Drive Test Tutorial

IV

represented by : 1
Osama Ashraf
Drive Test Required Tools

Drive Test Measured Radio KPIs and Activities

Drive Test Field Problems and Troubleshooting

Drive Test Optimization and Trails

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Drive Test Optimization and Trails
• Power Allocation:
- Fixed power allocation.
- Dynamic power allocation.
• Carrier Aggregation:
- Configuration Modes.
- CA Management :
 PCC Anchoring.
 Scell Management.
• Channel State Management:
- CQI Reporting Modes.
- CQI Reporting Optimization:
 Aperiodic CQI Reporting.

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Carrier Aggregation
Drive Test Optimization and Trails
• Power Allocation:
- Fixed power allocation.
- Dynamic power allocation.
• Carrier Aggregation:
- Configuration Modes.
- CA Management :
 PCC Anchoring.
 Scell Management.
• Channel State Management:
- CQI Reporting Modes.
- CQI Reporting Optimization:
 Aperiodic CQI Reporting.

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Carrier Aggregation – Configuration Modes
Related Concepts
Pcell : A primary cell (PCell) is a cell on which a CA UE camps. In the PCell, the CA UE works in the same way as it does in a
3GPP Release 8 or Release 9 cell. The physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) of the UE exists only in the PCell. Unless
otherwise stated, all switches described in this document need to be turned on only in the PCell.

Scell : A secondary cell (SCell) is a cell that an eNodeB configures for a CA UE through an RRC Connection Reconfiguration
message. This cell operates on a different frequency from the PCell. It provides the CA UE with additional radio resources. In
an SCell, there can be downlink transmission only or both downlink and uplink
transmission.

CC : Component carriers (CCs) are the carriers that are aggregated for a CA UE.

PCC :The primary component carrier (PCC) is the carrier of the PCell.

SCC : A secondary component carrier (SCC) is the carrier of an SCell.

PCC Anchoring : During PCC anchoring, the eNodeB selects a high-priority cell as the PCell for the UE.
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Carrier Aggregation – Configuration Modes
Configuration Modes
CA works in CA-group-based and adaptive configuration modes. The adaptive mode is recommended. A configuration mode
change may result in changes in the combinations of cells that can be aggregated, the number of license units to be
deducted, and inter-cell routes. As a result, the number of times of Scell configuration or removal

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Carrier Aggregation – Configuration Modes
Configuration Modes

1-CA-Group-based Configuration Mode

This mode requires that cells be configured into a CA group. Only the cells in the group can be aggregated. Blind SCell
configuration is supported in this mode.
If CA-group-based configuration mode is used, adhere to the following configuration rules:
• No more than nine cells can be configured into an FDD CA group. It is
recommended that the nine cells be inter-frequency cells that cover the same
area. For any one of the nine cells, there are eight candidate SCells.
• No more than nine cells can be configured into a TDD CA group.
• If the PCell is a higher-frequency cell that covers a relatively small area, it is
recommended that a lower-frequency cell covering a relatively large area be
defined as a blind-configurable candidate SCell. This prevents the CA UE in
the higher-frequency cell from performing an unnecessary inter-frequency
measurement of the lower-frequency cell, which will always meet the triggering condition for event A4. 8
Carrier Aggregation – Configuration Modes
Configuration Modes

1-CA-Group-based Configuration Mode

• If the PCell is a lower-frequency cell that covers a relatively large area, it is recommended that blind configuration be
disabled (A4 measurements should be used) for a higher-frequency cell that covers a relatively small area. If blind
configuration is enabled, a CA UE that has accessed the lower-frequency cell will encounter low scheduling efficiency
in the higher-frequency cell. In this case, the data rate of the CA UE will not reach twice that of a non-CA UE
even in differentiated scheduling mode.

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Carrier Aggregation – Configuration Modes
Configuration Modes

2-CA-adaptive configuration Mode

This mode requires that different E-UTRA frequencies with neighbor relationships be specified on the eNodeBs. Only cells on
these frequencies can be aggregated. Blind SCell configuration is also supported in this mode.
If adaptive configuration mode is used, adhere to the following configuration rules:

• On each candidate SCC, only one cell can be specified as a blind-configurable candidate SCell. If there are multiple blind-
configurable candidate SCells on a candidate SCC, only one of them can take effect.
It is uncertain which one will take effect. The cell that takes effect shifts after
eNodeB restart or cell deactivation. This shift will affect the CA UE distribution.

