Semi Smart

Development of Semi-Smart
Antenna Technology
Contract No: 830000081

Queen Mary, University of London
Lucent Technologies (UK)
BSC Associates Ltd
BSC Associates Ltd

1
Antennas, propagation and radio systems
Design, installation and commissioning
BSC Associates Ltd
Summary of presentation
Introduction & Whats a semi-smart antenna? (20 mins)
Existing smart antenna solutions, their advantages & limitations

(15 mins)
The process of cooperative load optimisation and the QM mobile

network simulator (30 mins)
Prototype antenna hardware for semi-smart base stations (20 mins)
Market & Regulatory Analysis (30 mins)
Conclusions (5 mins)
Lunch + demonstration of semi-smart antenna hardware (60 mins)
-2-
BSC Associates Ltd
The Research Team
Queen Mary:
Prof. Clive Parini
Dr Dong Chen
Dr John Bigham
Dr Yasir Alfadhl
Lucent Technologies:
Dr Louis Samuel
Dr Lester Ho
BSC Associates: BSC Associates Ltd

Prof. Brian Collins Design, installation and commissioning
-3-
BSC Associates Ltd
Conventional Smart Antenna Technology
Smart antennas include a number of techniques

that attempt to increase the system capacity by
directing the radiation pattern towards the
desired user to reduce interference.
Base station
Target user
Interfering user
-4-
BSC Associates Ltd
Fully Smart Antennas

Combination of an array antenna with digital signal processing
to transmit and receive in an adaptive spatially selective manner
Good analogy is how your ears pick out and can focus on one
conversation in a crowded room:-
You hear the speakers signals through your ears (antennas).
The sound arrives at each ear at a different time
Your brain (signal processor) correlates the signals and computes the
direction of arrival and then adds the signals from each ear in the correct
phase to account for the different time of arrival
By replacing the 2 ears (antennas) with say 8 - 12 antennas

gives higher spatial resolution.
-5-
BSC Associates Ltd
Digital Beamformer (DBF)

Int
er
mu
fer
sig
ltip irec
en
LPF A/D
na
ath
Amplitude and phase

ce
ld
or
weights set to provide

LPF A/D desired Beam in
tio
n
direction of signal and a

LPF A/D null in the direction of
l the interference
i r ed signa
Des
ion LPF A/D
direct
Second channel
can produce a
secondbeam
-6-
BSC Associates Ltd
Key benefits:
Enhanced coverage through range extension, reducing the initial

deployment cost to install a wireless system
Lower transmit power
Spatial separation among users allows sharing the same spectral

resource
Improvement in the Link quality by mitigating the impact of multi-

path or exploiting the diversity inherent in multi-path (e.g. MIMO)
-7-
BSC Associates Ltd
Factors preventing the adoption of this technology:
Requirement of real-time knowledge of the propagation

characteristics of the radio channel
Positional tracking of individual users is required in order to point

beams towards them
The complexity of smart antennas and their integration into

cellular systems has proven to be a major drawback
Social and environmental concerns regarding the presence of

multiple antennas in highly visible base stations
-8-
BSC Associates Ltd
Conventional Cellular Coverage
-9-
BSC Associates Ltd
Excessively high traffic in one cell leads to lost

calls
- 10 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Excessively high traffic in one cell leads to lost

calls
Can you
help me?
- 11 -
BSC Associates Ltd
and with AI based negotiation the

semi-smart base-station antenna
patterns co-operate
In the semi-smart antenna approach,

the concept of adaptive
Hotspot beam-
cell reduced in size
forming is simplified to dynamically
changing cell shapes for balancing
the traffic load over base stations - 12 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Semi-Smart Antenna Technology

Key benefits
Reactive to call traffic changing
Treats clusters of users not individual
users
Updates every 30 seconds
High capacity
Retrofit to existing dumb base-stations Surrounding cells
Can work in conjunction with dumb adjust co-operatively
basestations
Can accommodate portable basestations
Different class (QoS) of users can be
accommodated
Hot-spot cell
reduced in size - 13 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Typical simulator result:
location of the hot spot can be seen in the

centre of the region shown by the large number of blocked traffic
(red dots)
- 14 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Effective real time algorithms for cooperation are key to

the concept
Have developed negotiation based algorithm
Recently theBubble algorithm which has elasticity built in
These cooperative algorithm do not depend on the air interface

GSM, UMTS, WCDMA etc.
Core algorithm does not depend heavily on details of the antenna

technology
E.g. the number of elements and sectors directions
Not fully optimal, but need real time solutions
Global simulator developed to compare results
- 15 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Antenna Pattern Synthesis

The pattern synthesis we need here has few elements
and highly shaped patterns with low angular accuracy
and low gain.
Many complex synthesis methods have been developed.

