RLC (Radio Link Control): Each radio bearer possesses one RLC instance working

in either of the three modes: UM (Unacknowledged), AM (Acknowledged) or TM

(Transparent). Which mode is chosen depends on the purpose of the radio bearer.
RLC can thus enhance the radio bearer with ARQ (Automatic Retransmission on
reQuest) using sequence numbered data frames and status reports to trigger
retransmission. Note that it shall be possible to trigger retransmissions also via the
HARQ entity in MAC. The second functionality of RLC is the segmentation and
reassembly that divides higher layer data or concatenates higher layer data into
data chunks suitable for transport over transport channels which allow a certain set
of transport block sizes.
PDCP (Packet Data Convergence Protocol): Each radio bearer also uses one
PDCP instance. PDCP is responsible for header compression (ROHC RObust Header
Compression; RFC 3095) and ciphering/deciphering. Obviously header compression
makes sense for IP datagram's, but not for signaling. Thus the PDCP entities for
signaling radio bearers will usually do ciphering/deciphering only.
RRC (Radio Resource Control): RRC is the access stratum specific control
protocol for EUTRAN. It will provide the required messages for channel
management, measurement control and reporting, etc.
NAS Protocols: The NAS protocol is running between UE and MME and thus must
be transparently transferred via EUTRAN. It sits on top of RRC, which provides the
required carrier messages for NAS transfer.
The EUTRAN radio protocol model specifies the protocols terminated between UE
and eNB. The protocol stack follows the standard guidelines for radio protocol
architectures (ITU-R M1035) and is thus quite similar to the WCDMA protocol stack
of UMTS.
The protocol stack defines three layers: the physical layer (layer 1), data link and
access layer (layer 2) and layer 3 hosting the access stratum and non-access
stratum control protocols as well as the application level software (e.g. IP stack).
physical layer: The physical layer forms the complete layer 1 of the protocol stack
and provides the basic bit transmission functionality over air. In LTE the physical
layer is driven by OFDMA in the downlink and SC-FDMA in the uplink. FDD and TDD
mode can be combined (depends on UE capabilities) in the same physical layer. The
physical layer uses physical channels to transmit data over the radio path. Physical
channels are dynamically mapped to the available resources (physical resource
blocks and antenna ports). To higher layers the physical layer offers its data
transmission functionality via transport channels. Like in UMTS a transport channel
is a block oriented transmission service with certain characteristics regarding bit
rates, delay, collision risk and reliability. Note that in contrast to 3G WCDMA or even
2G GSM there are no dedicated transport or physical channels anymore, as all
resource mapping is dynamically driven by the scheduler.

MAC (Medium Access Control): MAC is the lowest layer 2 protocol and its main
function is to drive the transport channels. From higher layers MAC is fed with
logical channels which are in one-to-one correspondence with radio bearers. Each
logical channel is given a priority and MAC has to multiplex logical channel data
onto transport channels. In the receiving direction obviously demultiplexing of
logical channels from transport channels must take place. Further functions of MAC
will be collision handling and explicit UE identification. An important function for the
performance is the HARQ functionality which is official part of MAC and available for
some transport channel types

NAS
NAS Protocol(s)
Protocol(s)
(Attach/TA
(Attach/TAUpdate/)
Update/)

The RRC functional list is of course quite long.

System Information Broadcasting: The NAS and access stratum configuration of
the network and the cell must be available to any UE camping on a cell. This
information is coded as RRC message.

