Transport Formats in UMTS Radio Network Controller's Software Implementation

Transport Formats in UMTS Radio Network Controllers Software Implementation
Seminaariesitelm / Jukka Valtanen / 08.01.2008
Nokia Siemens Networks

Introduction
3G network structure UTRA radio interface protocol architecture logical channels / transport channels / physical channels Transport formats data transmission between the physical (L1) and data link (L2) layer transport format set (TFS) / transport format combination set (TFCS) Transport format implementation in the RNC RNC software architecture / program block under investigation current implementation / analysis / improvements / further changes Testing of transport formats in RNC software testing process / testing methods / testing environment test cases / analysis / improvements / results Discussion and conclusion
Nokia Siemens Networks Seminaariesitelm / Jukka Valtanen / 08.01.2008

Introduction - 3G network structure (1/2)
Core network
User Equipment Node B (Base Station) Radio Network Controller
3G networks offer
wide range of advanced services constantly growing network capacity, shorter delay times and higher bit rates seamless mobility and inter-working with the existing GSM/GPRS networks
Need for resource optimisation from all underlying network components

GSM = Global System for Mobile Communications
3 Nokia Siemens Networks
GPRS = General Packet Radio Service

Introduction - 3G network structure (2/2)
Uu Node B RNC USIM Cu ME Node B RNC Node B SGSN GGSN Node B Iub Iur HLR Internet Iu MSC/VLR GMSC PLMN PSTN ISDN
UE
UTRAN
CN = Core Network RNC = Radio Network Controller UE = User Equipment UMTS = Universal Mobile Telecommunications System UTRAN = UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network
CN
External networks
The RNC is a service access point for all services that UTRAN provides the core network. It owns and controls radio resources in its domain, i.e. Node Bs connected to it.

UTRA radio interface protocol architecture (1/3)
3GPP TS 25.201 Physical layer - general description version 7.3.0 Release 7(2007-06)

Physical channels: layer 1 communication streams (frequency, scrambling etc.) 5 dedicated UL channels and 1 common UL channel 4 dedicated DL channels and 10 common DL channels
Transport channels: a service offered by the physical layer (L1) to the MAC how and with what characteristics data is transferred 2 dedicated channels (DCH, E-DCH) 5 common channels (BCH, FACH, PCH, RACH, HS-DSCH) the RNC deals with transport channels Logical channels: a service provided by the MAC layer to higher layers for which purpose and what type of data is transferred 6 control channels 3 traffic channels
E-DCH = Enhanced Dedicated Channel BCH = Broadcast Channel
DCH = Dedicated Channel
FACH = Forward Access Channel PCH = Paging Channel RACH = Random Access ChannelHS-DSCH = High Speed Downlink Shared Channel
6 Nokia Siemens Networks Seminaariesitelm / Jukka Valtanen / 08.01.2008

Mapping of transport channels onto physical channels
Transport channels DCH Physical Channels Dedicated Physical Data Channel (DPDCH) Dedicated Physical Control Channel (DPCCH) Fractional Dedicated Physical Channel (F-DPCH) E-DCH Dedicated Physical Data Channel (E-DPDCH) E-DCH Dedicated Physical Control Channel (E-DPCCH) E-DCH Absolute Grant Channel (E-AGCH) E-DCH Relative Grant Channel (E-RGCH) E-DCH Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel (E-HICH) Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) Common Pilot Channel (CPICH) Primary Common Control Physical Channel (P-CCPCH) Secondary Common Control Physical Channel (S-CCPCH) Synchronisation Channel (SCH) Acquisition Indicator Channel (AICH) Paging Indicator Channel (PICH) MBMS Notification Indicator Channel (MICH) High Speed Physical Downlink Shared Channel (HS-PDSCH) HS-DSCH-related Shared Control Channel (HS-SCCH) Dedicated Physical Control Channel (uplink) for HS-DSCH (HS-DPCCH)
E-DCH
RACH BCH FACH PCH
HS-DSCH

Transport formats (1/3)
Data transfer between MAC and PHY is organised by the transmission
of transport blocks. One transport block belongs to one transport channel Several transport blocks can be sent simultaneously transport block set Transmission Time Interval (TTI) defines the time interval between two
subsequent transport block set transfers between MAC and PHY
Transport Block Size Transport Block Transport Block Transport Block Transport Block Transport Block Set Transport Block Set
Transmission Time Interval
Transport Block Set Size
MAC
PHY
Transport Block Set

Transport Format (TF)
Defines the characteristics of a transport channel Specifies the physical layer processing to be applied to the channel Controls how much data is transferred during one TTI and how the data is
coded etc. by the physical layer Semi-static part and dynamic part
Transport Format Set (TFS)

