GPRS

Logical Channels

GPRS Logical Channels

Logical channels are pre-defined functions supported by frames with in a physical channel GPRS physical Channel Carry two types of Information
Control Signalling: For establishing and maintaining GPRS service User Data Traffic

Hence, GPRS logical channels can be classified as Packet Control Channels and Packet Traffic Channels GPRS packet control channels are further divided into
Common Control Channels Broadcast Control Channels Associated Channels

GPRS uses some GSM Broadcast Channels for Frequency Tuning (FCCH) and Synchronization Channel (SCH)

GPRS Channels

PCCCH (Packet Common Control Channel)

A set of logical channels used for signalling between MS and the Base Station PRACH (Packet Random Access Channel): Used only in uplink to initiate uplink Transfer PPCH (Packet Paging Channel): used to page a mobile prior to downlink packet transfer.
PPCH is used for paging both CS and PS services depending on the network operation modes and class of mobile Class A and B will support this functionality

PAGCH (Packet Access Grant Channel): It is used in the packet transfer establishment phase to send resource messages to a mobile prior to packet transfer
Additional resource assignment messages are also sent on a PCCH if the mobile is already involved in packet transfer

PNCH (Packet Notification Channel): Used to send a Pointto-Multipoint multicast notification to a group of mobiles prior to point-to-multipoint multicast packet transfer

PBCCH (Packet Broadcast Control Channel)

Used to Broadcast packet data system information to all GPRS mobiles in a cell PBCCH might not be present for certain channel combinations, in which case the BCCH will be used to broadcast packet system information On BCCH Sys Info 13 is used for GPRS information

PTCH (Packet Traffic Channel)

PDTCH (Packet Traffic Channel): For data transfer
It is dedicated temporarily to one or a group of mobiles for multicast applications One mobile may use multiple PDTCHs in parallel for packet data transfer during multislot operation

PACCH (Packet Associated Control Channel): used to convey signalling information related to a given mobile for example, power control, packet acknowledgements, resource reassignments
One PACCH is associated with one or several PDTCHs concurrently assigned to a mobile

PTCCH (Packet Timing Advance Control Channel)

In UL, for transmission of random access burst for n/w to calculate timing advance In DL, it is used for updating MS the timing advance to multiple mobiles

Packet Logical Channels

1 RLC Data Block Basic Unit of data transfer on the Um interface !!!

Um: Multiframe structure

Logical Channels to Physical channels

Logical channels do not necessarily require separate physical channels Logical channels are mapped over physical channels using the technique of Multiframing A multiframe is a set of some fixed number of TDMA frames that are together assigned a functionality Radio Link Control (RLC) blocks are generated using multiframes For GPRS, a multiframe of 52 frames is defined For example, timeslot 2 from frames 0-51 is combined to form the multiframe The multiframe is divided into 12 blocks numbered 0-11. Each block made up of four TDMA frames. These blocks are referred to as radio blocks Of the remaining four frames, two single burst frames are used for PTCCH and two are kept as idle bursts for neighbor-cell BSIC decode and interference measurements for power control

GPRS Logical ChannelsControl

MO-Call initiation

MT-Call initiation

Channel Combinations
First Combination: All logical channels on to one physical channels reduce the number of channels available for each category Second Combination: All channels other than PBCCH to be mapped on to a physical channel - increase capacity of PCCCH and PDTCH. Used when PBCCH or BCCH exists on some other physical channel Third Combination: Traffic and dedicated signalling only combination, which excludes PBCCH and PCCH. This provides more PDTCHs on one physical channels and can be used only if PBCCH/PCCH exist on some other channels or the GSM BCCH/CCCH can be used.

Channel Combinations
PDCH (without Packet Control Channels) CCCH +BCCH+RACH + PDTCH + PACCH + PTCCH GPRS 1st release

GSM CS Control Channels

PDCH

PDCH (with Packet Control Channels)

GPRS 2nd release

channel combination PBCCH + PCCCH + PDTCH + PACCH + PTCCH PCCCH + PDTCH + PACCH + PTCCH
where PCCCH = PPCH + PRACH + PAGCH + PNCH

PCCCH PBCCH PAGCH PPCH

Packet Common Control Channel (ul/dl) Packet Broadcast Control Channel (dl) Packet Access Grant Channel (dl) Packet Paging Channel (dl)

PRACH Packet Random Access Channel PACCH Packet Associated Control Channel PTCCH Packet Timing Advance Control Channel PNCH Packet Notification Channel

(ul) (ul/dl) (ul/dl) (dl)

Channel Combinations
Multiplexing of the packet channels on a PDCH is not fixed like in the GSM system It is managed by some parameters and the following block order
B0,B6; B3,B9 B1,B7, B4,B10, B2,B8, B5,B11

