feat(nfapi): OAI nFAPI Delay Management implementation by dong881 · Pull Request #242 · duranta-project/openairinterface5g

dong881 · 2026-06-28T17:11:06Z

This Pull Request introduces the clean, production-ready OAI nFAPI Delay Management features (VNF autonomous timing thread, adaptive EWMA delay-management controller, etc.) along with the NULL pointer stability bugfix.

linux-foundation-easycla · 2026-06-28T17:11:13Z

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durantabot · 2026-06-28T17:11:59Z

CI Build: #529 | Not performing CI due to the absence of one of the following mandatory labels:

documentation Documentation-related changes or updates. (don't perform any stages)
BUILD-ONLY Execute build stages only for code improvements with no impact on 4G/5G functionality. (execute only build stages)
4G-LTE Perform 4G Tests (perform 4G tests)
5G-NR Perform 5G Tests (perform 5G tests)
nrUE Run only 5G UE tests (physims included, LDPC tests excluded). (perform only 5G-UE related tests including physims excluding LDPC tests)
CI Perform both 4G and 5G tests (perform both 4G and 5G tests)

Copilot

Pull request overview

This PR adds OAI nFAPI Delay Management for NR, including a VNF autonomous timing thread and updated PNF/VNF timing/jitter reporting, and also improves stability around PRACH handling and thread naming.

Changes:

Implement VNF-side autonomous timing thread and EWMA-based slot-ahead delay controller driven by TIMING_INFO.
Add PNF-side RFC3550-style jitter calculation and richer timing window checks; extend NR timing info fields (including renames for TX_DATA timing/jitter fields).
Improve PRACH segmented packet handling in the O-RAN FHI path and relax hard asserts on queue-length conditions during delay situations.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 20 out of 20 changed files in this pull request and generated 9 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
radio/fhi_72/oaioran.c	Adds PRACH segmentation support during PRACH read/decompression and relaxes strict asserts on delay conditions.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/vnf/src/vnf_p7.c	Adds NR timing extraction, EWMA delay-management controller, and wrap-safe time computations; refactors UL node sync handling.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/vnf/src/vnf_p7_interface.c	Adjusts socket IP_TOS and initializes new timing/mutex fields for P7 connection nodes.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/vnf/src/vnf_interface.c	Uses user-configured timing parameters instead of hardcoded defaults during PHY allocation.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/vnf/public_inc/nfapi_vnf_interface.h	Widens `timing_window` type and adds timing config fields to VNF config.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/vnf/inc/vnf_p7.h	Introduces delay-management constants/state, mutex/condvar fields, and timing stats types.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/pnf/src/pnf_p7.c	Implements RFC3550 jitter tracking, wrap-safe time diffs, timing-window enforcement, and periodic/aperiodic timing-info send logic changes.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/pnf/src/pnf_p7_interface.c	Initializes PNF config defaults for timing-info sending and improves cleanup of allocated buffers.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/pnf/public_inc/nfapi_pnf_interface.h	Adds per-message receive timestamps into the PNF slot buffer for timing calculations.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/pnf/inc/pnf_p7.h	Adds jitter state, timing trigger fields, and buffer sizing constants for PNF P7 processing.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/nfapi/src/nfapi_nr_p7.c	Updates packing/unpacking for renamed NR timing-info TX_DATA fields.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/nfapi/public_inc/nfapi_nr_interface_scf.h	Renames NR timing-info TX_DATA fields to match updated pack/unpack and usage.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/nfapi/public_inc/nfapi_interface.h	Widens NR `timing_window` TLV from uint8 to uint16.
nfapi/open-nFAPI/fapi/src/nr_fapi_p5.c	Packs/unpacks widened timing-window TLV and adds TLVs for per-message timing offsets.
nfapi/oai_integration/socket/socket_vnf.c	Sets IP_TOS for VNF socket to prioritize timing-sensitive traffic.
nfapi/oai_integration/socket/socket_pnf.c	Allocates RX/reassembly buffers and sets IP_TOS for PNF socket; adjusts slot handling behavior.
nfapi/oai_integration/nfapi_vnf.h	Widens timing window types and adds timing offset configuration fields.
nfapi/oai_integration/nfapi_vnf.c	Adds autonomous VNF timing thread, timing-info configuration wiring, offset TLV wiring, and adjusts message ordering.
nfapi/oai_integration/nfapi_pnf.c	Wires timing offsets and timing-info configuration from VNF into PNF P7 behavior; gates slot indications under WLS.
common/utils/system.c	Avoids aborting on `pthread_setname_np()` failure; logs error instead.

