Course Content

• Radio Resource Management Overview

• Parameter Configuration
• Common Channels & Power Control
• Load Control
• Admission Control
• Packet Scheduling incl. HSDPA
• Handover Control
• Resource Manager

1 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Course Objectives
At the end of the course you will be able to:

• Describe the difference between controllable and non-controllable loads

• Describe the difference between preventive and over overload threshold
• Describe the relationships of Load Control with Admission Control and Packet
Scheduler
• Name and describe summarily the main RAN parameters related to load control

2 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Control

• Load Control Functions

• Radio Interface Load
• BTS Measurements

3 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Control Functional Overview
• LC is a cell based RRM Function, utilising cell specific:
• thresholds set by RNP, RNC
• load measurements,
• AC, PS & LC algorithms.
LC
PS
• Main functions of LC are: RM
• to maximise capacity,
AC
• preventive load control,
• overload control.

• LC performs the function of load control in association with AC & PS

• LC Updates load status using resource measurements & estimations provided by AC and
PS

• Continuously feeds cell load information to the other RRM functions, e.g. PS and AC

• SHO LC in RNC consists of MS specific part and cell specific part. The UE specific part is
the controlling entity between the cell specific entities (LC, AC and PS)

4 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Control Functional Overview
RRM in RNC

parameters
when changed Load change info
AC
Load status request 3 Load change
estimations
BS
parameters
Radio Resource PS
Indication Period
LC measurements
Load status
Load change
2 estimations
CCH load
measurement measurements estimations
period
Scheduling period
NRT load 3
RL measurement
reporting period
1

5 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Control Functional Overview
LC includes the following load status reports and load control parameters:
Parameters related to the LC, which are common for AC, LC and PS:
1 • PrxTarget [dB], PtxTarget [dBm]
• PrxOffset [dB], PtxOffset [dB]
• PrxNoise [dBm]

2 Cell load status, including the load measurement results:

In the Radio Resource Indication Message:
• PrxTotal [dBm]
• PtxTotal [dBm]
• RACH load (# of received RACH preambles during the measurement period)
In the Radio Link Measurement Report:
• PtxAverage [dBm]

3 Estimated cell load:

• PrxNc [dBm], PtxNc [dBm] – updated by LC
• PrxRTinacitive [dBm], PtxRTinacitve [dBm] – updated by LC
• PrxNRT [dBm], PrxNRT [dBm] – updated by PS
• Lrt – updated by AC
• Lnrt – updated by PS

6 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Control
• Introduction/Functions
• Radio Interface Load
• BTS Measurements

7 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Estimation Methods
I oth
i=
I own
Throughput
based threshold
Wideband power level

(coverage)

Wideband power
Itotal

based threshold
i=0
i=0.5

i=1

Own cell load factor

η
(capacity)
8 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim
 Througput Based Load Estimation
• The downlink load of the cell can be estimated by using the sum of the downlink allocated bit
rates as follows
N

∑R
j =1
j

η DL =
R max Max. allowed throughtput of the cell

• The uplink load of the cell can be estimated by using the sum of the load factors of the users
connected to this cell.

N
η UL = (1 + i ) ⋅ ∑ load j
j =1

9 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Power Based Load Estimation- Nokia way
• The downlink load of the cell can be estimated by dividing the total downlink transmission
power, Ptx_total by the maximum Node B transmission power Ptx_BTS,max.