The set of transport formats
associated to a transport channel Enables variable data rates (multiple parameter sets)
TTI = Transmission Time Interval CRC = Cyclic Redundancy Check TB = Transport Block
9 Nokia Siemens Networks Seminaariesitelm / Jukka Valtanen / 08.01.2008
Semi-Static Part
Transport Format Set TTI Channel Coding CRC Size Rate Matching TB Size TB Set Size TFI 1 TB Size TB Set Size TFI n
Dynamic Part TF Indicator

Transport Format Combination Set (TFCS)
Several transport channels can be multiplexed together The set of transport format combinations of currently valid transport formats
Transport channel 1 Transport channel 1 Transport channel 1 Transport channel 1
Transport block TFI Transport block TFI
Transport block Transport block TFI

Higher layers Physical layer
Transport block and error indication Transport block and error indication TFI
Transport block and error indication Transport block and error indication
TFCI Physical control channel
Coding and multiplexing Physical data channel TRANSMITTER TFI = Transport Format Indicator
TFCI decoding Physical control channel
Decoding and demultiplexing Physical data channel RECEIVER
TFCI = Transport Format Combination Indicator
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Transport format implementation in the RNC (1/3)
The RNC consists of several different hardware and software layers
System blocks, service blocks and program blocks One particular program block was investigated in Radio Resource Management (RRM) area Completely new program block, a result of a major architectural change Responsible for RRM related tasks and Layer 3 signalling inside the RNC Interfaces to a couple of other program blocks and RNCs internal database Performs TFS and TFCS calculation for one Radio Resource Control (RRC)
connection RRC connection setup State transition from Cell_FACH to Cell_DCH RAB establishment / modification / release SRNC relocation Compressed mode activation / deactivation
RAB = Radio Access Bearer

SRNC = Serving Radio Network Controller

TFS calculation is performed in one code module (Module 6)

For each DCH separately, both uplink and downlink direction Based on DCH type and maximum bit rates HSDPA and HSUPA not considered here (TF calculation in the Node B) Maximum of 8 simultaneous DCHs Own internal procedures for calculating the different parts of the TFS
TFCS calculation is performed in another code module (Module 7)

Calculation is based on current DCH list and their TFS parameters Calculated Transport Format Combination (CTFC) is a tool for efficient
signalling of transport format combinations (3GPP TS 25.331) UE-capability is taken into account and it may also set limitations to TFCS Generally more complex than TFS calculation
DCH = Dedicated Channel HSDPA = High Speed Downlink Packet Access
HSUPA = High Speed Uplink Packet Access

The implementation has been ported from the old architectural solution,
dates back to year 2002 and 2003 Originally 3500 code lines in Module 6 and 4000 code lines in Module 7 Deploys global data structures, problems with information hiding Now the code was fully inspected and improved Lots of commentary lines were added, code optimisation was done and obsolete code was removed also minor bugs were corrected The implementation still deploys global data structures and clumsy data conversions that could (and should) be improved More profound changes and a complete re-design are still possible The software is under constant state of change code maintainability and proper testing is important
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Testing of transport formats in RNC software (1/2)
The product and all program blocks are tested in separate phases
Module testing (the focus in the thesis)
integrated part of design and implementation new functionalities should be verified as soon as possible regression testing after major corrections or other changes in later phases should be thorough (code coverage), repeatable, well maintainable and automatic Integration and load testing Functional testing System testing
Testing methods
Black box testing: no insight into the code itself, based on inputs and outputs White box testing: system state can be observed, more complicated Hybrid test strategies
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Testing of transport formats in RNC software (2/2)
Windows workstation + RNC software emulator + definition database 47 initial test cases were prepared for TFS and TFCS features
mainly different kind of RAB setup scenarios other TFS/TFCS calculation scenarios use the same procedures inputs sent to the program block calculation output data verified Test cases were inspected and analysed for code coverage properties During the thesis work, a need for some changes was discovered 10 test cases updated 6 totally new test cases designed all 53 test cases finally passed, no bugs found in later testing phases
Designed test case set will remain as an essential part of normal

regression testing of the program block
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Discussion and conclusion (1/1)
Transport formats are applied in the data exchange between the
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physical layer and the data link layer Transport formats enable variable bit rates and multiplexing of services The theory is largely based on 3GPP specifications, but manufacturer specific implementations enable efficient usage of radio resources The program code of a program block in RRM area was inspected and analysed Code maintainability was improved and minor bugs were corrected Testing of TFS and TFCS functionalities was carried out, a test case set was designed and the related code was found to be fully functional Used testing methods were considered to be applicable The observed features are now fully tested in module level testing The obtained results will act as a reference for any future improvements

Thank you!
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Transport Formats in UMTS Radio Network Controller's Software Implementation

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Transport Formats in UMTS Radio Network Controllers Software Implementation

Seminaariesitelm / Jukka Valtanen / 08.01.2008

Nokia Siemens Networks

Seminaariesitelm / Jukka Valtanen / 08.01.2008