+        int num_total_prbs = 0;
+        for (int i = 0; i < nRxPkt; i++) {
+          num_total_prbs += p_rx_packet_ctl->nRBSize[i];
+        }
+        int16_t local_dst[num_total_prbs * 2 * N_SC_PER_PRB] __attribute__((aligned(64)));
+        memset(local_dst, 0, sizeof(local_dst));
+
+        for (int pkt_idx = 0; pkt_idx < nRxPkt; pkt_idx++) {
+          src = (int16_t *)p_rx_packet_ctl->pData[pkt_idx];
+          if (src == NULL) {
+            LOG_E(HW, "read_prach %d.%d.%d saa = %d: src[%d] = NULL!!\n", *frame, *slot, sym_idx, aa, pkt_idx);
            continue;
          }
+          int num_prbu_local = p_rx_packet_ctl->nRBSize[pkt_idx];
+          int start_prbu = p_rx_packet_ctl->nRBStart[pkt_idx];
+          int16_t *decom_dst = local_dst + (start_prbu - p_rx_packet_ctl->nRBStart[0]) * N_SC_PER_PRB * 2;
+


+uint64_t pnf_timehr_to_us(pnf_p7_t* pnf_p7, uint32_t time_hr)
+{
+    uint32_t sec = TIMEHR_SEC(time_hr);
+    uint32_t usec = TIMEHR_USEC(time_hr);
+    // Convert to 64-bit microseconds (relative, will wrap at 4096 seconds)
+    return (uint64_t)sec * 1000000ULL + (uint64_t)usec;
+}


+/* Function Declaration */
+// Extract timing info points from a timing_info message
+// Returns the number of valid stats extracted (0-8)
+int vnf_nr_extract_timing_info(const nfapi_nr_timing_info_t *ind,
+                               nfapi_vnf_p7_connection_info_t *p7_info,
+                               vnf_timing_stats_t *out_stats);


+static int32_t ceil_div_pos_i32(int32_t num, int32_t den)
+{
+    if (den <= 0)
+        return 0;
+
+    if (num <= 0)
+        return 0;
+
+    return (num + den - 1) / den;
+}
+
+static int32_t abs_i32(int32_t v)
+{
+    return v < 0 ? -v : v;
+}
+static inline int32_t p7_max_i32(int32_t a, int32_t b)
+{
+    return a > b ? a : b;
+}


+static inline int p7_ewma_effectively_zero_i32(
+    int32_t value,
+    int32_t denom)
+{


+	pthread_mutex_lock(&p7_con->mutex);
+	p7_con->timing_info_accum_count = 0;
+	p7_con->timing_info_accum_worst_late = INT32_MIN;
+	pthread_mutex_unlock(&p7_con->mutex);
+
+	vnf_nr_delay_management(p7_con, &aggregated_stats);


+      p7_info->sync_slot_counter++;
+    }
+
+    int target_ind_dec = (sfnslot_dec + p7_info->slot_ahead) % max_sfnslotdec;


+  nfapi_vnf_p7_connection_info_t *p7_info = NULL;
+
+  while (1) {
+    if (nr_start_resp_received) {


 int nr_start_resp_cb(nfapi_vnf_config_t *config, int p5_idx, nfapi_nr_start_response_scf_t *resp) {
  UNUSED(config);
  NFAPI_TRACE(NFAPI_TRACE_INFO, "[VNF] Received NFAPI_START_RESP idx:%d phy_id:%d\n", p5_idx, resp->header.phy_id);
+  nr_start_resp_received = 1;


durantabot · 2026-06-29T02:07:11Z

CI Build: #530 | Not performing CI due to the absence of one of the following mandatory labels:

documentation Documentation-related changes or updates. (don't perform any stages)
BUILD-ONLY Execute build stages only for code improvements with no impact on 4G/5G functionality. (execute only build stages)
4G-LTE Perform 4G Tests (perform 4G tests)
5G-NR Perform 5G Tests (perform 5G tests)
nrUE Run only 5G UE tests (physims included, LDPC tests excluded). (perform only 5G-UE related tests including physims excluding LDPC tests)
CI Perform both 4G and 5G tests (perform both 4G and 5G tests)

