GPRS Radio interface

Riku Rimpel Nokia Mobile Phones Tampere, Finland

13.11.1998

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 1

GPRS Air Interface features

Co-existence with GSM "Two messages from Internet" -> fast and short interactions with the network Sharing of resources -> more users per same carrier capacity -> connection open only when there is data to be sent -> independent up and downlink Adaptable transfer speed -> multislot classes -> quick changes of configuration -> channel coding schemes

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 2

Co-existence with GSM

GSM Logical Channels used in GPRS

Synchronisation channels reused from traditional GSM FCCH, SCH, BCCH GSM common control channel can be used BCCH and CCCH multiple new pure packet channels defined: PBCCH, PPCH, PRACH, PAGCH, PNCH, PDTCH, PACCH, PTCCH

Channel scan
Synchronization BCCH reception Idle mode (PCH&BCCH) PBCCH reception Packet Idle Mode (PPCH&PBCCH)

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 3

Co-existence with GSM

GPRS multiframes
F S BCCH CCCH F S CCCH CCCH F S CCCH CCCH F S CCCH CCCH F S CCCH CCCH x

51-MF combined

x x

B0
PBCCH

B1
PxxCH

x x

B2
PCCCH

B3
PxxCH

x x

B4
PxxCH

B5
PCCCH

x x

B6
PxxCH

B7
PCCCH

x x

B8
PxxCH

B9
PxxCH

51-MF dedicated (BS_PBCCH_BLKS=1, BS_PAG_BLKS_RES=6, BS_PCC_CHANS=1)

B0
PBCCH

B1
PxxCH

B2
PxxCH

B3
PxxCH

B4
PxxCH

B5
PCCCH

B6
PxxCH

B7
PxxCH

B8
PCCCH

B9
PxxCH

B10
PxxCH

B11
PCCCH

52-MF (BS_PBCCH_BLKS=1, BS_PAG_BLKS_RES=8, BS_PCC_CHANS=1)

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 4

Co-existence with GSM

GPRS channel structure
A timeslot dedicated for GPRS usage (PDCH)
Normal burst Frame 3 4

52 Multiframe 0 1 2 3 47 48 49 50 51

4 bursts each

Blocks

B0

B1

B2 x B3

B4

B5 x

B10 B12 B11 x

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 5

"Two messages from internet"

Uplink access

After logging on two GPRS network, two messages are needed to access packet data network

MS Packet Channel Request Packet Immediate Assignment

Network

PRACH or RACH PAGCH or AGCH

Packet Resource Request (Optional) Packet Resource Assignment (Optional) PACCH PACCH

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 6

"Two messages from internet"

Downlink access

MS Packet Paging Request Packet Channel Request Packet Immediate Assignment Packet Paging Response Packet Resource Assignment

Network PPCH or PCH PRACH or RACH PAGCH or AGCH PACCH PACCH

Alternatively the access can be in the CCCH (PCH, RACH, AGCH, PACCH)

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 7

Sharing of resources

Plenty of MSs can be served by the radio

Each user reserving the channel only if there is data to receive or transmit Several mobiles may be sharing the same channel (time slot) Even tens of WWW surfers per carrier Even hundreds or thousands of telemetry users per carrier
2-4 sec

TRANSFER

IDLE
2-4 sec

TRANSFER IDLE

2-4 sec

TRANSFER IDLE

TRANSFER IDLE
NOKIA GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 8

Sharing of resources
Independent uplink and downlink

If you are going down in an elevator, there is no quarantee that somebody would be going up in the other elevator at the same time. => If you are sending data it is not guaranteed that somebody is sending data to you at the same time.

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 9

Sharing of resources
Downlink access

Data in downlink Acknowledgements in uplink (BSS allocates space for those)

PDTCH
Permission to send (USF) Acknowledgement request

MAC header

Downlink data

PACCH
acknowledgement for downlink data measurement report

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 10

Sharing of resources
Uplink access

Permission to send in downlink channels, acknowledgements from downlink access methods: dynamic allocation (USF), extended dynamic allocation (E-USF), fixed allocation (FA)

PDTCH
uplink data

PDTCH
permission to send

PACCH
acknowledgement to uplink data

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 11

Sharing of resources
Down&uplink access

BSS allocates both uplink and downlink capacity according to the multislot capacity of the mobile acknowledgements for the other direction steal capacity from the transmission flows need not be synchronized in any way Uplink transfer Downlink transfer