Ptx _ total
η DL =
Ptx _ BTS ,max

• The uplink fractional load can be estimated with Prx_noise, the background and receiver noise
and Prx_total, the total received power, according to this formula:

Prx _ noise 1
ηUL = 1 − = 1−
Prx _ total NR

Prx _ oth + Prx _ own Prx _ total − Prx _ noise Prx _ noise 1
η= = = 1− = 1−
Prx _ total Prx _ total Prx _ total NR

10 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Radio Interface Load
• The BTS measures the total received power (PrxTotal) and the total transmitted power
(PtxTotal) on cell basis

• The BTS reports PrxTotal and PtxTotal of each cell to the RNC by sending RADIO
RESOURCE INDICATION message periodically (RRIndicationPeriod)

• LC updates cell load status for each cell based on RADIO RESOURCE INDICATION

• LC updates non-controllable UL (PrxNC) and DL (PtxNC) load in cell (see AC)

• AC and PS algorithms work on the current cell load status provided by LC

• Denying call admission (AC) and throttling back NRT traffic (PS) are the overload
actions

• After scheduling PS provides LC with PrxNRT, PtxNRT & LNRT estimates

• After admitting RT RAB, AC provides LC with NC load increase estimate

11 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 System Noise

• System noise (PrxNoise) is the sum of all stationary noises;

• thermal noise
• interference caused by spurious emissions of other systems,
• noise cause by additional equipment such as repeaters
• PrxNoise can vary place to place and even time to time
• PrxNoise (-101.9dBm) is a RNP parameter whose setting affects the capacity of cell
• PrxNoise too low: overestimation of cell load and can lead to unnecessary call blocking
• PrxNoise too high: underestimation of cell load and can lead to overload situation

12 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Derivation of Prx_noise Figure = –101.9dBm
Uplink
Uplink
RECEIVING END BS
• Thermal Noise density [dBm/Hz] is defined as: RECEIVING END
Thermal Noise Density
Thermal Noise Density
dBm/Hz
dBm/Hz
BS
-173.83
-173.83
BTS Receiver Noise Figure dB 6.00
BTS Receiver Noise Figure dB 6.00
kT BTS Receiver Noise Density dBm/Hz -167.83
Thermal _ Noise _ Density = 10 * Log ( ) BTS Receiver Noise Density
BTS Noise Power [NoW]
dBm/Hz
dBm
-167.83
-101.99
0.001 BTS Noise Power [NoW] dBm -101.99

⇒ where k is Boltzman's constant [1.38*10^-23] and T is the temperature in Kelvin

[T=300 kelvin]
⇒ Therefore, thermal noise density is approx. -173.83 dBm/Hz
• Receiver noise figure [dB]
⇒ equipment specific values which are assumed to be 6dB (4dB + 2dB tolerance) at
the BS and 8dB at the MS
• Receiver Noise Density [dBm/Hz]
⇒ Receiver noise density is the sum of the thermal noise density and the receiver
noise figure.
⇒ BTS receiver noise figure = 4dB + 2dB tolerance
⇒ Thermal Noise density [dBm/Hz] + Receiver noise figure [dB] = Receiver Noise
Density [dBm/Hz] = -173.83 dBm/Hz + 6dB = -167.83dBm/Hz
• In order to calculate the Noise power of the receiver (minimum baseband signal
strength at the receiver i.e. the receiver sensitivity for the non loaded network), the
receiver noise density has to be scaled to the WCDMA carrier bandwidth
⇒ Receiver Noise Power [dBm] = Receiver Noise Density [dBm/Hz] +
13 © NOKIA
10log 10(3.84*10
RANPAR Version
6) = -167.83 + 65.84 = -101.99 dBm
2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim
 PrxNoise Autotuning Algorithm
• RNC provides tools to measure unloaded system noise, PrxUnloaded, and tools to
adjust PrxNoise parameter based on these measurements
• PrxTotal = PrxUnloaded when own cell is considered unloaded (or very low load);
Own Cell;
LRT ≤ UnloadedRT and
LNRT ≤ UnloadedNRT
UnloadedRT and UnloadedNRT are hidden hardcoded RNC parameters (value settings
for NRT: 1 %, RT: 2 %)
LRT and LNRT are fractional UL load factor for own cell RT (AC estimates) & PS users (PS
estimates)
• RNC calculates averaged PrxUnloaded values using a mean filter to remove
temporary interference peaks
• PrxNoise is updated by the autotuning algorithm based on PrxUnloaded
• PrxNoise autotuning step size is limited by PrxNoiseMaxTuneAbsolute parameter
• Maximum autotuning is 20dB