rorsc · 2026-06-29T07:14:54Z

            AssertFatal(pRbMap != NULL, "(%d:%d:%d)pRbMapPrach == NULL. Aborting.\n", cc_id, tti % XRAN_N_FE_BUF_LEN, ant_id);
            for (uint32_t sym_id = 0; sym_id < XRAN_NUM_OF_SYMBOL_PER_SLOT; sym_id++) {
-              AssertFatal(pRbMap->sFrontHaulRxPacketCtrl[sym_id].nRxPkt <= 1, "PRACH segmentation is not supported\n");
+              if (pRbMap->sFrontHaulRxPacketCtrl[sym_id].nRxPkt > 1) {


please open a separate PR for all xran-related changes. That just does not belong together with nFAPI related changes, the set of reviewers is different, and needs separate attention

Make thread-name assignment failures fatal in threadCreate() so a misconfigured RT thread is caught immediately during bring-up. Dev hardening, not required upstream. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:23:25Z

-  int iptos_value = 0;
+  int iptos_value = 184;


Where does this value of 184 come from?
If it's supposed to be 'IPTOS_DSCP_EF', include <netinet/ip.h> and use the #define.
If it's not, just add a small comment on what '184' is doing.

rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:24:18Z


  // configure the UDP socket options
-  int iptos_value = 0;
+  int iptos_value = 184;


Same as above, you can even include <netinet/ip.h> in socket_common.h, since it would be used by both VNF and PNF

rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:30:55Z

+  if (sched_response.TX_req.Number_of_PDUs > 0)
+    oai_nfapi_tx_data_req(&sched_response.TX_req);
+
  if (sched_response.DL_req.dl_tti_request_body.nPDUs > 0)
    oai_nfapi_dl_tti_req(&sched_response.DL_req);

  if (sched_response.UL_tti_req.n_pdus > 0)
    oai_nfapi_ul_tti_req(&sched_response.UL_tti_req);

-  if (sched_response.TX_req.Number_of_PDUs > 0)
-    oai_nfapi_tx_data_req(&sched_response.TX_req);
-


Is there a reason to change the message order here?
in SCF222.10.04 Figure 2-21 you can see it is in the order that was defined, and in SCF225.3.0 Section 2.1.3.5 it states that the message order defined in FAPI also applies for nFAPI.

rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:35:19Z

  p7_vnf->config->send_p7_msg = &vnf_nr_send_p7_msg;
  NFAPI_TRACE(NFAPI_TRACE_INFO, "[VNF] Creating VNF NFAPI P7 start thread %s\n", __FUNCTION__);
-  threadCreate(&vnf_p7_start_pthread, &vnf_nr_start_p7_thread, p7_vnf->config, "vnf_p7_thread", -1, OAI_PRIORITY_RT);
+  threadCreate(&vnf_p7_start_pthread, &vnf_nr_start_p7_thread, p7_vnf->config, "vnf_p7_thread", 14, OAI_PRIORITY_RT);


You should avoid pinning to specific cores, if it's really needed, add a new parameter to the config file for the use to be able to set the core to pin to ( default -1 ), similarly to the pinning of the nvIPC thread.

rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:35:49Z

+#ifndef ENABLE_WLS
+  // Start VNF autonomous timing thread
+  pthread_t t;
+  threadCreate(&t, &vnf_timing_thread, p7_vnf, "vnf_timing", 15, OAI_PRIORITY_RT_MAX);


Same as above, don't pin to a specific core.

rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:36:15Z

  if(p7_vnf->thread_started == 0) {
    pthread_t vnf_p7_thread;
-    threadCreate(&vnf_p7_thread, &configure_nr_p7_vnf, p7_vnf, "vnf_p7_thread", -1, OAI_PRIORITY_RT);
+    threadCreate(&vnf_p7_thread, &configure_nr_p7_vnf, p7_vnf, "vnf_p7_thread", 14, OAI_PRIORITY_RT);


rubensoaressilva · 2026-06-30T08:39:58Z

 */

-	int iptos_value = 0;
+	int iptos_value = 184;


