LTE Channels

(Physical, Logical and Transport)

Air Interface Protocol Stack
-The E-UTRA interface provides connectivity between the User
Equipment and the eNB. It can be logically split into a control
plane and a user plane. There are effectively two control planes,
the first is provided by RRC (Radio Resource Control) and carries
signaling between the User Equipment and the eNB. The second
carries NAS (Non Access Stratum) signaling messages to the
MME (Mobility Management Entity). Two categories of NAS
signaling exist: EMM (EPS Mobility Management) and ESM (EPS
Session Management).

-User plane: The application creates data packets that are

processed by protocols such as TCP, UDP and IP

-The control and user plane lower layer protocols are the same.
Both of them use the services of PDCP (Packet Data
Convergence Protocol), RLC (Radio Link Control),MAC (Medium
Access Control), and the PHY (Physical Layer).
Air Interface Protocol Stack

In the control plane, PDCP facilitates encryption and integrity

checking of signaling messages, i.e. RRC and NAS. The
user plane is slightly different since only encryption is
performed. In addition, the user plane IP datagrams can also
be subjected to IP header compression techniques in order
to improve the system’s performance and efficiency. Finally,
PDCP also facilitates sequencing and duplication detection.
Air Interface Protocol Stack

RLC Layer is responsible for transfer of upper layer PDUs,

error correction through ARQ (Only for AM data transfer),
Concatenation, segmentation and reassembly of RLC SDUs
(Only for UM and AM data transfer).
Air Interface Protocol Stack
MAC (Medium Access Control) provides the interface
between the E-UTRA protocols and the E-UTRA Physical
Layer. In doing this it provides the following services:

- Mapping: MAC maps the information received on the LTE

Logical Channels into the LTE transport channels.
- Multiplexing: The information provided to MAC will come
from a RB (Radio Bearer) or multiple Radio Bearers. The
MAC layer is able to multiplex different bearers into the
same TB (Transport Block):
- HARQ (Hybrid Automatic Repeat Request): MAC uses
HARQ to provide error correction services across the air.
- Radio Resource Allocation: QoS (Quality of Service)
based scheduling of traffic and signaling to users.
Air Interface Protocol Stack
Physical layer has three parts:

✓ Transport channel processor: Applies error management

procedures
✓ Physical channel processor: Applies the techniques of
OFDMA, SC-FDMA and multiple antenna transmission
✓ Analogue processor :Converts the information to analogue
form - Filters it - Mixes it up to radio frequency for
transmission

The information flows between different protocols are

known as channels
Data and signaling messages are carried on:
✓ Logical channels: between RLC and MAC protocols
✓ Transport channels: between MAC and physical layer
✓ Physical data channels: between different levels of
the physical layer
 Logical Channels
Logical channels are distinguished by the information they carry
and can be classified in two ways:

✓ 1st: Logical traffic channels carry data in the user plane and
Logical control channels carry signaling messages in the control
plane
✓ 2nd: Dedicated logical channels are allocated to a specific
mobile - Common logical channels can be used by more than one
Logical Channels
Broadcast Control CHannel (BCCH): Carries RRC system information messages . The enodeB
broadcasts BCCH message across the whole cell to tell the mobiles about how the cell is configured.
These messages are divided into two unequal groups, which are handled differently by lower layers: MIB
& SIB.

Paging Control Channel (PCCH): Carries paging messages

Common Control Channel (CCCH): Carries messages on Signaling Radio Bearer 0, for mobiles that are
moving from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED in the procedure of RRC connection establishment
LTE SRB Type Direction RRC message RLC Mode
RRC Connection Setup
RRC Connection Reject
Downlink RRC Connection Re-
establishment
LTE SRB0 (CCCH) RRC Connection Re- Transparent
establishment reject
RRC Connection Request
Uplink RRC Connection Re-
esblishment Request
Logical Channels
- Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH): Carries data to or from a single mobile. It is a bidirectional channel
that can operate in either RLC AM or UM mode. This is configured by RRC and is based on the QoS
(Quality of Service) of the E-RAB (EPS Radio Access Bearer). This is used to carry DRB (Dedicated Radio
Bearer) information

- Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH):Carries the large majority of signaling messages and all the mobile-
specific signaling messages on Signaling Radio Bearers 1 and 2, for mobiles that are in
RRC_CONNECTED state.
- SRB 1 - This is used for RRC messages, as well as RRC messages
carrying high priority NAS signaling.
- SRB 2 - This is used for RRC carrying low priority NAS signaling.