Here we investigate the use of optimisation algorithms
in the synthesis process.
Currently we are employing an approach using case-base

reasoning method linked with a Quasi-Newton
optimisation algorithm to synthesise the patterns
- 16 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Basic concept of the semi-smart antenna approach

using case-based reasoning
After negotiation with surrounding basestations
desired coverage patterns are determined. Then.
- 17 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Shaped beam synthesis for smart antennas
Discrete desired
coverage pattern
- 18 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Intelligent Control System Model
Mobile Cellular Network Simulator

Base Station Agent and Antenna Pattern Agent
Multi-agent System Infrastructure
Cellular Network Simulator
Sensor
Evaluator
Executor
Negotiator Local
Pattern Optimizer Base
Synthesizer Executor ... Antenna
Agent
Station
Agent
Communicator Communicator
Antenna Agent Base Station Agent
MAS Directory Facilitator
MAS Agent Management System - 19 -

BSC Associates Ltd
WCDMA Network Simulator

A Full-scale WCDMA network simulator has been
development to evaluate the improvement on system
capacity.
Different traffic scenarios are tested.
QMUL-smart antennas with online synthesiser are used.
Both uplink and downlink are simulated based on SINR value

of users.
Interference from own and other cells is considered.
Power control is simulated iteratively
- 20 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simulation Demo
- 21 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Typical simulator output
Ideal and synthesized patterns from negotiation results (coloured

dots, diamonds and squares represent individual mobiles served
by different base stations)
- 22 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simulation Results (1)
0 50 100 150 200

0.09 0.09
0.08 Conventional cellular network 0.08

Load-balancing (4-element antenna array)
0.07 Load-balancing (cubic spline) 0.07
Global optimization
0.06 0.06
Call-blocking Rate
0.05 0.05
0.04 0.04
0.03 0.03
0.02 0.02
0.01 0.01
0.00 0.00
0 50 100 150 200

Traffic Snapshots
- 23 -
BSC Associates Ltd
6-sector, 0.5 wavelength spacing

8400
8200
8000
7800
System Capacity
7600
7400
7200
1- antenna element
7000 2- antenna elements
4- antenna elements
6800
6- antenna elements
6600 8- antenna elements
0 20 40 60 80 100
Snapshot - 24 -
BSC Associates Ltd
50,000 users
0.5 wavelength spacing between elements.
3 sectors
3-sector, 0.5 wavelength spacing
8300
8100
7900
7700
4-elements is the best option!
System Capacity
7500
2 elements
7300
3 elements
7100
6900
6700
6500
6300
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Traffic Snapshot - 25 -
Smart Antennas:
Overview of Techniques and
Challenges
Ofcom funded project - No. 830000081

BSC Associates Ltd
BSC Associates Ltd

26
BSC Associates Ltd
Overview
Brief overview of smart antenna

techniques
Some current implementations and

applications
Challenges involved in deployment of

smart antenna techniques
Summary
- 27 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Smart Antenna Systems

Smart antenna systems combines an antenna array with
digital signal-processing capability to transmit and/or receive
in an adaptive, spatially sensitive manner.
Smart antenna transceiver architecture
Simply put, these systems automatically change the

directionality of its radiation patterns in response to its signal
environment to increase the performance characteristics of a
wireless system.
- 28 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Benefits of Smart Antennas

Two problems exist in typical
mobile communications:
1.Multipath propagation due to the Mobile 1
reflection of the transmitted signal
by physical obstacles.
2.Co-channel interference due to
the reuse of network resources Mobile 2
Base
(frequency, time) by multiple users. station
Smart antennas increases capacity by mitigating interference

and can improve link quality by combating/exploiting
multipath propagation (when implemented with diversity
techniques).
- 29 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Benefits of Smart Antennas

Increased spectral efficiency
Spectrum can be expensive need to maximise
usage/bandwidth.
Interference reduction/mitigation increases the number of users
sharing the same resources (e.g. frequency, codes).
Increased range/coverage
Increases average signal power at receive due to coherent
combination of signals at all antenna elements (beamforming
gain).
Better area/base station and distance/base station.
Improved link quality/reliability
Diversity gain achieved from receiving replicas of a signal through
independently fading signal components.
Highly probably one of signal components will not be in a deep
fade reduces the effective fluctuation of the signal for more
wire-like quality.
Lower power requirements and cost reductions
Gain achieved from beamforming results in lower power
consumption and amplifier cost. - 30 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Smart Antenna Techniques
x1
Receiver
x1
Treansmitter
Beamforming
Interferer
Direction finding array coverage: Depiction of a main

lobe extending toward a user, with a null directed
Switched beam system coverage toward interferer
patterns (sectors)
Fixed switched beam arrays

Uses a multiple fixed beams pointing in particular directions.
These systems detect signal strength, choose from one of
several predetermined, fixed beams, and switch from one
beam to another as the mobile moves throughout the sector.
Direction finding arrays
Processing is used to determine the effective bearing of the
signal and dynamically forms a beam in the determined
direction and a null towards interferers. - 31 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Smart Antenna Techniques

x1 xK
Receive diversity combining combines multiple x1 xK
Receiver
signals antennas into a single improved signal.

