Random Access Procedure (RACH) | Tayal's way to learn LTE

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Random Access Proced

Random Access Procedure (RACH)

Random Access Procedure:- In order to be
synchronized with the network, RACH procedure is used. Suppose a UE wants to access the network, so first it will try to attach or syncronise with the network. In LTE a seperate channel PRACH ( Physical Random Access Channel) is provided for initial access to the network. When does UE need to perform Random Access Procedure :As per specifications, RACH can be performed in below mentioned scenarios : Initial Access - UE is trying to access the network in RRC idle state. During RRC connection re-establishment procedure . Handover When uplink synchronisation is lost :- It means from a certain duration network has not received anything from UE in uplink. When UE does not have any PUCCH resources available for SR(Scheduling Request) . When timing advance is needed for positioning purpose in RRC connected state for UE. To initiate the procedure UE lower layes will send a Random Access Request(RACH Request) after receiving request from UE RRC. UE receives a lot of information from eNodeB in System Information (SIB2). It's important to understand those terminologies first. You can also refer LTE(Long Term Evolution) SIB2 parameters section. 1. RACH Configurations 2. PRACH Configurations
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How UE decides about when and where it needs to

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Random Access Proced

PRACH configurations. UE can use 6 Resource blocks for sending the RACH Request. From PRACH Config Index - There is a mapping in spec 36211 table 5.7.1-2 from which UE can find the available subframes where it can send a RACH. For example:- Prach Config index value = 7, From table it is clear that UE can send a RACH Req in any system frame but subframe should be 2 and 7.

From PRACH Frequency Offset - This value is also received in SIB2 by UE. It governs which frequency resource UE can use for the RACH Req. Example:- If the value of PRACH Freq Offset is 10. UE can use the 6 PRB's starting from PRB 10 for RACH Request. What exactly RACH Request contains:1. Preamble Index :- There are total of 64 preambles available which are divided into two groups Group A and Group B. UE decides the preamble index from a group on the basis of parameters received in SIB2:numberofRaPreambles :- eNodeB sends this value in SIB2 which denotes the total number of preambles available for UE to send a Rach Request. sizeOfRaPreamblesGroupA :- It represents the number of preambles available within Group A. So number of preamble in Group B = numberofRaPreambles - sizeOfRaPreamblesGroupA MessageSizeGroupA :- It is used for selecting a preamble from a group. Its value is in bits. Now UE needs to decide the group from which it needs the preamble. Group is decided on the basis of size of MSG3 ( RRC connection request ).
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If Msg3 size > messageSizeGroupA , preamble will be

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Random Access Proced

The actual formula for selecting a preamble is given in spec 36321 sec 5.1.2. That contain factors other than MSG3 size as well. But mainly this is how UE decides the Group. From the selected group, randomly UE selects a preamble index. How UE decides the Power used for Rach request Transmission:Now UE need to decide the power which will be used for RACH Request transmission. Power is decided on the factors received in SIB2 as:preambleInitialReceivedtargetPower:- Power factor which will be used for first transmission of Rach Request.Value varies from -120dBm to -90 dBm . powerRampingStep:- This is mainly used when eNodeB is not able to detect the Rach Request then UE will re transmit the RACH Request by increasing the power to powerRampingStep factor. power used for Rach Request transmission = preambleInitialReceivedTargetPower + DELTA_PREAMBLE +
(PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER 1) * powerRampingStep DELTA_PREAMBLE = This is preamble format based delta offset. There are four formats available for preamble which are called as preamble formats. We will be explaining them in detail later. Most of the time preamble format 0 is used.

For Example:In Sib2, preambleInitialReceivedtargetPower = -100 powerRampingStep = 2 First Transmission of Rach Request:PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER = 1 For preamble format 0, DELTA_PREAMBLE = 0
Power used = -100 + 0 + (1- 1) *2 = -100
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PREAMBLE_TRANSMISSION_COUNTER = 2 Power used = -100 + 0 + (2-1) * 2 = -98

UE will send the RACH Request containing these values in the specified subframe by using the specified resources.
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In nutshell, steps followed by UE for sending a Rach

request:-

Posted 1 week ago by Nitin Tayal

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