E User Description, Adaptive configuration of logical channels

User Description, Adaptive

configuration of logical channels
© Ericsson Radio Systems AB

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1997-08-05
User Description, Adaptive configuration of logical channels

2 (18) © Ericsson Radio Systems AB 20/1553–HSC 103 12 Uen A

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 User Description, Adaptive configuration of logical channels

Contents
1 Feature overview........................................................................................... 5
1.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 5
1.2 Background.............................................................................................. 5
1.3 What can be achieved............................................................................. 5
2 Technical description................................................................................... 7
2.1 General .................................................................................................... 7
2.2 Algorithm.................................................................................................. 7

3 Parameters.....................................................................................................13
3.1 Main controlling parameters .................................................................... 13
3.2 Additional parameters..............................................................................13
3.3 Value ranges and default values ............................................................13
4 References.....................................................................................................15
5 Appendix........................................................................................................17

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User Description, Adaptive configuration of logical channels

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 Feature overview

1 Feature overview
1.1 Introduction
The Adaptive configuration of logical channels feature is designed to
optimise the traffic and signalling channel usage and make Stand-alone
Dedicated Control Channel (SDCCH) dimensioning less critical. The
purpose of the feature is to minimise the risk of SDCCH congestion by
automatically adapting the number of SDCCHs in a cell to the demand
for such channels.

In this document, a dedicated signalling channel is referred to as an

SDCCH subchannel, or simply an SDCCH. The SDCCH subchannels
are configured together on a Basic Physical Channel (BPC) either as
eigth SDCCH subchannels, or four SDCCH subchannels combined with
the Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) and Common Control Channel
(CCCH). These different SDCCH configurations are referred to as an
SDCCH/8 and an SDCCH/4 respectively.

The feature is implemented in the Base Station Controller (BSC).

1.2 Background
In GSM a Mobile Station (MS) accessing the network will be given a
dedicated signalling channel for most types of calls. For example when
the MS needs to notify the network about its location and status or when
it sends or receives a Short Message Services point to point (SMSp-p)
message. A call set-up aiming towards a regular speech or data call will
in most cases also use a dedicated signalling channel for a short time.

Some cells carry more signalling traffic than others do. Cells at the
border of a Location Area (LA) need more SDCCHs than other cells.
This is due to the fact that when an MS crosses an LA-border it is
triggered to notify the network about its new location. This is done
using an SDCCH and are therefore causing load on these channels.
Cells with a high amount of SMSp-p traffic also need more SDCCHs
than other cells. Increased use of SMSp-p can make the demand for
SDCCHs highly unpredictable.

If congestion on the SDCCH occur the cell may not accept any new
calls to be set-up even if there is spare capacity on the Traffic Channels
(TCHs) depending on if the Immediate assignment on TCH feature is
enabled or not. However, even if a call is allowed to use a TCH for
signalling at call set-up, only one call can be set-up per TCH timeslot
indicating that the use of TCH for signalling is undesirable unless for
short durations of unpredictable traffic peaks. Congestion on the
SDCCH is thus highly undesirable. SDCCH dimensioning, selecting the
number of time slots in a cell that are going to be used for signalling, is
therefore a critical part of network optimization.

1.3 What can be achieved

Adaptive configuration of logical channels will dynamically dimension
the cell with more (or less) SDCCH/8s on demand. This prevents
SDCCH congestion to occur as well as optimising the usage of

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Feature overview

SDCCHs and TCHs. As a result, the network will have higher capacity
and the revenue for the operator will increase.

The dimensioning of the SDCCHs will also be less critical. The

cumbersome manual work for an operator, to calculate the expected
signalling traffic based on traffic models, current traffic distribution, and
statistics about handovers and congestion rates, is therefore minimised.

As a side effect, the number of intra-cell handovers might increase

slightly. The reason is that when a timeslot is to be reconfigured, any
ongoing traffic on that timeslot is handed over to other idle channels.

