CDMA

101

Scott Baxter
CDMA 101 Outline

❖ CDMA Basics
◆ MultipleAccess Technology Survey
◆ CDMA coding principles
◆ Spread Spectrum principles
◆ Forward and Reverse Channel Structure

❖ Nortel CDMA System Architecture

◆ MTX BSC BSM BTS
❖ CDMA Details and Operation
◆ Power Control
◆ Handoff mechanics
◆ Optimization concepts
CDMA
Basics
 Multiple Access FDMA
Technologies
Power
y
e nc
Tim qu
❖ FDMA (example: AMPS) e Fr
e

Frequency Division Multiple Access

TDMA
◆ each user has a private frequency

❖ TDMA (examples: IS-54/136, GSM) Power

y
Time Division Multiple Access Tim qu
e nc
e Fre
◆ each user has a private time on a private
frequency
CDMA
❖ CDMA (IS-95, J-Std. 008)
Code Division Multiple Access Power
y
◆ users co-mingle in time and frequency but e nc
Tim
e qu
each user has a private code e Fr
 Other Technologies:
Avoiding Interference
AMPS-TDMA-GSM
❖ AMPS, TDMA and GSM 1

depend on physical 7
4
2
1

distance separation to keep 1

6
5
3
6
7

interference at low levels 4

2
1
4
5
1

❖ Co-channel users are kept

3 7 2
6 3

at a safe distance by careful 1 5

frequency planning
1

Figure of Merit: C/I

❖ Nearby users and cells
must use different
frequencies to avoid
interference
(carrier/interference ratio)
AMPS: +17 dB
TDMA: +14 to 17 dB
GSM: +7 to 9 dB.
 CDMA: Using A New Dimension
❖ All CDMA users occupy the CDMA
same frequency at the same
time! Time and frequency are
not used as discriminators
❖ CDMA interference comes
mainly from nearby users
❖ CDMA operates by using Figure of Merit: C/I
CODING to discriminate (carrier/interference ratio)
AMPS: +17 dB
between users TDMA: +14 to +17 dB
GSM: +7 to 9 dB.
❖ Each user is a small voice in CDMA: -10 to -17 dB.
CDMA: Eb/No ~+6 dB.
a roaring crowd -- but with a
uniquely recoverable code
 CDMA Uses Code Channels
Building a
❖A CDMA signal uses many chips CDMA Signal
to convey just one bit of
Bits
information from User’s Vocoder
❖ Each user has a unique chip
pattern, in effect a code channel Forward Error
Correction
❖ To recover a bit, integrate a large Symbols
number of chips interpreted by
the user’s known code pattern Coding and
Spreading
❖ Other users’ code patterns Chips
appear random and integrate
toward low values, hence don’t
disturb the bit decoding decision
 CDMA is a Spread-Spectrum System
TRADITIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM
Spread Spectrum
❖ Traditional Slow
Narrowband
Signal Slow

technologies try to Information

Sent
Information
Recovered

squeeze signal TX RX

into minimum SPREAD-SPECTRUM SYSTEM

required Wideband

bandwidth
Signal
Slow Slow
Information Information
Sent Recovered

❖ CDMA uses larger TX RX

bandwidth but Fast

Spreading
Fast
Spreading

uses resulting Sequence Sequence

processing gain to Spread Spectrum Payoff:

Processing Gain
increase capacity
 Spreading: What we do, we can undo
ORIGINATING SITE DESTINATION
Spread Data Stream

Input Recovered
Data Data

Spreading Spreading
Sequence Sequence

❖ Sender combines data with a fast spreading

sequence, transmits spread data stream
❖ Receiver intercepts the stream, uses same
spreading sequence to extract original data
 “Shipping and Receiving” via CDMA
Shipping Receiving

FedEx
FedEx
Data Mailer Mailer Data

❖ Whether in shipping and receiving, or in

CDMA, packaging is extremely important!
❖ Cargo is placed inside “nested” containers
for protection and to allow addressing
❖ The shipper packs in a certain order, and
the receiver unpacks in the reverse order
❖ CDMA “containers” are spreading codes
 CDMA’s Nested Spreading Sequences
ORIGINATING SITE DESTINATION
Spread-Spectrum Chip Streams
X+A X+A+B X+A+B+C X+A+B X+A

