A SIMPLE MAPPING FROM C/I TO FER AND BER FOR A GSM TYPE OF

AIR-INTERFACE
J eroen Wigard and Preben Mogensen
Center for Personkommunikation, Aalborg University
Fredrik Bajers Vej 7A, DK-9220 Aalborg @st, Denmark
e-mail: jw@cpk.auc.dk
Abstract: To evaluate the performance of a mobile
radio system, both network and link quality aspects
have to be evaluated. A network simulator is often
used to find the influence of different system
parameters, such as DTX, frequency hopping and
power control. To complete the evaluation, a link
simulator has to be integrated in the network
simulator, so that each radio link can be simulated.
An obvious method to integrate the radio link quality
aspects with the network simulator is to use the
output of the network part of the simulator as input
for an integrated link simulator. This will however
lead to time consuming simulations. I n this paper a
simpler method is presented, which leads to a shorter
simulation time. The output of the network part of
the simulator, expressed in signal to interference
(CA) values, is used as input for look up tables,
which lead to a BER and a Frame Erasure Rate
(FER) for each radio link. These look up tables are
depending on the hopping pattern and channel
profile and they are also receiver dependent. The
results of the mapping method are good, except for a
few situations, where the prediction of the FER goes
wrong. This happens when sequential hopping with a
few frequencies is used and the speed of the mobile
user is low. I n general the presented predictions are
within 1 dB (FER) and within 0.2 dB (BER).
I. Introduction
The evaluation of the performance of a mobile radio
communications system can be a quite time consuming
task, because both the system aspects have to be
evaluated and each single radio link has to be analyzed.
Often after analyzing the influence of different network
aspects (DTX, frequency hopping, power control, etc.)
in a network simulation a signal to interference (CA)
value is available for each radio link for each burst
[1][2]. It is desirable to know to what BER and FER
these C/I values lead for each mobile connection,
because that says something about the actual
0-7803-3692-5/96 0 1996 IEEE
performance, which the user hears. Of course it would
be possible to use the C/I values as input for an
integrated link simulator, which includes all the
operations in the radio link, such as modulation, coding
and a fading channel, but that would be quite time
consuming.
In this paper a faster method is presented, to include the
radio link aspects in network simulations and get the
BER and FER per mobile connection as output. Lookup
tables, which use the C/I values as input, are used to find
the number of errors per burst. The sum of the number
of errors of 8 halfbursts (the interleaving depth in GSM)
is then used as input of a second lookup table, which
gives the probability of a Frame Erasure. This lookup
method looks like the 2 step lookup method, described
in [ 3] , but is simpler.
The mapping is only described for GSM TCH channels
and the look up tables are only valid for a GSM Typical
Urban (TU) channel profile and they are receiver
dependent. However it is possible to do the same for
other channel profiles, other receivers and different
communication systems.
In paragraph 11the GSM link simulator, which was used
to make the lookup tables, is described. A description
and evaluation of the mapping methods can be found in
paragraph IlI. Finally in paragraph IVa conclusion and
summary is given.
11. GSM Link Simulator
The GSM link simulator includes all aspects of the
mobile radio link. A model of the simulator can be seen
in Figure 1. The output consists of the BER and the FER
as a function of C/I or E&,.
First the bits of a data frame are channel encoded and
interleaved. Then a GSM full rate traffic burst is
composed and modulated. The modulated burst then is
passed through a fading multipath channel, which also
includes an addition of Gaussian white noise. The look
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up tables are created with the GSM Typical Urban
Channel model (41. CO-channel interference is added,
like it is shown in Figure 1. This can be one interferer or
multiple interferers. The result is passed to the receiver
part. The data receiver is a Soft Decision 16 state
Viterbi Algorithm (SOVA). It should be noted that the
type of data-receiver has a strong impact on the
frequency hopping performance. A soft decision type
gives much improved performance, compared to the
conventional hard decision type, because the channel
decoding algorithm (also a Viterbi algorithm) can
distinguish between 'good and 'bad' received bits when
soft information is available.