-
Logical Channels

LTE SRB Type Direction RRC message RLC Mode

RRC Connection Reconfiguration
RRC Connection Release
Security Mode Command
UE Capability Enquiry
Downlink DL information transfer(if no SRB-2)
Mobility from EUTRA Command
Handover from EUTRA preparation request
CS Fallback parameter response CDMA2000
Counter Check
RRC Connection Setup Complete
LTE SRB1(DCCH) Security Mode Complete
Security Mode Failure Acknowledged
RRC Connection Reconfiguration Complete
RRC Connection Re-establishment Complete
Uplink Measurement report
UE Capability information
UL Information Transfer(if no SRB2)
UL handover preparation transfer
CS fallback parameters request CDMA2000
Counter Check response
Downlink DL Information Transfer
LTE SRB2 (DCCH)
Uplink UL Information Transfer
Transport Channels
Transport channels are distinguished by the ways in which the transport
channel processor manipulates them

- BCH (Broadcast Channel) :This is a fixed format channel which maps to

BCCH. Note that the majority of System Information messages are
carries on the DL-SCH (Downlink - Shared Channel).

- PCH (Paging Channel) : This channel is used to carry the PCCH, i.e.
paging messages.
Transport Channels
-DL-SCH (Downlink - Shared Channel) :This is the main downlink channel for data and signaling. It is used
by many logical channels.

-RACH (Random Access Channel) - This channel carries limited information and is used in conjunction with
Physical Channels and preambles to provide contention resolution procedures.

- UL-SCH (Uplink Shared Channel) - Similar to the DL-SCH,

Channel mapping (Downlink)
Channel mapping (Uplink)
LTE physical channels
The LTE physical channels vary between the uplink and the downlink as each has different requirements and
operates in a different manner.

Data and signaling messages are carried on physical channels

between the different levels of the physical layer and accordingly
they are divided into two parts:Physical Data Channels and
Physical Control Channels

Physical data channels are distinguished by the ways in

which the physical channel processor manipulates them,
and The ways in which they are mapped onto the symbols
and sub-carriers used by OFDMA.
 LTE physical channels

•Physical Data Channels

Channel Name Acronym Downlink Uplink

Physical downlink shared channel PDSCH X

Physical broadcast channel PBCH X

Physical uplink shared channel PUSCH X

Physical random access channel PRACH X

Physical Data Channels – DownLink

•Physical Downlink Shared CHannel (PDSCH): Carries data and signaling messages from DL-SCH and
paging messages from PCH. PDSCH and PUSCH (UL) are the only physical channels that can adapt their
modulation schemes in response to changes in the received SINR. The other physical channels all use a fixed
modulation scheme, usually QPSK.
Physical Data Channels – DownLink
Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH): This physical channel
carries system information for UEs requiring to access the
network. It only carries what is termed Master Information Block,
MIB, messages. The modulation scheme is always QPSK. The
bits are scrambled using a scrambling sequence specific to the cell to
prevent confusion with data from other cells.

The MIB message on the PBCH is mapped onto the central 72

subcarriers or six central resource blocks regardless of the overall
system bandwidth. A PBCH message is repeated every 40 ms, i.e. one
TTI of PBCH includes four radio frames. The PBCH is located in 4
symbols of the first slot.
The MIB message on the PBCH includes:
- Overall DL transmission bandwidth
- PHICH configuration in the cell
- System Frame Number
- Number of transmit antennas
Physical Data Channels – Uplink

Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) : This uplink physical channel is used for random access
functions. This is the only non-synchronised transmission that the UE can make within LTE. The downlink
and uplink propagation delays are unknown when PRACH is used and therefore it cannot be
synchronised.

•Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) : This physical channel found on the LTE uplink is the
Uplink counterpart of PDSCH. It carries data and signaling messages from UL-SCH.
 LTE physical channels

•Physical Control
Channels
Channel Name Acronym Downlink Uplink

Physical control format indicator channel PCFICH X

Physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel PHICH X

Physical downlink control channel PDCCH X

Physical uplink control channel PUCCH X

 LTE physical channels

•Physical Control Channels: Transport channel processor composes several types of control information to
support the low level operation of physical layer
Control Information
Uplink Control Information (UCI) contains several fields:

✓ Hybrid ARQ acknowledgements: The mobile’s acknowledgements of the BS’s transmissions on the DL-SCH
(DownLink Shared CHannel)

✓ Channel Quality Indicator (CQI): Describes the received SINR as a function of frequency in support of
frequencydependent scheduling

✓ Precoding Matrix Indicator (PMI) and Rank Indication (RI): Support the use of spatial multiplexing

✓ Collectively, CQI, PMI and RI are sometimes known as Channel State Information (CSI)

✓ Scheduling Request (SR): Sent by the mobile, if it wishes to transmit uplink data on the PUSCH, but does not
have the resources to do so
Control Information

Downlink Control Information (DCI) contains most of the downlink control fields:

✓ Using scheduling commands and scheduling grants, the eNodeB can

- Alert the mobile to forthcoming transmissions on the downlink shared channel

- Grant it resources for transmissions on the uplink shared channel

✓ It can also adjust the power with which the mobiles are transmitting using power control commands
Control Information

Control Format Indicators (CFIs): Tell the mobiles about the organization of data and control information
on the downlink

Hybrid ARQ Indicators (HIs): is the eNodeB’s acknowledgements of the mobiles’ uplink transmissions on
the UL-SCH
Physical Control Channels – DownLink
•Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) : The main purpose of this physical channel is to carry
mainly scheduling information of different types:

• Uplink power control instructions

• DL/UL resource assignment
• Indication for paging or system information

•The PDCCH carries Downlink Control Information, DCI

 Physical Control Channels – DownLink
Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) : As the name implies the PCFICH informs the
UE about the format of the signal being received. It indicates the number of OFDM symbols used for the
PDCCHs, whether 1, 2, or 3. The information within the PCFICH is essential because the UE does not
have prior information about the size of the control region.

A PCFICH is transmitted on the first symbol of every sub-frame and carries a Control Format Indicator, CFI,
field. The CFI contains a 32 bit code word that represents 1, 2, or 3. CFI 4 is reserved for possible future
use.
 Physical Control Channels – DownLink

•Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH) : As the name implies, this channel is used to report the
Hybrid ARQ status. It carries the HARQ ACK/NACK signal indicating whether a transport block has been
correctly received. The HARQ indicator is 1 bit long - "0" indicates ACK, and "1" indicates NACK.

The PHICH is transmitted within the control region of the subframe and is typically only transmitted within the
first symbol. If the radio link is poor, then the PHICH is extended to a number symbols for robustness.
Physical Control Channels – Uplink
Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) : The Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH carries UCI. It
provides the various control signaling requirements. There are a number of different PUCCH formats defined
to enable the channel to carry the required information in the most efficient format for the particular scenario
encountered. It includes the ability to carry SRs, Scheduling Requests.
The basic formats are summarised below:
Physical Signals
Synchronization sequences

In LTE there are two synchronization sequences, known as the PSS (Primary Synchronization Signal)
and the SSS (Secondary Synchronization Signal).
Each cell transmit one of 168 unique
sequences on its secondary sync channel
(each bit sequence is 62 bit sequence)

The Primary Sync channel carries one of

three unique sequence (62 bit Zadd-off chu
sequence)

PSS and SSS Location for FDD

Physical Signals
Cell Specific Reference Signals:

RS are used for channel estimation, channel quality measurements and timing synchronization.
The location of the RSs is dependent on the number of antennas and use of a Normal CP or Extended
CP. The below figures illustrate the options.

This is used for a single TX (Transmit) antenna. When Reference Symbols are transmitted on one antenna, the other
The reference signals are transmitted during the antennas resource element is null.
first and fifth OFDM symbols of each slot when
the normal CP is used and during the first and
fourth OFDM symbols when the extended CP is
used.
Physical Signals
Reference Signals - Four Antenna Ports (Normal CP)
Physical Signals
Reference Signals - Four Antenna Ports (Normal CP)
Physical Signals

DeModulation RS : (DM-RS), associated with transmissions of uplink data on the

Physical Uplink Shared CHannel (PUSCH) and/or control signalling on the Physical Uplink
Control CHannel (PUCCH).1 These RSs are primarily used for channel estimation for
coherent demodulation.
Sounding RS: (SRS), not associated with uplink data and/or control transmissions, and
primarily used for channel quality determination to enable frequency-selective scheduling
on the uplink.