Over View of BSSMAP Procedures

A-Interface
Defines the GSM specific signaling

General ISDN compatible signalling

Parts of BSSAP

Actual

DTAP

The DTAP comprises all messages exchanged between a subsystem of the NSS and the MS. The messages are transparent for the BSS. This definition applies to all but three messages of MM. These exceptions are LOC_UPD_REQ, IMSI_DET_IND, CM_SERV_REQ messages. All three are part of DTAP but nevertheless are partly processed by the BSC. DTAP messages are transferred as the CO message .

BSSMAP

The BSSMAP includes all messages exchanged between the BSC and the MSC that are actually processed by the BSC. More generally,the BSSMAP comprises all messages exchanged as RR messages between the MSC and the BSC, as well as messages used for control tasks between the BSC and the MSC. BSSMAP uses both the CO and CL message transfer mechanism of SCCP.

The Message Structure of the BSSAP

How the DTAP and BSSMAP messages are transferred at the MSC

The BSS Management Application Part

The BSSMAP supports all of the procedures that require interpretation and processing of information related to single calls, and resource management. BSSMAP is a protocol definition part which is responsible for all administration and control of RR resources at BSS. RR messages are mapped and converted at BSS into BSSMAP procedures and messages and vice-versa. Some of the BSSMAP procedures are initiated by the RR messages ,Some BSSMAP procedures control the RR functions.

The Internal Structure of BSSMAP Messages.

List of BSSMAP procedures

Assignment Block & unblock Resource Indication Reset Handover Handover Candidate Enqiry Clear

Trace invocation Flow control Classmark handling Cipher mode control Initial MS message Queuing indication Load indication Circuit reselection

Cont

Data link ctrl SAPI not equal to 0 VGCS/VBS setup VGCS/VBS uplink ctrl PDSS1 flow control LSA handling

Paging Connection less information transfer Connection oriented information transfer Common-id

Assignment Procedure

The purpose of the assignment procedure is to ensure that the correct dedicated radio resource(s) can be allocated or reallocated to a MS that requires it. Initial condition:The initial conditions are assumed to be that the MS is in contact with the fixed infrastructure of a PLMN by means of one or more dedicated radio resources (and possibly a terrestrial resource) and that the MSC has analysed any relevant call control information and wishes to allocate or reallocate to the MS one or more radio resources (and possibly a terrestrial resource).

Messages in Assignment Procedure

Assignment Request-- MSC-BSS Assignment Complete- BSS-MSC Assignment Failure-BSS-MSC These messages are CO messages.

Block and Unblock procedure

Purpose:If the entity on one side puts out of service any terrestrial circuit, it needs to inform the peer entity on the other side of the interface. This is performed by using a simple blocking/unblocking procedure. Circuit Slave: When and if the entity that does not allocate the circuits on A-interface. Circuit Master: entity allocating the circuits on Ainterface. These are sent as global messages(CL). Each message refers to one or more terrestrial circuits accessed through the BSS MSC interface. The circuit is identified by its Circuit Identity Code,along with this a cause field which indicates the reason for sending this message will be sent.

Messages of Block & Unblock

Block Blocking Acknowledge Unblock Unblocking Acknowledge These messages can be sent in either direction.

Circuit group Block Circuit group Blocking Acknowledge Circuit group Unblock Circuit group Unblocking Acknowledge

Resource Indication

Purpose: To indicate MSC about the amount of the radio resource that is spare at the BSS and available for traffic carrying purposes; and - of the total amount of the accessible radio resource (i.e. available for service or currently assigned). This procedure relates to the single cell. MSC determines the resource information and the manner(resource indication method) that BSS should return the related information back to MSC .

Messages of RI

Resource Request MSC-BSS Resource Indication BSS-MSC The BSS is not allowed to select a method different from the one requested by the MSC. The main information that is being transfer in this procedure is Number of TCH/F available. Number of TCH/H available.

Reset

Purpose:is to initialize the BSS and MSC in the event of a failure. Global messages that are sent as CL messages Affect the whole BSS or MSC. Can be sent in either direction. Messages used are: Reset. Reset Acknowledge. Reset circuit. Reset circuit Acknowledge.