E.g. maximal ratio combining (MRC) and Transmitter
optimal combining. Space-Time
Coding
Transmit space-time coding employs special Multiple-Input Single-Output (MISO)
modulation and coding schemes to improve
link quality. E.g. space-time trellis and block
coding (STTC, STBC).
x1 x1
Spatial multiplexing (MIMO) transmits different
Transmitter
data bits via several independent (spatial)
channels. E.g. BLAST.
Receiver
Diversity
Combining
Works when: (1) scattering is rich & (2) SINR is Single-Output Multiple-Output (SIMO)
high.
Cellular systems are designed with minimal
transmit power in mind, so condition (2) is not
met at cell edges one obstacle for 3G.
x1 x1
But MIMO adopted in WLAN, because CSMA avoids x2 x2
interference, so received packets often have x3 x3
high SINR. x4 x4
Transmitter Receiver
Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO)
- 32 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Smart Antenna Techniques (cont.)

x1
Receiver
x1
x2 x2
x3 Receiver
Transmitter
Multi-Beamforming x3
Receiver
Concept of an SDMA system
Space-division multiple access (SDMA)

Creates spatially separate beams, directed at individual users.
The users can share spectral resources because they are served by different
beams provided by the antenna
Spatial filtering for interference reduction (SFIR)
Receiver observes desired signal plus interference, combines signals from
various paths and spatially filters out interfering signal.
- 33 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Smart Antenna Techniques (cont.)

Slow fading Slow fading
environment (before) 350
environment (after)
220
User 1 User 1
300
200
250
180
Supportable Rate
Supportable Rate
200
160
150
140
100
120
User 2 50
100
0 User 2
80
0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 3000
Time Slots Time Slots
Illustrative effect of the introduction of fluctuations in opportunistic beamforming
Opportunistic beam forming takes advantage, rather than

compensate fading (Vishwanath, Tse & Laroia).
Random beamforming deliberately introduces artificial
fluctuations in the channel SIR. Data then transmitted only to
the best user.
The mobiles completely oblivious to the existence of multiple
transmit antennas.
Requires sufficient number of users in the system, and a fair
scheduling technique.
- 34 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Deployment of Smart Antennas

TD-SCDMA standardisation places smart antennas as one
of its key technologies.
TDD allows accurate channel state information to be easily
obtainable for beamforming.
CDMA+TDMA limits simultaneous users to 16 a timeslot,
reducing complexity for beamforming.
Downlink space-time transmit diversity is part of current

release of 3GPP for UMTS.
Also currently under standardisation in IEEE wireless LAN

(802.11n) and MAN (802.16) .
Commercial WLAN solutions using MIMO already available,

and deployments in PHS mobile network has been
widespread.
- 35 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Challenges and Limitations of Smart Antennas

Cost effectiveness factor due to
increased complexity
At the base station side: Improved
antenna structures, cabling structures,
efficient low-cost RF and DSP
architectures.
At the UE side: Separate RF chains
required, more powerful DSP, physical size
due to antenna spacings (17cm at 16 antennas mounted on laptop,
900Mhz, 7.5cm at 2GHz). showing physical size considerations
Business and cost issues

High cost and long lead time of upgrading existing equipment
Standardisation (e.g. in 3GPP) is in its early stages, and
translation to products would take time.
Obtaining channel state information
Feedback from mobile takes overhead, estimated CSI inaccurate.
Although not an issue with TDD systems (e.g. TD-SDCMA, PHS) - 36 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Challenges and Limitations (cont.)
Radio propagation environment

In high scattering environment, variability due to slow and fast
fading limits effectiveness of beamforming approaches.
In low scattering environment, diversity techniques become
less effective as uncorrelated signals are needed.
Physical consideration of base station antennas

Optimum performance obtained with 4-6 elements at 0.5,
resulting in wider antennas (300-450mm for UMTS, 700-
1050mm for 900MHz)
Heavier (more complex to install), higher windload (stronger
towers)
Visual profile (larger antennas, more cables, difficulty in
concealment) can give rise to negative public response due to
aesthetics and health concerns.
- 37 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Summary
Benefits of smart antennas in enhancing spectral
efficiency, coverage and link quality is obvious.
Promising deployments in mobile

communications has been picking up, but
remains relatively small.
Issues such as complexity and cost effectiveness
remains major challenges.
Simpler, semi-smart techniques has large
promise while these issues are resolved.
- 38 -
Semi-smart antenna simulation
study

BSC Associates Ltd
BSC Associates Ltd

39
BSC Associates Ltd
Report on the results of simulation experiments
with cooperative semi-smart and cooperative tilting antennas to

provide enhanced QoS in WCDMA wireless networks
Compare semi-smart performance with conventional base

stations
Investigate the performance in the presence of non uniform
terrain
Show the feasibility of incorporating other optimisations such as
real time dynamic sectorisation
Investigate capability to enhance QoS differentiation while still
retaining relatively more bronze customers
Compare cooperative cooperative real time tilting with semi-
smart and conventional base stations
Demonstrate the uniformisation effect of shaping coverage
Indicate gains from the flexibility
Robustness to changes
Reduce the need for network planning
- 40 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Cooperative coverage problem similar to multi-

dimensional knapsack problem
problem is which is a NP-hard problem and does not yet

have a universal algorithm.
The dual objective

Increase capacity
minimize power
and the complicated constraints make our problem even harder
than MKP.
Explored new real time methods that can utilize the

special characteristics of geographical load balancing
problems
- 41 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Negotiation Process
- 42 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Bubble Oscillation Algorithm
Radial repulsion force

