CDMA KEY

TECHNOLOGY
2003.10.10

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Objectives
Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be
able to master:

-- Power control in CDMA

-- Handoff in CDMA

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 Why Power Control?
• All CDMA users occupy the same
frequency at the same time!
Frequency and time are not used as
discriminators.
• CDMA operates by using CODES to
discriminate between users.
• CDMA interference comes mainly
from nearby users
• Each user is a small voice in a
roaring crowd -- but with a uniquely
recoverable code.
• Transmit power on all users must be Figure of Merit: Ec/Io, Eb/No
tightly controlled so their signals
reach the base station at the same (energy per chip [bit] /
signal level and at the absolute interference [noise] spectral density)
minimum power level necessary to CDMA: Ec/Io -17 to -2 dB
ensure acceptable service quality
CDMA: Eb/No ~6to7 dB

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Reverse Open Loop Power Control
Reverse Open Loop
Power Control

Mobile BTS

• The mobile station makes a coarse initial estimation of the required transmit
power, based upon the total received power.
• Problems with Reverse Open Loop Power Control:
– Assumes same exact path loss in both directions; therefore, cannot
account for asymmetrical path loss
– Estimates are based on total power received; therefore the power received
from other cell sites by mobile station introduces inaccuracies

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Estimated Reverse Open Loop
Output Power
Power output level for the initial probe during open loop probing
on the Access Channel (with closed loop correction inactive):

mean output power (dBm) = - mean power input (dBm)

+K
+ NOM_PWR - 16 x NOM_PWR_EXT
+ INIT_PWR
Subsequent probes in the sequence are sent at increased power levels
(each probe is incremented by a value equal to the parameter PWR_STEP)

The “turn around constant” K is calculated assuming

a nominal cell Effective Radiation Power (ERP) of 5 W
and a nominal cell loading of 50%.
Its value is -73 for cellular systems and -76 for PCS systems

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Estimated Reverse Open Loop
Output Power

Power
Poweroutput
outputlevel
levelfor
forthe
theinitial
initialtransmission
transmissionon
onthe
theReverse
ReverseTraffic
TrafficChannel:
Channel:
mean output power (dBm) = - mean power input (dBm)
+K
+ NOM_PWR - 16 x NOM_PWR_EXT
+ INIT_PWR
+ the sum of all access probe corrections (dB)

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Reverse Closed Loop Power
Control
Mobile BTS
or
Reverse Closed Loop Signal Strength
Power Control Measurement

Setpoint

• Compensates for asymmetries between the forward and reverse paths

• Consists of power up (0) & power down (1) commands sent to the mobile
stations, based upon their signal strength measured at the Base Station and
compared to a specified threshold
• Each command requests a 1dB increase or decrease of the mobile station transmit
power
• Transmitted 800 times per second, always at full power
• Allows to compensate for the effects of fast fading

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Reverse Outer Loop Power
Control
Mobile BTS BSC
or
Reverse Closed Loop Signal Strength
Power Control Measurement

Reverse Outer
Setpoint Loop Power FER
Control

• Most gradual form of reverse link power control

– Setpoint is varied according to the FER on the
Reverse Traffic Channel (determined at the Base
Station Controller)
– Sampled at a rate of 50 frames per second (20 ms /
frame)
– Setpoint adjusted every 1-2 seconds
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 Forward Traffic Channel
Power Control
Mobile BTS BSC

Adjust Fwd.
power

FER

Forward Link Power Control

• The base station slowly decreases power to each mobile station.

• As the FER (determined at the mobile station) increases, the mobile
station requests a Forward Traffic Channel power increase.

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Summary of All Power Control
Mechanisms
Reverse Open Loop
Power Control

Mobile BTS BSC

or
Reverse Closed Loop Signal Strength Adjust Fwd.
Power Control Measurement power

FER Setpoint
Reverse Outer
Loop Power FER
Control

Forward Link Power Control

All types of power control work together to minimizes power consumption at

the mobile stations, and increases the overall capacity of the system transmit
power.

