Reliable Multicast Services Using CDMA Codes
in IEEE 802.16 OFDMA System
Howon Lee∗ and Dong-Ho Cho†
Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST)
373-1, Guseong-dong, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, Korea
Telephone: +82-42-869-3467, Fax: +82-42-867-0550
Email: ∗ hwlee@comis.kaist.ac.kr, † dhcho@ee.kaist.ac.kr
Abstract— IEEE 802.16 OFDMA(orthogonal frequency divi-
sion multiple access) system does not support reliable medium
access control (MAC) layer multicast services. However, reliable
multicast services must be supported in this system, because
the status indications based on the ARQ mechanism of the
subscriber stations (SSs) are required in some multicast services.
Therefore, we propose a new scheme to support reliable MAC
layer multicast services using Cumulative ACK (CA) code and
ARQ Feedback Request (AFR) code. In this paper, we analyze
packet error rate (PER), and required uplink resources in case of
our proposed scheme compared with the original scheme using
unicast ARQ feedback messages against various wireless channel
environments. Through the performance analysis, we can show
that our scheme can save a lot of uplink resources compared
with the original scheme. Using our proposed scheme, we can
support reliable multicast services without a waste of a lot of
uplink resources.
I. I NTRODUCTION
N OWDAYS, the explosive growth of the Internet has given
rise to demands for higher capacity, higher data rate, and
more advanced multimedia services to residential and small
business customers. The IEEE 802.16 standard is designed
to support these demands and specifies the WirelessMANTM
(metropolitan area networks) air interface [1], [2], [3], [4].
These IEEE 802.16 Broadband Wireless Access (BWA) sys-
tems have many advantages, such as rapid deployment, high
speed data rate, high scalability, multimedia services, and
lower maintenance and upgrade costs.
There are three air interfaces for licensed frequen-
cies between 2 and 11 GHz (licensed bands), such as
WirelessMAN-SCaTM (single carrier) PHY, WirelessMAN-
OFDMTM (orthogonal frequency division multiplexing) PHY,
and WirelessMAN-OFDMATM (orthogonal frequency divi-
sion multiple access) PHY [1], [2], [3], [4]. Among these
air interfaces, WirelessMAN-OFDMA PHY (IEEE 802.16
OFDMA system) has been mainly investigeted, due to its large
capacity and efficient usage of downlink and uplink resources.
Recently, IEEE 802.16’s task group e is developing these IEEE
802.16 BWA systems to support combined fixed and mobile
users in licensed bands [4].
IEEE 802.16 OFDMA system supports MAC layer mul-
ticast and broadcast services [3]. The MAC layer multicast
This research was supported in part by University IT Research Center
Project.
0-7803-8887-9/05/$20.00 (c)2005 IEEE
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services are used in case that a base station (BS) sends the
same data packets to many subscriber stations (SSs). In this
case, if the BS sends this data packet to the SSs using unicast
services, it causes a waste of a lot of downlink resources. In
case that the BS uses the MAC layer multicast services, it can
use downlink resources efficiently.
In case of MAC layer multicast services, the BS sometimes
needs ACK or NACK packets based on the ARQ (automatic
repeat request) mechanism. For example, in case that the BS
sends multicast data packets to the SSs included in a multicast
group, if the SSs do not send ACK or NACK packets, the BS
cannot know whether the SSs receive the data packets or not.
Then, the BS which has to know the status of the SSs can not
continue multicast services. To solve this problem, reliable
MAC layer multicast services must be supported in IEEE
802.16 OFDMA system. In other words, this system must
support the ARQ mechanism in the multicast services like
the unicast services. But, for transmissions of ARQ feedback
messages in the multicast services, the BS always assigns
uplink resources to all SSs. This operation causes a waste
of a lot of uplink resources, because the size of the ARQ
feedback message is not small. Since IEEE 802.16 OFDMA
system does not have the solution for solving this problem, this
system maybe does not support reliable MAC layer multicast
services.
To solve this problem, we propose a new scheme to support
reliable MAC layer multicast services using CDMA codes in
IEEE 802.16 OFDMA system. With the proposed scheme,
we can support reliable MAC layer multicast without much
overhead.
The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: In
Section II, we propose a scheme for reliable MAC layer mul-
ticast services using CDMA codes in IEEE 802.16 OFDMA
system. In Section III, we design the wireless channel model
as two-state markov model and analyze the performance of
our proposed scheme compared with an original scheme using
unicast ARQ feedback messages. In Section IV, we show that
our proposed scheme has better performance than the original
scheme against the various channel environments. In Section
V. we make conclusions.
 SS BS
II. P ROPOSED S CHEME Multicast service initiation
To support the reliable multicast services using our proposed Send multicast data packet
scheme in IEEE 802.16 OFDMA system, we define the
multicast region, the multicast slot, cumulative ACK (CA)
code and ARQ feedback request (AFR) code. In this section, :
we explain the functionalities of these words and describe a
detailed operation of our proposed scheme. Send CA code in the multicast slot