Attraction force
- 43 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Layering other constraints and optimisations
Base algorithm does not depend heavily

on details of the antenna technology
GSM, UMTS, WiMax, WiFi
the number of elements and sectors directions
These optimisations can be superimposed upon
the basic requirements
Not fully optimal, but need real time solutions
- 44 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Overlay sectorisation optimisation on the BOA
Balance load among different sectors subject to:

Sector boundaries should not exceed the physical limit
the given antenna system can achieve
Sector size should not exceed the physical limit the
given antenna system can achieve
The central directions should keep as close as possible
to the central directions of standard sector patterns
Real time optimisation solved by search
- 45 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 46 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Location of the software
E.g. in a RNC, or a server with a fast link to an RNC

A simple arrangement evaluated in the SHUFFLE project
used master RNC and other slave RNCs to manage inter-
RNC boundaries
Evaluated the communication overheads of a centralised
system and a distributed one
And this is also a possibility here
cooperative-enabled base stations could be added
incrementally
without modification to other conventional base stations
- 47 -
BSC Associates Ltd
WCDMA
Use WCDMA to evaluate (for definiteness)

many simulations (and tools) assume that
the other-cell to own-cell interference ratio
is a constant;
this cannot be assumed when there are hot spots
or where antenna radiation patterns can change.
- 48 -
BSC Associates Ltd
WCDMA simulator: What has been developed
Uses traffic snapshots
Admission Control
standard wide-band power-based strategy is used for uplink
The own cell interference is updated during each simulation
iteration, whenever the subscription status changes.
The other cell interference is updated after each iteration.
The soft and softer handover in the uplink is taken into

consideration, while it is ignored in the downlink as the Site
Selection Diversity Transmit (SSDT) soft-handover strategy
is assumed there.
Power control is realized iteratively for each traffic

snapshot.
- 49 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 50 -
BSC Associates Ltd
A test network
0,0 1,0 2,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0 7,0 8,0 9,0
0,1 1,1 2,1 3,1 4,1 5,1 6,1 7,1 8,1 9,1
0,2 1,2 2,2 3,2 4,2 5,2 6,2 7,2 8,2 9,2
0,3 1,3 2,3 3,3 4,3 5,3 6,3 7,3 8,3 9,3
0,4 1,4 2,4 3,4 4,4 5,4 6,4 7,4 8,4 9,4
0,5 1,5 2,5 3,5 4,5 5,5 6,5 7,5 8,5 9,5
0,6 1,6 2,6 3,6 4,6 5,6 6,6 7,6 8,6 9,6
0,7 1,7 2,7 3,7 4,7 5,7 6,7 7,7 8,7 9,7
0,8 1,8 2,8 3,8 4,8 5,8 6,8 7,8 8,8 9,8
0,9 1,9 2,9 3,9 4,9 5,9 6,9 7,9 8,9 9,9
- 51 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Some results: Details of simulation

Each traffic snapshot contains 50, 000 users in the whole area,
and all the users are uniformly distributed at the first snapshot;
One or more traffic hot-spots are forming from the first to the last
snapshot;
Each hot-spots contains 1000 users, and the other users are
always uniformly distributed in the whole area;
The locations of the users in hot spots follow normal distributions
around the hot-spot centre. The mean value representing the
location of the central point of each traffic hot-spot, is uniformly
distributed with the minimum central distance of any two greater
than 3r, where r is the cell radius, and the standard deviation 0:5r
represents the size of each traffic hot-spot;
The active and idle time for each user has a negative exponential
distribution. The mean values are 120 sec and 720 sec
respectively.
One base station with 6 sectors is installed in the center of each
cell.
- 52 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 53 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 54 -
BSC Associates Ltd
System Call Blocking rate for WCDMA network
- 55 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 56 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 57 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 58 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 59 -
BSC Associates Ltd
QoS differentiation of services
differential grades of
user service
e.g. gold, silver and
bronze
Different typical
types of traffic
Users Served:
Desired
23% Gold Cell
29% Silver Radiation
6% Bronze Pattern
- 60 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Prioritisation
Cooperative
User Block Rate For Geographic Load Balancing(4000)
shaping ensures
0.5
0.45 gold users do not
Gold
0.4
0.35 Silver get blocked or
Block Rate
0.3
0.25
Bronze
dropped
0.2
0.15 Results are for
0.1
0.05 different mixes of
0
1 7 13 19 25 31 37 43 49 55 61 67 73 79 85 91 G:S:B and types of
Traffic Snapshots
traffic
All show capability
NB NO buffering NO forecasting
- 61 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Different Mixes of Traffic Types

