Nov 24, 2010

LTE tutorial [7] - LTE Frequency Bands & Spectrum Allocations

There is a growing number of LTE frequency bands that are being designated as possibilities for use with LTE. Many of the LTE frequency bands are already in use for other cellular systems, whereas other LTE bands are new and being introduced as other users are re-allocated spectrum elsewhere.

FDD and TDD LTE frequency bands

FDD spectrum requires pair bands, one of the uplink and one for the downlink, and TDD requires a single band as uplink and downlink are on the same frequency but time separated. As a result, there are different LTE band allocations for TDD and FDD. In some cases there bands may overlap, and it is therefore feasible, although unlikely that both TDD and FDD transmissions could be present on a particular LTE frequency band.

The greater likelihood is that a single UE or mobile will need to detect whether a TDD or FDD transmission should be made on a given band. UEs that roam may encounter both types on the same band. They will therefore need to detect what type of transmission is being made on that particular LTE band in its current location.

The different LTE frequency allocations or LTE frequency bands are allocated numbers. Currently the LTE bands between 1 & 22 are for paired spectrum, i.e. FDD, and LTE bands between 33& 41 are for unpaired spectrum, i.e. TDD.

FDD LTE frequency band allocations


There is a large number of allocation or radio spectrum that has been reserved for FDD, frequency division duplex, LTE use.

The FDD frequency bands are paired to allow simultaneous transmission on two frequencies. The bands also have a sufficient separation to enable the transmitted signals not to unduly impair the receiver performance. If the signals are too close then the receiver may be "blocked"
and the sensitivity impaired. The separation must be sufficient to enable the roll-off of the antenna filtering to give sufficient attenuation of the transmitted signal within the receive band.

LTE BAND
NUMBER
UPLINK
(MHZ)
DOWNLINK
(MHZ)
11920 - 19802110 - 2170
21850 - 19101930 - 1990
31710 - 17851805 -1880
41710 - 17552110 - 2155
5824 - 849869 - 894
6830 - 840875 - 885
72500 - 25702620 - 2690
8880 - 915925 - 960
91749.9 - 1784.91844.9 - 1879.9
101710 - 17702110 - 2170
111427.9 - 1452.91475.9 - 1500.9
12698 - 716728 - 746
13777 - 787746 - 756
14788 - 798758 - 768
17704 - 716734 - 746
18815 - 830860 - 875
19830 - 845875 - 890
20832 - 862791 - 821
211447.9 - 1462.91495.5 - 1510.9
223410 - 35003510 - 3600

TDD LTE frequency band allocation

With the interest in TDD LTE, there are several unpaired frequency allocations that are being prepared for LTR TDD use. The TDD LTE allocations are unpaired because the uplink and downlink share the same frequency, being time multiplexed.

There are regular addition to the LTE frequency bands /LTE spectrum allocations as a result of negotiations at the ITU regulatory meetings. These LTE allocations are resulting in part from the digital dividend, and also from the pressure caused by the ever growing need for mobile communications. Many of the new LTE spectrum allocations are relatively small, often 10 - 20 MHz in bandwidth, and this is a cause for concern. With LTE-Advanced needing bandwidths of 100 MHz, channel aggregation over a wide set of frequencies many be needed, and this has been recognized as a significant

LTE BAND
NUMBER
ALLOCATION (MHZ)
331900 - 1920
342010 - 2025
342010 - 2025
351850 - 1910
361930 - 1990
371910 - 1930
382570 - 2620
391880 - 1920
402300 - 2400
413400 - 3600




Nov 23, 2010

LTE tutorial[6] -LTE physical logical & transport channels

In order that data can be transported across the LTE radio interface, various "channels" are used. These are used to segregate the different types of data and allow them to be transported across the radio access network in an orderly fashion

Effectively the different channels provide interfaces to the higher layers within the LTE protocol structure and enable an orderly and defined segregation of the data.

3G LTE channel types

There are three categories into which the various data channels may be grouped.
  • Physical channels: There are transmission channels that carry user data and control messages.
  • Transport channels: The physical layer transport channels offer information transfer to Medium Access Control (MAC) and higher layers.
  • Logical channels: Provide services for the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer with the LTE protocol structure.

3G LTE channel types

There are three categories into which the various data channels may be grouped.

  • Physical channels: These are transmission channels that carry user data and control messages.
  • Transport channels: The physical layer transport channels offer information transfer to Medium Access Control (MAC) and higher layers.
  • Logical channels: Provide services for the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer within the LTE protocol structure.

3G LTE physical channels

The LTE physical channels vary between the uplink and the downlink as each has different requirements and operates in a different manner.

  • Downlink:
    • Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH): This physical channel carries system information for UEs requiring to access the network.
    • Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) :
    • Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) : The main purpose of this physical channel is to carry mainly scheduling information.
    • Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH) : As the name implies, this channel is used to report the Hybrid ARQ status.
    • Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) : This channel is used for unicast and paging functions.
    • Physical Multicast Channel (PMCH) : This physical channel carries system information for multicast purposes.
    • Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) : This provides information to enable the UEs to decode the PDSCH.
  • Uplink:
    • Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) : Sends Hybrid ARQ acknowledgement
    • Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) : This physical channel found on the LTE uplink is the Uplink counterpart of PDSCH
    • Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) : This uplink physical channel is used for random access functions.