Send multicast data packet

A. Multicast Region and Multicast Slot error

The multicast region is total area that is used for trans-
missions of CDMA multicast codes. It consists of the several
multicast slots. In case of the multicast services, the BS assigns
this multicast region and multicast slots. The BS informs the
SS included in a multicast group, of the multicast region and
multicast slots by using uplink map information element (UL-
MAP IE). This UL-MAP IE uses extended uplink interval
usage code (UIUC). If there is no multicast services, the BS
does not assign the multicast region and multicast slots in
UL-MAC frame. The SS can transmit its multicast codes by
using one of this multicast slots in the multicast region. The
multicast slot that will be used, is randomly selected by the
SS to send CDMA multicast codes. If the CDMA codes sent
by the SSs at the same time are orthogonal, these codes do
not collide and destroy.
B. Cumulative ACK (CA) Code and ARQ Feedback Request
(AFR) Code
In the beginning of the muticast services using our proposed
scheme, the BS assigns two orthogornal CDMA codes (CA
code, AFR code) to the SSs. There are 256 orthogonal CDMA
codes for operations based on CDMA codes in IEEE 802.16
OFDMA system [3]. In this system, these CDMA codes are
used for several operations, such as the initial ranging process,
the periodic ranging process, and the bandwidth request pro-
cess [3]. Since these 256 CDMA codes are orthogonal, if the
SSs do not use the same code at the same time, there is no
collision in these operations. In the proposed scheme, because
the BS assigns each SS two different codes (CA code and AFR
code) that are not used in other SSs, there are no collisions.
1) CA code: The CA code is an indication code. This code
informs the BS of the fact that the SS has well received
multicast data packets transmitted after previous correctly
received packet. Because this CA code is uniquely assigned to
the SS, the BS can know who sent this code. So, without ARQ
feedback messages, such as selective ACK, cumulative ACK,
and cumulative with selective ACK, the SS can simply inform
the BS of the fact that it well received multicast data packets.
In case of a good wireless channel condition, a lot of uplink
resources will be saved with this CA code,. By using these
saved resources for other services, the system throughput and
capacity will be enhanced.
2) AFR code: The AFR code is a bandwidth request code
to obtain bandwidth for sending ARQ feedback message to the
BS. In general, if the packet errors occur, the SS has to send
ARQ feedback message to notify its status. In this case, the
SS transmits the AFR code for the bandwidth request to send
error
Send AFR code in the multicast slot
Assign uplink resources
for ARQ feedback message
ARQ feedback message (101)
Retransmit multicast data packet
Send multicast data packet
:
Send CA code in the multicast slot
:
:
:
Fig. 1. Message flow chart of multicast service using our proposed scheme
the ARQ feedback message in our proposed scheme. And, the
BS can know the SS that sent the AFR codes, because CA
code and AFR code are uniquely assigned to each SS. Then,
the BS allocates uplink resources for the transmission of the
ARQ feedback message to the SS. In other words, in case
that packet errors occur, the SS can send the ARQ feedback
message based on the process using AFR code whenever it
wants to send this feedback message.
In case of the reliable multicast services, the multicast
region and multicast slots are always assigned by the BS using
UL-MAP IE with extended UIUC, hence the SS can always
send its CA code and AFR code, whenever it wants to inform
the BS of its status. If the BS does not receive these codes
from some SSs for a long time, the BS should not transmit
its multicast data packets to these SSs. In this case, for the
restart of the multicast services, the SSs have to inform the
BS of its status using CA code or AFR code. Fig. 1 shows
the message flow chart of the reliable multicast services using
our proposed scheme between the BS and the SS.
III. P ERFORMANCE A NALYSIS
A. Wireless Channel Model
We model the wireless channel as a two-state markov model
with the quiet (0) state and the noisy (1) state, as shown in
Fig. 2 [5], [6], [7]. The bit error rates (BERs) of the quite state
and the noisy state are
0 and
1 , respectively. pij (i
= j) is

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 TABLE I
S YSTEM PARAMETERS

Parameters Value
LF M 1 1 UL resource units
LF M 2 2 UL resource units
LF M 3 3 UL resource units
LM R 6 UL resource units
Fig. 2. Wireless channel model

the transition probability from the state i to the state j, and is As shown in the equation (8), in our wireless channel model,
the same as 1 − pii [5]. we can know that the PER is dependent on the average bit
The average BER is error rate (
avg ), the probability of being in the noisy state
p01 ×
1 + p10 ×
0 (p1 ) and the packet size (l).

