TD-LTE Technology And Its Measurements

By Yvonne Liu and Bai Ying,

Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Third-generation (3G) wireless systems are deployed all over the world. W-CDMA
maintains a mid-term competitive edge by providing high speed packet access (HSPA) in
both downlink and uplink modes. Typical cell maximum data rate today is around 7.2
Mbps, and typical single-user data rates of around 1.5 Mbps can be expected. To ensure
competitiveness into the future, the long-term evolution (LTE) of the 3rd Generation
Partnership Projects (3GPP) UMTS is first specified in release 8 of the 3GPP
specification, and covers the emerging needs of mobile broadband into the next decade
with cell data rates of over 300 Mbps expected when the system is fully functional.

The majority of work to date on LTE has focused on the frequency division duplex (LTE
FDD) variant. Following the integration of the Chinese TD-SCDMA standard, based on
time division duplex (TDD), into the 3GPP specifications for LTE, chipset and device
designers are now working to include TDD capability. Now known as TD-LTE, the
standard allows carriers to make use of the unpaired spectrum that many of them already
own.

Compared to previous standards such as GSM/EDGE and W-CDMA, the timescale from
first-generation standards documents to commercial release for LTE in general is short,
and for TD-LTE in particular is shorter, due to its later addition into the standards. For
handsets and data cards, LTEs maximum specified RF bandwidth of 20 MHz has driven
a change in block diagram and the emergence of standard connections, while the
requirement for multi-format devices which include compatibility with legacy systems
may lead designers to the increased use of software-defined radios. New designs need
more analog/digital cross-domain measurement and "digital-in, RF-out", meaning
designers need new tools and measurement methods.

TD-LTE is specified to operate in the frequency range 1850 to 2620 MHz, and uses the
same MIMO scenarios and up- and down-link modulation formats as FDD: OFDMA
(orthogonal frequency division multiple access) in the downlink and SC-FDMA (single
carrier frequency division multiple access) in the uplink. There are two frame

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 Feature Article
configurations, each with an overall length of 10 ms and divided into 10 subframes, as
shown below.

The 5ms version has two special synchronizing subframes rather than the one in the
10ms version, and gives greater opportunity for uplink/downlink flexibility. The frame
can be dynamically configured to any one of the preset configurations shown, depending
on the instantaneous data transmission requirement.

Figure 1: TD-LTE Frame Structures

Each one millisecond downlink subframe contains blocks of data (resource blocks)
destined for a number of different users, while uplink subframes contain blocks of data
from the users to the base station (eNB). The specified latency target (time from
information request to reply) is 5 ms, or only half a frame, for small data packets, so
system timing, including timing offset to compensate for distance from the eNB, is
critical. The current system is optimized for low speed (stationary or pedestrian) users,
who will see the highest-speed operation, but may eventually be extended to users
traveling at up to 500 kph.

The TD-LTE standards currently contain specifications and measurements methods for
RF channels of 1.4, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 20 MHz (same as LTE FDD with scalable
bandwidths). Most test methods and items are defined for single code data using a single
transmit and receive part. Specifications for multiple codes and MIMO configurations are
still under discussion. For up-to-date information, go to www.3gpp.org and check the
latest version of document TS34.141.

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 Feature Article
Initial measurements aim to ensure un-impaired transmission and reception: uplink and
downlink transmit masks, maximum and minimum power, power control, adjacent
channel leakage and spurious emissions are defined to ensure minimum interference. An
example transmit on/off mask is shown below.

Transmitter Output
Power
ON power
level
(Informative) Transmitter ON period
(DL Subframe and DwPTS)

OFF power
level

Transmitter
Time
transient
Transmitter period Transmitter
OFF period OFF period

Figure 2: Example transmission mask

The next series of measurements focuses on transmission quality, with the main metric
being error vector magnitude (EVM). For the OFDM downlink, the measurement is
defined over one subframe (1 ms) in the time domain and 12 subcarriers (180 kHz) in the
frequency domain. Limits depend on the modulation complexity; the higher order the
modulation, the tighter the limit. For the SC-FDMA uplink from the UE, transmission
quality is defined in terms of allocated and unallocated resource blocks, and requires
separately measuring the spectrum within the channel where the UE is transmitting and
the remainder of the channel bandwidth where it is not. EVM and spectrum flatness are
specified for allocated resource blocks, and in-band leakage and IQ offset (carrier
leakage), which are interfering signals that degrade network performance, are specified
for unallocated resource blocks.

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 Feature Article

Figure 3: VSA screenshot showing uplink performance data

Basic receiver RF performance tests reference sensitivity, dynamic range, in-channel

selectivity, adjacent selectivity blocking and spurious emissions are set up using normal
call protocol until the UE is communicating on traffic channel. At the specified value,
the block error rate (BLER) must not exceed a target value and maintain the target
throughput value, normally 95%. Specified values depend on the test being performed,
receiver bandwidth, and modulation complexity. The receiver is then checked for its
ability to correctly demodulate the dedicated control channel from within the dedicated
physical channel in both static and faded environments, and at all supported data rates
and channel bandwidths.

TD-LTE devices must provide compatibility with legacy 3GPP systems, and a series of
handover scenarios are specified to ensure conformance. These aim to ensure service
continuity for the user, and check everything from idle mode and in-call intra-frequency
TDD-TDD handovers, through inter-frequency changes and TDD-FDD handovers,
handovers to 3G W-CDMA and HPSA systems, and finally to handing over from TDD to
GSM.

