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Radio Access Network Architecture
Radio Access Network Architecture
ARCHITECTURE
5.1 System Architecture
5.2 UTRAN Architecture
5.3 General Protocol Model for UTRAN Terrestrial
Interfaces
5.4 Iu, The UTRANCN Interface
5.5 UTRAN Internal Interfaces
5.6 UTRAN Enhancements and Evolution
5.7 UTRAN CN Architecture and Evolution
5.1 SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE
Functional network elements
User Equipment (UE)
interfaces with user and radio interface
Radio Access Network (RAN, UMTS Terrestrial RAN
= UTRAN)
handles all radio-related functionality
Core Network
switches and routes calls and data connections
to external networks
PLMN (Public Land Mobile Network)
operated by a single operator
distinguished from each other with unique identities
operational either on their own or together with other
sub-networks
connected to other PLMNs as well as to other types of
network, such as ISDN, PSTN, the Internet, etc.
UE consists of two parts
Mobile Equipment (ME)
the radio terminal used for radio communication
over Uu interface
UMTS Subscriber Identity Module (USIM)
a smartcard that holds the subscriber identity
performs authentication algorithms
PS networks
provide connections for packet data services
Internet is one example of a PS network
Main open interfaces
Cu interface
the electrical interface between USIM smartcard
and ME
Uu interface
the WCDMA radio interface
the interface through which UE accesses the fixed
UTRAN CN
TRAFFIC BEARERS STRUCTURE SUPPORTING
PACKET-SWITCHED SERVICES
3GPP Bearer
a dedicated path between mobile and its serving GGSN
for a mobile to send or receive packets over a 3GPP PS CN
a 3GPP Bearer in a UMTS network would be a UMTS
Bearer
Constructed by concatenating
Radio Access Bearer (RAB)
connects a mobile over a RAN to the edge of
CN (i.e., a SGSN)
CN Bearer
and a GGSN
SIGNALING AND TRAFFIC
CONNECTIONS BETWEEN MOBILE
AND SGSN
The signaling connection between mobile and SGSN is
constructed by concatenating
Signaling Radio Bearer
between mobile and RAN (e.g., the RNC in UTRAN)
Iu Signaling Bearer
between RAN and SGSN
rate adaptation
spreading
signaling bearer
Iu PS
connect UTRAN to Packet Switched (PS) CN
Iu BC (Broadcast)
support Cell Broadcast Services
radio link
copper cable
5.4.1.1 Iu CS CONTROL PLANE
PROTOCOL STACK
Control Plane protocol stack consists of RANAP,
on top of Broadband (BB) SS7 (Signaling System
#7) protocols
The applicable layers are
MTP3-b
SCCPISUP
ISDN-UP (ISUP)(Signaling
Connection)
(SP)
(User)()(SP)
(User Part)
TCAP
(Transaction CapabilitiesTC)
(Transaction Capabilities Application
PartTCAP)
SS7(Application Layer)
(Application Service ElementASE)
SS7
(080
)TCAP
SAAL-NNI is further divided into
Service Specific Coordination
Function (SSCF)
Service Specific Connection Oriented
Protocol (SSCOP)
ATM Adaptation Layer 5 (AAL) layers
SSCF and SSCOP layers
designed for signaling transport in
ATM networks
take care of signaling connection
management
AAL5 is used for segmenting the data to
ATM cells
SSCF (Service Specific Coordination Function)
UNI (User-to-Network Interface)NNI
(Network-to-Network Interface)
(connection management)
(link status)
SSCOP (Service Specific Connection Oriented
Protocol)
SSCOP
ATM IN BRIEF
AAL2 AND AAL5
CS1])
adaptation layer (Q.2150.1 [AAL2
Signaling Transport Converter for
MTP3b])
BB SS7 are those described above
without SCCP layer
5.4.1.3 IU CS USER PLANE
PROTOCOL STACK
A dedicated AAL2 connection is reserved for each
individual CS service
Iu User Plane Protocol residing directly on top of AAL2
5.4.2 PROTOCOL STRUCTURE FOR IU
PS
5.4.2.1 Iu PS Control Plane Protocol Stack
5.4.2.2 Iu PS Transport Network Control Plane Protocol
Stack
5.4.2.3 Iu PS User Plane Protocol Stack
The following figure
depicts Iu PS protocol
structure
a common ATM transport is
applied for both User Plane
and Control Plane
the physical layer is as
specified for Iu CS
5.4.2.1 IU PS CONTROL PLANE
PROTOCOL STACK
Control Plane protocol stack
consists of
RANAP
signaling bearers
BB SS7-based signaling bearer
an alternative IP-based
signaling bearer
SCCP layer is used for both
bearer
IP-based signaling bearer consists
of
M3UA (SS7 MTP3 User
Adaptation Layer)
SCTP (Stream Control
Transmission Protocol)
designed for signaling
class 2 EP
class 3 EP
responses
RANAP functions