Mix I all requests are 32 kb/sec all
Mix II 32 kb/sec 64 kb/sec 144 kb/sec ratio

1:1:1
Mix III 32 kb/sec 64 kb/sec 144 kb/sec ratio

6:3:1
Mix IV 32 kb/sec 64 kb/sec 144 kb/sec

384kb/sec ratio 1:1:1:1
Mix V 32 kb/sec 64 kb/sec 144 kb/sec

384kb/sec proportion 80% 10% 9% 1%
- 62 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 63 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Utility Function in
Bubble Oscillation Algorithm
The original utility value of a single QC :
N
U i = Ri + A j cos( j ij )
j =0
The modified utility value of a single QC :
N M T
U i = Ri + A j cos( j ij ) ( U m + 1)
j =0 m =0
- 64 -
BSC Associates Ltd
The business model used

The differentiated QoS utility of a single traffic unit is formulated
as:
U = Wg Gi + Wr Ri
T
i
the traffic utility of traffic unit I
the user grade of the traffic unit ; in the simulations 3 for a gold
user , 1 silver user and 0 bronze user.
the rate grade of the traffic unit i; numerically = maximum bit rate
of traffic class/ 16 kbps, e.g. 144/16 = 9
- 65 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Inclusion of information about the topography
Modified BOA to handle multiple

perceptions
An extended BOA was developed and

tested on data from Jersey
- 66 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Mapping from physical location to perceived location
Cross section
Perceived location
Signal strength
Forces now computed from powers Physical distance
- 67 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Handling Multiple perceptions
Modified
the BOA to
handle this!
Real
location
- 68 -
BSC Associates Ltd
UMTS Pilot coverage map: Using Aircoms data for Jersey
Aircom Enterprises
prediction of Pilot power
map (carrier 1, with
resolution of 10 m).
We work out a more

accurate site-specific path
loss model
Extracted data and placed
in relational DB
Used to provide signal
strength rather than an
inverse power law
- 69 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 70 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 71 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Real Time Cooperative Tilting

There are totally 50,000 UE within the network and most of
UEs are always moving.
10 hotspots form during the simulation and each has a

population of 2,000 subscribers
so 40% of the subscribers are within hotspots at the end.
The relative location of each MS within a hotspot follows a
normal distribution with a standard deviation of half the cell
radius.
- 72 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Real Time Cooperative Tilting
- 73 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Increase in handover rate

Although the cellular coverage is changing gradually according to
the traffic changes,
extra user handovers are still the main side effect of concern when
adopting such a scheme.
Some simulations for the handover rate for both uplink and
downlink were performed using the same configuration for
capacity and call-blocking rate simulations.
The increments of handover rate is nearly a fixed small amount.
This is due to the constant moving speed of users in hot-spots and
the stableness of the bubble oscillation algorithm
it can almost reach the optimum cell size and shape according to the current
traffic distribution.
The handover performance in the downlink is better than uplink,
as soft-handover is not considered in the downlink.
- 74 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 75 -
BSC Associates Ltd
The uniformisation effect: evidence that..
in the uplink, the other cell to own cell

interference ratio is reduced and stabilised even
when the traffic is not uniform
So network planning and optimisation (and
simulation) for WCDMA networks
could be simplified or the need reduced
but still be accurate in complex traffic conditions
If cooperative load balancing is performed
- 76 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Results(1) - Iother to Iown Ratio
The PDF of the Ratio for conventional and optimised networks with (a) uniform traffic, (b) 1 traffic
hot-spot, (c) 10 traffic hot-spots and (d) 40 traffic hot-spots.
- 77 -
BSC Associates Ltd
A test network BS can only move a quarter of

distance to nearest BS
0,0 1,0 2,0 3,0 4,0 5,0 6,0 7,0 8,0 9,0
0,1 1,1 2,1 3,1 4,1 5,1 6,1 7,1 8,1 9,1
0,2 1,2 2,2 3,2 4,2 5,2 6,2 7,2 8,2 9,2
0,3 1,3 2,3 3,3 4,3 5,3 6,3 7,3 8,3 9,3
0,4 1,4 2,4 3,4 4,4 5,4 6,4 7,4 8,4 9,4
0,5 1,5 2,5 3,5 4,5 5,5 6,5 7,5 8,5 9,5
0,6 1,6 2,6 3,6 4,6 5,6 6,6 7,6 8,6 9,6
0,7 1,7 2,7 3,7 4,7 5,7 6,7 7,7 8,7 9,7
0,8 1,8 2,8 3,8 4,8 5,8 6,8 7,8 8,8 9,8
0,9 1,9 2,9 3,9 4,9 5,9 6,9 7,9 8,9 9,9
- 78 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simulation results
- 79 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simulation results
- 80 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Other technologies. E.g. SS
Demand and
priorities can
change over
time
Construction
site/emergency
services
WiMAx Forum October 24th 2005 (modified) - 81 -

