Air Interface Protocols

LTE Air Interface Course

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Air Interface Protocols

Radio Protocols Architecture

RRC Tasks and States
Layer 2 Functions and Data Flow
Protocols Configuration Example

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Radio Protocols Architecture

Control Plane User Plane

L
3 RRC
Radio Bearer
PDCP

L
RLC
2
Logical Channel

MAC
Transport Channels
L
Physical Layer
1
Physical Channels
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Radio Protocols Architecture (1/2)

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.

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Radio Protocols Architecture (2/2)

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.

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 NAS Protocol(s) Application Layer
(Attach/TA Update/)
IP / TCP | UDP |
(E-)RRC
(Radio Resource Control)

Radio Bearer

PDCP PDCP PDCP PDCP PDCP

ROHC (RFC 3095)
(Packet Data (Packet Data (Packet Data (Packet Data (Packet Data

Convergence Convergence Convergence Convergence Convergence Security
Protocol) Protocol) Protocol) Protocol) Protocol)

RLC RLC RLC RLC RLC Segment./Reassembly

(Radio Link (Radio Link (Radio Link (Radio Link (Radio Link
ARQ
Control) Control) Control) Control) Control)

Logical Channel Scheduling /

Priority Handling

Medium Access Control (MAC) De/Multiplexing

HARQ

Transport Channels

CRC
FDD | TDD - Layer 1
( DL: OFDMA, UL: SC-FDMA ) Coding/Rate Matching

Interleaving

Modulation
Physical Channels
7 Nokia Siemens Networks Resource Mapping/MIMO
NAS Protocols Transfer

MME

UE eNB MME

NAS NAS

RRC RRC

PDCP PDCP

RLC RLC

MAC MAC

PHY PHY

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Air Interface Protocols

Radio Protocols Architecture

RRC Tasks and States
Layer 2 Functions and Data Flow
Protocols Configuration Example

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RRC Tasks (1/2)

The RRC protocol for EUTRAN is responsible for the basic configuration of the radio protocol stack. But one should
note, that some radio management functions (scheduling, physical resource assignment for physical channels) are
handled by layer 1 and layer 2 autonomously. MAC and layer 1 signaling has usually delays that are within 10 ms,
whereas RRC signaling usually takes something around 100 ms and more to complete an operation.

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, ).

(continued on the next slide)

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RRC Tasks (2/2)

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 inter-system 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.

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 NAS Protocol(s) Application Layer
NAS System Information (BCCH)
(Attach/TA Update/)
E-UTRAN System Info. (BCCH) IP / TCP | UDP |
Paging (PCCH) (E-)RRC
(Radio Resource Control)
RRC Connection Management

Temporary Identifiers UE-EUTRAN

Radio Bearer
Allocation of Sign. Radio Bearers

PDCP PDCP PDCP PDCP PDCP

E-UTRAN Security
(Packet Data (Packet Data (Packet Data (Packet Data (Packet Data

Integrity protection for RRC msg. Convergence Convergence Convergence Convergence Convergence
Protocol) Protocol) Protocol) Protocol) Protocol)
Mgmt. of ptp radio bearers

Mobility Functions (LTE_ACTIVE) RLC RLC RLC RLC RLC

(Radio Link (Radio Link (Radio Link (Radio Link (Radio Link
UE measurement reporting/control
Control) Control) Control) Control) Control)
Inter-cell handover

Control of cell (re-)selection Logical Channel

UE context transfer between eNB

Medium Access Control (MAC)

MBMS

Notification for MBMS services

Transport Channels
Mgmt. of MBMS radio bearers

QoS control FDD | TDD - Layer 1

Transfer of NAS messages ( DL: OFDMA, UL: SC-FDMA )

Physical Channels
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RRC States for EUTRAN
RRC_IDLE RRC_CONNECTED
UE in DRX (NAS UE in DRX/DTX (e-Node B
configuration); configuration);
UE uses mainly
UE receives BCCH;
DCCH/DTCH;
UE monitors PCH; UL/DL data transmission
RRC Connection Establishment
(via CCCH)
possible;
cell reselection; UE monitors PDCCH to
get scheduling
assignments;
no RRC context in e- UE reports channel
NodeB quality (CQI) to e-NodeB to
RRC Connection Release
assist channel dependent
(via DL-SCH)
scheduling;

neighbor cell
measurements by UE
(automatic UE detection);
handover;
e-NodeB knows UEs cell;
RRC context in e-NodeB;

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Air Interface Protocols

Radio Protocols Architecture

RRC Tasks and States
Layer 2 Functions and Data Flow
Protocols Configuration Example

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Layer 2 Functions and Data Flow (1/2)

For layer 2 let us first take a look into the uplink.