relocation
RAB (Radio Access Bearer) management
Iu release
report unsuccessfully transmitted data
common ID management
paging
management of tracing
UECN signaling transfer
security mode control
management of overload
reset
location reporting
RANAP FUNCTION--
a response to paging
direct transfer
used for carrying all consecutive signaling
messages over the Iu signaling connection in both
uplink and downlink directions
RANAP FUNCTION--
Security mode control
used to set the ciphering or integrity checking on or
off
when ciphering is on
the signaling and user data connections in the
radio interface are encrypted with a secret key
algorithm
when integrity checking is on
an integrity checksum, further secured with a
secret key, is added to some or all of the Radio
Interface signaling messages
this ensures that the communication partner has not
changed, and the content of the information has not
been altered
RANAP FUNCTION--
Management of overload
control the load over Iu interface against overload
due
example, to process overload at the CN or UTRAN
a simple mechanism is applied that allows
stepwise reduction of the load and its stepwise
resumption [()], triggered by a timer
RANAP FUNCTION--
Reset
reset the CN or the UTRAN side of Iu interface in
error situations
one end of the Iu may indicate to the other end that it
is recovering from a restart, and the other end can
remove all previously established connections
RANAP FUNCTION--
Location reporting
allows CN to receive information on the location of a
given UE
includes two elementary procedures
control the location reporting in RNC
over Iu interface
the protocol performs either a fully
transparent operation, or framing for
user data segments
the protocol also performs some basic
control signaling to be used for
initialization and online control
the protocol has two modes
transparent mode
GTP-UIu FP
applied for RABs that assume fully transparent
operation
support mode
real-time
for predefined SDU (Service Data Unit) sizes
messages
prevention of broadcasting of specific
messages
load handling
responsible for determining the loading of the broadcast
channels at any particular point in time
reset
permits CBC to end broadcasting in one or more Service
Areas
5.5 UTRAN INTERNAL INTERFACES
5.5.1 RNCRNC Interface (Iur Interface) and the
RNSAP Signaling
5.5.2 RNCNode B Interface and the NBAP
Signaling
5.5.1 RNCRNC INTERFACE (IUR
INTERFACE) AND THE RNSAP
SIGNALLING
5.5.1.1 Iur1Support of the Basic Inter-RNC
Mobility
5.5.1.2 Iur2Support of Dedicated Channel Traffic
5.5.1.3 Iur3Support of Common Channel Traffic
5.5.1.4 Iur4Support of Global Resource
Management
The following figure shows the protocol stack of RNC
to RNC interface (Iur interface)
Iur interface provides four distinct functions
support of basic inter-RNC mobility (Iur1)
support of dedicated channel traffic (Iur2)
support of common channel traffic (Iur3)
support of global resource management (Iur4)
5.5.1.1 IUR1SUPPORT OF THE
INTER-RNC MOBILITY
This functionality requires the basic module of
RNSAP signaling
provides the functionality needed for the mobility of
the user between two RNCs
does not support the exchange of any user data traffic
If this module is not implemented
the only way for a user connected to UTRAN via
RNS1 to utilize a cell in RNS2 is to disconnect itself
temporarily from UTRAN (release the RRC
connection)
The functions offered by Iur basic module include
support of SRNC relocation
support of inter-RNC cell and UTRAN registration
area update
support of inter-RNC packet paging
reporting of protocol errors
Since this functionality does not involve user
data traffic across Iur
User Plane and Transport Network Control Plane
protocols are not needed
5.5.1.2 IUR2SUPPORT OF
DEDICATED CHANNEL TRAFFIC
This functionality
requires dedicated channel module of RNSAP signaling
allows dedicated and shared channel traffic between two
RNCs
This functionality requires also
User Plane Frame Protocol (FP) for dedicated and
shared channel
Transport Network Control Plane protocol (Q.2630.1
[Q.aal2 CS1]) used for the set-up of transport
connections (AAL2 connections)
Frame Protocol for dedicated
channels (DCH FP) defines the
structure of
the data frames carrying the user
data
the control frames used to
exchange measurements and
control information
Frame Protocol for common