BSC Associates Ltd
Avoiding an area
HOLE
- 82 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Summary
A key to efficiency in wireless networks is
flexibility,
but wireless networks are not as flexible as
they could or should be.
Techniques described add to the efficiency

through flexible from cooperative control of
the physical layer
Have demonstrated simulation results that

indicate the capability
- 83 -
BSC Associates Ltd
SEMI-SMART Antenna Implementation
Antenna design issues:

Dynamic beam shaping
Compact and efficient!
Other requirements..
Simple
Cost effective
Robust: Wind load, etc.
Direct replacement for dumb antenna
- 84 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Creating the antenna Patterns - a prototype
Shuffle simulation
Configuration of QMUL-
smart antenna prototype test
Desired pattern
system. Excitation
Phase shifters
for Downtilt
RF switches for 0, 90, 180, 270 Coarse

degrees phase difference tuning
Measured Fine tuning

Amplitude taper and phase shift (1.28 spacing) pattern
0
VNA
-5
-10
Ideal pattern and

Relative Power dB
-15
measured
-20 patterns.
-25
-30
-35
Ideal radiation pattern
measured radiation pattern
-40
0 20 40 60 80 100
Angle
120 140 160 180
- 85 -
Semi-smart antenna
implementation

BSC Associates Ltd
BSC Associates Ltd

86
BSC Associates Ltd
Using Electronic down tilt to provide array element

amplitude control
Phase of antenna
main beam of VDT antenna
elements forming array is
0.00
controlled to produce a
phased array beam scan. -5.00
-10.0
Downtilt as a means of amplitude control
1
effective amplitude
0.9 -15.0
pattern amplitude,dB
0.8
-20.0
e 0.7
d
u 0.6
t -25.0
i
l 0.5
p
m
A 0.4 -30.0
5deg position,dB
0.3 1deg position,dB
-35.0 9deg position,dB
0.2
0.1
-40.0
0 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Downtilt, degrees
elevation angle
- 87 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Possible deployable solution: Elements of array conformal to a

cylinder
Considering
2GHz
0.5 spacing between elements
3-sector antenna r 250 mm
6-sector antenna r 500 mm
- 88 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Cylindrical array implementation
Planar array best for high gain beams

Circular array best for complex shaped low gain beams - 89 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Prototype antenna (Single sector)

Power splitter Phase shifters Stepper motors
Inp
Pattern
Attenua
15
Equal lengths of
4
120
30
2
1
- 90 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Conventional basestation antenna element

(Jaybeam)
10
(a) (b)
0
Measured
-5
Simulated
-10
-15
-20
- 91 -
BSC Associates Ltd
The sector array
- 92 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Typical desired azimuth pattern
- 93 -
BSC Associates Ltd
The actual azimuth array element in a vertical array
- 94 -
BSC Associates Ltd
So now have 2D array

(shown as a planar array here for simplicity)
- 95 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Using Electronic down tilt to provide array element

amplitude control
Phase of antenna
main beam of VDT antenna
elements forming array is
0.00
controlled to produce a
phased array beam scan. -5.00
-10.0
Downtilt as a means of amplitude control
1
effective amplitude
0.9 -15.0
pattern amplitude,dB
0.8
-20.0
e 0.7
d
u 0.6
t -25.0
i
l 0.5
p
m
A 0.4 -30.0
5deg position,dB
0.3 1deg position,dB
-35.0 9deg position,dB
0.2
0.1
-40.0
0 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Downtilt, degrees
elevation angle
- 96 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simulated result using downtilt amplitude control
Array elements are excited with amplitude of 1.0 and phase of 0, except in
* central vertical array is assigned with amplitude of 0.7.
- 97 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Phase shifters
Phase shifter requirements:
High power
Continuous or discrete
Linear (no intermodulation products)
So far, the most appropriate solution is mechanical phase
shift
RF RF RF
in out in
DIELECTRIC MECHANICAL
SLAB
MOVEMENT
- 98 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Non mechanical LINEAR phase shifters
A design of a Ferroelectric material phase shifter. The phase of

the signal travelling along the microstrip transmission line can
be altered by applying a potential difference between the SRR
sheet (1) and the ground plane (2).
Feeding
ports
Substrate Microstrip line
Split Ring Resonator (SRR)
(1) Ground sheet consisting of the SRR

Substrate
Ferroelectric material
(2) Metal ground
- 99 -
Development of Semi-Smart
Antenna Technology
Ofcom funded project

Contract No: 830000081
BSC Associates Ltd
BSC Associates Ltd

100
BSC Associates Ltd
Economic aspects
Network operators are under great

pressure on operating costs
They are very interested in new
technology which will save money
They are not receptive of technologies
which cannot reduce operating costs
Spectrum availability is an issue only in
specific locations in the UK
- 101 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Competing routes
Existing networks
RET antennas
EDGE HSDPA / HSUPA
4-branch diversity
TX Diversity
DAS
Multiple RF heads
DAIC
SAIC
- 102 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Remote electrical tilt

Most antennas currently being installed in
3G networks are RET capable
Their availability is leading to network-

wide adaptivity, with antenna tilts
modified dynamically to meet coverage
demands
Traffic measurement and control

infrastructure will enable semi-smart
solutions to be overlaid with minimum
cost
- 103 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Smart antenna trials