Hand Over

Intra MSC hand over. Hand over is divided in to 3 procedures. Hand over Required Indication Hand over Resource Allocation Hand over Execution All messages related to this procedure are CO messages

Hand Over required Indication

Hand over required Indication:The handover required indication procedure allows a BSS to request that a handover is to be carried out for a particular MS, currently allocated one or more dedicated resources. Messages involved are:] Hand over required BSS-MSC Hand over required reject MSC-BSS

Hand over resource allocation

This procedure has been defined to allow the MSC to request resources from a BSS in a manner similar to that used for the assignment case. However it does not result in the transmission of any messages over the radio interface, only in the reservation of the resource(s) identified at the BSS, which awaits access of a MS on the reserved channel(s). These reserved resources are then indicated back to the MSC. To support this procedure the MSC sets up a BSSAP SCCP connection to the BSS. This connection is then used to support all BSSAP messages related to the dedicated resource(s).

Messages involved: Handover Request MSC-BSS(new) Handover Request Acknowledge BSS(new)->MSC Hand over Failure BSS(new,Old)-MSC By sending the Handover request acknowledge message ends this procedure. The HANDOVER REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGE message sent by the new BSS shall contain the radio interface message HANDOVER COMMAND within its "Layer 3 Information" Information Element. The new BSS and the old BSS may be the same.

Hand over execution

is the process whereby an MSC instructs an MS to tune to a new dedicated radio resource or to a group of radio resources, which may be on a different cell. Messages involved: Hand over command MSC-BSS(old) Hand over detect BSS(new)-MSC Handover complete BSS(new)-MSC Hand over Succeeded MSC-BSS(old) in case of VGCS/VBS Confusion

"Layer 3 Information" (which is in fact the RR-Layer 3 HANDOVER COMMAND) is transferred by the controlling MSC to the old BSS using the BSSMAP message HANDOVER COMMAND also within the Information Element "Layer 3 Information" of that BSSMAP message.

The old BSS then sends to the MS over the radio interface the RR-Layer 3 HANDOVER COMMAND message. Information about the appropriate new channels and a handover reference number chosen by the new BSS are contained in the HANDOVER COMMAND.

Internal handover

Hand over takes place between cells under the control of the same BSC.(internal inter cell hand over) Hand over takes place by just changing the frequency in the same cell(under same BTS,internal intra cell hand over). This is completely taken care by BSC and MSC is not involved in the hand over process.But after completion of the hand over MSC is informed about the completion of the hand over by sending the HANDOVERPERFORMED message indicating the new chosen cell for the MS. Any changes in the type of resources are indicated in the Handover performed message.

Hand over candidate enquiry

Purpose: is to allow the MSC to ascertain if it is possible to handover any MSs that are currently being served by a particular cell to another nominated cell. The procedure uses both global and dedicated resource messages, and is relevant to an individual cell. Messages involved: Handover Candidate Enquiry MSC-BSC Handover Candidate Response BSC-MSC. The BSS after receiving the message from MSC find out the MS for handover process and sends the corresponding HANDOVER REQUIRED message for each MS.

After sending the HANDOVERREQUIRED message for all MSs it will send the HANDOVER CANDIDATE RESPONSE message to MSC. Only one handover enquiry procedure may be invoked on any given cell at any one time. Max.number of MSs to identify for the handover process is given by MSC.

Release of Radio resources and Terrestrial resources

Release of resources can be done at 4 levels Release due to Transaction completion Release due to BSS reason Release due to successful handover Release due to uplink release Messages involved Clear Command MSC-BSC Clear request BSS-MSC Clear Complete BSS-MSC Uplink Release indication

Trace Invocation

Purpose :is to inform the receiving entity that it should begin producing a trace record on this particular transaction. This procedure is invoked by the OMC and this is the intermediate procedure in support for the one started by OMC. Can be initiated by the both BSS and MSC. Messages involved BSS invoke trace BSS-MSC MSC invoke trace MSC-BSS

The parameters that are needed to be recorded are sent in the Trace type IE. If the BSS invokes the trace it even includes whether the trace should be invoked if hand over takes place. These are CO messages. No Acknowledgement is sent for the message.

Flow Control

Purpose : to give some degree of flow control. Can be invoked by either side(BSS,MSC). On receipt of the first OVERLOAD message or signalling point congested information, the traffic is reduced by one step. At the same time, timers T5 (T17) and T6 (T18) are started. During T5 (T17) all received overload messages or signalling point congested information are ignored in order not to reduce the traffic too rapidly. Reception of an OVERLOAD message or signalling point congested information after expiry of T5 (T17) but still during T6 (T18) , will decrease the traffic load by one more step, and restart T5 (T17) and T6 (T18).

