Channels On Air Interface

Physical Channel
Logical Channel

Physical Channel
Physical channel is the medium over which the
information is carried.

Logical Channel
Logical channels consists of the information carried
over the Physical Channel.
0 7
3
0
5
0
1
2
0 7
3
0
5
0
1
2
TDMA & FDMA
F D M A
200KHz
Uplink - MS Tx
890MHz to 915MHz
Downlink - BTS Tx
935MHz to 960MHz
LOGICAL CHANNELS
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3
57
encrypted
57
encrypted
26
training
1
S
1
S
3
T
8.25
GP
3
T
577S
577S x 8 = 4.615mS
TDMA Frame
Normal Burst
26 Frame Multi-frame
BURST
Time is divided into discrete periods called
Timeslots
The Time Slots are arranged in a sequence ,
conventionally numbered 0 to 7.
Each repetition of this sequence is called a TDMA
Frame.
The information content carried in one time slot is
called a burst.
BURST
Information
Main Area where the Speech, Data or Control info is held
Guard Period
To enable the burst to hit the time slot (0.031ms)
Stealing Flags
2 bits are set when TCH is to stolen by a FACCH
Training Sequence
For estimation of transfer characteristics of physical media
Tail Bits
Used to indicate beginning and end of the burst.
Five Types of Burst
Normal Burst
Traffic & Control Channels Bi-directional
Frequency Correction Burst
FCCH Downlink
Synchronization Burst
SCH Downlink
Dummy Burst
BCCH Carrier Downlink
Access Burst
RACH Uplink
GSM Logical Channels
TCH
SACCH
FACCH
Control Channels
BCCH
CCCH
ACCH
DCCH
LOGICAL CHANNELS
TDMA Frame
26 Frame Multi-frame
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Frames & Multiframes
Several Logical channels share one time slot.
Individual channels are sequenced, & each
channel gets the time it requires.
Sequence is carried out using Multiframes.
Traffic Channel occupy a 26-frame multiframe (120
ms)
Control Channel occupy a 51-frame multiframe (235
ms).
Traffic Channels - TCH
TCH
TCH
TCH / FS
9.6
DATA
TCH / HS
4.8
2.4
FACCH SAACH
BCCH Channel
CCH
BCCH
BCCH
Synchronizing Channels
FCH
SCH
Broadcast Control
Channel - Downlink only
Channels On Air Interface
BCCH
Transmitted at all times & conveys information about Cell
Timing and Configuration
BCCH, FCCH, SCH
CCCH
Used by BSS & MS when trying to initiate a connection over
the air
RACH, PCH, AGCH, CBCH
Channels On Air Interface
DCCH
Used to convey signaling information during call setup
SDCCH
ACCH
Used to transmit signaling information when a call is in
progress
FACCH & SACCH
Channels On Air Interface
ACCH
SAACH
Conveys Power Control & Timing Information in the downlink
direction.
RSSI and Quality reports in the uplink direction.
FACCH
To carry out user authentication and handovers. It steals the
TCH burst and inserts its own information.
Channels On Air Interface
Acronyms
BCCH Broadcast Control Channel
CCCH Common Control Channel
DCCH Dedicated Control Channel
ACCH Associated Control Channel
SDCCH Standalone Dedicated Control Channel
RACH Random Access Channel
PCH Paging Channel
AGCH Access Grant Channel
Channels On Air Interface
BCCH
Location Area Identity
List of neighbouring cells, to be monitored
List of frequencies used in the cell
Cell Identity
Power Control Indicator
DTX permitted
Access Control (e.g emergency calls, call barring)

Channels On Air Interface
Always transmitted at constant power at all times
Dummy burst are sent to ensure continuity when no
traffic information is sent.
FCCH
Mobile corrects the frequency of its internal time base
by reading this logical channel.
Easily detected by the mobile.
After FCCH, mobile is able to detect SCH which
contains timing information.
Channels On Air Interface
SCH
Carries the information for mobile to synchronize to the
TDMA frame structure & know the timing of the
individual timeslots.
Frame Number & BSIC (Base Station Identity Code)
CCCH
RACH
Transmitted by the Mobile when it wishes to gain access to the
system
Channels On Air Interface
PCH
Transmitted by the BTS when it wishes to contact a specific
mobile.
AGCH
Transmitted by the BTS to assign dedicated resources to an
MS such as SDCCH
CBCH
To transmit messages to all mobiles within a cell. CBCH will
steal some time of an SDCCH to do this.