14 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 UL Preventive & Overload Thresholds

Overloaded Area
total received power
Prx Total [dB]

PrxTarget [dB] + PrxOffset [dB]

Marginal Load Area Prx Target [dB]

Feasible Load Area

load factor
η
15 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim
 UL Preventive Thresholds
Preventive threshold = PrxTarget

• Prx Target is relative to the system noise, it gives an upper threshold for the noise rise
• Target threshold defines the optimal operating point of the cell load, up to which PS &
AC can operate normally and is calculated from the UL loading (η) value:

PrxTarget = − 10 ⋅ Log 10 (1 − η ) [dB ]

• If cell load exceeds these limits then AC & PS move to PREVENTIVE STATE function
• New RT RABs are blocked, and PS can't schedule more NRT bit rates in the cell

PrxTarget
range: 0...30 dB, step 0.1 dB
default: 4 dB
(e.g. in CHT project, 30dB to effectively disable UL Load Control due to PHS spurious interference)

16 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 UL Overload Thresholds
Overload threshold = PrxTarget + PrxOffset
• Overload Threshold defines the limit when the cell is considered to be overloaded
• If load in the cell exceeds these limits then AC & PS move to OVERLOAD STATE function
• New calls are blocked, and PS starts to decrease NRT bit rates in the cell

PrxOffset
range: 0...6 dB, step 0.1 dB
default: 1 dB

17 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 DL Preventive & Overload Thresholds
Cell Maximum
total transmitted

Overloaded Area
Ptx Total [dBm]
power

Ptx Target [dBm] + PtxOffset [dB]

Marginal Load Area
Ptx Target [dBm]

Feasible Load Area

load factor
η
18 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim
 DL Preventive Thresholds
Preventive threshold = PtxTarget
• Target threshold defines the optimal operating point of the cell load, up to which PS &
AC can operate normally
• If cell load exceeds these limits then AC & PS move to PREVENTIVE STATE function
• New RT RABs are blocked, and PS can't schedule more NRT bit rates in the cell

PtxTarget
range: -10...50 dBm, step 0.1 dB
default: 42 dBm (WPAB) / 45dBm (WPAD)

• Default value depends on the cell max TX power (WPAB=43dBm (20W); WPAD=46dBm
(40W)): in case the cell max power is 43 dBm, the PtxTarget should be 42 dBm and if cell
max power is 46dBm, the PtxTarget should be 45dBm.

19 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 DL Overload Thresholds
Overload threshold = PtxTarget + PtxOffset
• Overload Threshold defines the limit when the cell is considered to be overloaded
• If load in the cell exceeds these limits then AC & PS move to OVERLOAD STATE function
• New calls are blocked, and PS starts to decrease NRT bit rates in the cell

PtxOffset
range: 0...6 dB, step 0.1 dB
default: 1 dB

The default value is given for 20W WPAB and 40W WPAD!

20 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Load Control
• Introduction/Functions
• Radio Interface Load
• BTS Measurements

21 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Prx and Ptx Total Measurements
0 1 2 ... 14
Frame Prx and Ptx Total
measurements
14
Prx / tx Total = ∑P
0
rx / tx Total
PrxTotal/PtxTotal

Frame average measurements

22 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Alpha Trimmed Filter
Ptx/Prx MeasAveWindow
PrxTotal/PtxTotal

1. Frame average measurement values are sorted

into frames consisting of Ptx/Prx MeasAveWindow
values
2. (Ptx/Ptx MeasAveWindow ∗ Ptx/Prx Alpha)
lowest and highest values are removed
3. (Ptx/Ptx MeasAveWindow ∗ (1-Ptx/Prx Alpha))
values remain
4. Remaining values are used by the BTS for average
Prx/Ptx Total calculation and are sent to the RNC
every RRIndPeriod
23 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim
 Example
Prx/PtxMeasAveWindow = 10
Prx/PtxAlpha = 0.2
Frame averages are sorted into groups consisting of 10 values
2 lowest and 2 highest values are excluded (0.2 ∗10)
Final Prx_total & Ptx_total averages are calculated using 6 remaining values

