hosting RLC and MAC, the upper physical layer, based on a functional separation between lower layers. Based on the lower layer functional split, the O-RU is a logical node that hosts the lower physical layer and the RF processing. The node that hosts the RRC, SDAP, and PDCP protocols is known as the O-CU. The user-plane and SDAP portions of the PDCP protocol are hosted by the O-CU-UP logical node, and the RRC and control-plane portions are hosted by the O-CU-CP logical node.

Main Building Blocks of O-RAN

The Radio Intelligent Controller (RIC), which resides above all of the logical nodes previously stated, is split into two sections:

1. RIC in Near-Real-Time

2. RIC Non-Real-Time

Non-Real-Time RIC, which is the higher layer, performs self-organizing network functions and deals with automation (ML/AI), policy-based guidance of the features in Near-Real-Time RIC and RAN elements, and resource optimization. Mobility management, traffic steering, interference management, spectrum management, and other tasks are handled by the Near-Real-Time RIC. The remaining real-time radio resource management tasks are carried out by the O-DU (in the MAC domain).

There are several programmes called X-apps inside the Near-Real-Time RIC. These programmes, which track particular operations like interference management, mobility management, etc., may be offered by independent vendors or other third parties. The SMO, the Service Management and Orchestration Framework, is then in charge of managing the layers beneath. The Near-Real-Time RICF can be maintained with the aid of the Non-Real-Time RIC.

The O-RAN Alliance

In order to develop RAN solutions based on general-purpose vendor-neutral hardware and software-defined technologies, AT&T, China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom, NTT DOCOMO, and Orange formed the O-RAN alliance in 2018. It is a group of suppliers, research and academic institutes, and mobile operators that work in the radio access network sector.

General Market Research

Alium, a patent pool for licencing in the Open-RAN infrastructure space, is mentioned in recent industry reports. It was established by MPEG LA and Unified Patents in order to assist patent owners in obtaining the licences required to produce radio units for the O-RAN market. Eleven patent owners are now a part of Alium's Open RAN licencing network. Acer, AT&T Intellectual Property, CableLabs, Comcast, Godo Kaisha IP Bridge 1, Koninklijke Philips, Meta, Mitsubishi Electric, Pantech, SK Telecom, and Verizon Patent and Licensing are among the companies on the list. In the future, more businesses are anticipated to join the pool.

Along with other major players like Intel and Qualcomm, Ericsson, Nokia, and Huawei have entered the O-RAN market. Companies in the Asia-Pacific area are constructing their 5G networks based on the Open RAN technology, including Reliance Jio in India. Several businesses, including as SignalChip, Saankhya Labs, Tejas Networks, Sterlite Technologies, and VVDN Technologies, may be a part of the Jio 5G ecosystem. Utilizing radios from several vendors, Rakuten recently introduced 4G and 5G commercial services in Japan using the Open-RAN architecture. Altiostar, Cisco, Nokia, Intel, Qualcomm, Mavenir, Tech Mahindra, Viavi, Airspan, and other prominent suppliers are among the important players here. On the other hand, in its European R&D facility in Spain, Vodafone is collaborating with more than 20 chip makers to promote the development of the Open-RAN processors.

IP Filing Trends in O-RAN

Sagacious IP conducted a thorough analysis of the businesses that have invested in O-RAN patent filings in order to comprehend the intellectual property side of this technology. Since the O-RAN Alliance was established in 2018, we have attempted to track trends in patent/IP filing. Of course, O-RAN-supporting patents would be obtainable before to 2018 as well. To assess all of those patent chances and the consequent patterns in IP filing, though, a colossally comprehensive analysis would be necessary.

To get more information, read the entire article about IP Filing Trends.