avg = . (1)
p01 + p10
The probability of being in the noisy state or the duty cycle C. Numerical Analysis
of noisy bursts can be represented as With our proposed scheme, we can save a lot of uplink
p01 resources. To prove this remarkable performance enhancement
p1 = (2)
p01 + p10 of our scheme, we analyze an original scheme using unicast
or, it is described as ARQ feedback messages and our proposed scheme. We con-

avg −
0 sider a multicast group configured with three types’ multicast
p1 = . (3) users who have different PER values (P1 , P2 , P3 ). The number

1 −
0
of users using PER values, P1 , P2 and P3 , are NP 1 , NP 2 and
In Fig. 2, in case that p1 = p01 = p11 , we can completely NP 3 , and total number of users (N ) are
define this wireless channel model as p1 and
avg . In this case,
this channel model is the same as two-state block interference N = NP 1 + N P 2 + N P 3 . (9)
(BI) channel model proposed by McEliece and Stark [6].
The number of users with destroyed packets (Ner1 , Ner2 ,
Ner3 ) are
B. Packet Error Rate (PER)
Ner1 = P1 (l1 , p1 1 ,
avg 1 ) × NP 1 . (10)
From equation (3), the BER of quiet state (
0 ) is obtained
as Ner2 = P2 (l2 , p1 2 ,
avg 2 ) × NP 2 . (11)
Ner3 = P3 (l3 , p1 3 ,
avg 3 ) × NP 3 . (12)

0 =
avg · p1 . (4)
By the equation (3) and (4), we can represent the BER of From the equations (10), (11) and (12), we can represent the
noisy state (
1 ) as total number of users with destroyed packets (Nter ) as

avg Nter = Ner1 + Ner2 + Ner3 . (13)

1 = − (1 − p1 ) ·
avg ,
p1

Using the equations (8), (10), (11) and (12), Nter of (13) is

avg + 12 − ( 12 −
avg )( 12 + 3 ·
avg ) expressed as
f or p,1 > . (5) 
2 ·
avg
Nter = NP 1 × (1 − p1 1 ) · {1 − (1 − p1 1 ·
avg 1 )l1 }
Detailed derivations of
0 and
1 can be found in [5]. Also, in 

avg 1 l1
Fig. 2, the time portion of quiet and noisy states in equilibrium +p1 1 · {1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 1 ) ·
avg 1 ) }
status (π0 , π1 ) are the same as p10 and p01 , respectively [7]. p1 1

If the packet size is l bits, the packet error probabilities of + NP 2 × (1 − p1 2 ) · {1 − (1 − p1 2 ·
avg 2 )l2 }
quiet state and noisy state are 

avg 2
e0 = 1 − (1 −
0 )l . (6) +p1 2 · {1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 2 ) ·
avg 2 )l2 }
p1 2

e1 = 1 − (1 −
1 )l . (7) + NP 3 × (1 − p1 3 ) · {1 − (1 − p1 3 ·
avg 3 )l3 }
From the equation (4), (5), (6) and (7), the packet error rate 

avg 3 l3
(PER) can be calculated as follows [7]. +p1 3 · {1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 3 ) ·
avg 3 ) } .
p1 3
P (l, p1 ,
avg ) = π0 · (1 − (1 −
0 )l ) + π1 · (1 − (1 −
1 )l ) (14)
= (1 − p1 ) · {1 − (1 − p1 ·
avg )l } The system parameters for calculating required uplink re-
 

avg sources for transmitting ARQ feedback messages (LF M 1 ,
+ p1 · 1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 ) ·
avg )l .
p1 LF M 2 , LF M 3 ) and for allocating the multicast region (LM R )),
(8) are given in Table I.

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Fig. 3. Required resources vs. number of users, in case that duty cycle of Fig. 4. Required resources vs. number of users, in case that duty cycle of
noisy bursts is 0.05 noisy bursts is 0.1

In case of the original scheme using unicast ARQ feedback One resource unit is the same as 6 bytes in case of using
messages in multicast services, the required uplink resources QPSK and 1/2 coding.
(Lurr ) are To obtain numerical results, we have some assumptions.
Firstly, the SSs have to respond immediately, when they
Lurr = NP 1 · LF M 1 + NP 2 · LF M 2 + NP 3 · LF M 3 . (15) receive multicast data packets from the BS. They can respond
In case of the proposed scheme using CA code and AFR code with unicast ARQ feedback messages in the original scheme or
and unicast ARQ feedback messages in multicast services, the two CDMA codes (CA code and AFR code) in our proposed
required uplink resources (Lcrr ) are calculated as scheme. Secondly, these two codes and unicast ARQ feedback
messages are error free, and these codes are assigned to the
Lcrr = LM R + Ner1 · LF M 1 SSs uniquely. Thirdly, the packets’ sizes (l1 , l2 , l3 ) are the
+ Ner2 · LF M 2 + Ner3 · LF M 3 . (16) same, and the duty cycles of noisy bursts (p1 , p1 1 , p1 2 , p1 3 )
of the equations (2), (3) and (17) are the same also. The values
By the equations (8), (10), (11) and (12), Lcrr of the equation of packets’ sizes and the average BERs of the users using PER
(16) is obtained as values (P1 , P2 , P3 ) are given in Table II.
Lcrr = LM R   TABLE II
l1
+ LF M 1 · NP 1 × (1 − p1 1 ) ·{1 − (1 − p1 1
avg 1 ) } A NALYSIS PARAMETERS


