Module 1: Introduction to CDMA

Overview
What is CDMA? CDMA System Overview DS Spreading and Scrambling Delay and Synchronization

Lesson: What is CDMA?

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Identify the market conditions that have led to the development and deployment of CDMA. Define "multiple access" as it is used in wireless communications. Describe FDMA, TDMA, and CDMA and the fundamental differences between them. Identify the fundamental characteristics of spread spectrum transmission. Explain why spread spectrum transmission enhances call privacy. Identify the strengths of CDMA.

The Demand for CDMA

What was needed was a fundamentally new wireless system that could:

Offer much higher capacity along with improved service quality.

Support future wireless services including voice, data, and video. Be the basis for further growth in the industry.

Multiple Access
Different multiple access methods use different strategies to: Divide the radio spectrum into channels. Allocate those channels among users.

Identify different users on an RF carrier.

Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)

In FDMA, 1a: :Introduction toImplementingisAvailabilityandGroup Policyslices 11 9 Module 10 ImplementingActive to Masters ActiveStructure smaller 8 7 6 Maintaining User, Directoryof Computer Accounts 5 Planning 4 large frequency Group, an DomainDirectory Infrastructure 3 Managing andan Active Directory Forest into Replication 2 Deploying OperationsPolicy and dividedControllers Structure theOrganizational ActiveUsing Sites Directory InfrastructureDomain Grouprange Managing Software by Directory Active Manage Unit Placement called channels.

Multiple users can be supported simultaneously. All users share the same pool of radio channels. A channel is dedicated for the duration of a call.

Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA)

TDMA systems use digital technology to divide the radio spectrum by time so that each RF carrier is shared by several users.

CDMA Spread Spectrum

CDMA is fundamentally different from earlier multiple access methods because it supports many users on each RF carrier with relatively wide bandwidth, and distinguishes users by using digital codes rather than frequency or time.

CDMA Spread Spectrum cont.

a direct sequence CDMA system can be divided into three processes:

Signal Spreading
RF Transmission and Reception Signal Recovery

Signal Spreading Preview

In DS spreading, the incoming digital speech signal is multiplied by a digital pseudo-noise (PN) code through a process called bit stream multiplication.

The Strengths of CDMA

Increased system capacity. Cell sites can be larger. Enhanced RF channel performance. Enhanced privacy due to digital coding of CDMA signals. Enhanced call quality. Better and more consistent sound. A more reliable transport mechanism for wireless data communications.

Reduced interference from other sources.

Lower transmit RF power levels, longer battery life, and increased talk time for hand-held units.

Lesson 2:CDMA System Overview

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Describe CDMA processing conceptually using the terms signal spreading, transmission and reception, and signal recovery. Describe downlink processing conceptually.

Describe uplink processing conceptually.

State that CDMA processing is different in downlink and uplink communications.

Downlink Overview

Uplink Overview

Lesson 3:DS Spreading and Scrambling

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Describe the general process of bit stream multiplication. Identify the differences between spreading and scrambling. Identify bipolar coding as a requirement for the multiplication function, and compare both logical and physical bit values. Describe the process of spreading using the formula b(t) c(t) = y(t) and despreading using the formula b(t) c(t) c(t) = b(t). Identify the following components of the spreading formula: b(t), c(t), and y(t). Identify the power spectral density of signals before and after spreading. Describe the process of scrambling and descrambling. Identify the purpose of repeated spreading and scrambling. Identify the function of the pseudo-noise (PN) generator.

Bit Stream Multiplication Concepts

Bit stream multiplication is the process where an input bit stream of information (usually a digital speech signal) called b(t) is multiplied by a pseudo-noise (PN) code called c(t) to produce a new composite output signal called y(t).

Bit Stream Multiplication Concepts Cont.

Consider the difference between spreading and scrambling:

Bit Stream Multiplication Concepts Cont.

Bit Stream Multiplication Concepts Cont.

The generator and receiver must use the exact same PN code in order to recover the digital speech signal.

Spreading and Despreading

Remember that spreading occurs when a lower bit rate input signal b(t) is multiplied by a higher chip rate spreading code c(t) as shown.

Spreading and Despreading Cont.

despreading takes y(t) and multiplies again by the same spreading PN code c(t) to recover the digital information signal b(t).

Spreading and Power Spectral Density

Spreading does not change total power. Spreading changes how the power is distributed over frequency.

The following formulas hold true:

Fb =1/Tb (the bit rate of the input signal) Fc =1/Tc (the chip rate of the spreading code)

G (processing gain) = Fc/Fb

Scrambling and Descrambling

Scrambling is often used for privacy. When scrambling is used for encryption, then descrambling is used for decryption.

Repeated Spreading and Scrambling

CDMA systems use scrambling and spreading in several ways for:

Encryption for privacy

Channel identification Base station identification

PN Codes
You've seen that it is spreading and scrambling using PN codes that gives CDMA signals their noise-like appearance.

Code Generation Circuitry

Lesson 4: Delay and Synchronization

Upon completion of this lesson, you will be able to: Identify delay as a property of RF transmission, and the effect delay has on CDMA signals. Define CDMA synchronization using the terms "average value" and the phrase "locking on to a PN sequence". Identify the autocorrelation function values with a 0-chip offset and with an offset of 1 chip or greater. State that synchronization is achieved by delaying the locally generated PN sequence used to despread the delayed signal.

Quick Review

RF Transmission Delay and its Effect

Radio signals in the 800 MHz range typically travel at a rate of about five microseconds to the mile. Assuming that a mobile is ten miles away from the base station, a 50 microsecond (s) delay would be the result.

RF Transmission Delay and its Effect Cont.

Locking On to a Particular PN Sequence

The mobiles compare the received (delayed) version of the PN code with a locally generated PN code to determine the exact amount of delay incurred over the air interface.

Locking On to a Particular PN Sequence Cont.

Signal Correlation With Offsets Less Than 1 Time Chip

Signal Correlation With Offsets Less Than 1 Time Chip

To determine the length of delay, the receiver: Multiplies the locally generated PN sequence with the incoming PN sequence. Averages the result and looks for +1. If the value is close to 0, it shifts the PN sequence generated at the mobile one chip and repeats the process. This is called signal alignment. This process is repeated until the +1 average value is found. At this point, length of the delay has been quantified.

Signal Correlation With Offsets Less Than 1 Time Chip