SIEMENS

Mobilfunk

Mobility Dependent Blocking

for an Incomming Handover
in Mixed Cell Systems

Version 01.01
Date: 03. November 1992
Document 333.01.01

Autor : Dr. K. Ivanov

N MN EA 41
Tel. : 47435
Mch-H

SIEMENS

Title:

Cellular Mobile Radio

Mobility Dependent Blocking for an Incomming Handover in

Mixed Cell Systems

Document No.: Document 333.01.01

Author:

Dr. K. Ivanov

Tel:

Date:

03. 11. 1992

Fax: + 49 (0) 89 722 /42490

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Approved By

....................

+ 49 (0) 89 722 /47435

Dr. Port
Team Leader

Authorized By

....................

Mr. Heger
Head of the Department

Issued by the
Mobile Networks Division
Hofmannstrae 51, D-8000 Mnchen 70
Copyright Siemens AG 1992
The reproduction, transmission or use of this document or its contents is not permitted
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This document was edited by International FrameMakerTM 2.0, is stored as
Ivanov_MobBlockHO_01.01.DOC, contains 15 pages and is printed on 28. April 1998
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Document 333.01.01

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Cellular Mobile Radio

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Abstract
A Power Budget criterion with variable hysteresis margin for handover is proposed,
which is able to distinguish between slowly and rapidly moving mobile users. Based
upon this criterion handovers related to microcells in a mixed cell mobile radio system
can be avoided for high speed mobiles. The gain is a lower handover rate and a reduced
number of dropped calls, which are frequently observed for rapidly moving users, especially due to the street corner effect. The cell borders are predetermined by the conventional Power Budget criterion for handover. The speed of the user is estimated by
defining a distance and a time interval.The variable hysteresis margin comprises a static
offset, a dynamic offset and a timer. A distance from the microcell border towards the
microcell site is specified in terms of a static offset to the original hysteresis margin. A
timer is started when the mobile crosses the microcell border. If the mobile covers the
distance before the timer has expired (i.e. the mobile moves rapidly), a handover into the
microcell is avoided by adding a positive dynamic offset to the static one. By contrast if
the timer expires before the mobile has covered the distance (i.e. the mobile is moving
slowly), the hysteresis margin is reduced by applying a negative dynamic offset. As a
consequence a handover into the microcell is initiated.

Keywords
Handover, Power Budget, Macrocell, Microcell, Variable Hysteresis Margin, Static Offset, Dynamic Offset, Timer, Mobility.

Document 333.01.01

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Cellular Mobile Radio

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction

2. Handover Criterion with Mobility Estimation

2.1 HO_STATIC_OFFSET

2.2 HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET

2.3 DELAY_TIME

2.4 Handover Algorithm

3. Illustrative Example

13

4. References

15

Document 333.01.01

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1.

Cellular Mobile Radio

Introduction

In future Cellular Radio Systems for Personal Communication mixed cell architecture
will be introduced to successfully meet the increasing user capacity requirements and to
preserve system integrity. As shown in Figure 1.1 cells of different sizes and base stations with different transmit power levels will co-exist in a two-layer structure comprising: microcells on the lower layer and macrocells on the upper layer [1]. The service area
scenario in a combined macro- and microcellular environment will therefore be made up
of microcells providing dedicated radio coverage to most congested areas, called the hot
spots, and of macrocells (called umbrella cells) providing contiguous umbrella radio
coverage over the serving area of a number of microcells [2]. Examples of hot spots in
a metropolitan area may be an airport, railway station, a section of an urban motorway or
segment of a city centre street. In areas beyond the city centre and outside the main
routes of a city the traffic demand is minimal. Therefore wide-area radio coverage provided by umbrella cells is the most appropriate option. As depicted in Figure 1.1 within a
mixed cell system four kinds of handover have to be managed. In particular, with micro-

Macrocell
Base Station
Microcell
Base Station
Macrocell to microcell
handover

Microcell to microcell
handover
Microcell to marocell
handover

Macrocell to macrocell
handover

Macrocell
Figure 1.1: A mixed cell system with indication of four kinds of handover scenarios

cells co-located inside macrocells the handover scenarios become more complex. Specifically, the number of handovers per call is typically increased by an order of magnitude
causing an excessive load in the fixed network, while the time available for handover decision is correspondingly decreased. Handovers between microcells are particularly difficult to accomplish when users are moving rapidly. To cope with this problem it is
proposed to avoid handovers between microcells at least for rapidly moving users in city
centres [3]. The corresponding idea is to use umbrella cells for rapidly moving users and
to use microcells for slowly moving users. This idea is supported by the new reselection
algorithm for microcells regarding mobile stations in idle mode [4]. The algorithm favours the access to microcells for stationary mobiles, whilst ensuring that high speed mobiles camp on umbrella cells.
Finally it would be desirable to promote the idea of the reselection algorithm for the connected mode, so that handovers related to microcells can be avoided for high speed mobiles.This paper reports on a new handover criterion, which enables the control of
handover decisions depending on the users mobility.
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2.