avg 1
+p1 1 · {1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 1 ) ·
avg 1 )l1 } Parameters Value
p1 1
  l1 , l 2 , l 3 1000 bits
+ LF M 2 · NP 2 × (1 − p1 2 ) ·{1 − (1 − p1 2
avg 2 )l2 }
avg 1 of NP 1 5 × 10−3

avg 2 of NP 2 1 × 10−3

avg 2 l2
N 1 × 10−4
+p1 2 · {1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 2 ) ·
avg 2 ) } avg 3 of P3
p1 2
 
+ LF M 3 · NP 3 × (1 − p1 3 ) ·{1 − (1 − p1 3
avg 3 )l3 } There are 4 figures about ‘required resources vs. number of


avg 3 users’ against 4 different wireless channel environments. The
+p1 3 · {1 − (1 − + (1 − p1 3 ) ·
avg 3 )l3 } wireless channel can be changed by the variation of the duty
p1 3
(17) cycle of noisy bursts (p1 of equations (2) and (3), or p1 1 , p1 2 ,
p1 3 of equations (17)). The p1 , p1 1 , p1 2 and p1 3 determine
the burstiness of the channel [5].
IV. N UMERICAL R ESULTS • Stationary channel : p1 = p1 1 = p1 2 = p1 3 = 1.0
Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the perfor- • Diffuse burst channel : p1 = p1 1 = p1 2 = p1 3 = 0.25
mance of our proposed scheme. We define 1 resource unit • Normal burst channel : p1 = p1 1 = p1 2 = p1 3 = 0.1
as 3 OFDM symbol (time domain) and 1 OFDM subchannel • Dense burst channel : p1 = p1 1 = p1 2 = p1 3 = 0.05
(frequency domain). 1 OFDM subchannel consists of 16 Basically, the system using reliable multicast services based
OFDM subcarriers. Total uplink capacity is 80 resource units. on our proposed scheme can save a lot of uplink resources

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Fig. 5. Required resources vs. number of users, in case that duty cycle of
noisy bursts is 0.25
compared with the system using reliable multicast services
based on original scheme by unicast ARQ feedback messages,
as shown in Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6. In case of reliable multicast
services using the original scheme, the BS has to assign uplink
resources to all SSs included in a multicast group, and these
all SSs must transmit ARQ feedback messages to the BS.
Thus, in this case, many uplink resources will be needed and
used for reliable multicast services. However, in our proposed
scheme, several users that sent AFR codes in the multicast
region transmit ARQ feedback messages. Users who sent CA
codes do not need to transmit ARQ feedback messages. Hence,
a lot of uplink resources can be saved compared with the
original scheme using unicast feedback messages as shown
in Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6 show the required resources in
the stationary channel, diffuse burst channel, normal burst
channel and dense burst channel. We change the ratio of
users with PER values (P1 , P2 , P3 ) to prove the performance
improvement against the variation of this ratio. In the dense
burst channel, we can show that our proposed scheme uses the
least resources compared with the required resources in other
channels. In other words, our proposed scheme can save the
most large uplink resources compared with original scheme in
the dense burst channel. As shown in Fig. 3, 4, 5 and 6,
the bigger the duty cycle of noisy bursts is, the smaller the
saved resources is. However, in the worst case (in stationary
channel), we can show that the proposed scheme still has
some gains compared with original scheme using unicast ARQ
feedback messages.
V. C ONCLUSIONS
In our proposed scheme, the BS assigns two CDMA mul-
ticast codes (CA code and AFR code) uniquely to each SS
in a multicast group. The operations based on these codes
require a few uplink resources to support the ARQ mechanism
in multicast services. Therefore, the system using multicast
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Fig. 6. Required resources vs. number of users, in case that duty cycle of
noisy bursts is 1.0
services based on our proposed mechanism can remarkably
increase the uplink capacity compared with the system using
multicast services based on original scheme by unicast ARQ
feedback messages. Our proposed scheme can be utilized
compatibly in other OFDMA system that supports the reliable
multicast services.
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