Input Recovered
Data Data
X X

Spreading Spreading Spreading Spreading Spreading Spreading

Sequence Sequence Sequence Sequence Sequence Sequence
A B C C B A
❖ CDMA combines three different spreading
sequences to create unique, robust channels
❖ The sequences are easy to generate on both
sending and receiving ends of each link
❖ “What we do, we can undo”
 The Three CDMA Spreading Sequences
❖ Walsh Codes: 64 are available
◆ 64chips long -- lasts 1/19200 sec
◆ mutually orthogonal

❖ PN Short Code: one pair is used (I & Q)

◆ 32K long -- lasts 26-2/3 mS, repeats 75x in 2 sec.
Ð generated in 15-bit tapped shift register
◆ Nearly self-orthogonal if compared out-of-sync

❖ PN Long Code: only one is used

◆ 242-1chips long -- lasts 40+ days!
Ð generated in 42-bit tapped shift register
◆ Any short sample is nearly orthogonal with any
other short sample
 Code Channels in the Forward Direction
MTX BSC BTS (1 sector) Short PN Code
PN Offset 246
Walsh #0 I Q
Pilot FEC
Trans-
Walsh #32 mitter,
Sync FEC Sector X

Walsh #1
Paging FEC
A Forward Channel
Walsh #12 is identified by:
Vocoder FEC
Walsh #23
Σ ❖ its CDMA RF
carrier Frequency
Vocoder FEC ❖ the unique Short
Walsh #27 Code PN Offset of
Vocoder FEC the sector
❖ the unique Walsh
Walsh #44
Vocoder FEC Code of the user

more more more

 Code Channels in the Reverse Direction
MTX BSC BTS (1 sector)
A Reverse Channel is identified by:
Long Code Gen ❖ its CDMA RF carrier Frequency
Access Channels Channel Element ❖ the unique Long Code PN Offset
of the individual handset
Long Code Gen Long
Code
Vocoder Channel Element
Long
Receiver, Code
Long Code Gen Sector X
Vocoder Channel Element

Long Code Gen

Long Long
Vocoder Channel Element Code Code
Long
Code
Long
Long Code Gen Code
Vocoder Channel Element

more more more

 CDMA
System
Architecture
 NORTEL CDMA System Architecture
MTX BSC-BSM BTS
GPS GPS
GPSR
SLM CM GPSR
BSM CDSU CDSU DISCO TFU
DMS-BUS TFU1 CDSU
Ch. Card ACC
CDSU DISCO 1 CDSU
LPP ENET LPP CDSU Σα Txcvr
A
RFFE
A
CDSU DISCO 2
CDSU Σβ Txcvr
B
RFFE
B
DTCs CDSU Σχ Txcvr
C
RFFE
C
SBS
IOC Vocoders
Selectors

PSTN & Billing

Other MTXs
 Signal Flow: Two-Stage Metamorphosis
MTX BSC-BSM BTS
GPS GPS
GPSR
SLM CM GPSR
BSM CDSU CDSU DISCO TFU

DMS-BUS TFU1 CDSU

Ch. Card ACC

Packets
CDSU DISCO 1 CDSU
LPP ENET LPP CDSU Σα Txcvr
A
RFFE
A
CDSU DISCO 2

Chips
Σβ Txcvr RFFE

DS0 in T1
CDSU B B
DTCs CDSU Σχ Txcvr
C
RFFE
C
SBS
IOC Vocoders
Vocoder Channel RF
Selectors Element

PSTN
 Architecture: The MTX
MTX ❖ Primary functions
◆ Call Processing
SLM CM
◆ Mobility Management

DMS-BUS Ð HLR-VLR access

CDMA Ð Intersystem call delivery
BSC
LPP ENET LPP Unch. T1 (IS-41C)
Ch.T1 CDMA Ð Inter-MTX handover (IS-41C)
DTCs SBS
◆ Billing Data Capture
IOC ◆ Calling Features & Services

Ch MAP, ◆ Collecting System OMs, Pegs

T1 VDUs
CCS7 ❖ High reliability, redundancy
Billing
PSTN &
Other MTXs
 Architecture: The BSC
BSC ❖ Primary functions
GPS
◆ vocoding
GPSR
BSM CDSU ◆ soft handoff
TFU1 CDSU
management
MTX BTSs ◆ FER-based power
LPP CDSU DISCO 1 CDSU