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Drive Test Optimization and Trails
• Power Allocation:
- Fixed power allocation.
- Dynamic power allocation.
• Carrier Aggregation:
- Configuration Modes.
- CA Management :
 PCC Anchoring.
 Scell Management.
• Channel State Management:
- CQI Reporting Modes.
- CQI Reporting Optimization:
 Aperiodic CQI Reporting.

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Carrier Management for RRC_CONNECTED UEs

Carrier management for RRC_CONNECTED UEs includes PCC anchoring and Scell management. SCell management includes
SCell configuration, change, activation, deactivation, and removal.

• PCC anchoring for RRC_CONNECTED UEs occurs when a CA UE accesses them network at initial access, an incoming RRC
connection reestablishment, or an incoming necessary handover.
• SCell configuration occurs when a CA UE accesses the network at initial access, an incoming RRC connection
reestablishment, or an incoming necessary handover.
• If a CA UE whose SCell has been configured receives better signal quality from an intra-frequency neighboring cell of the
SCell than from the SCell, the serving eNodeB of the PCell can change the SCell while keeping the Pcell Unchanged
• SCells configured for a CA UE are activated when certain conditions are met. The PCell and SCells are not actually
aggregated until the SCells are activated.
• If SCells meet deactivation conditions, the eNodeB delivers MAC control elements (CEs) to deactivate the SCells.
• If SCell signal quality deteriorates, the eNodeB may remove the SCells.
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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
PCC Anchoring

To prioritize certain frequencies as PCCs, an operator can set high PCell priorities or PCC priorities so that, by PCC anchoring
for RRC_CONNECTED UEs, the eNodeB will select the highest-priority cell as the PCell for a CA UE.

Triggering Conditions:
After PCC anchoring for RRC_CONNECTED UEs is enabled and PCell priorities or PCC priorities are specified, the eNodeB
delivers the A1 measurement configuration to the CA UE if the target cell for initial access, an RRC connection
reestablishment, or a handover does not have the highest PCell priority or the carrier of the cell does not have the highest
PCC priority. The RSRP threshold for event A1 is specified as SCell configuration is allowed before the UE reports event A1.
When receiving an A1 measurement report from a UE whose SCells have been configured, the eNodeB acts as follows:

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

SCell management includes SCell configuration, change, activation, deactivation, and removal.

• SCell configuration is triggered when a CA UE initiates

RRC connection setup during initial access, an
incoming RRC connection reestablishment, or an
incoming handover. SCell configuration enhancement
refers to load-based SCell configuration. With this
function, intra- or inter-eNodeB cells with routes set
up between them exchange their load status, and the
eNodeB selects low-load candidate cells as SCells for
a UE. (A cell not in the high load state is considered to
be in the low load state.)
• After an SCell is configured, it may be changed,
activated, deactivated, or removed. 14
Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

SCell Configuration
To prioritize certain cells or frequencies as SCells or SCCs, an operator can set high SCell priorities or SCC priorities so that, by
SCell configuration, the eNodeB will select the highest-priority cell as an SCell for a CA UE.

Triggering Conditions
An eNodeB starts SCell configuration for a CA UE if all
the following conditions are met the following scenarios:
– Initial access
– Incoming RRC connection reestablishment
– Incoming handover

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

SCell Change
If a CA UE whose SCells have been configured receives better
signal quality from an intra-frequency neighboring cell of an
SCell than from that SCell, the serving eNodeB of the PCell
can change the SCell without changing the PCell.

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

SCell Activation
In accordance with section 6.1.3.8 "Activation/Deactivation
MAC Control Element“ in 3GPP TS 36.321 V11.1.0, the
eNodeB delivers a MAC CE to activate a configured SCell as
long as either uplink or downlink traffic volume meets the
activation conditions. The CCs are not actually aggregated for
the UE until the SCell is activated.

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

SCell Deactivation
SCell deactivation for CA UEs, as illustrated in opposite Figure, can be triggered
by:
– Traffic volume
 Uu data rate at the RLC layer ≤ 100kb for example
 Data volume buffered at the RLC ≤ 100kbyte for example

– Channel quality
 The channel quality indicator (CQI) ≤ 5 for example

– Residual block errors

When the eNodeB detects downlink residual block errors in an SCell for a
CA UE for 10 consecutive times, the eNodeB immediately delivers a MAC
CE to deactivate the SCell.
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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

SCell Remove

To have SCells removed when their signal quality degrades,

enable the Scell removal function.

