EETS 8316 Wireless Networks

Fall 2012

Lecture: Random Access in LTE http://lyle.smu.edu/~skangude/eets8316.html

Shantanu Kangude
skangude@lyle.smu.edu

Random Access Procedure

Important for proper participation of UEs in the Radio Network Needed if UL not syched
The only access allowed for UEs in the UL when out of UL sync

Needed if eNB is not scheduling a UE, and UE needs allocation, AND no Scheduling Request (SR) channel assigned to UE
The only way to transmit in the UL without eNBs permission, or some sort of assignment

RACH = Ranging/Timing Advance

RACH for 6 Events

Initial access from RRC_IDLE RRC Connection Re-establishment procedure Handover DL data arrival during RRC_CONNECTED requiring random access procedure
E.g. when UL synchronization status is non-synchronized

UL data arrival during RRC_CONNECTED requiring random access procedure

E.g. when UL synchronization status is "non-synchronized" or there are no PUCCH resources for SR available

For positioning purpose during RRC_CONNECTED requiring random access procedure

E.g. when timing advance is needed for UE positioning

2 Types of RACH Procedures

Contention Based
Resources in contention pool for UEs to randomly select UEs may choose identical resources

Non-Contention Based
Some resources are reserved and can only be assigned in a contention free manner by eNB; not available in the pool for random selection UEs are assigned specific resources by eNB

RACH Events and Types (1/2)

Non Contention Based
Can be done for cases where eNB knows or prods a UE for RACH Which of the 6 events qualify?
Initial Access NO RRC Conn. Re-establishment - NO Handover YES, since eNB controlled handovers DL Data arrival YES, since eNB has new data UL Data arrival NO Positioning YES, since eNB needs to position the UE (in RRC Connected mode)

RACH Events and Types (2/2)

Contention Based
Can be done for cases where UE knows or initiates RACH
But UE always knows ULTIMATELY So all cases except Positioning can use Contentionbased

Why do contention based if non-contention based available for HO and DL data arrival?
Because the resources set aside for contention-free assignment are limited in number and may be ALL ASSIGNED ALREADY

RACH Resources: Preambles

64 Mutually Orthogonal Preambles
CDMA like each preamble transmission can be detected even with other preamble transmissions

RACH = Assert a Preamble in a RACH slot/subframe (a Resource block in 1ms) Collision = 2 UEs transmit the same Preamble in the same RACH slot

2 Sets: Collision-based and NonCollision-Based

64 Preambles into 2 sets
N Preambles in the set for collision-based RACH
UEs choose preambles randomly out of this set to use Chance that multiple UEs choose the same preamble => Collisions possible

(64-N) Preambles in the set for non-collision-based RACH

eNB alone can assign these for specific slots to specific UEs UEs can only use these, if assigned by the eNB, and for the specific slots assigned => contention-free

Since COLLISION-BASED is the default fallback option, more Preambles in that set

Contention Based RACH

Contention Based RACH: Basics

Que: Whats this Contention Resolution here?

Steps 1 & 2
1: UE picks a Preamble randomly and transmits 2: eNB responds to a Preamble Detected
Semi-synchronous (within a flexible window of which the size is one or more TTI) with message 1; No HARQ yet Addressed to RA-RNTI on PDCCH Conveys at least
RA-preamble identifier Timing Alignment information initial UL grant assignment of Temporary C-RNTI (which may or may not be made permanent upon Contention Resolution)

Justification for Mesg 2 Contents

Preamble Identifier
Different Preambles will be assigned different timing advance RA-RNTI does not identify a Preamble

Timing advance: of course C-RNTI

Basic identity to participate in the Radio Network; for PDCCH assignments etc.

UL allocation for Mesg 3

Only those receiving Mesg2 should attempt Mesg3 Plus UL allocation needed anyways

Step 3: First Scheduled UL TX (1/2)

Uses HARQ For initial access:
Conveys the RRC Connection Request generated by the RRC layer Conveys at least NAS UE identifier but no NAS message RLC TM: no segmentation

For RRC Connection Re-establishment procedure:

Conveys the RRC Connection Re-establishment Request generated by the RRC layer RLC TM: no segmentation Does not contain any NAS message
Note: NAS = Non-Access Stratum is a control plane protocol for the UE and the core network

Step 3: First Scheduled UL TX (2/2)

After handover, in the target cell:
Conveys the ciphered and integrity protected RRC Handover Confirm generated by the RRC layer Conveys the C-RNTI of the UE (which was allocated via the Handover Command) Includes an uplink Buffer Status Report when possible

For other events:

Conveys at least the C-RNTI of the UE

Justification of Mesg 3 Contents

RRC Handover Confirm, Conn. Request, Conn. Re-establishment Request etc.
Start the process for which the RACH was done

C-RNTI
Resolve Contention

Contention in Step 3
Collision Scenario
Multiple UEs transmit the same Preamble The Preamble is detected, and the eNB responds with UL ALLOCATION for the UE All who transmitted Preamble assume the allocation is for them
All of the them transmit in the UL allocation in step 3 Collision happens in the UL allocation No UL step is detected => No step 4 can happen UEs redo the RACH procedure hopefully they do not choose identical Preamble with another UE

Step 4 Confirms No Collision?