Paging: To locate an LTE_IDLE UE within a tracking area the RRC protocol defines a
paging signaling message and the associated UE behavior.
RRC Connection Management: The UE can have two major radio states:
RRC_CONNECTED or RRC_IDLE. To switch between the states an RRC connection
establishment and release procedure is defined. With the state RRC_CONNECTED
the existence of signaling radio bearers and UE identifiers (C-RNTI) is associated.
EUTRAN Security: Access layer security in EUTRAN consists of ciphering (PDCP)
and integrity protection for RRC messages.
Management of Point-to-Point Radio Bearers: Point-to-point radio bearers are
signaling and user data radio bearers for SAE bearers. RRC is used to create, modify
and delete such radio bearers including the associated lower layer configuration
(logical channels, RLC mode, transport channels, multiplexing, ).
Mobility Functions: When a UE is in state LTE_ACTIVE, the mobility control is at
the eNB. This includes handover from one EUTRAN cell to another or also intersystem changes. To assist handover decisions in the eNB RRC defines procedures for
measurement control and reporting. In LTE_IDLE mode the UE performs automatic
cell re-selection, RRC takes control over this process within the UE.
MBMS (Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service): RRC is used to inform UEs
about available MBMS services in a cell and is also used to track UEs that
registered for a certain multicast service. This allows the eNB to manage MBMS
radio bearers which are usually point-to-multipoint.
QoS Control: The RRC protocol will be QoS aware, allowing implementation of
radio bearers with different QoS within the UE.
Transfer of NAS Messages: NAS messages are sent and received through the
EUTRAN protocol stack. RRC provides carrier services for such messages.

RRC Connection Release

(via DL-SCH)

Transfer of NAS messages

Challenges for the Air Interface Design

ISI = Intersymbol Interference
Due to multipath propagation
2. ACI = Adjacent Carrier Interference
Due to the fact that FDM = frequency division multiplexing will be used
3. ICI = Intercarrier Interference
Losing orthogonality between subcarriers because of effects like e.g. Doppler

Cyclic Prefix
The cyclic prefix (CP) simply consists of the last part of the following symbol. The
size of the cyclic prefix field depends on the system and can even vary within one
system. Cyclic prefixes are used by all modern OFDM systems and their sizes range
from 1/4 to 1/32 of a symbol period. Most receiver structures use the cyclic prefix to
make an initial estimation of time and frequency synchronization (pre-FFT
synchronization, non-data assisted synchronization).
OFDM Key Parameters

A higher Bandwidth is better because a higher peak data

rate could be achived and also bigger capacity. Also the
physical layer overhead is lower for higher bandwidth

Channel edge

Resource block

Channel edge

Channel Bandwidth [MHz]

Transmission Bandwidth Configuration [RB]
Transmission
Bandwidth [RB]

DC carrier
(downlink only)
Active Resource
Blocks

OFDM benefits:
Good performance in frequency selective fading channels.
Low complexity of base-band receiver.
Good spectral properties and handling of multiple bandwidths.
Link adaptation and frequency domain scheduling.
Compatibility with advanced receiver and antenna technologies

For QPSK 2bits/symbol; 16QAM 4bits/symbol; 64QAM 6

bits/symbol
QPSK: Max Data Rate = 16,4 Msymbols/s * 2bits/symbol = 32,8
Mbits/s (bandwith of 20 MHz)
16QAM: Max Data Rate = 16,4 Msymbols/s * 4 bits/symbols =
65,6 Mbits/s
64QAM: Max Data Rate = 16,4 Msymbols/s * 6 bits/symbols =
98,4 Mbits/s

The real data rate of the user will be further reduced if the
physical layer overhead is considered. Also the higher layers
may introduce overhead as shown in chapter number 2. For
example IP , PDCP , RLC and MAC are introducing their own
headers.
This type of overheads are not discussed here

CQI = Channel Quality Indicator

ACK = Acknowledgment
NACK = Negative ACK
HARQ = Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request

The message flow for the UL transmission is as follows:

1. PUCCH the mobile is requesting the Node-B to schedule some physical
resources for the UL transmission. Please note that the Node-B is in charge of
the UL scheduling also. Also note that the scheduling request is only needed
for applications with QoS like best effort. For application with higher QoS like
VoIP there is no need for the scheduling request since the resources have to
be granted
2.

UL sounding reference signal used for the channel dependent scheduling.