Data transmission is handled through the protocol stack according to the following flow:

1. Data is generated by either signaling control protocols (RRC, NAS) or by some application on the UEs IP stack. An
associated chunk of bits is sent to layer 2 within the appropriate radio bearer.
2. The first protocol that handles the data frame is PDCP. For IP datagrams it will compress the IP (or IP/TCP, IP/UDP,
IP/UDP/RTP) header according RFC 3095 (ROHC). Note that this is not applicable to signaling radio bearers. The
second step within PDCP is encryption of the data packet.
3. Next comes RLC. For all radio bearers the associated RLC instance has to perform segmentation or concatenation or
padding to generate bit frames (RLC PDU) that will fit into the transport channels. If the RLC entity of a radio bearer
works in acknowledged mode (AM), then the data is sent through the ARQ function, which will buffer the packet in a
retransmission buffer until the frame has been positively acknowledged. If the RLC entity is not in acknowledged
mode, this step is obviously skipped.
4. RLC PDUs from all logical channels arrive then at the MAC protocol. Here the UEs uplink scheduler has to decide,
which logical channel will be served and multiplexed onto a transport channel. It is possible to combine several data
units from different logical channels in one transport block, a multiplexer handles this.

(continued on the next slide)

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Layer 2 Functions and Data Flow (2/2)

5. The lower part of the MAC entity is the HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Retransmission on reQuest) entity. Note that only
certain transport channel types (UL-SCH) can have this unit. Here the assembled transport block from the
multiplexer will be stored in one of the HARQs buffers and simultaneously sent to the physical layer. If the eNB
receives the transport block correctly, it will send an ACK indication via a special physical channel. This would
delete the transport channel from the buffer. If no indication or a NACK indication is received, the HARQ entity will
retransmit the transport block. Each retransmission can be done with different encoding in the physical layer.
Therefore MAC will tell the physical layer, whether a transport block is new or is the nth retransmission.
6. The physical layer takes the transport block and encodes it (see last part of this register) for transmission on air.

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 NAS

(E-)RRC IP (user plane)

RB RB RB RB
PDCP
ROHC ROHC ROHC

Security Security Security Security

RLC Segment- Segment- Segment- Segment-

ation ation ation ation

ARQ ARQ ARQ ARQ

MAC LogCH LogCH LogCH LogCH

Scheduling/Priority

Multiplexing

HARQ

Transport Block
TB ACK|NACK
(1 per TTI)

TrCH
FDD | TDD - Layer 1

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( UL: SC-FDMA )
 UE #1 UE #N
NAS NAS

(E-)RRC IP (user plane) (E-)RRC IP (user plane)

RB RB RB RB
PDCP PDCP
ROHC ROHC

Security Security Security Security

PCCH BCCH
RLC Segment- Segment- RLC Segment- Segment-
ation ation ation ation
(Paging) (SysInfo)

ARQ ARQ ARQ ARQ (E-)RRC

MAC LogCH LogCH LogCH LogCH

Scheduling/Priority

Multiplexing UE#1 Multiplexing UE#N

HARQ HARQ
ACK|NACK

ACK|NACK
TB TB
Transport Block(s) TB
Transport Block(s)TB

TrCH TrCH PCH BCH

FDD | TDD - Layer 1

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( DL: OFDMA )
DL MAC

Furthermore the MAC layer supports mapping of several logical channels to the transport channel.
RNTI types are defined to handle the mapping of the different types of logical channels.
- C-RNTIs for DCCH and DTCH;
+ C-RNTI
+ temporary C-RNTI
+ semi-persistant C-RNTI
- P-RNTI for PCCH;
- RA-RNTI for Random Access Response on DL-SCH;
- Temporary C-RNTI for CCCH during the random access procedure;
- SI-RNTI for BCCH.
I.e. the MAC scheduling via PDCCH is performed by using the appropriate RNTI.
A MAC PDU consist of a MAC header and there might be MAC control elements, MAC SDUs and Padding. The header
itself is made of subheaders.
The subheader consists of various fields:
R: Reserved bit
LCID: Logical Channel ID
E: Extension bit tells if more subheader will follow
F: Indicates the length of the length field (7 or 15 bit)
L: Length field gives the length of the corresponding MAC SDU or control element in byte

