Locating

Introduction Ericsson 1 Ericsson 3 Urgency conditions

Quality Timing Advance

Auxiliary functions
Intra-cell handover Hierarchical cell structures
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Locating Algorithm
Works out conditions for handover decisions for MS in active mode Inputs to algorithm are
Signal strength measurements Quality measurements

Output is list of candidate cells for handover

Cells are ranked and sorted in descending order of preference for handover

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Basic Cell Ranking
Two algorithms
Ericsson 1: signal strength & path loss Ericsson 3: signal strength only

Common process stages

Correction of base station output power
different levels possible on BCCH/TCH carriers

Calculation of minimum signal strength

Thresholds MSRXMIN (DL) and BSRXMIN (UL) SSmin = min (MSRXMIN, BSRXMIN)

Application of signal strength penalties

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What happened to Ericsson 2 ??? Algorithms aim to let TCH carriers control cell borders. Corrected signal strength SS_DLn in neighbour cell n: for different output powers between BCCH (BSPWR) and other carriers BSTXPWR: SS_DLn = rxlevn + BSTXPWRn BSPWRn Minimum signal strength conditions: SS_DLn >= MSRXMINn SS_ULn >= BSRXMINn Where SS_DL is estimated by calculating DL path loss and subtracting from maximum MS output power. SS_ULn = min(P,MSTXPWRn) (BSTXPWRn SS_DLn) Penalties are added to make it more difficult to handover to unsuitable cells. This is done by subtracting a signal value from the signal strength estimate for the unwanted cell, making it look worse than it really is. Penalties are applied for handover failure, bad quality urgency handover and excessive timing advance. A penalty is removed after the penalty duration has expired.

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Sufficient Level Condition
Threshold separating low signal strength cells from high signal strength cells
DL min level UL min level B DL effective sufficient level UL effective sufficient level

A
high signal strength low signal strength

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Cells satisfying minimum condition are processed for sufficient condition. Calculation of sufficient level: s=serving cell, n=neighbour cell SS_DLn >= MSRXSUFFn TROFFSETn,s + TRHYSTn,s SS_ULn >= BSRXSUFFn TROFFSETn,s + TRHYSTn,s Solid lines in diagram represent final combined UL and DL condition. Sufficient level for a serving cell may be different in relation to each different neighbour cell. Setup shown in diagram is valid only for BS pair A,B. It would be different for BS pair A,C.

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Ranking signal strength (K) criterion
Signal strength relative to sufficient level
K-cells = Low signal strength cells,

K values are
K_DLn,s = SS_DLn,s MSRXSUFFn,s K_Uln,s = SS_ULn,s BSRXSUFFn,s

Effective K value is minimum of UL and DL K values modified by KHYST and KOFFSET

K ranking
K_RANKn= min(K_DLn, K_ULn) KOFFSETn,s KHYSTn,s Cells are ranked with the highest K_RANK first

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To rank the serving cell as K or L, the sufficient level is evaluated with respect to the best neighbour n1. If K-cell, then it is ranked with the other Kcells. Otherwise, it is ranked with the L-cells. KHYST is used to decrease ranking values to underrate neighbour cells to prevent ping pong handovers. Defined for a pair of cells and is always symmetrical KHYSTa,b = KHYSTb,a KOFFSET if positive decreases ranking value and if negative increases ranking value. The cell border is displaced AWAY from cell with positive value, and moved TOWARD the cell with a negative value. It is defined antisymmetrical for a pair of cells: KOFFSETa,b = -KOFFSETb,a

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Ranking path loss (L) criterion
Path loss is assumed symmetrical
Applied to high signal strength cells

Path Loss values

p_Ln,s = BSTXPWRn,s SS_DLn,s

L ranking values
L_RANKs = p_Ls L_RANKn = p_Ln + LOFFSETn,s + LHYSTn,s Cells are ranked with the lowest L_RANK first

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LHYST and LOFFSET have the same properties as the K counterparts. Path Loss criterion is independent of BS and MS power ratings. It facilitates transfer of calls from big cell (strong interference) to small cells (less interference). L-criterion should lower overall statistical interference in network

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Basic Ranking Candidate List
Best cell Highest L-Rank (lowest path loss)

L-cells list
Lowest L-Rank Highest K-Rank (highest signal level)

