Wideband CDMA (W-CDMA) is one of several digital cellular technologies that is competing for the third generation (3G)

cellular market !he earlier "apanese W-CDMA trial s#stem and the $uropean %niversal Mobile !elephone &#stem (%M!&) have each served as a foundation for the 'orkings of this harmoni(ed W-CDMA s#stem under the supervision of the !hird Generation )artnership )ro*ect (3G))) !he harmoni(ed s#stem is commonl# referred to as 3G)) WCDMA+ to distinguish it from earlier 'ideband CDMA versions !he 3G)) W-CDMA s#stem 'ill emplo# W-CDMA in both fre,uenc# division duple- (.DD) and time division duple- (!DD) modes As a 3G technolog#+ W-CDMA must support variable data rates to accommodate both voice and high data rate applications (for e-ample+ video and packet data) !he W-CDMA specifications use the term user e,uipment (%$) to refer to mobile phones+ 'ireless computer devices+ or other devices that provide 'ireless access to the WCDMA s#stem %nlike second generation (/G) CDMA mobile stations+ the W-CDMA %$ can transmit more than one code channel in order to accommodate the high data rates !he %$ behaves+ in essence+ as a miniature CDMA base transceiver station (0!&) As 'ith a CDMA 0!&+ it is important to anal#(e the code-b#-code composition of the W-CDMA %$ signal in order to characteri(e and troubleshoot the transmitter !his article describes the code domain structure of W-CDMA uplink (%1) signals and e-plains ho' the different code domain anal#sis measurements can be used 'hen developing and troubleshooting a W-CDMA %$ transmitter !hroughout this article+ the term W-CDMA refers to the 3G)) W-CDMA (2elease 33) .DD mode %)1456 A42 45!$2.AC$ 4n W-CDMA+ the user7s digiti(ed voice and data channels+ along 'ith signaling data from higher protocol la#ers+ are carried in the dedicated ph#sical data and control channels (D)DC89D)CC8) !he pa#load data and signaling data channels (D)DC8) are transmitted on the 4 path of the :)&6 modulator; the po'er control+ pilot and other overhead bits (D)CC8) are transmitted on the : path A single %$ can transmit several D)DC8s in order to obtain higher data rates 4n this case+ the# are consecutivel# assigned to either the 4 or : path $ach D)DC89D)CC8 is spread b# a channeli(ation code+ also kno'n as orthogonal variable spreading factor (<=&.) code+ and its amplitude can be individuall# ad*usted <=&. codes are orthogonal codes similar to the Walsh codes used in /G CDMA (4&-3>) 0!& $ach channel originating from a W-CDMA %$ is multiplied b# a different <=&. code 4n 4&-3> 0!&+ Walsh codes 'ere fi-ed at ?@ chips in length; in W-CDMA+ the length of the codes+ also kno'n as the spreading factor (&.)+ is variable .or %1+ the &. can be @+ A+ B?+ 3/+ ?@+ B/A or />?+ corresponding to D)DC8 bit rates from 3?C kbps do'n to B> kbps .or e-ample+ a D)DC8 'ith a bit rate of ?C kbps 'ill be spread b# an <=&. code 'ith a &. of ?@+ as sho'n in .igure B !he bit rate for the D)CC8 is fi-ed at B> kbps !he spread data rate+ kno'n as the chip rate+ is fi-ed at 3 A@ million chips-per-second (Mcps)