=>

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 12

Adaptable transfer speed

Multislot classes
Multislot class 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Maximum number of slots Rx 1 2 2 3 2 3 3 4 3 4 4 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 6 6 6 6 8 8 8 8 8 8 Tx 1 1 2 1 2 2 3 1 2 2 3 4 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 3 4 4 6 2 3 4 4 6 8 Sum 2 3 3 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA NA Tta 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 NA NA NA NA NA NA 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 2 2 Minimum number of slots Ttb 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 a) a) a) a) a) 0 b) b) b) b) b) b) b) b) b) b) b) Tra 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 2 1 0 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Trb 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 a) a) a) a) 0 0 c) c) c) c) c) c) c) c) c) c) c) Type

Type 1 MS are not required to transmit and receive at the same time. Type 2 MS are required to be able to transmit and receive at the same time. Tta relates to the time needed for the MS to perform adjacent cell signal level measurement and get ready to transmit. Ttb relates to the time needed for the MS to get ready to transmit. This minimum requirement will only be used when adjacent cell power measurements are not required by the service selected.

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

Tra relates to the time needed for the MS to perform adjacent cell signal level measurement and get ready to receive.
Trb relates to the time needed for the MS to get ready to receive. This minimum requirement will only be used when adjacent cell power measurements are not required by the service selected.

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 13

Adaptable transfer speed

Multislot class 6
1+1 (a) Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Rx Tx Tx Tx Tx Tx Tx Tx Tx M M M M M M
2+0 (b) 2+0 (c) 0+1 0+2 (a) 0+2 (b) 0+2 (c) 1+1 (b) 1+1 (c) 1+1(d) Rx Rx Rx Rx Tx Tx M M Rx Rx Rx M M Tx Tx Tx Tx Tx M Tx Tx Tx M M M M

2+1 (a) 2+1 (b) 1+2 2+2 3+1

Figure 1. The basic timeslot configurations of the WD1/Gprs MS.

Figure 3. The Fixed Allocation configurations of the WD1/Gprs MS.

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 14

Adaptable transfer speed

Multislot PDTCH channels

Multiple parallel PDTCHs can be allocated to a mobile according to its multislot class:

In the air interface these channels are independent of each other Data from these independent channels is reconstructed in RLC layer

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 15

Adaptable transfer speed

Channel coding schemes

the coding scheme for a transfer is defined in signalling during startup Automatic Link Adaption possible by re-assignments Radio Blocks carrying RLC/MAC Control blocks code always use CS-1 -> determined from stealing flags

the block received is not necessery intended to the receiving mobile -> possibly a different coding scheme used
interleaving same as in SACCH, i.e., one RLC block is sent in 4 bursts
Bitrate (kbps) Code rate USF Precoded USF Radio BCS Block excl. USF and BCS 181 268 312 428 40 16 16 16 Tail Code d bits Punctur ed bits

Schem e

CS-1 CS-2 CS-3 CS-4

9.05 13.4 15.6 21.4

2/3 3/4 1

3 3 3 3

3 6 6 12

4 4 4 -

456 588 676 456

0 132 220 -

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 16

Adaptable transfer speed

Quick changes of configuration

Base station system controls the allocation of channels Network can allocate resources dynamically

When receiving data, each MS listens the allocated downlink timeslots to notice if their "address" (Temporary Flow Identity) is included in the block headers When transmitting data, the mobile must listen downlink (Uplink State Flag) to see if they have right to use the uplink in the next TDMA frame

=> many mobiles can be allocated to same timeslot and it is upto the network to select the mobile it is sending to (compararable to fixed networks)

Configuration of mobiles, I.e, allocated timeslots, are changed with signalling

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 17

Sharing of resources
Allocation of resources - TETRIS

Goal of resource allocation is to keep the GPRS timeslots reserved all the time => similar to the bottom row in TETRIS each data packet and mobile has individual needs:
QualityOfService parameters (priority) data amount multislot classes of mobiles signal environment of mobiles circuit switched needs

it is possible that the timeslots you are listening to, are used to send data to a different mobile