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Handoffs
• Handoff is the process by which a mobile station maintains
communications with the Mobile Telephone Switching
center(MSC), when traveling from the coverage area of one base
station to that of another.
• Handoffs keep the call established during the following conditions:
– Subscriber crosses the boundaries of a cell
– Subscriber experiences noise or other interference above a
specified threshold
– A base station component experiences an out-of-service
condition during a call

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 CDMA Handoffs
CDMA

Cell Site Cell Site Cell Site Cell Site

B B A A

• CDMA Handoffs
– Make-before-break
– Directed by the mobile not the base station
– Undetectable by user
– Improves call quality
• Handoffs consist of the following phases:
– Initiation (trigger), Target Selection, and Completion (execution)

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 CDMA Handoffs (cont.)
While in the Idle Handoff
Idle State

Soft Handoff

Softer Handoff

During Inter-System Soft Handoff

a Call
CDMA-to-CDMA Handoff

CDMA-to-Analog Handoff

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 Soft Handoff
PSTN

Cell Site MTX Cell Site

A B

B
S
C

• Soft Handoff: the mobile station starts communications with a

target base station without interrupting communications with the
current serving base station.
• Can involve up to three cells simultaneously and use all signals
– Mobile station combines the frames from each cell

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 Softer Handoff
• Handoff is between sectors of
the same cell
• Communications are
maintained across both sectors
alpha until the mobile station
transition has completed
• May happen frequently
beta
• MSC is aware but does not
participate
• All activities are managed by
gamma the cell site
• Signals received at both sectors
can be combined for improved
quality

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Inter-System Soft Handoffs
(ISSHO) T1 or E1 Links
TIA/EIA-41D
MSC MSC

SBS SBS

T1 or E1 Links
CIS CIS

AA DD UU XX
f1
f1 f1
f1 f1
f1 f1
f1
BB EE VV YY
f1
f1 f1 f1
f1 f1
f1 f1
CC FF WW ZZ
f1f1 f1 f1
f1 f1
f1 f1

CDMA Soft Handoff ISSHO CDMA Hard Handoff

• Mobile Station starts communications with a new cell controlled by a
different BSC while still communicating with the cell controlled by
the source BSC
• Soft Handoffs over Hard Handoffs
• Fewer border cell
Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION
 CDMA-to-CDMA Hard
PSTN
Handoff PSTN

MSC MSC MSC

T1 or E1 Links
TIA/EIA-41D
BSC BSC BSC

A B
A B
(ƒ1) (ƒ2)

• Between cells operating on different frequencies

• Between cells that could be on the same frequency, but which are
subordinated to different MSC

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 Pilot Sets
Pilot Sets
1. Active
2. Candidate
3. Neighbor
4. Remaining

• Pilot sets:
– Active Set: Pilots associated with the forward traffic channels
assigned to the mobile station (max 6 pilots)
– Candidate Set: Pilots not currently in the Active Set, but received
by the mobile with sufficient strength to indicate that the
corresponding Traffic Channels can be successfully demodulated
(max 5 pilots)
– Neighbor Set: Pilots not currently on the Active or Candidate
Sets, that are likely handoff candidates (at least 20 pilots)
– Remaining Set: All other possible pilots in the current system on
the current CDMA frequency assignment
• All pilots in a set have the same frequency assignment
• These sets can be updated during handoff by the base station
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 Pilot Set Initialization
(While in the Idle or in an Active Call)
Pilot whose Paging Channel
is being monitored or
associated with the assigned
Active Forward Traffic Channel

Candidate Empty

Pilots specified in the most

recently received Extended
Neighbor Neighbor List Message
(AGE set at NGHBR_MAX_AGE)

Any other possible pilot

Remaining in the system

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Pilot Set Maintenance
(While in an Active Call)
Pilots listed the most
recently received Extended
Active Handoff Direction Msg