Cellular Mobile Radio

Handover Criterion with Mobility Estimation

One of the most reliable methods for a handover decision is based upon the measurements of the received signal levels on the traffic channel of the serving cell and the
broadcasting channels of the neighbouring cells. In order to minimize the effect of slow
fading on the decision process, averaging of the measured values and hysteresis margin
for the comparison is required. In the GSM/DCS standard this method is implemented
using the Power Budget criterion. Each SACCH-block period (TSACCH = 480 ms) the
MS is supposed to report to its communicating BS the downlink received signal level
RXLEV_DL on the traffic channel and the six strongest received signal levels
RXLEV_NCELL(n) on the broadcasting channel of the adjacent cells. The latter values
are entered into the book keeping list maintained within the BSS for up to 32 neighbouring cells. For each TSACCH interval an averaged value for the respective variable is calculated (for ease of use the same names as above are retained) and for each adjacent cell in
the book keeping list the corresponding value of Power Budget (PBGT(n), n=1...32) is
evaluated using the following expression [4]:
PBGT(n) = (Min(MS_TXPWR_MAX, P) - RXLEV_DL - PWR_C_D)
-(Min(MS_TXPWR_MAX(n), P) - RXLEV_NCELL(n))

(2-1)

with PWR_C_D=BS_TXPWR_MAX - BS_TXPWR_CONF. For the definition of the

parameters in equation (1) refer to Table A.1 in [4].
The Power Budget criterion for handover decision is applied to ensure that the MS is always linked to the cell with the minimum pathloss. However the value of PBGT is only a
relative measure for a better cell in terms of a minimal pathloss. Therefore the criterion
for handover initiation due to Power Budget has been redefined in [5] and consists of the
following conditions:
RXLEV_NCELL(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n) + Max(0, Pa)

(2-2a)

PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN(n)

(2-2b)

where Pa = MS_TXPWR_MAX(n) - P
According to [5] the proposed range for HO_MARGIN(n) is: -24 dB... +24 dB.
Condition (2-2a) requires that the signal level at the MS received from the potential destination cell is higher than a specified threshold level RXLEV_MIN(n) in order to enable
access to that cell. On the other side in condition (2-2b) a hysteresis margin is introduced
for the comparison of the serving cell with each adjacent cell. This improves the accuracy of the handover decision. For a handover initiation both conditions have to be simultaneously satisfied. By adjusting the values for HO_MARGIN(n) it is possible to define
appropriate cell borders. The higher the value of the hysteresis margin the smaller the
area of the neighbouring cell for which it applies. Thus it is possible to make a particular
cell invisible for all MSs, i.e. a handover to this cell will never occur as long as the value
of the corresponding hysteresis margin remains unchanged. It is therefore preferable to
apply a handover criterion which enables the control of handover decisions depending on
the users mobility. This objective can be successfully achieved by replacing the static
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Cellular Mobile Radio

handover margin, used in the handover algorithm described above, with a variable one,
i.e. the handover margin will change with time in order to trigger the handover decision
depending on the users speed. An appropriate indicator for the speed is the distance
which a mobile unit covers within a certain time interval. Thus by specifying both the
distance and the time it is possible to define a speed limit, which roughly classifies mobiles into low and high speed ones. The time interval is simply defined by setting the value of a parameter (c.f. DELAY_TIME(n) below). A feasible way to specify a distance is
to observe the expected increase of the Power Budget of the microcell, when the mobile
moves towards the micro-BS site. This approach is realized by a temporary hysteresis
margin introduced by the following equation:
HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n) = HO_MARGIN(n) + HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n)

(2-3)

The variable hysteresis margin HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) is defined by:

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HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) = HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n)
+ HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n) x H(H1, H2)

