GSM Handover Algorithms ----Special Subject Training

V1.4

Suitable for staff with junior P&O skill certificates (lower than certificate III) Issued by GSM Network Planning & Optimization Dept.

Version introduction
Version
V1.0 V1.4

Date

Writer

Assessor
Zheng Hao

Amendment record
None Explanation of MR is added.

2007-07-25 Chen Chun

2009-03-12 Fei Aiping Chang Haijie

Training goals
Get to know theories and classification of GSM handover; Get to know the various kinds of ZTE handover algorithms.

Contents
    

Overview of handover Flow of handovers Basic handover algorithms Advanced handover algorithms Inter-system handovers

Aims of handovers
Neighbour cell C Freq. C

Serving cell BTS Neighbour cell B Freq. B

To ensure normal phone calls

Neighbour cell A Freq. A

To improve call quality

GSM handover belongs to system hard handover.

Aims of handovers
Retrieval handoverto 

retrieve the on-going calls;

Marginal handoverto improve the on-going call;

Forced handoverto balance traffic dispersion in different cells;

handoverto reduce interference in the cell;

Intra-cell

Directed retryto

improve the call establishment rate.

Handover features
Various algorithms Various algorithms can function simultaneously; Controlled by switches; System makes handover decision automatically.

Ordering of target cells

Static priority; Resource available(%); Budget power value.

Automatic traffic balance

Directed retry; Traffic load handover started by MSC; Priority adjustment by traffic load; Force directed-shift handover;

Unique penalty mechanism

Fast-fading handover algorithm

Application scenes for handovers I

Algorithms

scenes
Traffic load handove r started by MSC Co-BCCH handover Path loss& TAbased concen tric handov er CIbased conce ntric hando ver Forc ed traffic -shift hand over

UL/DL interfer ence handov er

UL/DL quality handov er

UL/DL level handov er

Long MS-BS distanc e hando ver

UL fastfading hando ver

Macr omicro hand over

PB GT han dov er

Scenes

urban Dense urban suburb

The table is for reference only!

Application scenes for handovers II network types

Algorithms
UL/DL interfe rence hando ver UL/DL quality hando ver UL/DL level hando ver Long MSBS distan ce hando ver UL fastfadin g hand over Mac romicr o han dov er PBGT hando ver Traffic load hando ver starte d by MSC Co-BCCH handover Path loss& TAbased conce ntric hando ver CIbased conce ntric hando ver Force d trafficshift hando ver

Scenes Dual-band network Doublelayer network CO-BCCH Longdistance coverage

The table is for reference only!

Contents
    

Overview of handover Flow of handover Basic handover algorithms Advanced handover algorithms Inter-system handover

Overall handover flow

Overall handover flow

Decision of handover start

Selection of target cells

Ordering of target cells

Start of handover

What is MR?

UL MR 1. DL DTX performance 2. UL receive level/quality 3. BS Power 4. MS power level 5. TA 6. DL dynamic power control

DL MR 1. UL DTX performance 2. DL receive level/quality 3. Adjacent cell level 4. UL dynamic power control

MR cycle


MR is sent to BTS in SACCH UL direction;

 

When MS is in SDCCH, MR cycle is 470ms/time; When MS is in TCH, MR cycle is 480ms/time.

480ms

26 multimultiframes of 4 TCHs

12TCH

1SACCH

12TCH

Process of MR
Features

Number of MR shall reach the average size of window;

Consider DTX weight;

The max number of missing MR is ZeroAllowed;

When power control is on, power compensation shall be made to handover decision threshold.

Measurement report is the original data base for handover decision. ZXG10 process adopts roll average method with various weights, which can ensure smooth handover.

The max number of missing MR - ZeroAllowed



Suppose ZeroAllowed=1
MR1/PR1 MR1 MR2/PR2 MR2 MR3/PR3 MR3 MR4/PR4 MR4 MR5/PR5 MR5 MR6/PR6 MR6 MR7/PR7 MR7 Average_MR1 =(MR1+0+MR3+MR4)/(4-1) = Average_MR2 =(0+MR3+MR4+0)/4 =

missing

Handover preprocess at BTS



Suppose HOPreprocess is open and the value is 2.

MR1 Preprocess Result1 MR2 BSC MR3 Preprocess Result2 MR4

If HOPreprocess=0, how to upload MR?

