EVDO Connection Drops Analysis (Part I)

Muenge Loundu
San Diego RF Engineering EVDO POC

2006 Sprint Nextel. All rights reserved.

Objectives
Describe Connection Drop Scenarios Identify Connection Drop Signatures through log file analysis Develop a methodology to identify Connection Drops through log file analysis

2006 Sprint Nextel. All rights reserved.

Basic Call Setup Flow Connection Request

AT BTS RNC (OHM/SFM)

Page

Send Page

Route Update & Connection Request (UATI)

ACK

Allocate Traffic ChannelReq Allocate Traffic ChannelResp DRC Cover Ind

TCA

Traffic Channel Assignment Send DRC + Pilot and ramp up RTC RTCAck

Send TCA Mobile Acquire Ind Send RTC Ack TCC

Traffic Channel Complete

Ack
Configuration Negotiation procedures

Figure 1. Normal Setup Response to Page

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Configuration Negotiation Procedures

AT
ConfigurationRequests/ Responses ConfigurationComplete ConfigurationRequests/ Responses
Personality 0 Negotiation

RNC (OHM/SFM)

SoftConfigurationComplete PersonalityIndexStore=0 (main), Continue = 1

ConfigurationRequest ConfigurationResponse ConfigurationComplete

Figure 2. Session Configuration Negotiation

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A12 Ran Authentication and Session Setup

AT
Configuration Negotiation

RNC

AAA

PDSN

XonRequest

XonResponse AT initiates with XON Request

RAN-PPP Negotiation (LCP)

CHAP Challenge

CHAP Response

A12 Access Request

A12 Access Accept CHAP Success RAN Authentication is completed

RAN-PPP Termination (LCP)

PDSN-PPP Setup (A11/A10)

Figure 3. Successful RAN Authentication (A12 Access Accept)

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EVDO Connection Drop/Close Types

Connection Drops occur at: Air Link Between the AT and the EVDO RNC PPP Level Between the AT and the PDSN Mobile IP Level Between the Mobile IP client, Foreign Agent and Home Agent

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EVDO Air Link Connection Close Scenarios An Air Link connection drop is typically independent of PPP, Mobile IP, and Session states. The Air Link may be closed due to normal scenarios, or it may be closed due to weak RF conditions. Normal scenarios are the followings: At the end of Session Configuration AN wants to change the AT Personality RLP Inactivity Timer Expires User desired The AT and the AN may give up on a connection when the AT cannot hear the AN reliably, or the AN cannot hear the AT reliably. When the AT cannot hear the AN, this is due to a weak Forward Link. When the AN cannot hear the AT, it is due to a weak Reverse Link.
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EVDO Air Link Connection Close Scenarios The AT and the AN may give up on a connection when the AT cannot hear the AN reliably, or the AN cannot hear the AT reliably. When the AT cannot hear the AN, this is due to a weak Forward Link. Control Channel Supervision Failures DRC Supervision Failures Hand down to 1xRTT (3G1x) When the AN cannot hear the AT, it is due to a weak Reverse Link. Indicated by Forward Traffic Valid Bit

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Connection Close Session Configuration Configuration Negotiation is the process of the AT and the AN negotiating a set of EVDO Protocols, Protocol Subtypes, and Attribute values. In Release 0, after the AT receives the ConfigurationComplete message from the AN, it sends a ConnectionClose to cause the newly negotiated set of Protocols, Subtypes and Attribute values to go into effect. In Rev A, the AT after the AT receives the ConnectionClose after it receives a SoftConfigurationComplete message with Continue=0 to cause the newly negotiated set of Protocols, Subtypes and Attribute values to go into effect.

