Session 6

QoS in the LTE

network
ITU ASP COE Training on “Technology,
Standardization and Deployment of Long
Term Evolution (IMT)”

Sami TABBANE

9-11 December 2013 – Islamic Republic of Iran

1
Agenda

1. QoS Issues

2. Quality of Service (QoS) and Policy Management

3. EPS Bearer

4. QoS parameters per EPS‐bearer

5. Scheduling

2
QoS Issues

1. QoS issues

3
 Different definitions of QoS

QoS = set of characteristics related to the performance of the elements that provide the
services that have an effect into final end users perception.
Subjective‐QoS (or QoE): related to the user satisfaction relative to the service consumption,
beyond classical technical parameters such as Network-QoS.
Network‐QoS or Network Performance Key Performance Indicator (NP KPI)
The effect of performance into satisfaction is usually described as PQoS (Perceived QoS)
significantly differentiated by the type of delivered service, since different performance
situations will have different impacts into satisfaction. 4
3G versus LTE QoS parameters

Each bearer is identified by the LCID (Logical Channel ID)

Each bearer is associated with QoS parameters like :
Max bit rate and guaranteed bit rate
VoIP or not
H-ARQ usage
5
QoS and Services in 3GPP

Services classification according to their error and delay sensitivity

([3GPP 205])

6
QoS issues

Overview

• The EPS QoS concept is based on two fundamental principles:

– Network initiated QoS control

– Class based mapping of operator services to user plane

packet forwarding processing.

• Provides access network operators and service operators

with a set of tools to enable service and subscriber
differentiation.

7
QoS issues

QoS in LTE Networks

• LTE and UMTS use different QoS mechanisms: LTE's EPS

bearers QCI parameters must be mapped to the four QoS
categories and associated parameters of Pre-Release 8 PDP
Contexts.
• 3GPP recommendations Rules for mapping QoS
definitions between the systems.
• QoS parameter sets in EPC concern how packets are handled
in the network.
• More bandwidth at the edge of a network may solve some
capacity or congestion problems, but does not solve jitter or
traffic prioritization problems.

8
 Techniques ensuring IP QoS

IP network
DiffServ/RSVP
QoS
per
IP network DiffServ
flow

IP network DiffServ
Priority
IP managed network
between
flows

No QoS
Internet

Internet access Browsing Premium access HiFi Voice

email E-learning, VoIP Video 9
9
QoS issues

LTE and QoS

• Each bearer (user data) path in LTE is assigned a set of QoS criteria.
• If services with different QoS criteria, additional bearer paths may be
added.
• LTE identifies a set of QoS criteria with QoS Class Identifiers (QCIs).
• QCI, represents the QoS features an EPS bearer should be able to offer
for a Service Data Flow (SDF).
• Each SDF is associated with exactly one QCI. Network operators may pre-
configure all QCI characteristics in an eNB, for example, based on their
actual characteristics.
• The parameters they choose to define these determine the allocation of
bearer resources in the E-UTRAN.

10
QoS issues

QoS handling at the eNB

• QoS parameters per EPS-bearer

– QoS Class Identifier (QCI)
• Value for scheduling/RRM decisions
• Identifies a particular service or class of services
• Few values to be standardized (others will be proprietary)
– Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP)
• Used to accept/modify/drop bearers in case of resource limitation
– Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR)
• Only for GBR-bearers
• QoS parameters per group of EPS-bearers
– Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate (AMBR)
• Aggregate max bit rate per group of bearers (of a single user)
• Only for non-GBR bearers

11
Network and protocol architecture

2. Quality of Service (QoS) and Policy Management

12
QoS issues

Policy Management

• Policy management plays a fundamental role in implementing QoS in

mobile broadband.
• Policy management = applying operator‐defined rules for resource
allocation and network use.
• Dynamic policy management sets rules for allocating network resources,
and includes policy enforcement processes.
• Policy enforcement involves service data flow detection and applies QoS
rules to individual service data flows.
• Policy management is critical in three closely-related areas:
– Limiting network congestion
– Enhancing service quality
– Monetizing services