A number of 4-column systems have been
tested in network service. They have shown
real benefit, but
Networks are critical of:
Cost
Size and weight
Complexity
Reliability
Maintenance skill set
- 104 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Radio system interface

Smart antennas operate more effectively
in a TDD environment
GSM and W-CDMA generate high

max/mean power ratios and require very
linear HPAs
MCPAs are bulky, inefficient and

expensive
- 105 -
BSC Associates Ltd
A smart alternative
8 x 2W amplifiers providing the same eirp

as 128W PA
Symmetrical benefits in up- and down-
links
Higher antenna gains
Dynamic null steering
Increased spectral efficiency
Lower cost
- 106 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Interference Nulling
Desired Signal 1 Desired Signal 2
- 107 -
BSC Associates Ltd
I/C=18dB I/C=15dB
Desired Signal 1 Lost Desired Signal 2 Lost
- 108 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simple CDMA with a Single Antenna
- 109 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Simple Beamforming
- 110 -
BSC Associates Ltd
- 111 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Beam Patterns
Many beam patterns suggests high levels of multipath

during data rate tests
This multipath is exploited by adaptive antennas.
This multipath would severely degrade conventional

systems.
- 112 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Beamforming Results
Distribution of CPE Results During Drive Testing

Navini Beamforming Results from Drive Test
45%
1 Average per 1 Sample per 40%

Drive Site Sec at each site
16 <= x < 17 0% 1% 35%
17 <= x < 18 0% 4% 1 Average per Drive Site

30%
18 <= x < 19 5% 10% 1 Sample per Sec at each site
% of samples
19 <= x < 20 18% 20% 25%
20 <= x < 21 14% 18%
20%
21 <= x < 22 41% 24%
22 <= x < 23 18% 10% 15%
23 <= x < 24 5% 6%
24 <= x < 25 0% 2% 10%
25 <= x < 26 0% 1%
5%
26 <= x < 27 0% 1%
Total 100% 97% 0%
Samples 22 3908
17
18
19
20
21
22
26
23
24
25
27
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
<
Average 21.1 21.1
x
x
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
<=
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
Average Downlink beamforming gain was 21 dB
92% of Non Line Of Sight (NLOS) locations had a Downlink
beamforming gain of 18dB or better
- 113 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Intercell Interference
Uplink Downlink
BTS 1 BTS 2 BTS 1 BTS 2
Co-channel Signal Co-Channel

Signal Interference Interference
Co-channel Signal
Co-channel Signal
Interference Interference
Signal Co-Channel Signal Co-channel Signal Co-Channel Signal Co-Channel

Interference Interference Interference Interference
BTS 1 Receive BTS 2 Receive Terminal 1 Receive Terminal 2 Receive
- 114 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Who is already doing this to earn their revenue?
Acknowledgements and thanks to

Beijing Xinwei Telecom Technology, Inc.
- 115 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Architecture
Structure: Circular Array Panel Array
Calibration: Space-couplingCircuit-coupling
Beamforming: Digital Beam Forming
Adaptive Algorithms:
Optimum / Adaptive / DOA
Optimum : MMSELS SNRML
Non-blind Adaptive: LMSRLS
Blind Adaptive: CM
DOA: ESPRITMUSIC
- 116 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Circular arrays
- 117 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Circular array: Tech spec
Freq. 2010~2025 / 1880~1920 / 1785~1805

Omni-Gain 10.5dBi(L=1400mm) 7.5dBi(L=700mm) 360
Single-Gain 14.0dBi(L=1400mm)11.0dBi(L=700mm) ~80
Max. Gain 17.5dBi(L=1400mm)14.5dBi(L=700mm) ~36
V. HPBW: 7 14
VSWR: < 1.3
Amp/Phase Offset < 0.5dB / 5 Dimensions approx
Omni-Pattern +-1dB 1300mm x 250mm
Isolation > 23dB
Preset downtilt 3 ~ 9
Max. Power > 100W
- 118 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Omni pattern
- 119 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Max gain pattern

Beam direction: 0- 22.5
- 120 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Circular array: adaptive pattern
- 121 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Panel arrays
- 122 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Panel array: Tech Spec
Freq 2010~2025 / 1880~1920 / 1785~1805

Single Gain 15 dBi (L=1200mm) H. HPBW~110
Max. Gain 23.0 dBi (L=1200mm) H. HPBW~11
V. HPBW: 7
H. HPBW: 120 11(variable)
120 edge level: -6dB -10dB (variable)
VSWR: < 1.3
Amp/Phase offset +-0.5dB / 5
Isolation > 23dB
Dimensions approx
F/B ratio > 25dB 1270 x 660mm
Preset Downtilt 3 ~ 9
Max. Power > 100W
- 123 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Panel array: Sector beam
- 124 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Sector array: adaptive beam
- 125 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Personal view
Smart antenna techniques have great

potential and offer important advantages
in:
Spectral efficiency
Range
Cost
But the system needs to be designed to