Channel Combinations
Full rate Traffic Channel Combination
TCH8/FACCH + SACCH
Broadcast Channel Combination
BCCH + CCCH
Dedicated Channel Combination
SDCCH8 + SACCH8
Combined Channel Combination
BCCH + CCCH + SDCCH4 + SACCH4
Channel Combinations (Timeslots)
Traffic Channel Combination
TCH8/FACCH +SACCH
Can be on any Time slot
Broadcast Channel Combination
BCCH +CCCH
Can be on Timeslot 0, 2, 4, 6
Dedicated Channel Combination
SDCCH8 + SACCH8
Any Time slot
Combined Channel Combination
BCCH + CCCH +SDCCH4 + SACCH4
Can only be on 0 Timeslot
TCH Multiframe
0 5
10
SACCH
15 20
I
D
L
E
Downlink & Uplink SACCH
BCCH/CCCH Multiframe
BCCH/CCCH
In Downlink direction the timeslot (physical
channel) is shared by a different logical
channels.
In the Uplink direction all timeslots are
allocated to RACH.




BCCH/CCCH Multiframe
10 20 30 40
50
Downlink to MS
Uplink from MS
0 10 20 30 40 50
F S F S F S F S S I F CCCH
8 TS
CCCH
4 TS
BCCH CCCH
8 TS
CCCH
8 TS
CCCH
8 TS
R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
0
Combined Multiframe
BCCH and SDCCH share a common timeslot
Less No. of subscribers support (as only 4 SDCCH)
102 frame structure
Superframes And Hyperframes
1326 TDMA frames (26*51) make a superframe
2048 superframes make one hyperframe, after which ciphering
and frequency hopping algorithm are restarted.
Combined Multiframe
0 10 20 30 40 50
F
F
S
S
BCCH F
F
S
S F S F S
S
S A2
A0 A1
A3
I
I
F
F CCCH
8 TS
F S F S CCCH
8 TS
CCCH
4 TS
CCCH
4 TS
BCCH D2
D2 D3
D3
D0 D1
D0 D1
0 10 20 30 40
D3 R
R
R
R A2 A3 D3
A0 A1 R
R
R
R D2
D2 R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
R
D0 D1
D1 D0
50
Downlink to MS
Uplink from MS
SDCCH Multiframe
0 10 20 30 40 50
I
I
Downlink to MS
Uplink from MS
I
I
I
I
D0 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 A0 A1 A2 A3
D0 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 A4 A5 A6 A7
0 10 20 30 40 50
I
I
I
I
I
I
D0 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 A1 A2 A3
A0
D0 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D6 D7 A5 A6 A7 A4
Block - 1 : 1, 5, 9 .. Samples
Block - 2 : 2, 6, 10, Samples
& so on for Block - 3 & Block - 4.
Voice Coding
LPC
RPE
D
i
v
i
d
e
d

i
n
t
o

4

B
l
o
c
k
s


o
f

4
0

S
a
m
p
l
e
s

e
a
c
h

LTP
Class Ia Class Ib Class II
50 bits 132 bits 78 bits
20 mS
Sample Rate 8 kHz
13 bits per Sample
160 Samples
2080 bits
104 kbps
Reduction in Data
Speech Encoder selects Block
with Most Energy
Channel Coding
Error Protection And Detection
To protect the logical channel from transmission errors
by the radio path, different coding schemes are used.
Coding & Interleaving Schemes dependent upon
logical channel to be encoded.

3 Coding Protection schemes
Speech Channel Encoding
Control Channel Encoding
Data Channel Encoding
Speech Channel Coding
Speech Information of 20 ms block is divided over
8 GSM burst.
260 bits are grouped in three classes depending
upon the intelligible part of speech
After encoding 456 bits block is interleaved

Speech Channel Coding
Parity
Check
456 bits
Class 1b
132 bits
Class 1a
50 bits
Class 2
78 bits
50 132 3 4
Convolutional Code
378 78
Tail Bits
378 78
Convolutional Coding
Control Channel Encoding
Control Channel Encoding
Block of 184 bits received by BTS
Bits are protected by Cyclic Codes of Class Fire Codes
Adds 40 Parity Bits
4 Tail Bits are added
Convolution Coding is done
O/p from 184 Signalling bits is 456 bits.
Control Channel Coding
184
Coding
184
40
Parity Bits
Convolutional Coding
456
456 bits
4
TB
Data Channel Coding
240
184
Convolutional Coding
488