Process of MR at BSC


Suppose window value=4, N=4

MR1/PR1 MR2/PR2 MR3/PR3 MR4/PR4 Average_MR3 MR5/PR5 MR6/PR6 MR7/PR7 Average_MR4

Average_MR1 Average_MR2 N/P decision

Selection of target cells



Macrocell normal TRX Macrocell special TRX Other TRX in microcell

AvRxLevNCell(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n) + MAX(0,(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)- P(n)))
condition 1 must be satisfied

Intra-cell handover

 

Handover types Inter-cell handover

2 3

PBGT(n ) > HO_MARGIN(n) AvRxLevNCell(n) > avRxLevDL + HO_MARGIN_LEVEL(n) AvRxLevNCell(n) > avRxLevDL + HO_MARGIN_QUAL(n)

Settings of cell layer & priority

Functions of cell layer structure:

  

More reasonable control of traffic dispersion; Control of traffic congestion; Backup of network capacity redundancy.

Serial
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Handover causes
CO-BCCH UL interference DL interference UL quality DL quality UL level DL level Long distance UL fast fading

Handover types Priority

Intra-cell Intra-cell Intra-cell Inter-cell Inter-cell Inter-cell Inter-cell
Algorithms Inter-cell

After Tmicro overtimes

Before Tmicro overtimes

Invalid Invalid Invalid Same layer- upper layer -lower layer Same layer- upper layer -lower layer Same layer- upper layer -lower layer Same layer- upper layer -lower layer Same layer- upper layer -lower layer First search for related cells Upper layer same layer lower layer

Invalid Invalid Invalid Upper layer same layer -lower layer Upper layer same layer -lower layer Upper layer same layer -lower layer Upper layer same layer -lower layer Upper layer same layer -lower layer Invalid

are related to their layers

Inter-cell

Serial
10

Handover causes
PBGT

Handover types
Inter-cell

Priority

After Tmicro overtimes

Before Tmicro overtimes

According to PbgtHoLayer: Same layer- upper layer lower layer Handover to lower layer According to TrafficHoLayrCtl TrafficHoFreqCtl Invalid

No cells on same layer and lower layer selected

11 12

Macro-micro time hyteresis Traffic

Inter-cell Inter-cell

No handover Invalid

13

Forced directed shift

Inter-cell

Invalid

Parameter-NcellLayer
(NcellLayer) is a mathematical array. Each element determines the layer relation between the serving cell and its adjacent cells.  The number of cells in an array rests on NcellNum.

NcellNum value 0 1 2 3 Other values N, undefined SAME, the serving cell and its adjacent cells are on the same layer UPPER, adjacent cells are on the serving cells up layer LOWER, adjacent cells are on the serving cells low layer Reserved Meaning

Layer parameter-Tmicro
Tmicro is started when the MS accesses into new channel;  The layer selection priority of target cells will be affected, if handover is started within the time set on Tmicro.  Default: 80(8s).

Tmicro 50 51 200 5s 5.1s 20s Time duration

Ordering of target cells

Layer priority of candidate cells

Static priority

Resource available(%) Dynamic priority

Power budget margin

Handover decision/ execution

Penalty strategy of inter-cell handover failure

N Handover failure? Y Start HoFailPenalTime Y Y PenalCount<3 compare the difference between adjacent cells priority and the acceptable priority The punished cell owns the highest priority? N RxLev(n)=RxLev(n)PenaltyLevOffset PenaltyCount=PenaltyCount+1 N HoFailPenalTime overtimes Y Relieve the target cell of penalty Complete handover flow PenalCount=PenalCount+ 1

N Screen the target cell

Handover decision Penalty strategy of intra-cell handover failure Start intra-cell handover? Y Start HoFailPenalTime N Other handover

N TMaxIHo overtimes Y IHoCount=0

IHoCount=IHoCount+1 TMaxIHo=0

IHoCount=MaxIHo Y Stop starting intra-cell handover

N Y Other handover requirements are satisfied?