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Connection Close Session Configuration

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Connection Close Personality Switch The AN will send the AttributeUpdateRequest message with the SessionConfigurationToken indicating the Personality that the AN wants the AT to switch to. The Personality will not go into effect until the connection closes. In the next example, while the AT is in traffic, the AN sends the AttributeUpdateRequest with the SessionConfigurationToken and then sends ConnectionClose and TrafficChannelAssignment at the same time. The AT responds to the ConnectionClose and then starts transmitting Pilot+DRC using the new Personality. The AN responds with RTCAck indicating that it can hear the AT and the Connection is setup.

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Connection Close Personality Switch

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Connection Close RLP Inactivity The RAN monitor the activity on the AT forward and Reverse Traffic Channels to determine whether the AT is in dormant mode. This timer is reset whenever there is data movement at the RLP Layer between the AN and the AT. If there is inactivity for a period defined by the dormancy timer, a ConnectionClose message is sent and the AT is released of its assigned traffic channel and enters the dormant mode. The entity with the smaller timer value will initiate the ConnectionClose. While in dormant mode, the AT can only monitor the Control Channel during its wake-up cycle. During this mode, the AT monitors Page messages and will respond to KeepAliveRequest messages over the Access Channel. The AT transitions back to the active state when the user has a message to send, or when the AT is responding to Page message.
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Connection Close RLP Inactivity

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Control Channel Supervision

When a Connection is active, the AT monitors both broadcast and AT-directed (unicast) messages transmitted over the Forward Control Channel on the selected EVDO Channel listed in the SectorParameters message. The Control Channel, which is interlaced with the transmission of traffic data, is transmitted every 426.66 ms for a 13.33 ms duration. There are twelve Control Channel cycles within 5.12 seconds. On the occurrence of every twelfth control channel cycle (time slot) which occurs every 5.12 seconds, the AT transitions from the Sleep Sub-State to the Monitor Sub-State for the 13.33 ms control channel cycle time slot to exchange synchronous capsules with the AN. To prevent loss of this exchange, the AT cannot change its Active Set Pilot at a time that causes it to miss a synchronous Control Channel capsule. There are 12 Control Channel cycles within 5.12 seconds. If the AT does not receive a Synchronous Control Channel capsule for 12 Control Channel cycles (5.12 seconds), the Control Channel Supervision fails and the AT tears down the connection. The AT does not send a ConnectionClose message in this case. The AT will enter the Network System Determination with a System Loss indication after a Control Channel Supervision failure.

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Control Channel Supervision

The QuickConfig message is one of the messages broadcast by on the Forward Control Channel to indicate a change in the overhead messages contents and to provide frequently changing information. It informs the AT about certain important parameters, such as Color Code, and indication that the Forward Traffic Channel for a particular MAC index is valid. It appears more often than any other overhead message (that is why it is called quick!) and designed to assist AT that is waking up from sleep mode to process system overhead messages or for handoff processing. The QuickConfig message is sent in every Control Channel Cycle (every 256 slots or 426 ms).

5.12 seconds
Control Channel Traffic Channel

13.33 ms 426.66 ms

Figure 4. Sleep Mode Slotted Control Cycle

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Weak Forward Link Control Channel Supervision Failure In the next example, the EVDO Connection Release is generated on the AT when the Connection Release is logged. This is typically due to low SINR in the Forward Link caused by: Pilot pollution low signal power in the Forward Link Only the radio resources would be released. The PPP and the Session would not be torn down.

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Weak Forward Link Control Channel Supervision Failure

AT monitors the Control Channel continuously. Synchronous capsules occur every 256 slots or 426.66 ms

No Control Channel messaged received for 5.12 seconds.

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Weak Forward Link DRC Supervision Failure

If the AT is on the EVDO Traffic Channel, it may send a NULL DRC to indicate that it does not want to receive any data from the network while it is monitoring 3G1x Paging Channel. The DRC Supervision timer is activated when the AT transmits a NULL Rate DRC. The AT shall the DRC Supervision timer for TFTCMDRCSupervision (240 ms) when it transmits a NULL Rate DRC. If the AT requests a non-null rate while the DRC supervision timer is active, it shall disable the timer. If the DRC Supervision timer expires, the AT shall disable the Reverse Traffic Channel transmitter and set the Reverse Traffic Channel Restart timer for time TFTCMPRestartTx (5.12 secs). If the AT generates consecutive non-null DRC values for more than NFTCMPRestartTx (16) slots, the AT shall disable the Reverse Traffic Channel Restart timer and shall enable the Reverse Traffic Channel Transmitter. If the Reverse Traffic Channel Restart timer expires, the AT shall return a SupervisionFailed indication and transition to Inactive State.