channels (CCH FP) describes
the User plane procedure for the
shared channel
The functions offered by Iur DCH module
establishment, modification and release of the dedicated
and shared channel in DRNC due to handovers in dedicated
channel state
set-up and release of dedicated transport connections across
Iur interface
transfer of DCH Transport Blocks between SRNC and
DRNC
management of the radio links in DRNS via
dedicated measurement report procedures
Node BcellMAC-b
MAC-d
(dedicated)
UEMAC-d
SRNCUEMAC-d
MAC-c/sh
(common)(shared)
UEMAC-c/sh
data ports
FDD up to one Iub TFCI2 Data Port
for each Iub DCH Data Port, the
corresponding DCH and cells which are
carried on this data port
for each Iub DSCH and USCH data port, the
control, etc)
2. Common Transport Channel
configured in Node B, on request of CRNC
attributes (not exhaustive)
Type (RACH, CPCH [FDD], FACH, DSCH,
USCH [TDD], PCH)
Associated Iub RACH Data Port for a RACH,
Iub CPCH Data Port for a CPCH [FDD], Iub
FACH Data Port for a FACH, Iub PCH Data
Port for PCH
Physical parameters
3. Transport network logical resources
3.1 Node B Control Port
Functionality
exchange the signaling information for
the logical O&M of Node B
the creation of Node B Communication
Contexts
the configuration of the common transport
channels that Node B provides in a given
cell
PCH and BCH control information
between the RNC and the Node B
Node B Control Port corresponds to one
signaling bearer between the controlling
RNC and the Node B
There is one Node B Control Port per Node B
3.2 Communication Control Port
used to send the procedures for controlling the
connections between radio links and Iub DCH
data ports from RNC to Node B for control of Node
B Communication Contexts
one signaling bearer between RNC and Node B
can at most correspond to one Communication
Control Port
Node B may have multiple Communication
Control Ports (one per Traffic Termination Point)
3.3 Traffic Termination Point
represents DCH, DSCH and USCH [TDD] data
Iu interface
scheduled to be part of the GSM/EDGE Radio Access
Network (GERAN) in GERAN Release 5
allows reusing 3G Core Network also for GSM/EDGE radio
interface (and frequency band), but also allows a more
optimized interworking between the two radio technologies
Effect
RNSAP basic mobility module is enhanced to allow
the mobility to and from GERAN cells in the target
and the source
RNSAP global module is enhanced in order to allow
GERAN cells measurements to be exchanged
between controllers
allows a Common Radio Resource Management
(CRRM) between UTRAN and GERAN radios
Iur-g interface
refer to the above-mentioned set of Iur functionalities
that are utilized also by GERAN
5.7 UMTS CORE NETWORK
ARCHITECTURE AND EVOLUTION
5.7.1 Release99 Core Network Elements
5.7.2 Release 5 Core Network and IP Multimedia
Sub-system
UMTS radio interface, WCDMA
a bigger step in radio access evolution from GSM
networks
UMTS core network
did not experience major changes in 3GPP Release99
specification
Release99 structure was inherited from GSM
core network
both UTRAN and GERAN based radio access
network connect to the same core network
5.7.1 RELEASE 99 CORE NETWORK
ELEMENTS
Two domains of Release99 core network
Circuit Switched (CS) domain
Packet Switched (PS) domain
The division comes from the different
requirements for data
depending on whether it is real time (circuit switched)
or non-real time (packet data)
Figure 5.12
Release99 core network
structure with both CS
and PS domains
Registers
HLR, VLR, EIR
network to other
networks, e.g. to the
Internet
In addition to the two domains, the network
needs various registers for proper operation
Home Location Register (HLR)
Equipment Identity Register (EIR)
contains the information related to the
terminal equipment
can be used to, e.g., prevent a specific terminal
signaling
MSC or GMSC server
takes care of the control functionality as
MSC or GMSC, respectively
user data goes via Media Gateway (MGW)
one MSC/GMCS server can control multiple
MGWs
this allows better scalability of the network
when data rates increase with new data
services
in this case, only the number of MGWs
needs to be increased
MGW performs actual switching for user data
and network interworking processing
e.g., echo cancellation or speech decoding/
encoding
IMS includes the following key
elements
Media Resource Function (MRF)