If Mesg 3 is successfully received by the eNB => No collision in Mesg 3
But UEs are still not confirmed that there was no collision. Why? UEs do not know if their Mesg 3 was successful eNB needs to acknowledge Mesg 3 success Mesg 4 in the DL acknowledges successful Mesg 3 => All is well and RACH successful

Mesg 4 with UE identity included => No more doubts about collision => RACH success

Message 4 (1/2)
Not synchronised with message 3 HARQ is supported Addressed to:
The Temporary C-RNTI on PDCCH for initial access and after radio link failure The C-RNTI on PDCCH for UE in RRC_CONNECTED

For initial access and RRC Connection Reestablishment procedure, no segmentation is used (RLC-TM)

Message 4 (2/2)
The Temporary C-RNTI is promoted to CRNTI for a UE which detects RA success and does not already have a C-RNTI
E.g. Initial access => no pre-existing C-RNTI

It is dropped by others. A UE which detects RA success and already has a CRNTI, resumes using its C-RNTI
E.g. Any UE already RRC connected

Non-Contention Based RACH

Non Contention Based RACH: Basics

Preamble and Slot Identifies the exact UE for the eNB

Step 0: Preamble Assignment

Within same eNB for DL data arrival and Positioning
Signaled via PDCCH Note we cannot do DL-SCH transmissions with HARQ since UL is not synched

Across eNBs in Handover

Signaled via HO command generated by target eNB and sent via source eNB

Step 1 and 2
1: UE transmits in the exact slot with the exact Preamble as assigned to it 2: The eNB responds with Mesg 2 on DL-SCH
Semi-synchronous (within a flexible window of which the size is two or more TTIs) No HARQ Addressed to RA-RNTI on PDCCH Conveys at least:
Timing Alignment information and initial UL grant for handover Timing Alignment information for DL data arrival RA-preamble identifier

Simplicity of Non-Contention Based RACH Procedure

No Mesg 3 is part of the RACH procedure, since Mesg 2 completes the process without any collision doubts
For HO though, there is a Mesg 3 allocation to the UE to transfer the HO Confirm, and continue operation

Mesg 2 looks very similar to that in the contention-based RACH

No collision is known to both UE and eNB Timing advance adopted by the UE, and normal operation proceeds

Specific RACH Events

1. RACH for Initial Access

UE goes from RRC_IDLE to RRC_CONNECTED Always Contention Based RACH Mesg 3 contains info to start an RRC connection, and any credentials info

2. RACH for RRC Connection Reestablishment

What is RRC Conn. Reestablishment

When Radio problems detected, instead of going to RRC_IDLE and BRUTE restarting, UEs try a partial reset For reestablishment,
RRC context has to be present at the eNB Security etc. should be already established

Partial Reset => all radio bearers are suspended EXCEPT

Signaling Radio Bearer 1, the basic flow for control = SRB1
http://howltestuffworks.blogspot.com/2011/10/rrc-connection-reestablishmentrequest.html

RRC Conn. Reestablish., When?

Essentially some sort of Radio Failure
Upon detecting radio link failure; or Upon handover failure; or Upon mobility from E-UTRA failure; or Upon integrity check failure indication from lower layers; or Upon an RRC CONNECTION RECONFIGURATION failure

Radio Link Failure Example

2 Phases before full reset to RRC_IDLE
Phase 1: Keep trying to see if things start working for a TIMEOUT T1 Phase 2: Attempt RRC Conn. Re-establishment for TIMEOUT T2

Radio Link Failure: Phase 1

Started upon radio problem detection Leads to radio link failure detection
Unless recovered

No UE-based mobility
Note that this is generally cell-reselection so in phase 1, the UE stays in the same cell

Based on timer or other (e.g. counting) criteria (T1)

Radio Link Failure: Phase 2

Started upon radio link failure detection or handover failure Leads to RRC_IDLE
Unless recovered through RRC Conn. Re-estab.

UE-based mobility
Cell re-selection

Timer based (T2)

Mobility and Radio Link Failure

When RRC Conn. Reestab. Attempted

UE stays in RRC_CONNECTED, and does RACH UE ID used in RACH for contention resolution (i.e. C-RNTI of the UE in the cell where the RLF occurred + physical layer identity of that cell + short MAC-I based on the keys of that cell) is used by the selected eNB to authenticate the UE and check whether it has a context stored for that UE
If the eNB finds a context that matches the identity of the UE, it indicates to the UE that its connection can be resumed If the context is not found, RRC connection is released and UE initiates procedure to establish new RRC connection. In this case UE is required to go via RRC_IDLE

3. Handover
Will be treated in detail in Mobility slides

RRC Connected RACH cases 4,5,6

DL data arrival, but UL not synched for HARQ ACK-NACKs
Simple contention-free RACH mostly Contention-based RACH available as well

UL data arrival, but no scheduling request channel assigned, or UL allocation available

Basic contention based RACH required

Positioning
Way to find the UE distance from the eNB Like DL data arrival, simple contention-free RACH

Summary
6 cases for RACH Access Contention based RACH Non-contention based RACH