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 Technical description

2 Technical description
2.1 General
By using the Adaptive configuration of logical channels feature the
operator needs only to dimension a basic SDCCH configuration. The
basic SDCCH configuration in a cell should be under-dimensioned
rather than over-dimensioned regarding the number of SDCCHs when
this feature is used. The dimensioning can be based on a low to average
SDCCH load. Should an increased demand for signalling channels arise
the feature will dynamically replace one idle TCH in the cell with an
SDCCH/8. This operation will be completed within a few seconds and
can be repeated several times. When the demand for signalling channels
returns to a lower level the procedure is reversed. Note that the
algorithm described only is valid for SDCCH/8s. An SDCCH/4 can not
be dynamically configured by means of this feature.

Adaptive configuration of logical channels is activated and deactivated

on a per cell basis using state variable ACSTATE. The parameters which
control the operation of the feature can be changed by command. The
feature will only add and remove SDCCH/8s in the underlaid (UL)
subcell if a subcell structure is defined. An SDCCH/8 manually
configured in the overlaid (OL) subcell is not affected by this feature.

2.2 Algorithm

2.2.1 Basic SDCCH configuration

The basic SDCCH configuration is a minimum number of SDCCHs to
be defined in a cell. A reconfiguration according to the algorithm is not
performed if it should imply that the number of SDCCHs falls below
this limit. This functionality is included to avoid unnecessary
reconfigurations during periods with low load, for example during night
time. It is possible, e.g. in small cells, to have a basic SDCCH
configuration of zero SDCCH/8. This would imply that the BCCH
frequency is configured with a combined BCCH, CCCH and SDCCH/4.
The operator configures the basic SDCCH configuration by command
(in the same manner as for earlier releases).

The number of SDCCH/8s is returned to the basic SDCCH

configuration if the cell or a channel group in the cell is halted when
additional SDCCH/8s exist. All SDCCH/8s in the cell added by this
feature are thus removed. The additional SDCCH/8s are also removed
if the basic SDCCH configuration is changed by command.

2.2.2 Reconfiguration criteria

The feature has a very fast reaction to change a TCH to an SDCCH/8
but much slower to change back. This results in a robust feature that
still take into account the fast fluctuations in the highly unpredictable
SDCCH traffic. The core of the feature is two sub-algorithms or
criteria, one to dynamically increase the number of SDCCH/8s and one
to dynamically decrease the number of SDCCH/8s. The SDCCH/8s are
added and removed one at a time according to the different criteria.

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Technical description

Flowcharts of these two criteria can be found in Section 5 Appendix on

page 17.

The increase criterion

A timeslot holding a TCH is reconfigured immediately to an SDCCH/8

when the increase criterion is fulfilled. The criterion is made up of
three sub-conditions that all have to be fulfilled before an SDCCH/8 can
be added in the cell:
1 the number of idle SDCCH subchannels (counted only in the
underlaid subcell if subcells are defined) must be equal to or
1
below the value of parameter SLEVEL . Parameter SLEVEL
defines the number remaining idle subchannels when an attempt
to reconfigure a TCH to an SDCCH/8 is initiated.
2 the number of idle TCHs in the whole cell (UL and OL) must be
more than four, or more than the total number of TRXs in the cell.
3 the number of already defined SDCCH/8s must be less than the
maximum number of SDCCH/8s allowed to be configured in the
cell. A maximum of 16 SDCCH/8s can be defined in a cell, or 15
if the BCCH type is combined (see ref. 1 on page 15). However,
the number of SDCCH/8s can not exceed the total number of
Transceivers (TRXs) in the cell. For most cells, this will
practically mean, that the maximum number of SDCCH/8s in a
cell is equal to the number of TRXs.
If all these sub-conditions are fulfilled a reconfiguration of a TCH to an
SDCCH/8 is initiated. The same criterion must be fulfilled for each
SDCCH/8 to be added in the cell. The SDCCH/8s are added one at a
time up to the maximum number of SDCCH/8s in the cell (see
sub-condition three).

The decrease criterion

After any reconfiguration (added or removed SDCCH/8s) that leads to a

configuration consisting of more SDCCHs than the basic SDCCH
configuration in the (UL) cell a supervision routine is started. The
purpose is to determine whether the added SDCCH/8 is in use or if it
should be reconfigured to a TCH again. In this way, the feature is
actively trying to reconfigure “back” to the basic SDCCH configuration.
The time it will take to reach the basic SDCCH configuration depends
on the number of SDCCH/8s previously added by the feature, the value
of parameter STIME and the SDCCH traffic level. Parameter STIME
defines the minimum time it will take before a reconfiguration of an
SDCCH/8 to a TCH is started.