While the specified RF environment for both LTE FDD and TD-LTE requires multiple
input-multiple output (MIMO) operation, test and validation methods remain to be
determined. Signal analysis of the individual data streams that make up a MIMO
transmitter is straightforward. The multiple signals for MIMO receiver test include real-
time fading, and require specialized test signal generation. Validation of correct MIMO
receiver operation is still under discussion in both 3GPP and the test community. First
LTE deployments will use 2 x2 MIMO (i.e. 2 separate transmitters and receivers) though
the specification call for up to 4 x4 MIMO in the future. MIMO is designed to improve
coverage and data transmission capacity, with each transmitter broadcasting its own

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 Feature Article
unique data stream, and the receivers performing complex matrix demodulation to
recover the initial data.

Figure 4: Example 2 x 2 MIMO configuration

These are only the beginning of system testing needs. From chipset design to network
deployment, much work must be done to test out the end-users experience at all stages of
the design process. In addition to ensuring interoperability, full testing will involve
validating thousands of additional user-experience scenarios. Only by validating
functionality early on will network operators be able to manage customer expectations
and retain loyalty. Early experiences with WAP and W-CDMA have taught them the
potential customer issues of technology deployment and roll out from coverage issues,
real data speed and battery drain time, to simultaneous interactions. Designers and
service providers must be able to verify both the maximum design performance and the
performance of devices under realistic network conditions using controlled and
repeatable test scenarios, before deployment and after design changes. Protocol and
conformance test tools, such as the Agilent 8960 and E6620, and systems based on them
supplied in partnership with Anite, provide a feature-rich environment for comprehensive
performance validation.

Agilent has developed several first-to-market TD-LTE test products to help ensure the
success of TD-LTE deployment. The Agilent 3GPP LTE TDD Wireless Library for
Agilent SystemVue and Advanced Design System (ADS) works directly with Agilents
MXA Signal Analyzer to provide the worlds first fully coded BER solution for the TDD
version of the LTE standard using 2 x 2 and 4 x4 MIMO technology. The solution allows
fully coded BER measurements of a device under test, including simulation of channel
impairments for multipath fading.

The Agilent N7625B Signal Studio for LTE TDD is a powerful, PC-based software
application for creating standards-based TD-LTE signals using Agilents N5182A/62A
MXG and E4438C ESG vector signal generators, and N5106A PXB MIMO receiver
tester. The Signal Studio solution supports the 3GPP LTE TDD September 08 standard,
offers multichannel capability for PDSCH, PHICH, PCFICH, PBCH, PDCCH, PUSCH,
PUCCH, and has the ability to transmit DL and UL signals. These products provide basic

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 Feature Article
capabilities well suited for testing components used in base stations and mobile handsets,
such as power amplifiers and filters, and advanced receiver test capabilities that support
transport layer coding, 4 x 4 MIMO pre-coding and fading.

Agilent 89600 VSA software provides RF and baseband engineers with a comprehensive
set of TD-LTE signal analysis tools, physical layer testing, and troubleshooting of LTE
transceivers and components. TD-LTE downlink (OFDMA), uplink (SC-FDMA), and
MIMO analysis is a single option. The VSA software offers industry-leading
performance with EVM of < -50 dB (hardware dependent) and bandwidths of 1.4 MHz to
20 MHz. Modulation formats included are BPSK, QPSK, 16 QAM, 64 QAM, CAZAC,
OSxPRBS, TDD DL/UL allocation (0-6) and special subframe length (0-8), and 2 x 2
MIMO. This VSA software can be used with more than 30 Agilent products, including
spectrum and signal analyzers, oscilloscopes, and logic analyzers to make LTE
measurements anywhere in the block diagram -- from baseband to antenna, on digitized
or analog signals. It supports 2 x 2 MIMO analysis in conjunction with Agilents EXA
and MXA Signal Analyzers, VXI-based VSA analyzer, and several scopes. It also has
connectivity with Agilents Advance Design System TD-LTE wireless library.

In summary LTE, and particularly TD-LTE, brings new challenges to developers and to
the vendors of design and test tools. New RF modulation schemes, MIMO antenna
configurations, higher system bandwidths and capacity, and lower latency are just some
of them. New measurement methods, including crossing the digital and RF domains,
combined with a reduction in test point accessibility mean theres a steep learning curve
for both system and test developers. Successful technical introduction is a must, with
analysts predicting between 30 and 80 million LTE subscribers and well over $100
billion in operator revenues within 5 years.

About The Authors

Yvonne Liu works at the China Communication Operation (CCO) of Agilent

Technologies in Beijing. She received a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from China Civil
Aviation University in 1990. Since joining Hewlett-Packard/Agilent Technologies in
1993, Yvonne has had a variety of roles including field engineer, business development
engineer, and marketing engineer. Yvonne started as a product marketing engineer where
she supported the cdma2000 application one-box-tester. She is now responsible for
application solutions on the Agilent X-series spectrum analyzers including cdma2000,
1xEV-DO, and TD-SCDMA. Yvonnes current focus is supporting TD-SCDMA and TD-
LTE.

Bai Ying obtained his Masters Degree in Communication and Information Systems from
the Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2006. He joined Agilent
Technologies and has worked as an application engineer focusing on TD-SCDMA with
his application expertise in LTE TDD signal studio planning, product marketing, and
technical support.

As seen in the May 14, 2009 edition of the RF Globalnet (www.rfglobalnet.com) newsletter.