LTE transport channels

The LTE transport channels vary between the uplink and the downlink as each has different requirements and operates in a different manner. Physical layer transport channels offer information transfer to medium access control (MAC) and higher layers.

  • Downlink:
    • Broadcast Channel (BCH) : The LTE transport channel maps to Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH)
    • Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) : This transport channel is the main channel for downlink data transfer. It is used by many logical channels.
    • Paging Channel (PCH) : To convey the PCCH
    • Multicast Channel (MCH) : This transport channel is used to transmit MCCH information to set up multicast transmissions.

  • Uplink:
    • Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) : This transport channel is the main channel for uplink data transfer. It is used by many logical channels.
    • Random Access Channel (RACH) : This is used for random access requirements.

LTE logical channels

  • Control channels:
    • Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) : This control channel provides system information to all mobile terminals connected to the eNodeB.
    • Paging Control Channel (PCCH) : This control channel is used for paging information when searching a unit on a network.
    • Common Control Channel (CCCH) : This channel is used for random access information, e.g. for actions including setting up a connection.
    • Multicast Control Channel (MCCH) : This control channel is used for Information needed for multicast reception.
    • Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) : This control channel is used for carrying user-specific control information, e.g. for controlling actions including power control, handover, etc..

  • Traffic channels:
    • Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) : This traffic channel is used for the transmission of user data.
    • Multicast Traffic Channel (MTCH) : This channel is used for the transmission of multicast data.

Nov 21, 2010

LTE tutorial[5] - LTE Frame and Subframe Structure

In order that the 3G LTE system can maintain synchronization and the system is able to manage the different types of information that need to be carried between the base-station or eNodeB and the user equipment, 3G LTE system has a defined LTE frame and subframe structure for the E-UTRA or Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access, i.e, the air interface for 3G LTE

The frame structures for LTE differ between the Time Division Duple, TDD and Frequency Division Duplex, FDD modes as there are different requirements on segregating the transmitted data.

Type 1 LTE Frame Structure

The basic type 1 LTE frame has an overall length of 10 ms. This is then divided into a total of 20 individual slots. LTE Subframes then consist of two slots - in other words there are ten LTE subframes within a frame.

Type 1 LTE Frame Structure

Type 1 LTE Frame Structure


Type 2 LTE Frame Structure

The frame structure for the type 2 frames used on LTE TDD is somewhat different. The 10 ms frame comprises two half frames, each 5 ms long. The LTE half-frames are further split into five subframes, each 1ms long.

Type 2 LTE Frame Structure

Type 2 LTE Frame Structure
(shown for 5ms switch point periodicity).

The subframes may be divided into standard subframes of special subframes. The special subframes consist of three fields;

  • DwPTS - Downlink Pilot Time Slot
  • GP - Guard Period
  • UpPTS - Uplink Pilot Time Stot.

These three fields are also used within TD-SCDMA and they have been carried over into LTE TDD (TD-LTE) and thereby help the upgrade path. The fields are individually configurable in terms of length, although the total length of all three together must be 1ms.


LTE TDD / TD-LTE subframe allocations

One of the advantages of using LTE TDD is that it is possible to dynamically change the up and downlink balance and characteristics to meet the load conditions. In order that this can be achieved in an ordered fashion, a number of standard configurations have been set within the LTE standards.

A total of seven up / downlink configurations have been set, and these use either 5 ms or 10 ms switch periodicities. In the case of the 5ms switch point periodicity, a special subframe exists in both half frames. In the case of the 10 ms periodicity, the special subframe exists in the first half frame only. It can be seen from the table below that the subframes 0 and 5 as well as DwPTS are always reserved for the downlink. It can also be seen that UpPTS and the subframe immediately following the special subframe are always reserved for the uplink transmission.

UPLINK-DOWNLINK CONFIGURATIONDOWNLINK TO UPLINK SWITCH PERIODICITYSUBFRAME NUMBER
0123456789
05 msDSUUUDSUUU
15 msDSUUDDSUUD
25 msDSUDDDSUDD
310 msDSUUUDDDDD
410 msDSUUDDDDDD
510 msDSUDDDDDDD
65 msDSUUUDSUUD

Where:
D is a subframe for downlink transmission
S is a "special" subframe used for a guard time
U is a subframe for uplink transmission

Uplink / Downlink subframe configurations for LTE TDD (TD-LTE)


Summary

The frame and subframe structures within LTE have been configured to give as much compatibility with existing structures to enable migration from UMTS and HSPA as well as TD-SCDMA, while still providing the flexibility required. The LTE frame structure and subframe structure link to the system timings to enable the frames and subframes to be convenient multiples of the clock frequencies within the system.