4

Punctuate
456
Interleaving
Responsible for Robustness of the GSM air
interface
10 -20 % burst destroyed or corrupted on the air
interface.
Spreads the content of one information block
across several TDMA timeslots.
Two types of Interleaving -
Diagonal Interleaving
Rectangular Interleaving
DIAGONAL INTERLEAVING
SPEECH
Speech Blocks
456 bits
EIGHT blocks of 57 bits,
Sent on 8 ALTERNATE timeslots
0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7 0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7 0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7 0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7
456 bits
RECTANGULAR INTERLEAVING
CONTROL CHANNEL
Data Blocks
456 bits
114
Bits
Odd
114
Bits
Odd
114
Bits
Even
114
Bits
Even
FOUR blocks of 114 bits,
Sent on 4 timeslots
0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7 0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7 0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7 0 1 2
3
4 5 6 7
Interleaving
Interleaving Depths
Speech - 8 blocks
Control - 4 blocks
Data - 22 blocks
Speech & Data blocks are diagonally
interleaved
Control block is rectagularly interleaved

Interleaving
TRAU Frame Type
Data
Control
Speech
Number of GSM
Burst Spread Over
22
4
8
TRAU = Transcoder Rate Adaption Unit
GSM Frame Structure
1 TDMA Burst = 577 sec
1 TDMA Frame = 8 Burst =4.616 ms

1 TCH Multiframe = 26 TDMA Frames = 120 ms
1 CCH Multiframe = 51 TDMA Frames = 234.6 ms

1 TCH Superframe = 51 TCH Multiframes = 1326
TF = 6.12 sec
1 CCH Superframe = 26 CCH Multiframes = 1326
TF = 6.12 sec

1 Hyperframe = 2048 Superframes = 2715648
Superframes = 2715648 TF = 3hrs 28min
53sec 760ms



Mapping of Logical Channels
Main BCCH Format

LAYERS ON AIR INTERFACE
Layered model according to International Standards Organisation with open system
interconnection
A Layer is a logical block in a communication entity ( MS or BTS or Switch) that has
certain functions , tasks, or assignments. It has its own tools for executing its tasks.
These tools consists of protocols that allow the layer to contact and communicate with
its peer layer. The protocol used by two peer layers to communicate with each other is
called peer to peer protocol.


TASKS
TOOLS
PROTOCOLS
TASKS
TOOLS
PROTOCOLS
INFORMATION
INFORMATION
INFORMATION
INFORMATION
LAYER N-1
LAYER N+1
LAYER N
PEER TO PEER PROTOCOL
ENTITY A(MS) ENTITY B(BTS)
LAYER FUNCTIONALITY
PHYSICAL LAYER 1
MODULATION
POWER CONTROL
CODING
INTERLEAVING

ALL THIS IS DONE TO SEND INFORMATION ON THE AIR
INTERFACE. SO INFORMATION FROM LAYER 2 ( WHICH IN TURN
TAKES FROM LAYER 3) IS GIVEN TO LAYER 1, WHICH AFETR
DOING ALL ABOVE SENDS ITS ON THE AIR.
SIGNALING INFORMATION 184 BITS
20 OCTETS FROM LAYER3
3 OCTETS FROM LAYER2
CONVOLUTIONSL CODING, INTERLEAVING IN
TIME DIVISION MULTIPLEXING, MODULATING
LAYER 1
DATA LINK LAYER 2
LAPDm
PROTOCOL USED BETWEEN A MOBILE STATION AND BTS IS LINK
ACCESS PROCEDURE FOR MOBILE D OR CONTROL. THE LETTER D
IS FROM ISDN NOMNICLATURE.
TASKS :
ORGANISATION OF LAYER 3 INFORMATIONINTO FRAMES
PEER TO PEER TRANSMISSION OF SIGNALING DATA IN DEFINED
FRAME FORMATS
ESTABLISHMENT =, MAINTENANCE AND TERMINATION OF ONE
OR MORE DATA LINKS ON SIGNALING CHANNELS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF
NUMBERED INFORMATION FRAMES (I-FRAMES)
UNKNOWLEDGED TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF
UNNUMBERED INFORMATION FRAMES (UI FRAMES)

LAPDm FRAME FORMATS
BIT NUMBER

ADDRESS FIELD
CONTROL FIELD
LENGTH INDICATOR
FILL BITS



OCTETS
FRAME FORMAT A
FRAME FORMAT A
FRAME FORMAT B
FRAME FORMAT Abis
FRAME FORMAT Bbis
FRAME FORMAT A IS USED WHEN NO REAL LAYER3 INFORMATION
IS TO BE TRANSMITTED. TO MAINTAIN THE CHANNEL ACTIVE WHEN
THERE IS NO SIGNALING TO SEND& TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE FRAME
FROM ITS PEER LAYER.