When an SCell meets the triggering condition of event A2, the

serving eNodeB of the PCell removes the SCell.

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

Downlink 2CC aggregation

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

Downlink 3CC aggregation

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

Downlink 4CC aggregation

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

Downlink 5CC aggregation

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

Downlink 5CC aggregation

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Carrier Aggregation – CA Management
Scell Management

Downlink Massive CA

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Channel State Management
Drive Test Optimization and Trails
• Power Allocation:
- Fixed power allocation.
- Dynamic power allocation.
• Carrier Aggregation:
- Configuration Modes.
- CA Management :
 PCC Anchoring.
 Scell Management.
• Channel State Management:
- CQI Reporting Modes.
- CQI Reporting Optimization:
 Periodic/Aperiodic CQI Reporting.

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Channel State Management
Related Concepts

CSI : Channel Status Information (CQI + PMI + RI) → PUCCH

CQI
A CQI is a measure of channel quality. The eNodeB automatically selects a modulation and coding scheme (MCS) for data
transmission to the UE based on this measure.

PMI
A PMI indicates a precoding matrix. The eNodeB performs closed-loop MIMO transmission to the UE based on this indicator.

RI
An RI is a rank that the eNodeB uses to determine the number of spatial multiplexing layers for the UE.

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Channel State Management - CQI Reporting Modes
CSI Reporting Modes
CSI reporting modes depend on CQI, PMI, and RI reporting modes. RIs and CQIs/PMIs are reported in different subframes in
periodic CSI reporting mode. RIs and CQIs/PMIs are reported in the same subframes in aperiodic CSI reporting mode.

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Drive Test Optimization and Trails
• Power Allocation:
- Fixed power allocation.
- Dynamic power allocation.
• Carrier Aggregation:
- Configuration Modes.
- CA Management :
 PCC Anchoring.
 Scell Management.
• Channel State Management:
- CQI Reporting Modes.
- CQI Reporting Optimization:
 Periodic/Aperiodic CQI Reporting.

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Channel State Management - CQI Reporting Types
Periodic and Aperiodic CQI Reporting
CQIs can be reported periodically or aperiodically. CQI
reporting is configured the same way as CSI reporting.

In periodic mode, the reporting intervals, reporting modes,

and time-frequency resources are configured in the CQI-
ReportConfig RRC IE.
• When there is no uplink data transmission, CQIs are
reported over the PUCCH.
• When there is uplink data transmission, CQIs are
reported over the PUSCH.
In aperiodic mode, the reporting modes are specified in
uplink scheduling and CQIs are reported over the PUSCH.
• When the UE has data to be scheduled for uplink
initial transmission, CQIs are reported in associated
aperiodic CQI mode.
• When the UE has no data to be scheduled for uplink
initial transmission, CQIs are reported in CQI-only
mode.

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Channel State Management - CQI Reporting Types
Aperiodic CQI Reporting
Aperiodic CQI reporting allows the eNodeB to obtain more current downlink channel quality and increase downlink
transmission rates. However, aperiodic CQI reporting consumes additional PDCCH resources.
Configurations for aperiodic CQI reporting are different for UEs in FSS and FDS modes.
UEs in FSS Mode
The CQIs that are aperiodically reported are only valid for a period of time. If a UE in FSS mode does not use the reported
resources within this period of time, these CQIs are considered invalid. Then FSS is more likely to be selected for the UEs.
When smart control for frequency selective scheduling takes effect, the triggering interval and validity period of aperiodic
CQI reporting for UEs in FSS mode are adaptively adjusted.
UEs in FDS Mode
Aperiodic CQI reporting is not triggered for UEs in FDS mode if there is valid periodic CQI reporting. Aperiodic CQI reporting is
triggered in the following situations:
• When there is no valid periodic CQI reporting in a period that is eight times the periodic CQI reporting interval,
aperiodic CQI reporting is triggered once.
• When there are no resources for periodic CQI reporting, aperiodic CQI reporting is triggered every 160 ms. 32
 Thanks

represented by : 33
Osama Ashraf