13
 Policy Management

Policy is required because the total Transmission

Capacity Between Mobile Subscribers and External
Networks is Limited

14
Policy Management

Comparison of different services 15

QoS issues

Role of Functional Elements in Implementing Policy and QoS

• QoS policy management implementation in multiple nodes in the EPC and

LTE.
• PCRF (Policy and Charging Rules Function): policy server in the EPC. Takes
the available network information and operator-configured policies to
create service session-level policy decisions.
• PCRF decisions = PCC (Policy Charging Control ) rules, forwarded to the
policy and charging enforcement function (PCEF) in the PDN-GW.
• PCEF enforces policy decisions by:
– Establishing bearers,
– Mapping service data flows to bearers,
– Performing traffic policing and shaping.

16
Policy Charging Control (PCC)

• Introduced in September 2007 (3GPP PCC architecture), part

of the larger PCC architecture, which includes the Proxy Call
Session Control Function (P-CSCF) and the Policy and
Charging Enforcement Function (PCEF).
• PCC elements provide: access, resource, and QoS control.
• PCRF allows to charge subscribers based on their volume of
usage of high-bandwidth applications, charge extra for QoS
guarantees, limit application usage (e.g., user is roaming), or
lower the bandwidth of subscribers using heavy-bandwidth
apps during peak usage times.
• PCRF Selection Function can be implemented in the HSS
and/or the 3GPP AAA server.

17
 Policy Charging Control (PCC)

PCC functionality includes:

• Policy and Charging Rules
Function (PCRF),
• Policy and Charging
Enforcement Function (PCEF),
• Bearer Binding and Event
Reporting Function (BBERF),
• Online Charging System (OCS),
• Offline Charging System (OFCS),
• Subscription Profile Repository
(SPR),
• Application Function (AF).

PCC enables a centralized control to ensure that the service sessions (called
IP-Connectivity Access Network, IP-CAN sessions) are provided with
appropriate bandwidth and QoS.
PCC provides a means to control charging on a per-service basis.
18
 PCC Rules

Purpose: to detect a packet belonging to an SDF to map that packet to proper IP-CAN
bearer in DL and UL direction to provide appropriate applicable charging and to
provide policy control
2 different types of PCC rules:
• Dynamic PCC rules - dynamically provisioned by PCRF to PCEF over Gx interface.
• Pre-defined PCC rules - pre-configured in the PCEF. The PCRF can advise the PCEF to
activate a set of PCC rules over Gx interface.
A PCC rules consists of :
1. Rule name - reference a PCC rule during communication between PCRF and PCEF
2. Service identifier - identifies a service or service component the SDF relates to SDF
filter(s) - the SDF filters are used to select the traffic for which the rule applies
3. Precedence - order of the SDF filter; dynamic rule takes precedence over pre-defined
rule in case of same precedence
4. Gate status - whether the SDF detected should be allowed to pass or be blocked
5. QoS parameters - includes the QCI, the ARP and bitrates for UL and DL
6. Charging key and charging parameters - online or offline charging
7. Monitoring key - identifies a monitoring control instance that shall be used for usage
monitoring control of the SDFs.

19
PCC functions

Application Function (AF) (e.g. P-CSCF for IMS solution, or Video Streaming Server for
non-IMS solution): interacts with applications or services that require dynamic
PCC.
AF extracts session information from the application signaling and provides it to the
PCRF:
• Subscriber Identifier
• IP address of the UE
• Media Type and Format
• Bandwidth
• Flow description (e.g. Source and Destination IP addresses and the protocol)
• AF Application Identifier
• AF Communication Service Identifier
• AF Application Event Identifier
• AF Record Information
• Flow Status
• Priority Indicator
• Emergency Indicator

20
PCC functions

Subscription Profile Repository (SPR): contains

subscriber/subscription information. Information on per-PDN basis:
• Subscriber's allowed services
• Subscriber's allowed QoS (MBR and GBR)
• Subscriber's charging related information
• Subscriber category
Online Charging System (OCS): credit management system for pre-
paid charging. Within OCS lies a functional entity called Service Data
Flow Based Credit Control Function which performs online credit control
function. The PCEF interacts with OCS to check out credit.
Offline Charging System (OFCS): Receives charging events from PCEF
and generates Charging Data Records (CDRs) sent to the billing system.
Policy Charging and Enforcement Function (PCEF): in the PDN-GW.
Bearer Binding and Event Reporting Function (BBERF): located in the
Serving-GW.