IDLE frame 2 and 4 are idle for measurement reports and 1 or 3 for PTCCH

Network Mode of Operation

There are certain functions that are common to GSM and GPRS:
Paging Location updates

Paging is a critical function that must be coordinated between GSM and GPRS. To do this the network will operate in one of three modes
Network Mode of Operation 1 Network Mode of Operation 2 Network Mode of Operation 3

This operation mode is broadcast on the system information message and will be the same within a routing area

Network Mode of Operation 1

MS monitors only one paging channel during the GPRS attach The network sends the CS paging either on GPRS paging Channel or the GSM CCCH paging channel depending on channel combinations In order to send CS paging on the GPRS paging channel, the Gs interface must be present

Network Mode of Operation 2

CCCH paging Channel is used for both CS and PS paging The mobile has to monitor only the CCCH paging channel

Network Mode of Operation 3

Mobile Monitors both CCH and PS (PPCH) The mobile will receive CS pages on CCCH and PS pages on PPCH In order to monitor both paging channels the mobile must be Class A or Class B

Radio Resource Mgmt Principles

GSM TCH / GPRS PDCH allocated from common pool of physical channels Actual allocation is NOT fixed Capacity on Demand principle utilized
If no GSM TCH needed, additional physical channels may be allocated as PDCHs Conversely, if GSM TCH are needed and no physical channels available, PDCHs are de-allocated Leverages the advantage of GPRS, that a given TS need NOT be dedicated for a user

GPRS MS States
GPRS Idle: State in which mobile phone camps onto GSM network
Phone receives CS paging and behaves as a GSM phone Although it does not interact with the GPRS network in this state, it still possesses GPRS functionality

GPRS Ready: State achieved when the GPRS mobile attached itself to the network
The MS can activate PDP context which allows the phone to establish a packet transfer session with external data networks to transmit and receive data packets Once PDP context is activated, resource blocks are assigned to the session until data transfer ceases for a specified period and mobile moves to into the standby state

GPRS Standby: State in which the mobile is connected to GPRS but no data transmission occurs
If a data packet for the mobile arrives, the network page the mobile which in turn activates PDP context to bring mobile back to ready state.

GMM States
MS is detached. No radio sync.

IDLE
GPRS Attach GPRS Detach

MS is Attached & in possession of a PDTCH.

READY
MS is Attached to n/w. Not in possession of dedicated resources.

STANDBY Timer expiry Data transfer needed

READY Timer expiry

STANDBY

GSM MM States v/s GMM States

GSM MM States GMM (GPRS) States

DETACHED

IDLE

IMSI ATTACH

IDLE
Possession of dedicated resources

STANDBY

ACTIVE

READY

Routing Area

GPRS introduces a new network area - RA RA can consists of one or more cells RA is always served by only one SGSN One SGSN can serve more than one RA 1 cell < RA < LA.
SGSN 2 SGSN 1

X
RA LA

RA RA

RA 1

RA 2

Location MgmtRA v/s Cell updates

MS location known to accuracy of a LA / RA Hence, for MT calls, paging is done on the entire LA / RA, inducing a delay Fine for GSM Voice calls as
delay is acceptable since voice cannot be exchanged until call setup is complete call-setup is a 1-time process Packet-switched nature would require repeated call setups Paging delay is not acceptable as data flow needs to be continuous Data transmission on entire RA a huge waste of radio resources Hence, repeated paging on entire RA / data transfer on entire RA NOT ACCEPTABLE !!!

Not suitable for GPRS data calls as

Obvious Solution: Introduce Cell-based location updates !!!

Is is really obvious ???

Location MgmtRA v/s Cell updates

Cell-base location updates also use up scarce resources What if there is no GPRS data transmission going on?
1st GPRS paging no different from 1st GSM paging ACCEPTABLE!!!

Hence, TRADE-OFF

STANDBY

READY

RA updates

Cell-based Location updates

Channel Coding
Used to protect transmitted data against errors using addition of Parity and Tail bits, I.e., Error Detection / Correction 4 new Coding Schemes: CS 1 4 CS 1:
Greatest amount of coding Most reliable However, lowest data throughput due to Coding overhead (9.05 kbps / TS) Used by PDTCH in bad radio conditions (C/I = 6 dB) Always used by Signaling channels

CS 4:
Least amount of coding; least reliability Highest throughput (21.4 kbps / TS) Only used in good radio conditions (C/I = 17 dB)

Session ManagementPDP Address

Static PDP Address
Fixed PDP address assigned to the MS by operator. Is exchanged between the MS & GGSN as part of the PDP Context Activation procedure

Dynamic PDP Address

PDP address assigned by GGSN after PDP Context Activation. Empty PDP address field in PDP Context Activation request by MS GGSN access to DHCP server

Thank You!!!