exploit their capabilities
- 126 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Current problems
Research work is too fragmented
Subjects are chosen for interest, not

likelihood of commercial exploitation
Researchers are unfamiliar with current
network practice
No common benchmarks for assessing
proposals
- 127 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Standards
The best systems require new standards
Costly and time-consuming to agree
Who will drive this is the result is reduced

infrastructure costs?
Too late for 2G and 3G both FDD
- 128 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Semi-smart solutions
Protocol agnostic
Symmetrical up/downlink capacity

improvement
Simple, high reliability hardware
Simple cross-layer control, can genuinely

be added to existing mixed networks
Existing network-wide control protocols
- 129 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Ownership model
Physical size of smart or semi-smart

antennas suggest common ownership
model for network hardware
Share hardware costs
Increase trunking gain in rural areas
Reduce environmental impact
- 130 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Regulatory aspects
Network operators want to reduce
operating costs
Increased range implies higher eirps
Keep-out zones will need extending
Public perception of large antenna arrays
will be negative
Genuine radical infrastructure sharing is
seen as a foggy area with regard to
regulatory intentions
- 131 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Perhaps?
Future networks will employ:
DAS systems in the cities
Smart antennas ?
RET and semi-smart techniques in the
outer suburbs
Conventional antennas in the rural areas
Common base stations
TD/OFDM?
- 132 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Conclusions (I)
There is clear evidence that the fully smart antenna can offer
considerable capacity improvement - but at the expense of
radical hardware infrastructure changes - this is likely to be
a future generation solution.
The semi-smart technology can offer a shorter term solution

to capacity improvement in 3G systems and offers of order
20% capacity improvements.
With the recent adoption of down-tilt protocols in current 3G,

the essential software hooks for semi-smart are now in
place.
- 133 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Conclusions (II)
The size of base-station antennas will always be an issue for
smart antennas. The proposed semi-smart solution offers a
tower compatible low visual impact solution.
Full advantage (in terms of: capacity, infrastructure costs,

costs per bit, spectrum efficiency, environmental impact) of
both smart and semi-smart technologies will only be
achieved with a radical change to a shared infrastructure -
which can only be lead by Government.
We have developed a sophisticated network simulator that is

capable of quantitative comparisons for smart antenna
solutions (smart, semi-smart, mesh, WLAN, etc.)
- 134 -
BSC Associates Ltd
Demo of semi-smart antenna prototype
Power splitter Phase shifters Stepper motors
Interface circuit
Inp
Pattern
Attenua
15
Equal lengths of
4
120
30
2
1
- 135 -

Semi Smart

Încărcat de

Informații document

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Semi Smart

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Development of Semi-Smart

Contract No: 830000081

BSC Associates Ltd

Existing smart antenna solutions, their advantages & limitations

The process of cooperative load optimisation and the QM mobile

Prototype antenna hardware for semi-smart base stations (20 mins)

Market & Regulatory Analysis (30 mins)

Lunch + demonstration of semi-smart antenna hardware (60 mins)

The Research Team

BSC Associates: BSC Associates Ltd

Conventional Smart Antenna Technology

Smart antennas include a number of techniques

Fully Smart Antennas

By replacing the 2 ears (antennas) with say 8 - 12 antennas

Digital Beamformer (DBF)

Amplitude and phase

weights set to provide

direction of signal and a

Conventional Smart Antenna Technology

Enhanced coverage through range extension, reducing the initial

Lower transmit power

Spatial separation among users allows sharing the same spectral

Improvement in the Link quality by mitigating the impact of multi-

Conventional Smart Antenna Technology

Factors preventing the adoption of this technology:

Requirement of real-time knowledge of the propagation

Positional tracking of individual users is required in order to point

The complexity of smart antennas and their integration into

Social and environmental concerns regarding the presence of

Conventional Cellular Coverage

Excessively high traffic in one cell leads to lost

Excessively high traffic in one cell leads to lost

and with AI based negotiation the

In the semi-smart antenna approach,

Semi-Smart Antenna Technology

Typical simulator result:

location of the hot spot can be seen in the

Effective real time algorithms for cooperation are key to

Have developed negotiation based algorithm

Recently theBubble algorithm which has elasticity built in

These cooperative algorithm do not depend on the air interface

Core algorithm does not depend heavily on details of the antenna

Not fully optimal, but need real time solutions

Global simulator developed to compare results

Antenna Pattern Synthesis

Many complex synthesis methods have been developed.

Currently we are employing an approach using case-base

Basic concept of the semi-smart antenna approach

Shaped beam synthesis for smart antennas

Intelligent Control System Model

Mobile Cellular Network Simulator

Cellular Network Simulator

MAS Directory Facilitator

MAS Agent Management System - 19 -

WCDMA Network Simulator

Different traffic scenarios are tested.

QMUL-smart antennas with online synthesiser are used.

Both uplink and downlink are simulated based on SINR value

Interference from own and other cells is considered.

Power control is simulated iteratively

Typical simulator output

Ideal and synthesized patterns from negotiation results (coloured

Simulation Results (1)

0 50 100 150 200