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Air Interface Protocols

Radio Protocols Architecture

RRC Tasks and States
Layer 2 Functions and Data Flow
Protocols Configuration Example

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Protocols Configuration Example (1/2)

In this example it is assumed that the user is having in parallel 2 downlink applications: an E-Mail download and an FTP
(File Transfer Protocol) download. The target is to show how the air interface protocols could be configured for this
scenario.
It is further assumed that the signaling for the connection setup is already done (i.e. the UE is already in the
RRC_CONNECTED state). However, it is assumed that security activation (ciphering) has still to be done.
Configuration Description
Protocol Configuration for the Control Plane: The NAS Signaling it is transferred using the RRC protocol. This is
done with the help of the Signaling Radio Bearers SRBs. In the LTE implementation there are 3 SRBs:
SRB0 is for RRC messages using the CCCH logical channel (not shown in the example because the assumption is
that the UE is already in RRC_CONNECTED state)
SRB1 is for RRC messages (which may include a piggybacked NAS message) as well as for NAS messages prior
to the establishment of SRB2, all using DCCH logical channel;
SRB2 is for NAS messages, using DCCH logical channel. SRB2 has a lower-priority than SRB1 and is always
configured by E-UTRAN after security activation.
The SRB1 is established during the RRC Connection establishment procedure (using the SRB 0). After having initiated
the initial security activation procedure, E-UTRAN initiates the establishment of SRB2.
Once security is activated, all RRC messages on SRB1 and SRB2, including those containing NAS or non-3GPP
messages, are integrity protected and ciphered by PDCP. NAS independently applies integrity protection and
ciphering to the NAS messages.
The SRBs are transported using the acknowledged mode RLC. The SRBs will be further mapped to the logical channel
DCCH (Dedicated Control Channels).

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Protocols Configuration Example (2/2)

Protocol Configuration for the User Plane: The E-Mail application will be transmitted using UDP (connectionless
protocol) and the FTP Application will be sent using the TCP (connection oriented). The reason for this is that the
transmission of the FTP should be more reliable from the QoS point of view. This is also the reason why 2 different
user plane data radio bearers (DRBs) have to be used for this scenario. Both applications are then using the IP
(Internet Protocol). The DRBs are established using the signaling radio bearers SRBs.
The user plane radio bearers are transported further using the acknowledged mode RLC. The radio bearer 1 which is
caring the e-mail will be mapped on the logical channel DTCH1 (Dedicated Traffic Channel) and the radio bearer 2
which is caring the FTP download will be mapped on the DCCH2. The logical channels will be further explained in
chapter 5.

Common Configuration for control plane and the user plane:

The logical channels belonging to both the user plane and the control plane, i.e. DCCH1, DCCH2, DTCH1 and DTCH2
are mapped by the MAC layer to the same transport channel. In downlink the transport channel is DL-SCH
(Downlink Shared Channel).
The physical layer is mapping the transport channel DL-SCH to the physical channel PDSCH (Physical Downlink Shared
Channel).
The details of the DL-SCH, PDSCH as well as the mapping of the logical channels to the transport channels and to the
physical channels are discussed in chapter 5.

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Protocols Configuration Example - Downlink
E-mail FTP
NAS
UDP TCP
RRC IP IP
SRB1 SRB2 DRB1 DRB2

PDCP Integrity&ciphering Ciphering&ROHC

RLC AM AM AM AM

Logical Channels DCCH1 DCCH2 DTCH1 DTCH2

MAC

Transport Channels DL-SCH

Physical Layer

Physical Channels PDSCH

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Data Flow Example
E-Mail (IP packet) FTP Download (IP packet)

Header Payload Header Payload

PDCP H
H Payload Payload

PDCP PDCP
PDCP SDU PDCP SDU
Header Header

RLC
PDCP PDU PDCP PDU

RLC RLC RLC

RLC SDU RLC SDU RLC SDU
Header Header Header

MAC MAC MAC

RLC PDU RLC PDU
Header Header

Transport block CRC Transport block CRC

PHY

PDU = Protocol Data Unit

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SDU = Service Data Unit