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 18

A carrier supporting GPRS - example

four timeslots in a BCCH carrier dedicated to GPRS

TCH4 x PDTCH2 PDTCH2 PDTCH2 x PDTCH2 PDTCH2 PDTCH2 x PDTCH1 PDTCH1 PDTCH1 S

PDTCH2 PDTCH2 PDTCH2 x PDTCH2 PDTCH2 PDTCH2 x PDTCH1 PDTCH1 PDTCH1 x PDTCH1 PDTCH1 PDTCH1 x PDTCH3 PDTCH3 PDTCH3 x PDTCH3 PDTCH3 PDTCH3 x PDTCH3 PDTCH1 PDTCH1 x PDTCH4 PDTCH4 PDTCH4 x

timeslots ->

PBCCH PDTCH1 PDTCH1 x PDTCH1 PDTCH1 TCH2 TCH2 TCH1 S x TCH2 TCH2 TCH1 CCCH

PPCH

x PDTCH1 PDTCH1 x S TCH2 TCH3 TCH1 CCCH

PPCH

x PDTCH5 PDTCH5 S x TCH2 TCH3 TCH1

PPCH

x x S

S F S
CCCH

x F S
CCCH

S
CCCH

x
CCCH

F S

BCCH

CCCH

F S

CCCH

F S

CCCH

x F

frames ->

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 19

Conclusion
...

Data packet -> <- SNDCP LLC PDU -> <- LLC RLC blocks -> <- RLC Multislot channel -> <- RLC

BSC

RLC blocks -> <- LLC

LLC PDU -> <- SNDCP Data packet ->

SGSN GGSN

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 20

Additional slides

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 21

GPRS MS Classes
Class A

Simultaneous GPRS and speech No network coordination standardised MS must be capable of handling two (multislot) calls/connections GPRS and speech capabilities do not operate simultaneously Circuit switched pagings are received while in GPRS mode GPRS may put put to suspend mode while speaking on the phone GPRS-Speech-GPRS alternation possible without disconnection

Class B

Speech-GPRS-Speech not possible without disconnection

Manual switching between GPRS and speech modes No circuit switched pagings while on GPRS

Class C

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 22

GPRS channels
GPRS channels in practice
BS_PBCCH_BLKS=1, BS_PAG_BLKS_RES=8, BS_PCC_CHANS=1, BS_PRACH_BLKS=2
MULTIFRAME1 Downlink
PBCCH 1 B1 B2 B3 B4 PPCH B6 B7 3 PPCH PAGCH 4 5 B10 6 PPCH

Uplink

PRACH

B1

B2

B3

B4

B5

PRACH 2

B7

B8

B9

B10

B11

MULTIFRAME2

Downlink

PBCCH

usf 7

B2 9

B3 10

PDTCH PPCH 11

B6 12

usf 13

PPCH

B9 15

B10 16

PPCH

Uplink

PRACH

B1

PDTCH 8

B3

B4

B5

PRACH

B7

PDTCH 14

B9

B10

B11

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 23

Mobile states

Mobility Management (MM) state

Idle, Standby, Ready deals only with location related issues independent of RR state

Radio Resource (RR) state

Packet Idle Mode, Packet Transfer Mode

deals only with transfer related issues independent of MM state

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 24

MM State Diagram for MS

=> power off

IDLE

GPRS Attach

GPRS Detach

STANDBY timer expiry

READY

=> active mode (2-4 sec)

GSM equivalents

READY timer expiry or Force to STANDBY

PDU transmission

STANDBY

=> idle mode

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 25

MM States
Idle

GPRS network does not know anything about the mobile No GPRS MM context No GPRS routing context

Standby

Ready

MM information on Routing Area (RA) level

MM context and LLC link active PTM-M and Pagings for Circuit Switched, PTP and PTM-G may be received Routing Area Update - paging area may be different from location areas MM information on cell level - Cell Update - to enable quick packet delivery Transmission Reception without paging - just a Packet Immediate Assignment Supervised by a timer (Ready to Standby)

GPRS Detach if movement to Idle desired

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 26

RR States
Packet Idle Mode

No Radio context between MS and BSS Cell Re-Selection Reception of Paging

Packet Transfer Mode

Radio context between MS and BSS open - Temporary Block Flow (TBF)
Downlink packet sent without paging When TBF is released -> move to Packet Idle Mode Cell Re-Selection done only in Packet Idle Mode - No handovers

Packet Transfer Mode Initiate Cell Re-Selection

Packet Idle Mode change to new cell Re-Initiate Temporary Block Flow

Packet Transfer Mode, new cell

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 27

MAC operations
Uplink access methods
Dynamic access Extended Dynamic access Fixed allocation

USF gives permission to send in the corresponding uplink slot during the next one or four block periods (defined by parameter USF_GRANULARITY).

USF gives permission to send in the corresponding and all the later allocated uplink slots during the next block period.

Resource assignment indicates the reserved uplink blocks and acknowledgement blocks.

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 28

MAC operations
Multiple transfers and mobiles

NOKIA

GPRS_radio.ppt 13.11.1998 / RRi page: 29