Cont

This step by step reduction of traffic is continued until maximum reduction is obtained by arriving at the last step. If T6 (T18) expires (i.E. No OVERLOAD message or signalling point congested information is received during T6 (T18)) the traffic will be increased by one step and T6 (T18) will be started, unless full load has been resumed. The number of steps and the method of reducing the load is considered to be an implementation specific function. At the BSS processor overload and CCCH scheduler overload are catered for, and at the MSC processor overload is catered for.

Class mark handling procedures

Messages involved: Class mark Request MSC-BSS Class mark Update BSS-MSC,MSC-BSS At any point when an SCCP connection has been established for BSSAP messages, the BSS must be able to send to the MSC a CLASSMARK UPDATE message if a classmark update is received from the MS.

Cipher mode control

Purpose:allows the MSC to pass cipher mode information to the BSS to select and load the user data and signalling encryption device with the appropriate key. Messages involved: Cipher Mode Command Cipher Mode complete MSC specifies which of the ciphering algorithms may be used by the BSS. The BSS then selects an appropriate algorithm, taking into account the MS ciphering capabilities and inform the MSC about the selected algorithm.

Queuing Indication

Purpose:is t inform the MSC about a delay in the allocation of the necessary dedicated radio resources. Queuing is allowed or not is specified by the BSS or MSC in the Assignment or Handover messages. If queuing is allowed then this procedure is invoked. Messages that are not served imme. Are queued and sent indication to MSC and timer t11(tqho) starts. With in expiry of t11(tqho) the assignment or handover messages should be served other wise the failure messages are sent.

DATA Link Control Not Equalto 0

The radio interface can support data links with the SAPI not equal to "0". MS to MSC direction: If BSS receives message from MS with SAPI other than 0 then it is treated as DTAP message and sent to MSC. MSC-MS:If BSS receives the message with SAPi other than 0 then 1 of following would take place:
the triggering of a data link set up to support the message transfer across the radio interface if no suitable link exists; - the transmission of the message to the MS if a suitable link has already been established; - the sending of a BSSMAP SAPI "N" REJECT message to the MSC if for any reason the data link cannot be established, A Cause Information Element is included; typical Cause values are: "O&M intervention", "processor overload", "BSS not equipped", "MS not equipped".

Load Indication

Purpose: is to inform all neighbour BSS's about the traffic situation of a cell. The philosophy is to control the incoming handover traffic at the source. Messages involved: Load Indication BSS-MSC,MSC-BSS The BSS shall send the LOAD INDICATION message to the MSC . On receipt of the LOAD INDICATION message, the MSC transmits this message to all BSS's as derived from the Cell identifier list Information Element.

Circuit Re-Selection

This procedure is supported by BSS only if BSS allocates A-interface circuits Purpose :The MSC can request the BSS to change the circuit allocated to a connection Messages involved: Change Circuit MSC-BSS Change circuit Acknowledge BSS-MSC

Connectionless Information Transfer

Used to transfer Messages between 2 SMLCs transparently On receipt of the CONNECTIONLESS INFORMATION message, the MSC transmits this message to another MSC or BSS on a direct path to the target SMLC, as derived from the Network Element Identity (target) IE.

Initial MS Message

When the SCCP connection establishment is performed by the BSS, the radio interface initial L3 message received from the MS (piggybacked on the SABM frame) Then The BSS shall analyse the protocol discriminator of the message. it shall analyse the message to a level which allows the extraction by the BSS of the Classmark information.

Paging

PAGING messages for all MSs shall be sent via the BSSMAP as a connectionless message. These will include the IMSI of the MS they may also include an indication of which combination of channels will be needed for the subsequent transaction related to the paging. A single PAGING message across the MSC to BSS interface contains information on the cells in which the page shall be broadcast.

VGCS/VBS procedures

VGCS/VBS Setup procedure VGCS/VBS Setup VGCS/VBS Setup acknowledgment VGCS/VBS setup refuse VGCS/VBS Assignment VGCS/VBS Assignment Request VGCS/VBS Assignment Result VGCS/VBS Queuing Indication

Cont

VGCS/VBS Uplink allocation: Uplink request Uplink request acknowledge Uplink request conformation Uplink request reject VGCS/VBS Release Uplink release indication Uplink release command VGCS/VBS seized Uplink seized command

PDSS1 flow control

Suspend Resume

LSA Handling

LSA information Location Acquisition Perform location request Perform location response Perform location abort Common-id Connection oriented information