CDSU DISCO 2 CDSU control

CDSU ◆ routing of all traffic and
CDSU control packets
MTX SBS
(voice Vocoders ❖ Scaleable architecture
trunks) Selectors
◆ expand SBS to keep
pace with traffic growth
T1 channelized (24 DS0) ◆ expandable DISCO
T1 unchannelized
BCN link (HDLC)
 Architecture: The BTS
❖ Primary function: Air link
◆ generate, radiate, receive
BTS
GPS CDMA RF signal IS-95/J.Std. 8
GPSR ◆ high-efficiency T1 backhaul
CDSU DISCO TFU ◆ test capabilities
BSC
Ch. Card ACC ❖ Configurations
Σα Txcvr
A
RFFE
A
◆ 1, 2, or 3 sectors
Σβ ◆ 800 MHz.: indoor
Txcvr RFFE
B B
Σχ Txcvr RFFE
C C ◆ 1900 MHz.: self-contained
outdoor, remotable RFFEs
◆ future: 1900 MHz. indoor, 800
& 1900 multi-carrier options
 Architecture: The BSM
NORTEL CDMA
BSM BSM ❖ Primary
functions: OA&M
Ethernet LAN
for CDMA components
◆ Configuration management
X-Windows terminals
Ð BSC, BTS configuration
and parameters
GNP TELCO

◆ Fault management
WORKSERVER
SHELF
---------
HIGH
AVAILABILITY

BSM Workstation
Ð Alarm Reporting
BCN Links
◆ Performance management
GPS BSC BTS
Ð interface for CDMA
GPS
GPSR
GPSR

TFU1
CDSU
CDSU
CDSU DISCO TFU
statistics and peg
CDSU
CDSU
DISCO 1

DISCO 2
CDSU
CDSU
Ch. Card ACC

Σα Txcvr
A
RFFE
A
counts collection
Σβ Txcvr RFFE

◆ Security management
CDSU B B

CDSU Σχ Txcvr
C
RFFE
C
SBS

◆ Unix-based
Vocoders
Selectors
 CDMA
Details and
Operation
 Variable Rate Vocoding & Multiplexing
DSP QCELP VOCODER

❖ Vocoders compress 20ms Sample

Pitch
speech, reduce bit rate Filter

❖ CDMA uses a superior Codebook

Feed-
Variable Rate Vocoder Coded Result
back Formant
Filter
◆ fullrate during speech
◆ low rates in speech pauses bits Frame Sizes
288 Full Rate Frame
◆ increased capacity
144 1/2 Rate Frame
◆ more natural sound 72 1/4 Rt.
❖ Voice,
signaling, and user 36 1/8

secondary data may be Frame Contents: can be a mixture of

mixed in CDMA frames Voice Signaling Secondary
 Forward Power Control
BSC BTS (1 sector) Help!
Pilot
Trans-
Sync mitter, Forward
Paging Sector X RF
User 1 Σ I Q
User 2 Short PN
Vocoder/
Selector User 3
more

❖ The BTS continually reduces the strength of

each user’s forward baseband chip stream
❖ When a particular handset sees errors on
the forward link, it requests more energy
❖ The complainer’s chip stream gets a quick
boost; afterward, continues to diminish
 Reverse Power Control
800 bits per second

BSC BTS RX RF Digital

Stronger than Reverse Closed
RF Open
setpoint? Loop Loop
Bad FER?
Raise Setpoint Setpoint TX RF Digital
Occasionally, Handset
as needed
❖ Three
methods work in tandem to equalize all
handset signal levels at the BTS
◆ Reverse Open Loop: handset adjusts power up or
down based on received BTS signal (AGC)
◆ Reverse Closed Loop: Is handset too strong? BTS
tells up or down 1 db 800 times/second
◆ Reverse Outer Loop: BSC has FER trouble hearing
handset? BSC adjusts BTS setpoint
 What’s In a Handset?
Digital
Rake Receiver Symbols
Chips Traffic Correlator
PN xxx Walsh xx Symbols
Receiver Viterbi Dec.,
RF Section
IF, Detector
Traffic Correlator
PN xxx Walsh xx Σ Conv. Dec.,
DEMUX

AGC Traffic Correlator Packets

PN xxx Walsh xx
RF Audio
Messages
Open Loop

Pilot Searcher
Duplexer
PN xxx Walsh 0 CPU Vocoder

RF Audio
Transmit Gain Adjust
Messages
Transmitter
Transmitter Digital Section
RF Section
Long Code Gen.
 The Rake Receiver
Handset Rake Receiver
PN Walsh
Voice,
RF PN Walsh Σ Data,
BTS Messages
PN Walsh
BTS
Searcher Pilot Ec/Io
PN W=0