(1−α ) NoFrames
Prx/Ptx 1
Prx _ total =
(1 − 2α )NoFrames ∑y k
k =αNoFrames +1

1 8
Prx _ total = ∑ yk
6 k =3
(1−α ) NoFrames
1
Ptx _ total =
(1 − 2α )NoFrames ∑y k
k =αNoFrames +1

Frame average measurements 1 8

Ptx _ total = ∑ yk
6 k =3
24 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim
 Parameters
• Prx/PtxMeasAveWindow
• The parameter defines the number of frames used for long term averaging at the
BS of the short term (frame based) averages of Prx/PtxTotal measurements
range: 10...200 frames, step 1 frame
default: 10 frames (during one RRI period when RRI=500 ms)
• In case the measured values are fluctuating very much, the averaging period could
be made longer to get better PS performance

• Prx/PtxAlpha

• Defines the type of measurement filter used for the total received wideband power
(PrxTotal) in a cell. If the value is 0, pure sliding window mean filter is used and if
the value is 0.5, sliding window median filter is used. If the value is between 0 -
0.5, trimmed mean filter is used
range: 0... 0.5, step 0.05 default: 0

25 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Radio Resource Indication Period

BTS Measurements

RRI Period

26 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Radio Resource Indication Period
•RRIndPeriod

•The parameter defines the reporting period of the RADIO RESOURCE INDICATION
messages, which are used for cell based load measurements.
range: 0...2000 ms, step 100 ms default: 500ms

• The BTS informs the RNC about the current load at the radio interface from the
radio resource point of view and the load of every RACH in each cell.

• For that purpose the BTS sends periodically a Radio Resource Indication message
to the RNC

• In the Radio Resource Indication message the BTS reports periodically:

• the total uplink interference power of the cells
• the total transmitted power of the cell,
• and RACH load (average number of RACH received per radio frame)

27 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 RACH Measurements

• A BTS measures RACH load of cell, and reports it to the RNC using the RADIO
RESOURCE INDICATION message
• RACH load includes following measurements:
• RACH load: Averaged number of received RACH preambles per radio frame during the
reporting period
• RACH decoded messages: Averaged number of all decoded RACH messages per radio frame
during the reporting period
• Successfully decoded messages: Averaged number of successfully decoded RACH messages
per radio frame during the reporting period

• Reporting is controlled by parameters RRIndicationPeriod & RACHLoadIndicationPeriod

which the BTS receives in the CONFIGURATION DATA message

28 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 RACH Measurements

• RACHLoadIndicationPeriod
• The parameter defines the reporting period of the PRACHs in a BTS. The BTS may
report load figures to the RNC in every Nth (N=1-20) NBAP Radio Resource
Indication message. Value 0 of the parameter means that the BTS does not report
the load information for RACH.
range: 1...20, step 1 default: 1

29 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Connection Based Measurements
• A base station measures:
• transmission power of one carrier
• one scrambling code
• one channelisation code
and averages it during the reporting period. BTS reports transmitted code powers using dedicate
RADIO LINK MEASUREMENT REPORT message.

• Reporting is controlled by RLMeasRepPeriod parameter, which the BTS receives from

the RNC in the CONFIGURATION DATA message.

• These measurement reports are used as an input for defining initial power for PS and AC

• The report affects the accuracy of PS and AC initial power definition

30 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim

 Connection Based Measurements

• RLMeasRepPeriod
• range: 0...2000 ms, step 100 ms default: 500 ms
• Bigger value decreases Iub signalling load, smaller value increases accuracy
• Value 0 = OFF

31 © NOKIA RANPAR Version 2.0 / 02.2006 / rlim