21
PCC functions

Policy Charging and Rules Function (PCRF): network control regarding service data
flow detection, gating (blocking or allowing packets), QoS control and flow-based
charging towards the PCEF. The PCRF ensures that the PCEF user plane traffic mapping
and treatment is in accordance with the user's subscription profile which it receives
from SPR. The PCRF may reject the request received from the AF when the service
information is not consistent with subscription information.
The PCRF accepts input for PCC decision making from the PCEF, the BBERF (if
available), the SPR and the AF (if available) as well as its own pre-defined information.
These nodes provide the following information to the PCRF:
• Subscriber Identifier
• IP address of the UE
• IP-CAN bearer attributes
• Request Type (Initial, Modification, etc)
• Type of IP-CAN (GPRS, etc)
• Location of Subscriber
• PDN ID
• PLMN Identifier

22
IP CAN (Connectivity Access Network) bearer establishment

• The PCEF encompasses Service Data Flow detection, policy

enforcement and flow based charging functionalities. Provides SDF
detection, user plane traffic handling, triggering control plane
session management, QoS handling, service data flow
measurement and online/offline charging interactions.
• PCEF allows a particular SDF to pass through a PCEF only if the gating
function allows. Converts a QCI value to IP-CAN specific QoS
attribute values and vice-versa.
• PCEF enforces the authorized QoS of a SDF according to an active
PCC rule, and that authorized QoS is mapped to the IP-CAN specific
QoS attributes.
• For a SDF subject to charging control, the PCEF allows the SDF to
pass through if and only if there is corresponding PCC rule, and for
online charging, the OCS has authorized credit for the charging key.

23
PCRF

Examples of PCRF Rules

Cross service product offers
• Bundle of 1000 MMS, 100 minutes voice and 10 GB data 2
Mb/s
Refill based bonus
• Refill at least $50 and get free surf with 5 Mbps during the WE
Cross service bonus
• Send 200 SMS and get 1 Mbps bandwidth
• Send 400 SMS and get 3 Mbps bandwidth
Policies based on credit balance
• Balance above $20 allows you to get 3 Mbps
• Daily usage 2 MB data, lower speed to 64 kbps.

24
PCRF

PCRF PCC rule decisions may be based on one or more

of the following:
• Information obtained from the Application Function
(AF), e.g. session, media and subscriber related
information
• Information obtained from the PCEF, e.g. IP CAN
bearer attributes, request type and subscriber related
information,
• Information obtained from the SPR, e.g. subscriber
and service related data,
• Information obtained from the BBERF,
• Own PCRF pre-configured information.
25
QoS issues

PCRF and PCEF

• PCRF: network entity where the policy decisions are made

such as:
– Allowing or rejecting the media request,
– Using new or existing bearer for an incoming media request,
– Checking the allocation of new resources against the maximum
authorized.
• PCEF: provides operator-defined charging rules applicable to
each service data flow. Selects the relevant charging rules
based on information such as:
– application identifier,
– type of stream,
– application data rate, …

26
QoS issues

Role of Functional Elements in Implementing Policy and QoS (1)

• PDN‐GW maps bearers to the underlying transport network.

• Transport network = Ethernet based + MPLS.

• Transport is not aware of the bearer concept and uses

standard IP QoS techniques, as DiffServ.
• The PGW maps traffic onto EPC bearers (associated with QCIs)
which are mapped onto DiffServ Classes; re-marks packets IP
header to reflect priorities as close as possible
• If congestion happens, core and backhaul routers drop
packets according to DSCP (Differentiated Services Code Point)

27
QoS issues

Role of Functional Elements in Implementing Policy and QoS (2)

• The eNodeB plays a critical role in end-to-

end QoS and policy enforcement.
• It performs UL and DL rate policing, as well
as RF radio resource scheduling.
• It uses ARP when allocating bearer
resources.
• The UE also plays a role in policy – in the
uplink direction, it performs the initial
mapping of service data flows to bearers.
28
QoS issues