(2-4)

where the function

H(H1, H2)=H1(T(n)-DELAY_TIME(n))+H2(PBGT(n)-HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n))(2-5)
with
H1(x) =

H2(x) =

{
{

1 for

T ( n ) < DELAY _TIME ( n )

0 for

T ( n ) DELAY _TIME ( n )

-1 for

PBGT ( n ) < HO_TEMP_MARGIN ( n )

1 for

PBGT ( n ) HO_TEMP_MARGIN ( n )

(2-6)

(2-7)

The variable hysteresis margin contains in addition to the original static parameter
HO_MARGIN(n)
another
three
O&M
controlled
parameters
(HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n), HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n), DALAY_TIME(n)) related
to microcells in the neighbouring cell description. It is proposed that the parameter
HO_MARGIN(n) still determines the cell borders, which would have been produced by
the standard handover algorithm based upon the Power Budget Criterion (c.f. equations
2-2a, 2-2b).
The parameter HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n) specifies the distance from the microcell border to the point at which the speed of the mobile is estimated. The temporary hysteresis
margin HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n) is an internal variable introduced to simplify the representation of the algorithm. As described above DELAY_TIME(n) defines the time interval which along with the distance is used to set the users speed limit. T(n) is the time
that has elapsed since the point at which the cell n was first recognised as handover candidate by satisfying the original GSM Power Budget criterion as defined by conditions 22a and 2-2b. The variability of the hysteresis margin (equ. 2-4) is achieved by adding up
or subtracting the value of HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n) based upon the mobility class
of the subscriber. A handover algorithm, which utilises the variable hysteresis margin, is
described in section 2.4.
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2.1

Cellular Mobile Radio

HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n)

The Power Budget of the microcell depends on the distance between the BS of the microcell and the current location of the MS. Assuming that the MS approaches the BSsite, a corresponding increase of the Power Budget is expected due to the decreasing distance. Therefore it is possible to specify a distance from the border of the microcell in
terms of an offset applied to HO_MARGIN(n). Remember that HO_MARGIN(n) is used
to define the border of the microcell. The offset needed is set by the value of the parameter HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n). A large positive value of the static offset implies a large
distance.The minimum value is zero, due to the fact that a negative offset would define a
distance in the opposite direction. The largest value is required when the microcell site is
located near the border of the umbrella cell. In this case the received signal level from the
umbrella cell may fall down to -104 dBm for the most sensitive GSM 900 MSs and -100
dBm for DCS 1800 MSs, whilst the received signal level in the vicinity of the microcell
BS may approach the blocking level (-10dBm for GSM 900 and -23 dBm for DCS 1800)
of the MSs receiver (c.f. chapter 6.1 in[6]). Thus in order to be able to cover the whole
range of distances a static offset of (-10 dBm - (-104 dBm)) = 94 dB for GSM 900 and (23 dBm - (-100 dBm))=77 dB for DCS 1800 is required. Due to the fact that seven bit are
necessary to code these values, the following range for the static offset is suggested:
Range of HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n): 0...127 dB, step size 2 dB.
2.2

HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n)

The objective of the network is to prevent a handover into and between microcells for
high speed mobiles, and on the other side to allow a handover for slowly moving users.
The former part of the objective is covered by applying a positive dynamic offset, whereas a negative dynamic offset is applied to trigger a handover decision for the users named
in the latter part of the objective.
When a MS, irrespective of its speed, first crosses the border of the microcell (defined
by equations 2-2a, 2-2b) the dynamic offset is not active. Thus the variable hysteresis
margin is equal to the temporary offset. Due to the static offset, the temporary offset is
such that for the time being the microcell is barred for handover. This state is retained
while the MS has not yet covered the distance specified by the static offset and the time
passed since crossing the cell border is less than DELAY_TIME(n) (see parameter
DELAY_TIME(n) defined below). High speed mobiles will cover the specified distance
within a shorter time interval than that given by DELAY_TIME(n). This results in an
stepwise increase of the hysteresis margin HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) by adding up the dynamic offset, which in turn completely bars the cell for handover. By contrast, the delay
time will be exceeded before low speed mobiles have travelled the specified distance.
This now results in a stepwise reduction of the hysteresis margin HO_MARGIN_EXT(n)
by subtracting the dynamic offset, and consequently in a handover initiation. Thus rapidly moving mobile units will slide over the microcell without causing handover, whilst
slowly moving mobile units will stay for a longer time within the microcell and see the
barrier for handover is lifted.
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Cellular Mobile Radio

Obviously the physical task of the dynamic offset is to compensate the effect of the static
offset. Therefore it needs to be at least as large as HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n).
Range of HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n): 0...127 dB, step size 2 dB.

