Adaptive Configuration of Logical Channels

Abstract The feature "Adaptive Configuration of Logical Channels " offers the possibility of dynamic allocation of SDCCHs. As a base, a standard SDCCH configuration is necessary. Therefore a short introduction to basic SDCCH configuration is included in this document. Contents 1 2 2.1 2.2 3 3.1 3.2 4 4.1 4.2 Revision Information Description General Possible configurations Data Transcript Impacts Basic function Adaptive Configuration Miscellaneous Information General Abbreviations

1 Revision Information
This document has been revised to revision C due to editorial changes.

2 Description
2.1 General
2.1.1 Basic function
On the SDCCH, different signalling and transmission activities take place:

Location Updating IMSI attach/detach Periodic Registration

Call set-up Short Message Service point to point Facsimile group 3 set-up Supplementary Service False Access.

If congestion on the SDCCH occur, non of the above listed activities are possible in the cells, even if there is spare capacity on TCH. The only exception is that the feature "Immediate Assignment on TCH" is enabled. That means, one TCH is used for signalling during call set-up. As it is shown, SDCCH dimensioning, that means selecting the number of time slots in a cell, which are going to be used for signalling, is a critical part of network optimization.

2.1.2 Adaptive Configuration

The feature "Adaptive Configuration of Logical Channels" is designed to optimize the traffic and signalling channel usage and make SDCCH dimensioning less critical. The purpose of the feature is to minimize the risk of SDCCH congestion by automatically adapting the number of SDCCHs in a cell to the demand for such channels. By using the adaptive configuration of logical channels, the operator needs only to dimension a basic SDCCH configuration. The basic SDCCH configuration in a cell should be under-dimensioned rather than over-dimensioned regarding the number of SDCCHs when this feature is used. The dimensioning can be based on a low to average SDCCH load. Should an increased demand for signalling channels arise, the feature will dynamically replace one idle TCH in the cell with an SDCCH/8. This operation will be completed within a few seconds and can be repeated several times. When the demand for signalling channels return to a lower level the procedure is reversed. If a subcell structure is defined the function will always add and remove SDCCHs in channel groups in the underlaid subcell. SDCCHs added by command are not affected by this function. Note that the algorithm described above is only valid for SDCCH/8. A SDCCH/4 can not be dynamically configured by means of this feature.

2.2 Possible configurations

2.2.1 Basic function
SDCCH dimensioning means selecting the number of time slots in a cell that are going to be used for signalling. The generated SDCCH and TCH traffic in a cell are the inputs for the SDCCH dimensioning.

After start up of one cell the SDCCH dimensioning should be optimized by the usage of statistical data. As an additional factor comes the cell broadcast service. If the cell broadcast service is active in one cell, one signalling subchannel is replaced by one cell broadcast channel (CBCH). The optional cell broadcast service and the possibility of combined SDCCH and BCCH results in four possible SDCCH configurations. Each TRX can have one of these SDCCH configurations defined:

SDCCH/4:The SDCCH is combined with the BCCH in time slot 0 on the BCCH carrier. This SDCCH configuration provides 4 subchannels for signalling. Only one SDCCH/4 can be defined for each cell. SDCCH/8:This SDCCH configuration provides 8 subchannels for signalling. Up to 16 SDCCH/8 can be defined for each cell. SDCCH/4 including CBCH:If one subchannel is replaced by a CBCH, the SDCCH/4 configuration provides 3 subchannels for signalling. SDCCH/8 including CBCH:If one subchannel is replaced by a CBCH, the SDCCH/8 configuration provides 7 subchannels for signalling.

An SDCCH/4 is automatically allocated at time slot 0 on the BCCH carrier. For SDCCH/8, the time slot number can be specified, but the system chooses automatically which carrier to use. In case there are several SDCCH/8 defined, they are assigned to different frequencies but with the same time slot number.