Desi red si gnal
l nterfersnce
frame measures
4
I I burst measures
C/I or Eb/NO
F@
Figure 1: Model of the GSM link simulator
When the link simulator is used to calculate the BER
and the FER, the average C/I is constant during a run,
but the instantaneous C/I changes due to fast fading and
frequency hopping (if specified). The instantaneous C/I
values, together with the corresponding number of errors
in that burst (burst measure) and the presence of a frame
erasure in the frame (frame measure), can be saved to be
used for creating the lookup tables.
111. Two Step Mapping Method
The mapping from C/I values to Frame Erasure Rate
(FER) is done in two steps:
1. First the C/I of every burst is translated to a number
of biterrors by using the first lookup table.
2. The sum of the estimated number of errors of 8
following halfbursts (the interleaving depth in
GSM) is summed and the result is used to find the
Frame Erasure Probability (FEP) in the second
lookup table.
This frame erasure probability can be used together with
a random generator to calculate the FER of a
connection. In this section the lookup tables are
described as well as the way they are created.
A. Lookup table for the number of errors
This lookup table is used to find the number of errors in
a burst, when the C/I of that burst is known. The number
of bit errors in a burst is depending on:
Noise.
Interference. This includes co-channel and adjacent
channel interference.
Frequency Selective fading At relatively high data
rates the channel frequency response is no longer flat
across the channel bandwidth and this introduces
intersymbol interference (ISI). ,
In this paper we have concentrated us at the last two
aspects, but a relation between the noise and the number
of errors can derived with the same method as we use to
find the relation between C/I and the number of errors.
In Figure 2 the relation between EbNo in a burst and
the number of errors in that burst can be seen.
n
-15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15
EbMo in burst [dB]
0
Figure 2 The mean and the standarddeviation of the number of
errors per EbNo in the burst.
As said in the beginning of this section the number of
errors is not only depending on the C/I, but also on
frequency selective fading, which causes ISI. In a burst
where the desired signal is in a fade, it is most likely that
IS1 occurs. In Figure 3 the relation between the number
of errors and the C/I can be seen. Five curves can be
seen. One curve represents the standard deviation, if one
average curve was used and the other four represent the
following cases:
The received signal strength of a burst (burst-RSSI)
is greater than the mean signal strength (mean-RSSI).
So the relative burst-RSSI (=burst-RSSUmean-RSSI)
is greater than 0 dB. So the signal is not being in a
fade.
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The relative burst-RSSI is smaller than 0 dB, but
greater than -6 dB. So the signal is in a non-deep
fade.
The relative burst-RSSI is smaller than -6 dB, but
greater than -9 dB. This means that the signal is in a
medium deep fade.
The relative burst-RSSI is smaller than -9 dB. This
means that the signal is in a deep fade.
The Figure shows that the mean of the number of errors
is depending of the fading pattern of the desired signal.
The 4 classes are chosen, because within these classes
the number of errors as function of C/I does not change
significantly.
60
-A- -6 dB< rel. burst RSSl <O dB
dB< rei. burst RSSl <-6 d 6
* 50
i ! burst RSSl <-9 dB
3
40
P
0, 30
0
L 20
Q
P
e
5
U-
5
2 1 0
0
-1 5 -1 0 -5 0 5 10 15
Ch in burst [dB]
Figure3 The mean of the number of errors per CA value for
different fading depths of the desired signal and the standard
deviation ifone general curve was used.
The standard deviation in Figure 3 is quite small and
since the depicted standard deviation is the one of the
average curve (that is the average of the 4 curves), the
standard deviation of each of the 4 curves is even
smaller. The curves in Figure 3 are used to map the C/I
value of each burst to a number of errors in that burst.
We controlled the results by comparing the results with
the BER of the GSM link simulator. The outcome of the
comparison are very good. Within 0.2 dB we are able to
predict the BER with the usc of the look up tables.
The comparison was done for a TU3 with hopping
testprofile. However since the raw biterror rate is not
depending on hopping and only depending on speed,
when the speed is very high, this mapping can be used
for all TU profiles with a mobile station speed of less
than 100 km/h.
B. Lookup table for frame erasure probability
The mapping of the sum of the number of errors of eight
following halfbursts to the Frame Erasure Probability
(FEP) is, in contrast with the mapping to BER,
depending on speed, load and on the hopping [5] [6].
