US Patent 12063519 Fronthaul interface for a centralized radio access network

One embodiment is directed to a system that is configured to communicate at least two different types of fronthaul data from a plurality of baseband units to a shared radio point using a single application-layer protocol that supports at least two types of elements. Each of the at least two types of elements is configured for a respective one of the at least two different types of fronthaul data. The system is configured so at least some of the elements communicated using the application-layer protocol include one or more sub-elements, where each sub-element comprises a type field, a length field, and a value portion.