2.2.2 Adaptive Configuration

The function adaptive configuration can be activated or deactivated by command for every internal cell. As default, the adaptive configuration is deactivated. To allow the function adaptive configuration to work as it should, the following conditions must be fulfilled:

The total number of SDCCHs already configured in the cell are less than the system allowed. The number of idle TCHs in the entire cell is greater than four or greater than the number of TRXs. The number of idle TCHs in the cell is calculated from the overlaid and the underlaid subcell, if a subcell structure is defined.

The behavior of the adaptive configuration is affected by the following parameters:

SDCCH level. SDCCH time interval.

The fact that the adaptive configuration can change the number of available TCHs must be considered if supervision of logical channel availability is used in the cell.

3 Data Transcript Impacts

It must be stressed that the commands which follows should be regarded as an example. The parameters, especially the SDCCH configuration and the adaptive configuration, are operator related.

3.1 Basic function

3.1.1 Subfile 85xxx, Cell data
Some general cell parameters are defined with the command RLDEC . The important one, looking on the SDCCH configuration is the parameter BCCHTYPE. Here it is decided whether a SDCCH/4 is combined with the BCCH in time slot 0 or not.
RLDEC:CELL=KISTA1A, BSIC=50, MFRMS=0, AGBLK=1, XRANGE=NO, BCCHTYPE=NCOMB,BCCHNO=77,FNOFFSET=0,CGI=240-01-100-11;

Table 1 Parameter AGBLK BCCHNO BCCHTYPE BSIC CELL CGI FNOFFSET MFRMS XRANGE Value range

Parameter explanation Default value 1 0 6 NO

0 - 7, 0 - 2 (SDCCH/4) 1 - 124 (GSM900), 512 - 885 (GSM 1800) COMB, COMBC, NCOMB nccbcc; ncc: 0 - 7, bcc: 0 - 7 cell designation, max 7 characters mcc-mnc-lac-ci 0 - 1325 2-9 YES/NO

With the command RLCCC the SDCCH configuration is defined. The parameter SDCCH is a basic parameter, that means this parameter is necessary, even without the adaptive configuration. The parameters CCHPOS and TN are additional parameter. They are basics for the adaptive configuration.
RLCCC:CELL=KISTA1A, CHGR=0, SDCCH=1, CBCH=NO, TN=2, CCHPOS=TN;

Table 2 Parameter CBCH CCHPOS CELL CHGR SDCCH Value range YES/NO BCCH/TN

Parameter explanation Default value NO TN 1

cell designation, max 7 characters 0 - 15 0 - 16 (CCHPOS = TN) 0 - 7 (CCHPOS = BCCH and XRANG = NO) 0 - 3 (CCHPOS = BCCH and XRANG = YES)

TN

0 - 3 (XRANG = NO normal cell) 0, 2 (XRANG = YES extended range cell)

3.2 Adaptive Configuration

3.2.1 Subfile 85xxx, Cell Data
The command RLACC changes the parameters used by the function adaptive configuration of the logical channels. The function can dynamically change the number of SDCCH/8 in the cell depending on the demand for such channels. An increase of SDCCH/8 in the cell requires idle TCHs.
RLACC:CELL=KISTA1A, STIME=20, SLEVEL=0;

The function is activated with the command:

RLACI:CELL=KISTA1A;

The behavior of the adaptive configuration is controlled by the following parameters:

SDCCH level (SLEVEL): Level of remaining SDCCH subchannels when the function will attempt to add a SDCCH to the cell. SDCCH time interval (STIME): Minimum time interval to wait until a SDCCH, which is actually added to the cell by the function, is going to be removed if the SDCCH demand has returned to a lower level. Table 3 Parameter explanation Default value -

Parameter CELL

Value range cell designation, max 7 characters

SLEVEL STIME

0 - 2, CONG 15 - 360

0 20

4 Miscellaneous Information
4.1 General
The feature "Adaptive Configuration of Logical Channels" is optional and has to be activated by authorized Ericsson personnel.

4.2 Abbreviations
TCH SDCCH BCCH CBCH TRX Traffic Channel Stand alone Dedicated Control Channel Broadcast Control Channel Cell Broadcast Channel Transceiver