K-cells list
Worst cell Lowest K-Rank

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Ericsson 3
Considers only signal strength Ranking values
RANKs = SS_DLs RANKn = SS_DLn OFFSETn,s HYSTn,s where HYST = LOHYST if rxlevDLS < HYSTEP HYST = HIHYST if rxlevDLS HYSTEP HYSTEP indicates Low or High signal strength for serving cell

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The effects of OFFSET and HYST are similar to those described for Ericsson1. HYSTEP specifies when signal strength is high or low for serving cell. When high, a larger hysteresis value can be allowed than when it is low, in order to reduce the number of handovers. LOHYST and HIHYST are symmetrical and OFFSET is anti-symmetrical, defined for a pair of cells. HYSTEP is a cell parameter.

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Urgency Condition: Bad Quality
Handover is initiated when rxqual exceeds specified thresholds, even if the level is good
rxqualUL > QLIMUL or rxqualDL > QLIMDL

Handover is allowed to cell of lower ranking, but not to cell with worse quality.
BQOFFSET, applied to K-rank and L-rank values, defines how far from nominal border MS can be to qualify for the quality handover.

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When BQ urgency exists, unsuitable neighbours are removed from candidate list. Signal strength of serving cell is compared with signal strength of candidates, and those cells with large differences are removed from the list. Ericsson1 If K_RANKn K_RANKs < -KHYSTn,s BQOFFSETn,s remove n. If L_RANKn L_RANKs > LHYSTn,s BQOFFSETn,s remove n. Ericsson3 If RANKn RANKs < -HYSTn,s BQOFFSETn,s remove n.

Nominal cell border B Hysteresis corridor BQ urgency region

BQOFFSETb,a A BQ urgency HO prohibited

If BQ urgency handover performed, a penalty value PSSBQ and penalty duration PTIMBQ are applied to prevent immediate handover back to the old cell.

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Urgency Condition: Timing Advance
Timing advance (TA) can be used as a soft cell limiter, to force small cells TALIM is the defined cell limit, maximum (63 bits or 35 km). TA urgency occurs if TAs TALIM Urgent handover is performed to neighbour cells where TAn < TALIMs If no suitable candidate found, call remains on serving cell

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If TA urgency handover performed, a penalty value PSSTA and penalty duration PTIMTA is applied to prevent immediate handover back to the old cell.

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Auxiliary network functions
Assignment to another cell Hierarchical cell structures Dynamic overlaid/underlaid subcells Intra-cell handover Extended range Cell load sharing

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Assignment to another cell: performed only a certain period after immediate assignment. where a better cell other than the serving cell is found, this cell is first in the locating candidate list, and setup is assignment to better cell. where congestion exists on serving or better cell, assignment to worse cell can be made. Hierachical cells: Up to three layers, used for directing traffic from higher to lower layers. Higher layers to pick up traffic when congestion or coverage problems occur. Overlaid/Underlaid: for increasing traffic capacity. Overlaid cell serves smaller area, smaller re-use distance possible. Extended Range: allows cells with radius up to 72 km. Cell Load Sharing: enables traffic load sharing during peak traffic when traffic load exceeds a defined threshold. All calls close to border to cells with low load (below defined threshold) become load sharing candidates. The ranking values for candidate neighbour cells are recalculated using reduced hysteresis values.

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Intra-cell handover
Try to find another frequency and/or timeslot in the same cell with better quality Only if RxQual is bad AND RxLev is good
RxQual_UL/DL > QOFFSETUL/DL + FQSS(RXLEV_UL/DL +SSOFSETUL/DL)
RxLev_DL/UL = actual measured signal strengths, no pc compensation FQSS = quality vs signal strength function

Does not work for:

BCCH downlink Random frequency hopping

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QOFFSETUL/DL: quality offset parameters uplink/downlink SSOFSETUL/DL: signal strength offset parameters uplink/downlink FQSS table
RXLEV <=30 31 32-35 36-38 39-41 42-45 46-48 49-52 53-55 56-58 59-62 >=63 rxqual infinity 60 59 58 57 56 55 54 53 52 51 50

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Hierarchical cell structures
Up to three cell layers
Can be configured as an umbrella layer over a microcell layer Dual band network can be configured as different layers

Aim to carry most traffic on the smaller/lower layer cells. Handover to a higher layer if lower layer congested or coverage problems exist Cells in different layers ranked separately
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