It is used on DCCHs for frames where there is no information field


LAPDm FORAME FORMATS
ADDRESS FIELD
CONTROL FIELD
LENGTH INDICATOR
INFORMATION FIELD
FILL BITS



OCTETS
FRAME FORMAT B
IN CASE WHEN REAL INFORMATION HAS TO BE TRANSFERRED, FRAME
FORMAT B IS USED. SUCH A FRAME IS CALLED AN I FRAME.THE MODE
IN WHICH I FRAMES ARE EXCHANGED IS CALLED ACKNOWLEDGED
MODE AND THE PROCECDURE IS CALLED
MULTIPLE FRAME OPERATION.

-for SACCH = 28 octets
-For FAACH & SDDCH = 20 octets

ACKNOWLEDGED MODE IS FOR FLAW LESS TRANSPORT OF IMPORTANT
INFO BLOCKS. IF A FRAME WAS SENT BUT LOST IN THE TRANSMISSION
OR
THE RECEIVER WAS NOT READY FOR A NEW FRAME THEN TO SORT
THE PROBLEM SUPERVISORY FRAME IS USED WHICH IS IN A FORMAT.
LAPDm FRAME FORMAT
ADDRESS FIELD
LENGTH INDICATOR
FILL BITS



OCTETS
FRAME FORMAT Abis
ADDRESS FIELD
LENGTH INDICATOR
INFORMATION FIELD
FILL BITS



OCTETS
FRAME FORMAT Bbis
SIMILAR TO A AND B FORMATS BUT USED FOR UNACKNOWEDGED MODE
OF SIGNALING DATA TRANFER. ( LESS IMPORTANT INFO) BCCH INFO & PERIODIC REPORT BY MS.
This is used only on BCCH, AGCH & PCH
- for BCCH, AGCH & PCH = 23 octets

LAPDm FRAME FORMAT
SO LAYER 2 USES THE FOUR DIFFERENT FRAME FORMATS TO

EXCHANGE LAYER3 INFORMATION

SUPERVISORY MESSAGES THE LAYER2 ITSELF MUST EXCHANGE TO MAKE SURE THE LAYER 3 MESSAGE ARRIVAL
AT THEIR DESTINATION

TO DO THIS RELIABLY , IT NEEDS MECHANISM AND PARAMETERS CONTAINED IN THE FIELDS OF THESE FRAMES.


FIELDS OF FRAMES IN LAYER 2
ADDRESS FIELD

LPD ( Link Protocol Discriminator ) , 0 0 default, 01 for SMS ( Cell Broadcast )
SAPI ( Service Access Point Identifier ) 0 0 0 FOR LAYER 3SIGNALLING
SAPI = 0 for CC, MM , RR Signalling
SAPI = 3 for SMS
C/R 1 MEANS COMMAND FOR BTS AND RESPONSE FOR MS AND VICA VERSA. User side sets C?R bit to 0 and
respones with C?R bit set to 1.
EA ( Address Field Extension bit ) set to 1 indicates that this is the final octet of address field. For double octet
address field EA is set to 0 for first octet and 1 for second octet.
CONTROL FIELD
TELLS THE TYPE OF FRAME. IFRAME , S FRAME & U FRAME AND ALL THESE WILL BE IN A OR B FORMATS

I FRAMES - WHEN TRANSMITTING INFORMATION FRAMES

S FRAMES - FOR SUPERVISORY FRAMES

RECEIVE READY: RR FRAME
RECEIVE NOT READY : RNR FRAME
REJECT: REJ FRAME
AN I FRAME CAN BE ACKNOWLEDGED FROM AN I FRAME IN B FORMAT ( AS BTS IN EXAMPLE IS DOING)
OR AN RR FRAME IN A FORMAT ( AS MS IN EXAMPLE IS DOING)
U FRAME

SABM B FORMAT
DISC A FORMAT
UA B FORMAT
UI A FORMAT FOR FILL FRAME WHEN NO MESSAGES ARE TO BE SENT AND TO MAINTAIN THE CHANNEL ACTIVE
DM A FORMAT , LINK LAYER 2 NOT ACTIVE
N(S) N(R) N(S) N(R)