This dependency is caused by three factors:
interference diversity in case of random hopping.
frequency diversity in case of hopping and/or
medium high speed.
soft information, which changes with changes in
hopping, load and speed.
By mapping the C/I first to number of errors per burst,
summing the number of bursts of eight halfbursts and
map the result to FEP we have already compensated for
the gain of the frequency diversity and interference
diversity, because those gains are caused by spreading of
the errors over 8 different halfbursts. However the gain
from soft information is difficult to predict, so we have
studied the mapping for diverse hopping patterns and
different load in the case of TU3 and TU50 in order to
find the influence of the soft information.
1) TU3
By performing Monte Carlo simulations with the link
simulator mapping curves for the FEP can be made.
These curves can be seen in Figure 4. The FEP as
function of the number of errors in eight following
halfbursts can be seen for a TU3 channel with
interference according to the GSM-5.05 test conditions
[4]. The testconditions consist of 1 interfering signal,
which is always on, as described in the GSM
specifications.
1
0.8
0.6
P
W
!A
0.4
0.2
TU3 SH3
0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
bit errors in 8 halfbursts
Figure 4 Mapping curves for TU3 in the case of testconditions and
non hopping, sequential hopping with 2 and 3 frequencies and a
general curve.
80
The testconditions have been simulated with non
hopping, sequential hopping with 2, 3, 4 and 8
frequencies and with random hopping with 2, 3,4, 8 and
12 frequencies.
It can be seen that only the area between 25 errors and
120 errors per 8 halfbursts is interesting, because
outside that area the FEP is either 0 or 1. In the Figure a
curve, called general curve can be seen. This is the
curve, which can be used for all TU3 testconditions,
except the ones which are shown with a separate curve
(TU3 non hopping and TU3 sequential hopping with 2
and 3 frequencies).
Some research has been done to see if it is possible to
come up with mapping curves for non testconditions
situations. A link with 6 interferers plus a background-
interferer with a relative high C/I has been used to make
mapping curves. The 6 interferers switch on and off,
depending on the system load, while the background-
interferer is always on. This is a typical situation which
could be encountered in a real network. The channel
model still is the GSM Typical Urban model and
random hopping was used. The results indicate, that the
resulting mapping curves have the same shape as the
general curve in Figure 4, but that the curves are shifted
to the right. The amount of shifting is depending on the
system load and can be seen in Table 1. So to get the
FEP at 70 errors in 8 halfbursts if the system load is 5%,
there should be looked at the general curve at 65 errors.
18
Shift
5 errors
4 errors
3 errors
17 18 17
II 20% I I error II
35
11 25% and higher I 0 errors II
35 35 0 0 35 0 0
Table 1 The shut of the general cuwe at different loads.
By using the output of the mapping from C/I to BER,
sum the number of errors of 8 halfbursts, use that as
input for the mapping from BER to FEP and use a
random generator together with the frame erasure
probability (FEP), we can calculate the FER of a
connection. We have compared the results of the total
mapping with results found by the link simulator. We
have found that in nearly all cases we are able to predict
the FER within 1 dB, in most cases even within 0.5 dB.
However in two cases, sequential hopping with 2 and 3
frequencies, it is less accurate. A maximal error of 2 dB
is made in those cases.
What is causing this? The curves used for mapping are
made by collecting data of a lot of bursts. There
however sometimes an error is made. This error is
caused by the soft information. The gain of the soft
information is the highest as the C/I level of following
bursts is very different. So the frame consisting of the
burst shown in Figure 5a will have a lower frame
erasure rate than the frame consisting of the bursts
shown in Figure 5b. However these two different
situations give the same result with our mapping
periods, because we the sum of the number of errors of
eight bursts are the same for the two situations. So if a
situation like in Figure 5a appears a too negative result
is created, while in case of a situation like Figure 5b the
result is too positive, when we use the mapping curve.
f l f2 f l f2 f l f2 f l f2
(c) RandomHopping wim2 hequandes
Figure 5 The number of errors in every burst in a frame for three
direrent situations.
