RIC (RAN Intelligent Controller)
Near-Real-Time & Non-Real-Time RAN Intelligent Controller
Software-defined controllers in O-RAN that host AI/ML applications (xApps and rApps) to automate and optimize radio resource operations.
Technical Explanation
The O-RAN architecture defines two tiers of intelligent controllers: • Non-RT RIC: Operates within the Service Management and Orchestration (SMO) layer with control loops > 1 second. It hosts rApps that perform long-term RAN analytics, AI model training, policy guidance, and slice SLA management, communicating over the A1 interface. • Near-RT RIC: Operates with fast control loops between 10 ms and 1 second. It connects to O-CU and O-DU nodes over the E2 interface and executes microservice xApps for real-time beam management, dynamic spectrum sharing, interference mitigation, and mobility load balancing.
Key Functions
- Near-RT loop (10ms - 1s) for radio resource management and mobility control
- Non-RT loop (>1s) for policy management, intent-based orchestration, and AI model lifecycle
- Hosting third-party xApps and rApps for specialized algorithmic optimization
- Telemetry ingestion and control command execution via E2 and A1 interfaces