❖ Every frame, handset uses combined outputs

of the three traffic correlators (“rake fingers”)
❖ Each finger can independently recover a
particular PN offset and Walsh code
❖ Fingers can be targeted on delayed multipath
reflections, or even on different BTSs
❖ Searcher continuously checks pilots
 CDMA Soft Handoff Mechanics
MTX BSC Handset Rake Receiver
PN Walsh
Voice,
Sel. RF PN Walsh Σ Data,
PN Walsh Messages
BTS
BTS Searcher
Pilot Ec/Io
PN W=0

❖ CDMA soft handoff is driven by the handset

◆ Handset continuously checks available pilots
◆ Handset tells system pilots it currently sees
◆ System assigns sectors (up to 6 max.), tells handset
◆ Handset assigns its fingers accordingly
◆ All messages sent by dim-and-burst, no muting!

❖ Each end of the link chooses what works best,

on a frame-by-frame basis!
◆ Users are totally unaware of handoff
 Softer Handoff
Handset Rake Receiver
MTX BSC PN Walsh
Voice,
RF PN Walsh Σ Data,
Sel. BTS Messages
PN Walsh
Searcher
PN W=0 Pilot Ec/Io

❖ Each BTS sector has unique PN offset & pilot

❖ Handset will ask for whatever pilots it wants
❖ If multiple sectors of one BTS simultaneously
serve a handset, this is called Softer Handoff
❖ Handset is unaware, but softer handoff
occurs in BTS in a single channel element
❖ Handset can even use combination soft-softer
handoff on multiple BTS & sectors
 Pilot Sets and Soft Handoff Parameters
❖ Handset views pilots in sets PILOT SETS
Active 6
❖ Handset sends message to

Max. Members
system whenever: Candidate 5
◆ Itnotices a pilot in neighbor or Neighbor 20
remaining set exceeds T_ADD Remaining
◆ An active set pilot drops below
T_DROP for T_TDROP time
◆ A candidate pilot exceeds an HANDOFF
active by T_COMP PARAMETERS
T_ADD T_DROP
❖ Handoffsetup processing
T_TDROP T_COMP
time usually <<1 second
 Overall Handoff Perspective
❖ Soft & Softer Handoffs are the best
◆ but a handset can receive BTS/sectors
simultaneously only on one frequency
◆ all involved BTS/sectors must connect to a single
BSC (the BSC must choose packets each frame)
◆ frame timing must be same on all BTS/sectors

❖ If
above not possible, handoff still can occur
but will be “hard” like AMPS/TDMA/GSM
◆ intersystem handoff: hard
◆ change-of-frequency handoff: hard
◆ CDMA-to-AMPS handoff: hard, no handback
Ð auxiliary trigger mechanisms available
 CDMA Performance Optimization

❖ Key Performance Indicators and Objectives

◆ Dropped Calls, Access Failures, system FER
◆ Soft Handoff Percentage
◆ Capacity

❖ Success comes from managing resources

◆ Handoff: keep dynamics fast, delays short
Ð Neighbor lists well-optimized
◆ RF Coverage: holes vs. excessive overlap
◆ PN Planning, optimum Search Window sizes
◆ Per-Cell anomalies: watch parameters for clues
 CDMA Mobile Analysis Tools
D
❖ Handset Maintenance
318 2 94
Mode X A 7F
❖ Real-Time Data
Collection Tools ❖ Pilot Ec/Io
❖ Finger Information
◆ Qualcomm MDM
❖ RX Level, TX Power
◆ Grayson WMI, Surveyor output, TX Gain Adjust,
◆ Grayson Invex3G Forward FER
◆ Agilent Nitro, Viper ❖ Temporal Analyzer
❖ Markov Call Statistics
◆ Comarco
❖ Messaging Activity
❖ Pilot Set Activity
 CDMA Network Analysis Tools
❖ Map Plots
❖ Best Ec/Io, PN, FER,
❖ Post-Processing handset RX & TX
Tools Powers, Transmit Gain
Adjust, Number of
◆ ActixAnalyzer active pilots
◆ Grayson Interpreter ❖ Charts, Tables & Graphs
◆ Agilent OPAS ❖ Handoff statistics (per-
neighbor tables),
◆ Nortel RFOptimizer parameter distributions
❖ OM Analysis Tools ❖ Access, Drop Call rates

◆ Metrica Kingfisher ❖ Message Search/Analysis

❖ Analysis of Anomalies
❖ Pre-drop parameters