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Weak Forward Link DRC Supervision Failure

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Weak Forward Link DRC Supervision Failure

From the picture: The AT transmits a NULL DRC at 15:23:48.2 and enables the DRC Supervision timer. The AT is unable to request a NON-NULL DRC during the supervision period. The AT disables the RTC Transmitter at 15:23:48.4. The AT is unable to request consecutive NON-NULL DRC for 16 slots. The AT drops the connection at 15:23:53.6 (5.12 seconds after disabling the RTC Transmitter). In this example, DRC Supervision disadvantaged the user because PN 33 and PN 36 Pilot strengths rose above PilotAdd while the ATs RTC Transmitter was turned off.

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Weak Reverse Link Forward Traffic Valid Bit

Message ID: 1 Time: 06/21/07 08:11:51.257 Latitude: 32.946345 Longitude: -117.212094 Channel: Control broadcast Message: Quick configuration ACK_SEQ: 255 MSG_SEQ: 255 ACK_REQ: Band: 1 Channel number: 50 Pilot PN: 474 Sync CC flag: 1 <Message was received on synchronous control channel capsule> Layer: Connection Protocol: Overhead Messages Subtype: Overhead Messages Message: Quick configuration Color code: 78 Sector ID24: 6147 Sector signature: 2 Access signature: 1 Redirect: 0 RPC count 63 to 0: 2 Forward traffic channel valid: MAC index: 63 62 FTC valid: 1 1 RPC count 127 to 64 included: 1 RPC count 127 to 64: 2 Forward traffic channel valid: MAC index: 127 126 FTC valid: 1 1

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Weak Reverse Link Forward Traffic Valid Bit

In the TrafficChannelAssignment message, the AT receives: MAC Index for each sector in the Active Set. The relationship (soft or softer) of the sector to each other. The QuickConfiguration message conveys the status of the Forward Traffic Channel. Using the Forward Traffic Valid Bit: 1 means the connection is valid. 0 means the connection is not valid. If FTCValid is set to zero on that Control Channel, the AT must change Air Link state from Connected to Idle.

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Weak Reverse Link Identifying Forward Traffic Valid = 0

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Weak Reverse Link Identifying Forward Traffic Valid = 0

Identifying Forward Traffic Valid = 0 involves looking at different parts of the AT log file. First you need to identify when the ATs air link state changes from Connected to Idle. In this example, the Connection Release Packet was logged on the AT. After identifying that the ATs air link connection changed from the Connected to the Idle state: Review back in time to the last TrafficChannel Assignment message that the AT received. Note the MAC Indexes for all the Pilots in the Active Set. Find the last QuickConfig message the AT received before the Connection was released. Determine if the FTValid Bit for the MAC Index on that sector is set to 0.

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Connection Drop Hybrid AT Hand Down to 1x3G

When the hybrid AT is in the Connected state and detects a prolonged weak EVDO signal, it will hand down to 1x3G. Hand down means that the AT will send a ConnectionClose (Best Effort) to EVDO system, and initiate a Service Option 33 call on 1x3G network.

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Connection Close Debugging Methodology

ConnectionClose message sent: At the end of Session Configuration AN wants to change the ATs Personality RLP Inactivity Time expires User desired No ConnectionClose message sent: Weak Forward Link Control Channel Supervision Failures DRC Supervision Failures Hand down to 1x3G connection close BE Weak Reverse Link Indicated by Forward Traffic Valid Bit

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THANK YOU!

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