N IHoCount=MaxIHo

Contents
    

Overview of handover Flow of handover Basic handover algorithms Advanced handover algorithms Inter-system handover

UL/DL interference handover

Y UL/DL interference handover intra-cell handover

Idle TCH available in cell? N

UL/DL quality Handover inter-cell handover

Decision of handover start:

AvRxQualUL(n) interference be Its suggested that UL/DL u InterfFQSS(n) closed in network with HF open.
255 YOffset  2 InterfFQSS(n) ! YOffset  3 YOffset  4 AvRxLevUL(n) XOffset  20 XOffset  20 e AvRxLevUL(n) XOffset  30 XOffset  30 e AvRxLevUL(n) XOffset  40 XOffset  40 e AvRxLevUL(n)

UL/DL quality handover

Decision of handover start:
AvRxQualUL>=HoUlQualThs AvRxQualDL>=HoDlQualThs

Selection of target cells:

1 2 AvRxLevNCell(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n) + MAX(0,(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)- P(n))) AvRxLevNCell(n) > AvRxLevDL + HO_MARGIN_QUAL(n)

That is: 1. Adjacent cells level must be larger than the minimum receive level set for it; 2. Adjacent cells level shall be larger than the sum of quality handover threshold and the serving cells DL level.

UL/DL level handover

Decision of handover start:
AvRxLevelUL=<HoUlLevThs AvRxLevelDL=< HoDlLevThs

Selection of target cells:

1 2 AvRxLevNCell(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n) + MAX(0,(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)- P(n))) AvRxLevNCell(n) > AvRxLevDL + HO_MARGIN_LEVEL(n)

That is: 1. Adjacent cells level must be larger than the minimum receive level set for it; 2. Adjacent cells level shall be larger than the sum of level handover threshold and the serving cells DL level.

Long BS-MS distance handover

Decision of handover start:
AvDistance>DistanceThreshold(TA)
Radio environment quality is not regarded as decision standard.

Selection of target cells:

1

AvRxLevNCell(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n) + MAX(0,(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)- P(n)))

The only condition is that the adjacent cells level is larger than the minimum receive level set for it.

Application range:
This kind of handover is usually used in networks with long distance coverage.

PBGT handover
This handover happens mostly in urban area;  It isnt for saving handover, but for better call quality.


Decision of handover start:

Make handover decision to each adjacent cell in rotation; when an adjacent cells PBGT value is higher than 0, handover condition is satisfied.

Selection of target cells:

1 2 AvRxLevNCell(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n) + MAX(0,(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n)- P(n))) PBGT(n ) > HO_MARGIN(n) That is: 1 Adjacent cells level shall be larger than the minimum receive level set for it; 2 Its power budget value shall be larger than the PBGT handover threshold set for adjacent cell.

Directed retry-decision of handover start

MS applies for TCH

Yes Assignment success

Usable TCH available? No

Successful force disconnetion, force handover and ordering

successful

Force disconnetion, force handover and ordering attempt unsuccessful

Directed retry

Yes

Directed retry switch open or not No TCH occupancy failure

Directed retry handover

   

It happens in the process of calling access; It dynamically adjusts call traffic between cells; It can lower call loss rate; Selection of target cells must fulfill condition 1.
Get to know the flow of internal & external directed retry How to control 2/3G handover priority?

Its suggested that ordering process be opened first, since its effect is better than that of directed retry.

Penalty on directed retry failure

N (N>3, failure) No candidate cells found Start the dedicated timer After timer expires Order candidat e cells Y Handover

BSC internal cells Candidate cells have no radio resources

2nd candida te cell N

Y Handover

BSC external cells

Complete

N (N>3, or T3107 expires, give up directed retry)

Failure due to radio link problem

Delete the attempt cells

2nd candida te cell

Y Handover

Contents
    

Overview of handover Flow of handover Basic handover algorithms Advanced handover algorithms Inter-system handover

UL fast fading handover

   

This is a kind of algorithm for saving handover due to UL level decrease; It is flexibly used in dense urban areas, like micro-cells, highways, corners and slopes, where in-time outgoing handovers are needed; Selection of target cell shall fulfill condition 1; Given condition 1 is fulfilled, handover to relevant cells is preferred.