The criterion to remove one SDCCH/8 is in the form of a leaky bucket

algorithm with the following attributes:

1) Parameter SLEVEL can also have the value CONG. This means that this sub-condition is fulfilled any
time a connection fails to allocate an SDCCH subchannel due to congestion. The connection may instead
allocate a TCH for signalling if the Immediate assignment on TCH feature is enabled.

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 Technical description

A counter is initiated with a value equal to the value of parameter

STIME. Thereafter, a check is made every third second to see how
many idle SDCCH subchannels that are left in the (UL) cell. The
counter is then decreased or increased according to the following:
• if the total number of idle SDCCH subchannels in the cell is more
2
than 8+SLEVEL (indicating that the SDCCH traffic load is
below the level that initiated the last reconfiguration and that one
SDCCH/8 could be removed) the counter is decreased with 3.
The value 3 originates from the fact that the check only is made
every third second. Parameter STIME is thus given in seconds.
The idle SDCCH subchannels does not have to be on the same
timeslot for this condition to be fulfilled.
• if the total number of idle SDCCH subchannels in the cell is less
than 8+SLEVEL (indicating that the SDCCH traffic load is above
the level that initiated the last reconfiguration) the counter is
instead increased with 12. However, the counter is never
increased beyond its initial value, i.e. STIME.
• if the total number of idle SDCCH subchannels in the cell is
exactly 8+SLEVEL the counter is not stepped at all.
When the counter reaches zero, a reconfiguration of an SDCCH/8 to a
TCH is initiated.
2.2.3 Channel reconfiguration
When a timeslot, currently holding a TCH, is reconfigured to hold an
SDCCH/8 it is done without disturbing ongoing traffic. This means that
any TCH traffic on the timeslot chosen to hold the SDCCH/8 is handed
over to an idle TCH on another timeslot. In the same manner is a
reconfiguration of an SDCCH/8 to a TCH also done without disturbing
ongoing traffic. Any SDCCH traffic on a timeslot to be reconfigured to
hold a TCH is therefore handed over to idle SDCCH subchannels on
other timeslots. This will be done regardless of if the Intra-cell
handover feature is enabled or not.

When an SDCCH/8 is to be added, the feature will try to add the

SDCCH/8 in channel group zero as a first choice. Within channel group
zero it is possible to decide, using parameter CCHPOS, if the SDCCH/
8s should be placed on different timeslots on the BCCH frequency or
according to parameter TN. Parameter TN defines on which timeslot
number the SDCCH/8s are placed.

It is possible to have up to seven SDCCH/8s on the BCCH frequency

(up to three SDCCH/8s for an extended range cell), even if channel
group zero has less than seven (or three) TRXs, as long as the total
number of SDCCH/8s in the whole cell is less than or equal to the total
number of TRXs. If no more SDCCH/8s are allowed to be placed in
channel group zero, the next channel group will be tried. Note that, in
any other channel group than channel group zero, the SDCCH/8s are
placed only according to parameter TN.

2) If parameter SLEVEL has the value CONG, it is interpreted as zero in the decrease condition.

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Technical description

An example of the different settings of parameter CCHPOS in a cell

with three TRXs and one channel group (channel group zero) is
displayed in Figure 1. In Figure 2, the same situation is displayed but
for an extended range cell where every other timeslot is unavailable.

CCHPOS = BCCH

SDCCH/8 are placed on the

BCCH, starting with TS1.

B TRX1
SDCCH/8 are
placed according to TRX2
the TN parameter.

}
TRX3
CCHPOS = TN
and TN = 1 TS0 TS1 TS2 TS3 TS4 TS5 TS6 TS7

Figure 1 Example of how SDCCH/8s can be placed in a normal cell. B denotes the BCCH,
CCCH and also a possible SDCCH/4.

CCHPOS = BCCH

SDCCH/8 are placed on the

BCCH, starting with TS2.