The error made is maximal for sequential hopping 2
with a low speed due to the fact that the situation is
nearly stationary. As mentioned a situation can be
encountered, where a too negative result is calculated
(like in the situation in Figure 5a), or a situation can be
like in Figure 5b, where the calculated result is too
positive. If the speed is low, the signal level of the
desired user and of an interferer changes very slowly, so
the C/I at a certain frequency is nearly stationary during
several frames. If the number of hopping frequencies is
small and the hopping is sequential, the error pattern
created will also be nearly stationary. During such a
nearly stationary period, there can be a situation like in
Figure 5a or 5b, where the error will be either too
positive or too negative, for several frames in a row.
Thus the total error is increased. If random hopping is
used with 2 frequencies is used, the error per frame is
smaller and the situation is not stationary, since the
hopping pattern is random, which leads to a non
stationary error pattern, so the error is not increased.
The same is valid if there are more frequencies to hop
between. The number of frequencies if the speed is 3
kmk and if sequential hopping is used, has to be at least
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4 to get a reasonable result, i.e. leads to an error smaller
than 1 dB.
Of course this error could be corrected by using the
difference in following bursts too, but this would make
the mapping a whole lot more complex, while it only
will improve the quality significantly in the case of slow
moving mobile station with sequential hopping with 2 or
3 frequencies.
2) TU50
Also in the case of TU50 mapping curves can be
created. Here one curve can be used for all
testsituations. This curve can be seen in Figure 6.
The problems, which occurred for the TU3 curves do
not occur here, because the situation is not stationary,
due to the high speed, so no regular error pattern is
created. Comparisons with the results of the link
simulator show that the mapping is very accurate (within
0.5 dB) for all cases.
S
00.4 1 I :
The mapping from the sum of number of errors of eight
halfbursts to a Frame Erasure Probability is a bit more
complex, because this mapping is depending on
hopping, speed and load. If the speed is high enough, if
random hopping is applied or if sequential hopping with
more than 3 frequencies is used, one curve can be used.
Sometimes (slow speed non hopping and for fractional
loading) however an offset of this curve is necessary.
In the case of low speed and sequential hopping with
two or three frequencies an error is made in the
mapping, due to stationarity in the error pattern during a
period of frames, which lead to an increasing total error.
But when the speed is high enough, when random
hopping is used or when the number of frequencies is
high enough, the results of the mapping method are
good. Then the predictions are within 1 dB (FER) and
often within 0.5 dB.
It should be noted that the mapping curves are receiver
dependent. However for another receiver new curves
can be created the same way the curves, presented in
this paper, are created.
Acknowledgment
We would like to thank Nokia telecommunications
Finland for co-sponsoring the project.
Literature
: VGener aj ]
~ ' " " ' ~ " " " ~ " '
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
Number of bit errors in 8 halfbursts
Figure 6 Mapping curve f or TU50.
IV. Conclusion
In this paper the mapping from C/I values to BER and
J?ER for GSM TU TCH channels has been described.
First the C/I values are mapped to the number of errors
per burst, then the estimated number of errors of eight
halfbursts is used to map to the Frame Erasure
Probability (FEP). By using a random generator the FER
can now be constructed.
The mapping from C/I values to BER is going very well.
One curve can be used for all TU cases, when the
mobile speed is not higher than 100 km/ h, since the BER
is then not depending on speed. The number of errors
per burst is depending on the C/I value of that burst and
on frequency selective fading. The results of the
mapping are very precise (within 0.2 dB).
[l] Olufsson HAkon, Naslund J . and Skold J ., Interference
Diversity Gain in Frequency Hopping GSM, VTC 95,pg
102- 106.
[2]J ohansen J esper., Vejlgaard B., Capacity Analysis of a
frequency Hopping GSM System, M.Sc.E.E. Thesis Aalborg
University, J une 1995
[ 3] Malkam2iki Esa, de Ryck F. and Mourot C, A method for
combining radio link simulations and system simulations for
a slow frequency hopped cellular system, VTC 94, pg 1145-
1149.
[4] GSM Recommendations
[5] Mogensen Preben, Wigard J . and Frederiksen F.,
Performance of slow Frequency Hopping in GSM (link
level), COST 231 TD(95)-xxx, Poznan, Sept. 1995.
[6] Wigard J eroen., Mogensen P., Interference Diversity Gain
from Random Frequency Hopping and Fractional loading
in GSM, PIMRC '96, Taipei.
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