As above, you can include <netinet/ip.h> and use IPTOS_DSCP_EF

Shouldn't have duplicate slot increment at PNF side Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Rename tx_data_request_* timing fields to tx_data_* in NR timing-related structures and handling paths. This removes naming ambiguity and aligns with current SCF 225 terminology used by timing info exchange. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

SCF 225 allows timing_window up to 30000us, which exceeds uint8 capacity. Promote timing_window-related fields and pack/unpack paths to uint16 so configuration values are represented consistently across VNF/PNF interfaces. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Add DL_TTI/UL_TTI/UL_DCI/TX_DATA per-message timing-offset TLVs to the PARAM response and CONFIG request (pack/unpack in nr_fapi_p5.c, PNF/VNF config structs) so the VNF can tell the PNF how far ahead each message type is sent. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Measure per-message P7 arrival timing against the expected window (timing check, slot-diff, in-window tests), accumulate worst-case late/early margins and jitter per message type, and pack them into the timing-info report (pnf_nr_pack_and_send_timing_info). Reset slot_start on start/stop and count late DL/UL/DCI/TX requests. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Pre-allocate an rx message buffer and a reassembly buffer (sizes in pnf_p7.h) and reassemble P7 messages fragmented at MTU boundaries in the message pump; free the buffers on config destroy. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Parse the PNF timing-info report (vnf_nr_handle_timing_info / vnf_nr_extract_timing_info) and aggregate worst-late and jitter across message types into per-connection state for the pacing logic to consume. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Add a self-paced VNF timing thread that derives the numerology, sleeps to each slot boundary (clock_nanosleep), publishes sfn/slot under lock and issues MAC slot indications, catching up in bounded bursts under load and yielding on extreme lag. Send TX_DATA ahead of DL_TTI in the slot-indication path. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Add UL node-sync handling (vnf_nr_handle_ul_node_sync) with proportional micro-steering of the slot phase and a drift monitor, plus the slot-time helpers used to compute the dynamic sleep target. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Expose timing_window and periodic/aperiodic timing mode and period through the VNF config, add tx_data connection routing and set the RT thread priorities used to set up the P7 timing path. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Add vnf_nr_delay_management(): an EWMA controller that tracks mean lateness and jitter deviation from the aggregated timing info and adjusts slot_ahead (increase by ceil((EWMA+Dev)/slot_dur) when late, decrease one slot with >=4-sigma early margin), gated to one timing_info_period, wired into vnf_nr_handle_timing_info. Without this commit the pipeline still runs, with a fixed non-adaptive slot_ahead. Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

Copilot AI review requested due to automatic review settings June 28, 2026 17:11

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of dong881 June 28, 2026 17:11 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jun 28, 2026

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dong881 force-pushed the nfapi-DelayManagement branch from 8fc8c91 to 44a7d01 Compare June 29, 2026 02:06

rorsc reviewed Jun 29, 2026

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rorsc added the BUILD-ONLY Execute build stages only for code improvements with no impact on 4G/5G functionality. label Jun 29, 2026

rorsc requested a review from rubensoaressilva June 29, 2026 07:42

dong881 force-pushed the nfapi-DelayManagement branch from 44a7d01 to d60ebf6 Compare June 30, 2026 06:47

dong881 changed the title ~~feat(nfapi/vnf): OAI nFAPI Delay Management implementation~~ feat(nfapi): OAI nFAPI Delay Management implementation Jun 30, 2026

dong881 force-pushed the nfapi-DelayManagement branch 2 times, most recently from 29b1323 to 54e3c17 Compare June 30, 2026 07:56

rubensoaressilva reviewed Jun 30, 2026

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Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST added 11 commits June 30, 2026 16:40

fix(nfapi/pnf): prevent duplicate slot increment in P7 message pump

f3659c8

Shouldn't have duplicate slot increment at PNF side Signed-off-by: Ming-Hong HSU, BMW Lab@NTUST <m11302209@gapps.ntust.edu.tw>

dong881 force-pushed the nfapi-DelayManagement branch from 54e3c17 to f46c8dd Compare June 30, 2026 08:41

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feat(nfapi): OAI nFAPI Delay Management implementation#242

feat(nfapi): OAI nFAPI Delay Management implementation#242
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