As in other CDMA s#stems+ each %$ (and 0!&) composite spread signal is scrambled b# a uni,ue pseudo-noise ()5) scrambling code !his code is used b# the 0!& to identif# the %$ 4n the case of the W-CDMA %$+ the scrambling code is a special comple- function that limits the signal transitions across the origin of the 4: plane and also reduces the CD phase shift transitions !his function improves its peak-to-average po'er ratio !he function can be considered a variation of regular comple- scrambling and is commonl# kno'n as h#brid phase shift ke#ing (8)&6)+ although this term is not mentioned in the standard !he scrambling generator produces t'o random se,uences (referenced in the standard as Clong+B and Clong+/ if long scrambling se,uences are usedB ) !he second se,uence is decimated+ multiplied 'ith the function EB+BF and+ 'ith the first se,uence+ applied to the : path of the comple- scrambler !he first se,uence is also applied to the 4 path of the comple- scrambler .or a more detailed description of 8)&6 refer to Application 5ote B33>/ !he resulting 4 and : signals are then filtered and used to modulate the 2. carrier (not sho'n in the figure) !he combination of <=&. codes and scrambling codes provides the signal spreading+ and therefore the spreading gain needed for the receiver correlators to pull the desired signal out of the noise !he &. determines the degree of spreading gain .or high data rate signals+ the &. and spreading gain are lo'er .or the same level of interference+ the amplitude for high data rate channels must be higher in order for all channels to maintain e,ual energ#-per-bit-to-noise ratio ($b 95o ) C<D$ D<MA45 )<W$2 Man# measurements are available to anal#(e the modulation accurac# of a %$ transmitterG ,uadrature phase shift ke#ing (:)&6); error vector magnitude ($=M); composite $=M; code domain po'er and s#mbol $=M 3 &electing the appropriate measurement depends on man# factors+ including the stage of development of the %$ and the specific ob*ectives of the engineer performing the measurement !he primar# means of investigating the code-b#-code composition of the signal is to observe the distribution of po'er in the code domain

Code domain po'er is an anal#sis of the distribution of signal po'er across the set of code channels+ normali(ed to the total signal po'er !o anal#(e the composite 'aveform+ each code channel is decoded using a code-correlation algorithm !his algorithm determines the correlation coefficient factor for each code <nce the channels are decoded+ the po'er in each code channel is determined Code domain po'er 'as alread# used to anal#(e the code composition of 4&-3> 0!& 4n WCDMA+ the measurement is complicated b# the fact that the &. varies to accommodate the different data rates As the user rate increases+ the bit period is shorter &ince the final chip rate is constant+ fe'er <=&. code chips are accommodated 'ithin the bit period -- the &. is smaller &even sets of spreading codes are specified+ one set for each spreading factor (@+ A+ B?+ 3/+ ?@+ B/A or />?) !he <=&. codes can be allocated using the code tree sho'n in .igure / $ach code is denoted b# Cch+&.+n .or e-ample+ Cch+@+/ means channeli(ation code &. H @ and code number /

4n this tree+ <=&. codes of a certain &. are obtained b# cop#ing the mother-branch code of the previous &.+ and repeating or inverting it .or e-ample+ Cch+@+/ H (B+B+B+B) is obtained b# cop#ing and repeating Cch+/+B H (B+B)+ 'hile Cch+@+3 H (B+B+B+B) is obtained b# cop#ing Cch+/+B H (B+B) and inverting it !his code generation techni,ue is kno'n as the reverse-bit method <ne of the conse,uences of using variable &.s is that a shorter code precludes using all longer codes derived from it .igure 3 sho's this concept 4f a high data rate channel using a code of &. H @+ for e-ample+ B+B+B+B is selected+ all lo'er data rate channels using longer <=&. codes that start 'ith B+B+B+B have to be inactive+ because the# are not orthogonal

.or %1+ the ph#sical channels are 49: multiple-ed A special scrambling function (8)&6) is applied to limit the peak-to-average po'er ratio 8o'ever+ 8)&6 limits the choice of <=&. codes 4n order to benefit from 8)&6+ the <=&. codes must consist of pairs of consecutive identical chips / .or e-ample+ Cch+@+B H (B+B+B+B) 'ould meet this condition+ but Cch+@+/ H (B+B+B+B) 'ould not Careful choice of <=&. codes can lead to lo'er peak-to-average po'er ratios $-haustive simulations using complementar# cumulative distribution function (CCD.) curves led to the follo'ing standard specifications for the <=&. codesB G I !he D)CC8 is al'a#s spread b# code Cch+/>?+C H (B+B+B+B+B+ );

I When onl# one D)DC8 is to be transmitted+ it is spread b# code Cch+&.+&.9@ H (B+B+B+B+B+B+ B+B ); I When more than one D)DC8 is to be transmitted (because of high data rates)+ all D)DC8s have spreading factors e,ual to @ !'o D)DC8s can share the same code+ since one 'ould be in 4 and the other in :+ 'hich makes them orthogonal !he channeli(ation codes for the D)DC8s are defined asG Cch+@+B H (B+B+B+B) for the Bst and /nd D)DC8s; Cch+@+3 H (B+B+B+B) for the 3rd and @th D)DC8s; and Cch+@+/ H (B+B+B+B) for the >th and ?th D)DC8s $ven though the <=&. codes 'ere selected to ma-imi(e the benefits of 8)&6+ the 8)&6 re,uirements 'ould be completel# fulfilled onl# for the first t'o D)DC8s !he 'orst case of peak-to-average po'er ratio 'ould be 'hen five or si- channels are re,uired to cover the high data rates 4t is e-pected that this condition 'ill onl# occur in a ver# lo' percentage of cases 8o'ever+ this does not make solving the problem easier for the amplifier designer