Role of Functional Elements in Implementing Policy and QoS (3)

Functional Elements in the 3GPP’s Policy and

Charging Control (PCC) Framework

29
EPS signaling procedures to control QoS functions

30
User‐plane QoS functions in EPS

31
Example of SDF detection and mapping to IP‐CAN Bearers in DL

32
 Bearer establishment

Initial bearer establishment Subscription profile database

profile is retrieved from PCRF to PCEF
3. Diameter CCR
(Subscriber ID = IMSI,
Charging-Rule-Report=“RuleD”)
PCRF
IMSI A:
Charging profile (CC, OCS address)
Policy profile (Rulebase list: “A, B, C”)
IMSI B:
Charging profile (CC, OCS address)
Policy profile (Rulebase list: “Rulebase A”)
IMSI C:
Charging profile (CC, OCS address)
Policy profile (Rulebase list: “C”)
4. Diameter CCA
(Charging-Rule-Install = “Rulebase A”
Charging-rule-remove = “RuleD”)

2. PCEF checks user profile

- Finds “PCRF” for
the requested APN
1. Default Bearer Creation
Session Control 5. Session Control received profile from PCRF:
Local configuration:
• It checks Rulebase A from local configuration
For APN “Internet” = User profile “PCRF”
• It finds a match == “Gate open for all traffic”
6. Apply policies • Activates correct rules for the user
for bearer (TEID
C): PCC Rule =
A “Gate open”)

PCEF
Internet
7. Default Bearer Creation Filter(s)

The PCEF is a S-GW

or a PDN-GW

33
 Bearer establishment
UE
•Subscription-Id
•Bearer-Identifier SPR
•Bearer-Operation
• IMSI, location (TAIs)
•Category •Framed-IP-Address
•MSISDN, IMEI
•Pricing Plan •IP-CAN-Type
• RAT type, Serving
•Billing Plan •3GPP-RAT-Type
network
•Event-Trigger •User-Equipment-Info
•AccumulatedCharge • MME IP & TEID (S11) or
•Charging-Rule-Remove
•QoS-Information
1. •NotificationThreshold
6.Default
DefaultBearer
BearerCreation
Creation AnswerSGW IPs & TEIDs (S5, C&U)
•Charging-Rule-Install
•TAI
•ConsumptionLimit •4.PGW IP, APN
Retrieve subscriber 3. Retrieve subscriber
•Charging-Information
•Called-Station-ID
•NotificationThreshold • EPS Bearer
profile Id
response profile request (IMSI
•Online •Online, Offline
•QCI • APN-AMBR, QoS or MSISDN
•Offline •TFT-Packet-Filter-
•usedquota • PDN address req, PCO
•QoS-Information Information
•useddownlinkquota
•Charging-Rule-Report
•useduplinkquota
•Usedtimequota
2.Credit-Control-Request-INITIAL_REQUEST
PCEF 5.Credit-Control-Answer-INITIAL_REQUEST PCRF

PCRF
PCRF store
make policy
evaluation
information 34
 Network and protocol architecture

3. EPS Bearer

35
EPS bearers

• Four types of EPS bearers:

GBR Bearer: resources permanently
allocated by admission control
Non‐GBR Bearer: no admission control
Dedicated Bearer: associated with
specific Traffic Flow Templates, TFT (GBR
or non-GBR)
Default Bearer: Non GBR, catch-all for
unassigned traffic

36
Data Transfert in EPS: E‐Bearers

• When communicating
– Media data as Voice and Video are transmitted in other additional dedicated media
devices
– For each support is assigned a QoS
• Media devices implementation is controlled
– PCRF for QoS and charging
– MME (HSS) for UE – (S/P)GW connection

37
Network‐controlled Service Concept

AF: Application Function

38
Data Transfert in EPS: RAB/RB

• "IP Bearer" support and its coupling to the E-Bearer are more
formalized in terms of QoS and IP traffic profile

39
 EPS Bearer Definition (1)

• EPS = connection-oriented transmission network,

• Requires the establishment of a “virtual” connection between two entities
(e.g. a UE and a PDN-GW)
“EPS Bearer”
• Provides a “bearer service”, i.e. a transport service with specific QoS
attributes.