Pilots whose strength

Candidate exceeds T_ADD

Pilots specified in the most

recently received Neighbor
List Update Message
Neighbor (or whose AGE is still less
than NGHBR_MAX_AGE)

Any other possible pilot

Remaining in the system

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Pilot Strength Measurement
Message (PSMM)
A
B

Timing
Cha nnels
C Traffi c

Pilot Channel PSMM

• The Pilot Strength Measurement Message is used by the mobile station

to direct the base station in the handoff process.
• Mobile station reports the strength of the pilots associated with forward
traffic channels currently being demodulated (and whether it would like
to continue to receive traffic from them), as well as pilots from the
neighbor and remaining list which are being received with sufficient
strength so that traffic could be demodulated from them successfully.

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Pilot Search Windows
Search Window for pilots in the Active and Candidate Set:
SRCH_WIN_A

Earliest arriving usable multipath component of the pilot

Search Window for pilots in the Neighbor Set:

SRCH_WIN_N

pilot PN offset

Search Window for pilots in the Remaining Set:

SRCH_WIN_R

pilot PN offset

• A search window is a range of PN offsets (in chips) where the mobile

station searches for usable multipath components of the pilots in a set
– Usable means that multipath components can be used for
demodulation of an associated traffic channel

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 Soft Handoff Signaling
PSMM sent (request to add) ,
EHOD message received, Pilot Added to Active Set,
Pilot added to Candidate Set
EHOC message sent, NLU message received
Pilot
Strength Pilot strength drops below T_DROP,
Pilot Strength Drop Timer started
exceeds T_ADD
Drop Timer expires
T_ADD
PSMM Sent (request to remove)
T_DROP
EHOD message received,
Pilot Dropped into Neighbor Set,
T_TDROP EHOC message sent,
NLU message received
Time
(1)(2) (3) (4) (5)(6) (7)
N C A N

• T_ADD: pilot detection threshold

• T_DROP: pilot drop threshold
• T_TDROP: drop timer value
– Prevents unnecessary transmissions of PSMM when a mobile station
experiences a fade
Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION
 System Parameters Message (PCH)
Length
Field (bits)

MSG_TYPE (‘00000001’) 8 HOME_REG 1 PWR_REP_THRESH 5

PILOT_PN 9 FOR_SID_REG 1 PWR_REP_FRAMES 4

CONFIG_MSG_SEQ 6 FOR_NID_REG 1 PWR_THRESH_ENABLE 1

SID 15 POWER_UP_REG 1 PWR_PERIOD_ENABLE 1

NID 16 POWER_DOWN_REG 1 PWR_REP_DELAY 5

REG_ZONE 12 PARAMETER_REG 1 RESCAN 1

TOTAL_ZONES 3 REG_PRD 7 T_ADD 6

ZONE_TIMER 3 BASE_LAT 22 T_DROP 6

MULT_SIDS 1 BASE_LONG 23 T_COMP 4

MULT_NIDS 1 REG_DIST 11 T_TDROP 4

BASE_ID 16 SRCH_WIN_A 4 EXT_SYS_PARAMETER 1

BASE_CLASS 4 SRCH_WIN_N 4 EXT_NGHBR_LIST 1

PAGE_CHAN 3 SRCH_WIN_R 4 GLOBAL_REDIRECT 1

MAX_SLOT_CYCLE_INDEX 3 NGHBR_MAX_AGE 4 RESERVED 1

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 Power Control during Soft
Handoff
• During soft handoff, the mobile station
receives power control bits from
multiple base stations.
• If two or more power control
subchannels are identical, their power
control bits are diversity combined into
one per 1.25 ms time slot.
• If the mobile station receives different
power control bits from different
power control subchannels, it decreases
its mean power output level by 1 dB.
• Only if the power control bits from
ALL power control subchannels
request a power increase, the mobile
station increases its mean power output
level by 1 dB .

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION

 The End!

Copyright 2003, ZTE CORPORATION