4n terms of code capacit#+ channels 'ith higher data rates (lo'er &.) occup# more code space .or e-ample+ Cch+@+B occupies four times more code space than Cch+A+/ + and si-teen times more code space than Cch+B?+@ !he 'ider bars in the code domain po'er displa# represent codes 'ith lo' &. that occup# more of the code space .igure @ sho's the code domain po'er displa# for a signal 'ith a D)CC8 and 3 D)DC8s !he 3 D)DC8s (at 3?C kbps+ &. H @) are much 'ider than the D)CC8 (at B> kbps+ &. H />?) 4n order to provide this displa#+ the anal#(er must be able to identif# the &.s of the code channels being measured

!he code domain po'er measurement helps not onl# to verif# that each <=&. channel is operating at its proper amplitude+ but also to identif# problems throughout the transmitter design+ from the coding to the 2. section 4n particular+ the levels of the inactive channels can provide useful information about specific impairments 4deall#+ the level for the inactive channels 'ould be (ero 4n realit#+ signal and s#stem imperfections compromise the code orthogonalit# and result in a certain amount of the signal po'er pro*ecting onto inactive codes A real signal 'ill also have a certain noise level 'hich+ being random+ 'ill pro*ect more or less evenl# onto all codes !he pro*ection of the error is interesting because it demonstrates ho' the error po'er is distributed in the code domain 4t is desirable to have the error po'er evenl# distributed through the code domain+ rather than concentrated in a fe' codes+ to avoid code-dependent channel ,ualit# variations <ne possible cause of non-e,ual distribution of error po'er is 1< instabilit# 4n essence+ energ# is lost from the active channels and appears in those channels 'ith codes that are closel# related to the active channel codes @ 4n the case of <=&. codes+ this results in higher code domain noise for channels 'ith code assignments consecutive to the active channel code Channels 'ith the same code assignment as the active channels+ but applied in the opposite 49: path+ 'ill also be affected+ as sho'n in .igure >

)$A6 C<D$ D<MA45 $22<2 As in other digital communication s#stems+ the W-CDMA standard specifies an $=M measurement (composite $=M) as the modulation accurac# test 3+> 4n W-CDMA+ specificall# to address the possibilit# of uneven error po'er distribution+ the composite $=M measurement has been supplemented b# another test called peak code domain error+ 'hich specifies a limit for the error po'er in an# one code > !o provide this metric+ the anal#(er must pro*ect the error vector po'er on each code channel at a &. of />? !he peak code domain po'er is then calculated from the code that returns the largest error po'er relative to the reference Gaussian noise distributes the po'er evenl# through the code domain 0# contrast+ transmitter impairments t#picall# cause the highest code domain errors in the active code channels+ since the code domain energ# lost from these channels (their code domain error) is usuall# spread in several code channels .igure ? sho's the peak code domain error+ in combination 'ith the composite $=M3 + for the same signal 'ith the described 1< instabilit# problem 4n this case+ the peak code domain error is at <=&. code ?> at &. H />? (Cch+/>?+?> ) in 4 !his corresponds to <=&. code 3/ at &. H B/A (Cch+B/A+3/ ) in 4+ since Cch+B/A+3/ maps onto codes Cch+/>?+?@ and Cch+/>?+?> !he measurement displa# also sho's the peak code domain error over all the active channels 4n this case+ the peak active code domain error belongs to the D)DC8 (Cch+B/A+3/ ) !his error (B@ ?> d0) is larger than the peak code domain error at Cch+/>?+?> (B? BJ d0) because of the error po'er contribution of Cch+/>?+?@

Apart from looking at the code domain po'er and peak code domain error+ it ma# be useful to anal#(e a specific code channel !he follo'ing sections describe some anal#sis tools and ho' the# can be applied .igure J sho's ho' these measurements are calculated