• The QoS parameters associated to the bearer are:

• QCI (QoS Class Identifier),
• ARP (Allocation and Retention Priority),
• GBR (Guaranteed Bit Rate),
• AMBR (Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate)
40
 EPS Bearer Definition (2)

• A data radio bearer carries the packets of an EPS bearer between a UE and an eNB.
• When a data radio bearer exists, there is a one-to-one mapping between this data
radio bearer an the EPS bearer/E-RAB.
• An S1 bearer carries the packets of an E-RAB between an eNodeB and a Serving GW.
• An S5/S8 bearer transports the packets of an EPS bearer between a Serving GW and a
PDN GW.

41
 Network and protocol architecture

4. QoS parameters per EPS‐bearer

42
LTE QoS Framework

• The traffic running between a particular client

application and a service can be differentiated
into separate Service Data Flows (SDFs)
• SDFs mapped to the same bearer receive a
common QoS treatment

Dedicated bearer

43
QoS issues

QoS Class Identifier

• The QoS Class Identifier (QCI) is a reference to access node-

specific parameters that control bearer level packet
forwarding processing (e.g. scheduling weights, admission
thresholds, queue management thresholds, link layer
protocol configuration, etc.).
• 23.401 defines 9 standard QCIs, each one with specific
characteristics
• Operators may define proprietary QCIs to introduce new
services.
44
QoS issues
QoS Class Identifier

Standardized QCI Characteristics [source TS 23.203] 45

MOS and QoS

MOS for AMR-NB

46
QCIs mapping to IP layer Differentiated Services Code Points (DSCP)

47
 P‐Bits used for prioritizing different types of traffic

• p-bit: Priority bit – QoS tag on Ethernet layer

48
QoS issues

Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP)

• Allocation and Retention Priority (ARP) primarily allows one to decide whether a
bearer establishment request can be accepted or rejected in case of resource
limitations.
– can be used by the eNodeB to decide which bearer(s) to drop in case of
resource limitations (e.g. at handover).
– For example, emergency VoIP call with the highest ARP value should always
get established in the network, at the expense of lower ARP value bearers.
• Each GBR bearer is additionally associated with the following bearer level QoS
parameter:
– GBR = Guaranteed Bit Rate, the bit rate that can be expected to be provided
by a GBR bearer
– MBR = Maximum Bit rate (MBR = GBR in Rel. 8)
• Each non-GBR is additionally associated with the following bearer level QoS
parameter:
– UE-AMBR = UE Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate (in UL)
– APN-AMBR = APN Aggregate Maximum Bit Rate (in DL)
49
QoS issues

Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR)

• Two major types of bearers:

– Guaranteed bit rate

– Non‐guaranteed bit rate.

• Guaranteed bit rate

– For real-time services: conversational voice and video.

– Minimum amount of reserved bandwidth,

– Always consumes resources in a eNB regardless of whether it is used or

not.

– GBR bearers will be defined with the lower latency and jitter tolerances
that are typically required by real-time services.
50
QoS issues

Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR)

• Non‐Guaranteed bit rate

– No specific network bandwidth allocation.
– For best-effort services (file downloads, email, and
Internet browsing).
– Experience packet loss if congestion.
– A maximum bit rate for non-GBR bearers is not specified
on a per-bearer basis. However, an aggregate maximum
bit rate (AMBR) will be specified on a per-subscriber basis
for all non-GBR bearers.

51
QoS issues

Guaranteed Bit Rate (GBR)

52
 QCI and ARP

Difference between priority mapped from QCI and ARP based priority
1) QCI Priority = priority of resource allocation for a specific service i.e. if
the UE has a VoIP (higher QCI priority) session and browsing WWW
(lower QCI priority), the resources are assigned firstly to packets of VoIP
and then to WWW.
2) ARP priority = priority of allocation of a service / bearer, i.e. if the eNB
is highly loaded and a UE would like to setup VoIP (higher ARP priority)
and WWW (lower ARP priority), the eNB would set only VoIP session, in
order not to get overloaded. Or in other case if it is already overloaded it
would kick off the bearers / services with lower ARP priorities.

