GSM Power Control Algorithm

Zte university

Brief Introduction

Rudiments of Power Control

ZTE Power Control Algorithms
Setting of Power Control Parameters
Application of Power Control

I. Rudiments of Power Control

1. What is power control? Why we carry out
power control?
2. Classification of power control
3. Difference among various kinds of power
control
4. Whats the main object of power control?
5. How to conduct power control?

1. What is power control? Why we carry out power

control?

What is power control?

Why should we carry out
power control?

Definition: Power control is to adjust the transmitting power of BTS

and MS according to real needs.
Base: result of UL/DL measurement
Goal: to lower transmitting power, reduce interference in the whole
network and power consumption, on condition that speech quality is
ensured.

2. Classification of power control

Ordinary power control

Rapid power control

3. Difference among various kinds of power control

Static power
control
Dynamic
power control

Ordinary power
control

Rapid power
control
CS power
control

PS power
control

Impose restrictions on the max transmitting power of MS or BTS at

OMCR

Under the non-idle mode, the network flexibly decides the

transmitting power of MS or BTS in a dynamic manner according to
radio environment.

Adopt fixed step to adjust power.

Adopt non-fixed step to adjust power, i.e. to settle power adjustment

at one go.

Power control in CS service.

Power control in PS service.

4.Whats the main body of power control?

The main object of power control: TS and MS

z

Power control is directed at single subscribers, so the main

object of UL power control is single MS; for DL, its some timeslot
(ST) in the BTS used by the MS, Note its not the whole carrier.

Its stipulated in the protocol that the transmission must be performed at

full power on the carrier of BCCH, so only UL dynamic power control
(not DL dynamic power control) can be carried out on the carrier of
BCCH.

5.How to conduct power control?

Collection of MS/BTS
measurement reports

Weighted average of MRs

If the average satisfies

conditions of power control
decision?
Yes

No
Save the average

Condition for power

increase is satisfied

Condition for power

maintenance is satisfied

Condition for power

decrease is satisfied

Increase MS/BTS
transmitting power

Maintain MS/BTS
transmitting power

Decrease MS/BTS
transmitting power

II. ZTE Power Control Algorithms

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.

What power control algorithms are supported in ZTE systems?

What features do ZTE power control algorithms have?
What is sliding-window averaging?
What is Rapid averaging?
How is the initial state of ZTE power control algorithms defined?
How is the stable state of ZTE power control algorithms defined ?
Whats the relation between the initial state and stable state of ZTE power control
algorithms?
In which network element is ZTE power control realized?
How is measurement reports processed in ZTE power control algorithms?
How to judge conditions for power increase/decrease in ZTE power control
algorithms?
How to decide power increase/decrease value in ZTE power control algorithms (I)?
How to decide power increase/decrease value in ZTE power control algorithms (II)?
How to decide power increase/decrease value in ZTE power control algorithms (III)?
How to decide power increase/decrease value in ZTE power control algorithms (IV)?
Why bySub is introduced for the initial state of ZTE power control algorithms?
How is power control result measured in ZTE systems?

1. What power control algorithms are supported in

ZTE systems?

UL and DL
Rapid power
control are not
discriminated in
version 6.20
and previous
ones.

2. What features do ZTE power control algorithms

have?

3. What is sliding-window averaging?

Definition: during averaging of measurement reports, when number of MR

reaches the window size (suppose its 4), calculate the first 4 MRs and get the
first average value; then calculate MR no.2 -5 and get the second average
value; and so on. Advantage: it can effectively disperse the influence of signal
fluctuation.

Disadvantage: it takes quite a bit of time to get the first average.

4. What is Rapid averaging?

Definition: during averaging of measurement reports, which is not restricted by

average window, the first average value is obtained when the first MR is submitted;
and the second average value is obtained by calculating the first and second MRs;
when number of MRs reaches the window size, rapid averaging is converted to
sliding-window averaging.
Advantage: it reduces the time for triggering the first power control.
Disadvantage: its reliability is a bit low, as there are fewer samples of MRs
participating in the decision.

5. How is the initial state of ZTE power control algorithms

defined?
When MS initially accesses into channel (SDCCH or TCH),
the power control status it enters is referred as initial state.
Features of this state:

9There is a big difference between the max transmitting power MS initially uses
and that actually needed.

9It produces heavy influence on MS using other channels.

9There is dramatic adjustment on MS and BTS power ranks, so there will be big
changes on MS and BTS power.

9Usually it needs several consecutive times of rapid power adjustment.

Features of power control algorithm at this state:

Perform power control decision to each MR, adjust MS and BTS power
rank and make it reach the demanded level and quality in the shortest
time.

6. How is the stable state of ZTE power control

algorithms defined?
After experiencing the dramatic adjustment of power, MS reaches the requested UL
level and quality and enters a relatively stable situation, which is called stable state.
Conditions for MS entering stable state from initial state (either 1 or 2 is acceptable):

9Condition 1: in most cases, MS power takes downward modulation in initial state; if

it stops downward modulation for N1 times, its supposed to have entered stable state.

9Condition 2: when the number of measurement reports received reaches N2, MS

directly enters stable state.
Explanations on N1/N2 value:
Principle:N1<N2
Recommended value: N1-4, N2-11
N1 and N2 not only can be set some fixed value according to test result, but also can
be configured at OMCR; in order to maintain the compatibility of OMCR, currently
N1 and N2 are set the default value, and they can be adjusted through hyper-terminal.

