Introduction to Mobile

Communication
Consider the situation as shown in Figure 3.2. A and B are both sending with the same
transmission power. As the signal strength decreases proportionally to the square of the
distance, B’s signal drowns out A’s signal. As a result, C cannot receive A’s transmission.
Now think of C as being an arbiter for sending rights (e.g., C acts as a base station
coordinating media access). In this case, terminal B would already drown out terminal A
on the physical layer. C in return would have no chance of applying a fair scheme as it
would only hear B. The near/far effect is a severe problem of wireless networks using
CDM.
Access methods SDMA/FDMA/TDMA
 Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA)
• Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA) is used for allocating a
separated space to users in wireless networks.
• A typical application involves assigning an optimal base station to a
mobile phone user.
• The mobile phone may receive several base stations with different
quality.
• A MAC algorithm could now decide which base station is best, taking
into account which frequencies (FDM), time slots (TDM) or code
(CDM) are still available (depending on the technology).
 Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA)
• Typically, SDMA is never used in isolation but always in combination
with one or more other schemes.
• The basis for the SDMA algorithm is formed by cells and sectorized
antennas which constitute the infrastructure implementing space
division multiplexing (SDM)
• A new application of SDMA comes up together with beam-forming
antenna arrays.
• Single users are separated in space by individual beams.
• This can improve the overall capacity of a cell (e.g., measured in
bit/s/m2 or voice calls/m2) tremendously.
 Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA)
• Figure 2.16 shows six channels ki and introduces a three dimensional
coordinate system. This system shows the dimensions of code c, time
t and frequency f.
• For space division multiplexing (SDM), the (three dimensional) space
si is represented via circles indicating the interference range.
• The channels k1 to k3 can be mapped onto the three ‘spaces’ s1 to s3
which clearly separate the channels and prevent the interference
ranges from overlapping.
• The space between the interference ranges is sometimes called guard
space.
 Space Division Multiple Access (SDMA)
• For the remaining channels (k4 to k6) three additional spaces would
be needed.
• In our highway example this would imply that each driver had his or
her own lane.
• Although this procedure clearly represents a waste of space, this is
exactly the principle used by the old analog telephone system: each
subscriber is given a separate pair of copper wires to the local
exchange. In wireless transmission, SDM implies a separate sender for
each communication channel with a wide enough distance between
senders.
Frequency Division Multiplexing (FDM)
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
• Frequency division multiplexing (FDM) describes schemes to
subdivide the frequency dimension into several non-overlapping
frequency bands.
• Each channel ki is now allotted its own frequency band. Senders using
a certain frequency band can use this band continuously.
• Again, guard spaces are needed to avoid frequency band overlapping
(also called adjacent channel interference).
• This scheme is used for radio stations within the same region, where
each radio station has its own frequency. This very simple
multiplexing scheme does not need complex coordination between
sender and receiver: the receiver only has to tune in to the specific
sender.
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
• Allocation can either be fixed (as for radio stations or the general
planning and regulation of frequencies) or dynamic (i.e., demand
driven)
• Channels can be assigned to the same frequency at all times, i.e.,
pure FDMA, or change frequencies according to a certain pattern, i.e.,
FDMA combined with TDMA.
• The latter example is the common practice for many wireless systems
to circumvent narrowband interference at certain frequencies, known
as frequency hopping. Sender and receiver have to agree on a
hopping pattern, otherwise the receiver could not tune to the right
frequency.
FDD/FDMA - general scheme, example GSM
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
• FDM is often used for simultaneous access to the medium by base
station and mobile station in cellular networks.
• Here the two partners typically establish a duplex channel, i.e., a
channel that allows for simultaneous transmission in both directions.
The two directions, mobile station to base station and vice versa are
now separated using different frequencies. This scheme is then called
frequency division duplex (FDD).
• Both partners have to know the frequencies in advance; they cannot
just listen into the medium. The two frequencies are also known as
uplink, i.e., from mobile station to base station or from ground
control to satellite, and as downlink, i.e., from base station to mobile
station or from satellite to ground control.
Frequency Division Multiple Access (FDMA)
• As for example FDM and FDD, Figure 3.3 shows the situation in a
mobile phone network based on the GSM standard for 900 MHz. The
basic frequency allocation scheme for GSM is fixed and regulated by
national authorities.
• All uplinks use the band between 890.2 and 915 MHz, all downlinks
use 935.2 to 960 MHz.
• According to FDMA, the base station, shown on the right side,
allocates a certain frequency for up- and downlink to establish a
duplex channel with a mobile phone.
 Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
• Compared to FDMA, time division multiple access (TDMA) offers a
much more flexible scheme, which comprises all technologies that
allocate certain time slots for communication, i.e., controlling TDM.
• Now tuning in to a certain frequency is not necessary, i.e., the
receiver can stay at the same frequency the whole time.
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
 Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
Assigning different slots for uplink and downlink using the same
frequency is called time division duplex (TDD). As shown in the figure,
the base station uses one out of 12 slots for the downlink, whereas the
mobile station uses one out of 12 different slots for the uplink. Uplink
and downlink are separated in time. Up to 12 different mobile stations
can use the same frequency without interference using this scheme.
Each connection is allotted its own up- and downlink pair. In the
example below, which is the standard case for the DECT cordless phone
system, the pattern is repeated every 10 ms, i.e., each slot has a
duration of 417 µs. This repetition guarantees access to the medium
every 10 ms, independent of any other connections.
FDM and TDM Combined
 Time Division Multiplexing (TDM)
• Compared to FDMA, time division multiple access (TDMA) offers a
much more flexible scheme, which comprises all technologies that
allocate certain time slots for communication, i.e., controlling TDM.
• Now tuning in to a certain frequency is not necessary, i.e., the
receiver can stay at the same frequency the whole time.
Code Division Multiplexing (CDM)