53
QoS Management

5. Scheduling

54
 Scheduling principle

• Data is allocated to the UEs in RB: a UE is allocated multiple numbers of RBs

in the frequency domain.
• RBs do not need to be adjacent in the DL.
• The scheduling decision can be made at each transmission time interval of 1
ms.
• The scheduling decision is done by the eNodeB.
• The scheduling algorithm takes into account:
– radio link quality situation of different users,
– interference situation,
– QoS requirements,
– service priorities, etc.

55
Scheduler overview

56
Scheduler model

57
 DL Scheduler Structure

DL scheduler 3 functional parts:

•Static Scheduler:
Assigns a fixed amount of Transport Blocks as well as PDCCH and PDSCH
resources for the BCCH over the DL-SCH Transport Channel. Resources
permanently allocated.
•Semi‐static Scheduler:
Assigns Transport Blocks as well as PDCCH and PDSCH resources for PCCH
and CCCH over the PCH and DL PDSCH SCH Transport Channels. Assigns a
regular set of Transport Blocks for all established VoIP bearers.
• Dynamic Scheduler:
Assigns Transport Blocks as well as PDCCH and PDSCH resources for DCCH &
DTCH over the DL-SCH Transport Channels.
In charge of sending the MAC Control Timing Advance control messages in
order to keep the UE in the connected mode, synchronized with the
network.

58
 DL Scheduler operation

The LTE DL scheduler is composed of 2 main algorithms:

A pre-booking stage which reserve resources over the PDSCH for
the static and semistatic schedulers.
A scheduling stage which assign the resources over the PDSCH for
effective traffic.

59
Algorithms classification

60
MAC Scheduler

• Radio resource assignment consists

of:
– Physical Resource Block (PRB)
– Modulation and Coding Scheme (MCS)

61
LTE Scheduling

• Time-frequency resources are dynamically shared between

users in the uplink and downlink
• Scheduler: part of the MAC layer for the allocation of
resources in the uplink and downlink
• UL and DL scheduling are separated The uplink and
downlink scheduling decisions can be taken independently
from each other (within the limits of shared uplink / downlink
for TDD)
• The scheduling strategy is not specified in the standard
• The scheduler can take advantage of different channel
conditions between the terminals and schedules
transmissions accordingly

62
Downlink scheduling

• Each 1 ms, the downlink scheduler dynamically

determines the terminal that should receive
transmissions in the downlink and with which
resources
• The basic unit in the scheduler is the Resource Block
• Each 1 ms interval, the scheduler allocates Resource
Blocks to get a DL-SCH transmission
• The scheduler is responsible for selecting the size of
the transport block, modulation and mapping of
antennas (in case of multi-antenna transmission)

63
Radio Resource Allocations

• Described by:
– Resource Block Locations
– MCS
• Valid for:
1 Transmit Time Interval (TTI) or Subframe
Longer than 1 TTI
Requires additional information allocation time,
allocation repetition factor etc. to specify
Also called Semi‐Persistent Scheduling

64
 Dynamic and Persistent Allocations
• Typical 1 TTI allocations are for 1 subframe only
Suitable for bursty, unpredictable, and download type of traffic
Every new allocation needs indication and channel capacity usage on PDCCH
• Identical allocation needs to be done periodically:
– For some bearers, like for VOIP, are periodic and happen every 20
ms for a deterministic pattern and size of allocation
Every packet carries identical amount of data
Subsequent transmissions use the same resources as the first
transmission
Allocation pattern and size
is DETERMINISTIC

65
Downlink scheduling

Scheduler MAC
(Downlink)

66
Downlink scheduling

• Scheduler flow control Assigns RLC segmentation

and multiplexing of MAC scheduling decision
• Frequency Selective Fading variation on the band
Exploit channel variations in frequency domain
better than in the time domain
• Low speeds Variations in the time domain
relatively slow compared to the time constraint of
some services Better results in the frequency
domain
67
Downlink scheduling

