5G And Machine Learning: Taking Cellular Base Stations From Smart To Genius Posted on : Jul 22 - 2020

5G is ushering in a new breed of “genius” networks to deal with the increased levels of complexity, prediction and real time decision making that is required to deliver the performance gains promised not just in enhanced mobile broadband applications but also in IoT and mission critical use cases. At the core of this evolutionary step is the use of machine learning algorithms.

The ability to be more dynamic with real-time network optimization capabilities such as resource loading, power budget balancing and interference detection is what made networks “smart” in the 4G era. 5G adds support for new antenna capabilities, high-density and heterogeneous network topologies, and uplink and downlink channel allocation and configuration based on payload type and application. While there are many uses of machine learning across all layers of a 5G network from the physical layer through to the application layer, the base station is emerging as a key application for machine learning.

More Resources Only Means Better Performance If Coordinated

One of the hallmarks of a next generation 5G base station is the use of advanced antenna capabilities These capabilities include but are not limited to massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna arrays, beamforming, and beam steering.

Massive MIMO is the use of antenna arrays with a large number of active elements. Depending on the frequency band in which it is deployed, massive MIMO designs can employ from 24 active antenna elements to as many as several hundred. One of the uses of MIMO in general is to be able to transmit and receive parallel and redundant streams of information to address errors introduced by interference. However, another use specific to massive MIMO is beamforming and in more advanced systems, beam steering. Beamforming is the ability to utilize a set of phased arrays to create a beam of energy that can be used to focus and extend signal transmission and reception to and from the base station to a particular mobile device. Beam steering is the ability to then control that beam to follow the device in a fully mobile environment within the coverage footprint of that antenna array. When massive MIMO is fully brought to bear and beamforming and beam steering optimally employed, network operators and consumers alike benefit from increased network capacity and expanded coverage through increased data streams, decreased interference, extended range and more optimized power efficiency. View More