&KM0<1 $=M 0# de-scrambling and de-spreading the signal+ the constellation for a specific code channel at the s#mbol level can be anal#(ed+ even in the presence of multiple code channels !he measured signal is comple- de-scrambled+ de-spread and binar# phase shift ke#ing (0)&6) decoded to bits !he ideal bits are then 0)&6 encoded to obtain the reference at the s#mbol level !his reference is compared to the measured de-spread s#mbols 3

An 2. impairment that affects s#mbol $=M 'ill also affect the composite $=M+ 'hich provides a measure of modulation ,ualit# for the composite signal at the chip level 3 .or e-ample+ an amplifier compression problem 'ould appear both in the composite $=M and in the s#mbol $=M measurement 8o'ever+ because of the spreading gain+ s#mbol $=M 'ill mute the impairment &o 'h# use s#mbol $=ML &#mbol $=M provides the bridge bet'een 2. and the demodulated bits &ince it includes the spreading gain+ it provides baseband engineers 'ith a measure of modulation ,ualit# that is closer to real life performance 4n this sense+ it can be thought of as the actual ,ualit# that the user 'ill e-perience in that channel (similar to the reciprocal of bit error rate (0$2)) !he relationship bet'een s#mbol $=M and chip $=M depends on the &. .or lo' &.s (less spreading gain)+ chip modulation errors have a significant effect on s#mbol $=M+ but for high &.s (more spreading gain)+ chip modulation errors have ver# little effect on s#mbol $=M !herefore+ there is a compromise bet'een the data rate and the modulation ,ualit# &#mbol $=M is particularl# useful to baseband digital signal processing (D&)) engineers in anal#(ing ho' the different impairments affect the ,ualit# of channels at different data rates .or e-ample+ .igure A sho's the code domain po'er measurement for t'o signals 'ith a phase error problem 0oth signals consist of a D)CC8 and a D)DC8 !he s#mbol $=M for the D)DC8 is sho'n for both cases !he D)DC8 in .igures Aa and Ac has a data rate of B> kbps 'ith &. H />? (Cch+/>?+?@ ) !he D)DC8 in .igures Ab and Ad has a data rate of @AC kbps 'ith &. H A (Cch+A+/ ) !he s#mbol $=M for the lo'er data rate channel is much lo'er (around BC percent) than that of the higher data rate channel (around /> percent)

&KM0<1 )<W$2 =$2&%& !4M$ As sho'n in .igure 3+ the po'er for a specific code channel versus time (or versus s#mbol) can also be anal#(ed !his capabilit# is particularl# useful for s#stem integrators to monitor the response of the %$ po'er control s#stem for different channels

.igure BC sho's the de-spread s#mbol po'er in combination 'ith the chip po'er for a %1 signal Anal#(ing the s#mbol po'er for a channel in combination 'ith the chip po'er versus time is particularl# useful for s#stem integrators to anal#(e the po'er amplifier response (ripple) to a po'er control command

D$M<D%1A!$D 04!& As sho'n in !able B+ the %1 D)CC8 can have different slot structures !he D)CC8 ma# consist of the pilot+ transmit po'er control (!)C)+ transport format control indicator (!.C4) and feedback information (.04) fields .igure BB sho's a slot structure e-ample for an %1 D)DC8 and D)CC8

0# obtaining the demodulated bits after 8)&6 de-scrambling and de-spreading for each code channel+ the correct bit patterns can be verified 4t is particularl# important to verif# the bits for the different D)CC8 fields+ as sho'n in .igure B/ .or e-ample+ the !)C bits should be verified+ since po'er control is critical to s#stem performance

!he demodulated bits measurement is an important troubleshooting tool for baseband engineers to identif# coding+ interleaving and po'er control bit errors 4n man# cases+ it can help clarif# situations 'here the 0!& and the %$ are having problems communicating 'ith each other Anal#(ing the demodulated bits ma# confirm 'hether the error is coming from the %$ coding and interleaving+ or from the 0!& de-interleaving and de-coding process C<5C1%&4<5 W-CDMA supports both voice and high data rate applications !he %$ can transmit several code channels to achieve high data rates in the %1 Code domain anal#sis of the W-CDMA %1 signal can help s#stem integrators+ baseband engineers and 2. engineers determine the health of the %$ transmitter and identif# man# impairments throughout its development I