UA
00 00 00 00

01 00 00 01

01 01 01 01

02 01 01 01

01 02 02 01

02 02 02 02

02 03 03 02





REJ
REPEAT
ERROR
DISC
UA

In acknowledged operation mode, layer 3 information is passed in
numbered frames known as I- Frames to layer 2. Error recovery
procedures based on retransmission of unacknowledged frames are
specified. In case errors cant be corrected by layer to report in generated
to layer3

Acknowledged Operation


MS BTS

SABM
UA
I
I
The transmission of SABM indicates
clearnce of any exception condition on
the link
Laye 3 information is sent in numbered I
Frames
RR Receive ready the reception of a
particular I - Frame
The BSSAP (Base Station System Application Part)
The BSSAP (Base Station System Application Part) is used for MSC to BSS and
MS communication. BSSAP uses one signaling connection per active MS, having
one or more active transactions, for the transfer of layer 3 messages related to
this transaction. The BSSAP user function is further subdivided into two
separate functions:
DTAP (Direct Transfer Application sub-Part) is used to transfer call control and
mobility management messages to and from the MS: the layer-3 information in
these messages is not interpreted by the BSS. The description of the layer 3
protocol for the MS-MSC call control and mobile management information
exchange is contained in recommendation GSM 04.08.
BSSMAP (BSS Management Application sub-Part) supports procedures between
the MSC and the BSS related to the MS (resource management, handover
control). The description of the layer 3 protocol for the BSSMAP information
exchange is contained in recommendation GSM 08.08.
Both connectionless and connection-oriented procedures are used to support
the BSSMAP. Recommendation GSM 08.08 explains whether connection oriented
or connectionless services should be used for each layer 3 procedure.
Recommendation GSM 08.06 explains the use of connectionless services of the
SCCP. A distribution function located in BSSAP, which is reflected in the protocol
specification by the layer 3 header (defined in recommendation GSM 08.06)
performs the discrimination between the data related to those two subparts.

Connection Oriented SCCP

The bidirectional transfer of NSDU (Network Service Data Unit) between the SCCP user in the node
of origin and the SCCP user in the destination node is performed by setting up a temporary
signaling connection. The signaling connection between the nodes of origin and destination
consists of a single connection section. The Signaling Connection Control is divided into the
following procedures:
1. Connection Establishment Procedures provide functions for establishing temporary signaling
connections between users of the SCCP. The following messages are used:
CR (Connection Request)
CC (Connection Confirm)
2. Connection Refusal Procedures provide functions for indicating to the Calling SCCP user that the
attempt to set up a connection was unsuccessful. The following message is used:
CREF (Connection Refused)
3. Connection Release Procedures provide functions for disconnecting temporary signaling
connections between users of the SCCP. The following messages are used:
RLSD (Released)
RLC (Release Complete)
4. Data Transfer Procedures provide functions for transferring the user information on a temporary
connection and also provides mechanism for recovery from the unsignalled termination of a
connection during data transfer. The following messages are used:
DT 1 (Data Form 1)
IT (Inactivity Test)
5. Connection-Oriented Restart procedures provide a recovery mechanism for signaling
connections in the event of a node failure.

Connectionless SCCP
UDT (Unitdata) - The UDT is used to transport user data and SCCP
management messages in the connectionless mode. A UDT is
constructed and sent when a user requests connectionless service.

UDTS (Unitdata Service) - The UDTS indicates to the originating SCCP
user that a UDT message it sent cannot be delivered to the specified
destination. The data field of the UDT message and the reason for the
return are included in the UDTS message.



MAP & SS7
MAP (Mobile Application Part) is the
application level protocol by the GSM
(Groupe Speciale Mobile). As the MS
(Mobile Subscriber) moves across
geographic locations flow of information
is required between networks. The MAP
protocol provides common messages to
use between entities.
Internally, the MAP communicates with
the BSSAP layer. The specific functional
areas within the BSSAP with which the
MAP communicates include: CC (Call
Control), SS (Supplementary Services),
SMS (Short Message Service), MM
(Mobility Management) and Handover
Control. The main function of MAP is to
provide communication between
functional areas and entities residing in a
network.

BSSMAP Connection Oriented Messages
BSSMAP Connectionless Messages
Function of LAPD / LAPDm
Provisioning of data link connections
Frame alignment and transparency
Sequence control
Recovery from detected transmission, format and operational
errors
Notification to management entity of unrecoverable errors
Flow control
Layer 3 message passing