MR1/PR1 MR2/PR2 MR3/PR3 MR4/PR4

P unavailable

Directly report MR to BTS

Number of consecutive handover decisions (N)

Macro-micro handover


Handover trigger conditions: measured values of adjacent cells signal strength is higher than threshold, and this reaches certain consecutive times.
AvRxLevUL(n)>= MacroMicroHoThs

Selection of target cell:  Condition 1 is fulfilled;  Layer relation with neighbor cell Lower.
Serving cell: macrocell Target cell: microcell Microcell T=-80dBm N=6

NcellLayer

is

Macrocell
Microcell

Traffic handover


When the serving cell suffers from congestion, for MS which has established a call, BSC will hand it over to an adjacent cell which can fulfill traffic handover conditions.
Adjust call traffic in different cells to reach traffic balance.

Decision of handover start:

TCHBusyPercent>TrafficThs
Excluding congested TCHs; Regardless dynamic HR and dynamic PDTCH.

Selection of target cell:

Condition 1 PBGT(n) > TrafficLevThs

MSC-started traffic load handover

  

Its started by MSC; Select at most NumOfMS calls; Handover from high loaded cells to low loaded ones.
Inter-BSC load adjustment; No data configuration needed at radio side.

Note: Precondition for this handover algorithm: MSC starts the function, and BSC supports load report. Currently, no manufacturer makes this function open. ?????

Forced directed-shift handover

The last means to adjust traffic;

Mainly used in CO-BCCH cells;

Features
Applicable scenes:900M 1800M cell of the same direction;


Target cell must be forced firected shift handover cell.



Forced directed-shift handover strategy

Decision of handover start:
PathLoss(n)<=MaxLossThs
Only based on Path loss

TA(n)<=MaxTAThs MaxTAThs=63 MaxLossThs =150

Only based on TA

Selection of target cell:

PBGT value must be larger than the difference between PBGT threshold and MaxForceHoDiff; Usable resource in target cell must be larger than HoForceResThs; Target cell must be the one for dorced directed-shift handover.

Comparison between Forced directed-shift handover and other types of handover

Compared with PBGT handover Usually they are valid at the same time, but PBGTs priority is higher than that of forced directed-shift handover;  The MaxLevDiff of forced directed-shift handover must be smaller than the value of reverse PBGT, or Pingpong handover will be resulted.


Compared with directed retry

Forced directed-shift is the handover between two TCHs during call process; Directed retry is carried out when applying for TCH during call access.

Compared with traffic handover

Different trigger conditions (forced directed-shift handover is triggered by MS, traffic handover is triggered by BSC.)  Different handover flows.


Co-BCCH handover-subcell


Co-BCCH

Carriers in different frequency bands belong to different subcells; Configuration of subcell The first subcell is configured with BCCH. Co-channel cell Concentric circle advance technology; Subcells are allowed to make power control respectively.

The first The subce secon lld subce ll

Co-BCCH handover trigger decision

too small pathloss &TA

PathLoss<=PathLossMin And TA<= SubCellTAMin

The second subcell

Based on pathloss &TA

Decisi on of hando ver trigge r

too large pathloss &TA

PathLoss>= PathLossMax Or TA>= SubCellTAMax

C/I good

C/I>= GoodCiThs
The first subcell

Based on C/I

C/I bad

C/I=< BadCiThs

Contents
    

Overview of handover Flow of handover Basic handover algorithms Advanced handover algorithms Inter-system handover

Options of inter-system (2G-UMTS/TD) handover strategy

MSC side Handover to 3G preferred Handover to 3G NOT preferred Handover to 3G inhibited

BSC side Handover to 3G preferred Handover to 3G preferred Handover to 3G NOT preferred Handover to 3G inhibited Handover to 3G preferred BSC control preferred Handover to 3G NOT preferred Handover to 3G inhibited

Handover to 3G NOT preferred

Handover to 3G inhibited

Handover to 3G inhibited

Handover to 3G inhibited

Handover to 3G inhibited

Description of inter-system (2G-UMTS/TD) handover strategy

3G cell preferred
Valid decision 3G handover decision Null decision 2G handover decision & selection of target cell; Start 3G handover, no more attempt to 2G;

Saving handover Valid decision

Select a 3G cell as candidate, try it if there is no usable radio resource available in 2G cell;

2G cell preferred

2G Handove r decision

Non-saving handover

3G cells are not for candidates;

Null decision

3G handover decision & selection of target cell;

3G cell inhibited

Inter-system handover is inhibited; handover algorithms are the

same as those of 2G.

Questions:
 

Please simply describe the relation between layer and priority in handover algorithms; Please enumerate radio parameters of 2-3G handover.