• Information on DL conditions for scheduling dependent

channel CQI (Channel‐Quality Indicator) sent to the
eNodeB
• The CQI information:
– Includes the instantaneous quality of the channel in the
frequency domain
– Allows to determine the appropriate processing in case of
antenna spatial multiplexing
• The CQI is measured on the reference signals of the DL
• The scheduler takes into account the state of the buffering
and priority scheduling decisions

68
Factors affecting scheduling

• Traffic volume for each bearer at each UE

– Schedule UEs with bearers having backlog
• QoS Requirements of each bearer at each UE
– Priority Schedule, as well as allocate resources in
proportion to QoS guarantees
• Radio conditions at Ues
– Identified through:
• Measurements made at the eNB, and/or
• Measurements reported by the UE
– Schedule radio resources as per good radio
conditions for UEs
69
Packet scheduler input parameters

• Resources allocation
– Channels occupancy status
– Interference status in neighboring cells
– RB quality
• DL channel quality measurements
– CQI reports
– HARQ ACK/NACKs
• QoS parameters
– UE and Service QoS attributes
– Scheduling priority indicator (SPI)
• Others
– Buffers occupancy
– UE capacity
70
70
Scheduling algorithms

Techniques the most widely used in mobile

networks:

• Round Robin (RR),

• Proportional Fairness (PF),

• Max C/I

71
 Round Robin

• Simplest scheduling
algorithm.
• Time-based resource
sharing.
• Same resource quantity
is allocated to each
user/process/queue/…
independently of the
channel status.
72
 Proportional fair scheduling

Principle: Schedule the channel for the UE that has the maximum of the
priority function:

– T: data rate potentially achievable for the station in the present time slot.
– R: historical average data rate of this station.
– α and β tune the "fairness" of the scheduler.
• By adjusting α and β , the scheduler adjusts the balance between
serving the best mobiles (best channel conditions) more often and
serving the costly mobiles enough to have an acceptable level of
performance.
• In the extreme case (α = 0 and β = 1) the scheduler acts as round‐
robin.
• If α = 1 and β = 0 then the scheduler acts as Max(C/I).
• PFS improves this technique by using a "memory constant".
73
 Proportional fair scheduling
• Proposed by Qualcomm (IS-856 or HDR, High Data Rate
standard, for DL traffic scheduling).
• Allocates the resource blocks to users according to a
comparison between the theoretical assignment and the
actual assignment r i (t )
µi =
• Based on the priority function: Ri (t )
• Where ri(t) is the current data bit rate and Ri(t) is obtained by
exponential smoothing average of the received bit rate of the
terminal i until slot t.
Exponential smoothing can be used with any discrete set of repeated measurements. The
raw data sequence is often represented by {xt}, and the output of the exponential
smoothing algorithm is commonly written as {st} which may be regarded as our best
estimate of what the next value of x will be. When the sequence of observations begins at
time t = 0, the simplest form of exponential smoothing is given by the formulas:
s0 = x0 and st = axt + (1-a)st-1
where α is the smoothing factor, and 0 < α < 1.
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 Proportional fair scheduling

• The waiting queue with highest µi(t) is served at slot t.

• Average bit rate of the queue is updated using the
formula: 1 1
Ri (t + 1) = (1 − ) Ri (t ) + ( ) r i (t )
Tc Tc
• Where Tc is the duration of the averaging sliding window.
• The average bit rate of the queues not served at slot t is
updated with the formula: 1
Ri (t + 1) = (1 − ) R i (t )
Tc
• Generally, Tc = 1 000 slots (1,66 seconds) in CDMA-HDR.
• Advantage: PF is simple and efficient.
• Drawback: PF does not guarantee QoS (delay, jitter) as it
has been elaborated initially for saturated queues with
non real time data traffic.
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Proportional fair scheduling

– PF assigning each users a scheduling priority that

is inversely proportional to its anticipated
resource consumption
• High resource consumption low priority

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Maximum C/I

– Allocation of the highest bit rate possible, each TTI

(transmission time interval) to the UE experiencing the
best radio channel conditions.
– High global cell bit rate, Low equity for the users.

Scheduling depending on the channel 77

Performance comparison

78
Thank you

79