For details please refer to the section UL Transmission

3.

UL Demodulation Signal. Used for channel estimation reasons. For details

please refer to the section UL Transmission

4. PDDCH used in this scenario to indicate the UL grant, that is, what are the
physical resources which could be used by the mobile for the UL transmission
5. PUSCH this is the actual user data transmission (the user is sending the
request www.nsn.com)
6. PHICH this is actually on DL channel on which the ACK or NACK for the
HARQ are transmitted

PUSCH retransmission of user data if 6 is indicating NACK

RSRP is the linear average of received power of RS resource

elements

UE measures the rx power of multiple RS REs and takes average of

them

Reporting range -44-140 dBm

RSSI = wideband power= noise + serving cell power + interference

power

RSSI increases about 5dB when PRB activity increases to 100%,10MHz

cell

RSRP is independent of cell load

Idle cell:
When there is no traffic, and assuming only the reference symbols are
transmitted (there are 2 of them within the same symbol of a resource block) from
a single Tx antenna then the RSSI is generated by only the 2 reference symbols
so the result becomes:

RSRQ = -3 dB for 1Tx

RSRQ = -6dB for 2Tx

Fully loaded cell: Cell with 100% PRB utilization

If all resource elements are active and are transmitted with equal power then

RSRQ = -10.8 dB for 1Tx

RSRQ = -13 dB for 2Tx (assumption: rx div not used!)

1. The source eNB configures the UE measurement procedures with

MEASUREMENT CONTROL
2. UE is triggered to send MEASUREMENT REPORT to the source eNB. It can be
event triggered or periodic
3. Source eNB makes handover decision based on UE report + load and service
information
4. The source eNB issues a HANDOVER REQUEST to the target eNB
5. Target eNB performs admission control
6. Target eNB sends the HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE to the source
eNB

7. Source eNB generates the HANDOVER COMMAND towards UE

Source eNB starts forwarding packets to target eNB
8. Source eNB sends status information to target eNB
9. UE performs the final synchronisation to target eNB and accesses the cell via
RACH procedure
DL pre-synchronisation is obtained during cell identification and measurements
10. Target eNB gives the uplink allocation and timing advance information
11. UE sends HANDOVER CONFIRM to target eNB
12.Target eNB sends a PATH SWITCH
has changed cell

message to MME to inform that the UE

13.MME sends a USER PLANE UPDATE REQUEST message to Serving Gateway

14.Serving Gateway switches the downlink data path to the target side
15.Serving Gateway sends a USER PLANE UPDATE RESPONSE message to MME
16.MME confirms the PATH SWITCH message with the PATH SWITCH ACK message
17.By sending RELEASE RESOURCE the target eNB informs success of handover to
source eNB and triggers the release of resources
18.Upon reception of the RELEASE RESOURCE message, the source eNB can
release radio and C-plane related resources associated to the UE context

Downlink Physical Signals and Channels

Downlink Physical Signals
Reference Signals
Synchronization Signals
Downlink Physical Channels
Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH)
Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH)
Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH)
Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH)
Physical Hybrid-ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH)
Physical Multicast Channel (PMCH)
DL Physical Channels Allocation
PBCH:
Occupies the central 72 subcarriers across 4
symbols
Transmitted during second slot of each 10 ms
frame on all antennas
PCFICH:
Transmitted during the first symbol of each TTI
Occupies up to 16 RE per TTI
PHICH:
Tx during 1st symbol of each TTI or alternativ during
symbols 1 to 3 of each TTI PhichDur
Each PHCIH group occupies 12 RE
PDCCH: Occupies the REs not used by PCFICH and PHICH
and Reference Signals within the first 1, 2 or 3

symbols of each TTI (case 1.4 MHz: within the first 2,

3 or 4 symbols)
In RL09/10: configuration static by
MaxNbrOfOFDMSymsForPDCCH
PDSCH:
Is allocated the RE not used by signals or other
physical channels