B TRX1
SDCCH/8 are
placed according to TRX2
the TN parameter.

}
TRX3
CCHPOS = TN
and TN = 2 TS0 TS1 TS2 TS3 TS4 TS5 TS6 TS7

Figure 2 Example of how SDCCH/8s can be placed in an extended range cell. B denotes
the BCCH, CCCH and also a possible SDCCH/4.

When an SDCCH/8 is to be removed, the feature will remove an

SDCCH/8 from the channel group where the latest added SDCCH/8
were configured. A reconfiguration of a timeslot will take no more than
a couple of seconds, depending on if the timeslot to be reconfigured
currently is carrying traffic or not.

2.2.4 Immediate assignment on TCH

During a reconfiguration, when an SDCCH/8 is added in a cell, it is
possible that additional requests for SDCCH subchannels arrives. Some
of these connections may then experience congestion. To overcome the
problem with congestion on SDCCH in those cases, the Immediate
assignment on TCH feature can with advantage be used as it enables
the TCHs to be used also for signalling. This means that the

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 Technical description

connections experiencing congestion on SDCCH, before another

SDCCH/8 have successfully been added to the cell, may use an idle
TCH for the call set-up signalling.

The Immediate assignment on TCH feature may also be useful if there

is congestion on SDCCH and no new SDCCH/8 is allowed to be
configured (e.g. if maximum number of SDCCH/8s already is
configured in the cell or too few idle TCH channels exist). For more
information on the Immediate assignment on TCH feature, see ref. 2 on
page 15.

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Technical description

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 Parameters

3 Parameters
3.1 Main controlling parameters
ACSTATE activates and deactivates the Adaptive Configuration of
Logical Channels feature per cell basis.

SLEVEL defines the level of remaining subchannels when an attempt

to reconfigure a TCH to an SDCCH/8 will take place.

STIME defines the minimum time interval before an SDCCH/8 added

by the Adaptive configuration of logical channels feature can be
reconfigured back to a TCH.

3.2 Additional parameters

CCHPOS defines if an SDCCH/8 to be added in channel group zero
shall be placed on the BCCH frequency or according to parameter TN.
The following values of parameter CCHPOS exist:

BCCH All SDCCH/8s in channel group zero will be placed on the

BCCH frequency. This alternative is not valid for channel
groups other than zero.
TN All SDCCH/8s in channel group zero will be placed on the
timeslot number entered with parameter TN.

TN defines the timeslot number on which the SDCCH/8 will be placed.

This parameter does not have any effect for channel group 0 having
CCHPOS = BCCH.

3.3 Value ranges and default values

Parameter Default value Recommended

Value range Unit
name value
SLEVEL 0 - 0-2, CONG
STIME 20 - 15-360 s
CCHPOS TN - BCCH, TN
TN 2 - 0, 1, 2, 3 (normal cell)
0, 2 (extended range
-
cell)
ACSTATE INACTIVE - INACTIVE, ACTIVE

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Parameters

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 References

4 References
1 User Description, Idle Mode Behaviour, 2/1553–HSC 103 12 Uen
2 User Description, Immediate Assignment on TCH, 14/1553-HSC
103 12 Uen

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References

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 Appendix

5 Appendix
Start

Is #idle SDCCH sub- No

channels ≤ SLEVEL?

Yes

Is #idle TCHs > 4 or No

is #idle TCHs > #TRXs
in the cell?

Yes

Is #SDCCH/8 < max No

allowed #SDCCH/8
in the cell

Yes

Reconfigure TCH
to SDCCH/8

Figure 3 Flowchart of the increase criterion.

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Appendix

Start

Is #SDCCH/8 > basic No

configuration?

Yes

Initiate leaky bucket

counter = STIME

Is #idle SDCCH sub- No Is #idle SDCCH sub- No

channels > 8 + SLEVEL? channels < 8 + SLEVEL? Wait 3 seconds

Yes Yes

Decrease leaky bucket Increase leaky bucket

counter with 3 counter with 12 but
never beyond STIME

Is the leaky bucket No

counter ≤ 0?

Yes

Reconfigure
SDCCH/8 to TCH

Figure 4 Flowchart of the decrease criterion.

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