7. Whats the relation between the initial state and

stable state of ZTE power control algorithms?

When MS enters initial state

of power control, it quickly
adjusts its power up to
demand;

When MS power stops

downward modulation for
N1 times, or when number
of received MRs reaches
N2, MS enters stable state;

Initial state and stable state

adopt different power
control strategies.

8. In which network element is ZTE power control

realized?

In ZTE system, power control is realized in BTS, which masters UL/DL dynamic
power control and reports the results to BSC at certain intervals, so that BSC
can collect related performance statistics. Refer to the following figure for the
logical location of power control elements.

9. How is measurement reports processed in ZTE

power control algorithms?

10. How to judge conditions for power

increase/decrease in ZTE power control algorithms?
LEVELCAUSE = 2

LEVELCAUSE = 0

LEVELCAUSE = 1
LEVEL
CAUSE
0

QUAL
CAUSE
0

RESULT

1
1

0
1

DECREASE_BYQUALIT
Y
INCREASE_BYQUALIT
Y
QUALCAUSE = 1
INCREASE_BYLEVEL
INCREASE_BYLEVEL
QUALCAUSE = 0
INCREASE_
BYQUALITY
QUALCAUSE = 2
DECREASE_BYLEVEL

DECREASE_BYLEVEL

INCREASE_BYQUALIT
Y

POWER_STAY

11. How to decide power increase/decrease value in

ZTE power control algorithms (I)?

12. How to decide power increase/decrease value of

in ZTE power control algorithms (II)?

Power control in initial state:

With the aim to carry out power control effectively, whether power is to increase or
decrease, the step shall be the one set for power decrease, which shall be fixed.

1MS power increase:

a)

UL signal is bad, and no MS MR is received. If the difference between the MS power value
(computed through the current power control) and the last valid MS power value exceeds
8dbm, then the current power control decision is valid, and MS power increase shall be
continued;

b)

UL signal is good, MS MR is received by BTS; DL signal is bad, the power control value
hasnt effectively controlled MS power, and the difference (bySub) exceeds 8dbm, then
power control shall not be imposed on MS any more;

2MS power decrease:

Regardless whether BTS has received MS UL MR or not, once the difference is less than
8dbm, power control shall not be imposed on MS;
3As in BTS power measurement, the power adjustment benchmark value shall be the power
rank value of current BTS transmitting signal, and the calculation method is the same as that
of power control in stable state.

13. How to decide power increase/decrease value in

ZTE power control algorithms (III)?

Rapid power control: power increase/decrease in rapid power control shall be

carried out according to the following criteria. For level-related power
increase/decrease control, specific conditions are needed in decision; if the
conditions are not satisfied, use the ordinary power control method.

14. How to decide power increase/decrease value in

ZTE power control algorithms (IV)?

Graph of UL
ordinary
power control:

Graph of UL
ordinary power
control with
rapid averaging
adopted:

Graph of UL
rapid power
control:

15. Why bySub is introduced for the initial state of

ZTE power control algorithms?

After sending new power rank to MS, it takes an interval of at least three
MRs for BTS to receive MS power rank report, which makes it unable to
meet the requirement for each MR to adjust the last sent power control
value( byMSpowerSet) by 2dB in the initial state of power control.

A variable bySub is introduced, which represents the difference between

the power control value to be sent and the currently received power
value, whose limit is 8dbm.

16. How is power control result measured in ZTE

systems?

BTS reports power control results to BSC for

performance statistics. Reporting period is
controlled by PwrCtrlReportPrd (SACCH multiframe) .
ZTE power control statistics are in collected in
BTS measurement tasks, including cause and
times of power control. For details, please refer to
the fascicule of performance counters in attached
manuals.

III

Setting of Power Control Parameters

1. What are the general cares of setting power
control parameters?
2. Recommended values of power control
parameters
3. What factors influence the speed of dynamic
power control?

1. What are the general cares of setting power

control parameters?

2. Recommended values of power control parameters

The recommended values are for reference, please make

appropriate adjustment according to actual network situations.
Parameter

Average window size

UL/DL RQ increase threshold
UL/DL RQ increase P/N value
UL/DL RQ decrease threshold
UL/DL RQ decrease P/N value
UL/DL level increase /
decrease threshold
UL/DL level increase /
decrease P/Nvalue
Increase step
Decrease step
Rapid averaging
Rapid power control
Power decrease limit
Power control min interval
MS min power rank
BS min power rank

Recommended value
6.20.101e &subsequent
6.20.101e&subsequent
versions
versions
4
4
3
2
2/3
2/3
1
0
2/3
2/3
default

default

2/3

2/3

4db
2db
Enabled
Enabled
108642222
1
18900M141800M)
15(900M)141800M

4db
2db
Disabled
Disabled
default
0
18900M141800M)
15(900M)141800M

3. What factors influence the speed of dynamic

power control?

IV

Application of Power Control

1. In which circumstances can power control be
applied?
2. Which KPIs will be influenced by power
control?
3. In which aspects will power control influence
subscribers satisfaction?

1. In which circumstances can power control be

applied?

Normally UL ordinary power control is enabled, other power control types are
mainly applied in areas with dense sites, which can help reduce interference.
The following table is for reference.

2. Which KPIs will be influenced by power control?

Power control influences transmitting power, which may impose some negative
effects on the level of coverage, and result in dramatic decrease in the
proportion of level above -75dbm.

3. In which aspects will power control influence

subscribers satisfaction?