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2.3

DELAY_TIME(n)

DELAY_TIME(n) is the time interval, which along with HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n) is required to specify a speed limit for the mobiles. It should be related to the value of the
static offset and the maximum speed that is allowed for a MS to handover into the microcell. In equation (2-5) the time T(n) is compared with the delay time. As previously stated, T(n) is the time that has elapsed since the point at which the microcell n was first
recognised as handover candidate. This means that T(n) is started from zero when conditions 2-2a and 2-2b are satisfied. If for any reasons (e.g. the MS is moving along the
boundary of the microcell, or it leaves the serving area of the microcell etc.) these conditions fail, T(n) is always reset to zero. In such a case the handover decision process is terminated. Otherwise T(n) is incremented each SACCH-block period (TSACCH = 480 ms).
It doesnt make sense to have a zero DELAY_TIME(n), because this would lead always
to a handover irrespective of the mobiles speed, assuming that the static offset is different from zero. For a given value of the static offset (i.e. for a given distance), the maximum value of delay time determines speed limit of the MS. It is a matter of choice, that
should be made by the network operator in classifying mobile users into slow or fast
moving ones. Consider an example within which it is assumed that a static offset of 5 dB
is required to define a distance of 30 m from the cell border for a typical cell size of 200
m in a city environment. Assuming further that the operators decision is 30 km/h for the
lower bound of the speed for fast mobiles, a delay time of 3,6 s is required in order to
prevent a handover for more rapidly moving MSs. In order to enable comparison with
T(n), the value of DELAY_TIME(n) is also represented in TSACCH units (in the example
above DELAY_TIME(n) is approximately 8). For the time being the following range is
proposed:
Range of DELAY_TIME(n): 1...63, step size 1.

2.4

Handover algorithm

The Power Budget criterion for handover initiation, which is able to distinguish between
slow and fast mobiles, utilises the variable hysteresis margin HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) defined by equation (2-4). Hence a handover decision is made if the following condition is
satisfied:
PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN_EXT(n)

(2-8)

A flow chart of the handover comparison process is given in Figure 2.1. However, to simplify the diagram the conditional statements (Equ. 2-2a) and (Equ 2-2b) have been replaced by CONDITION 1&2. The input data for the handover comparison process are
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Cellular Mobile Radio

the average values of PBGT(n) and RXLEV_NCELL(n). Every SACCH period (480 ms)
the comparison process is run with the last calculated average values. For each neighbouring cell a timer (counter) T(n) is defined, which is incremented each time when
CONDITION 1 and CONDITION 2 are simultaneously satisfied. This is an indication that the mobile unit is in the serving area of the neighbouring cell, for which the conditions hold. If any one of the conditions fails, the timer is reset to zero and the
comparison process is terminated. Such a situation may occur when the MS is moving
closely to the edge of the microcell or due to severe shadowing of the microcells signal
level. In general, this will always happen when the MS leaves the coverage area of the
microcell. Suppose for now that the MS is moving towards the microcells site and consequently the timer is steadily incremented. The decision process is made up of two comparisons. The Power Budget is checked against the temporary offset to see whether the
predefined distance is covered, and the elapsed time is compared with the delay time.
Based upon these comparisons the value of the switch function H is calculated. If the
elapsed time T(n) is less than DELAY_TIME(n), then the function H1=1. If at the same
time the Power Budget is less than the temporary hysteresis margin (implying H2=-1),
then the function H=H1+H2 takes a value of zero. As a consequence the variable hysteresis margin HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) retains the value of the temporary hysteresis margin
and therefore the comparison process terminates without handover initiation. In other
words during this period the network estimates the mobility of the MS. If now the Power
Budget becomes equal or greater than the temporary threshold HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n)
before delay time has elapsed, then H2=1. Since H1=0, the switch function H=1, and the
variable hysteresis margin is increased by the dynamic offset. Obviously such a situation
will be experienced by high speed mobiles. Due to the resulting high hysteresis margin
the microcell is barred for handover. On the other hand for a slow mobile, delay time will
expire (H1=0) before the mobile has covered the specified distance (H2=-1). Thus H=-1
and the variable hysteresis margin is reduced by the value of the dynamic offset. As a
consequence condition (2-8) is satisfied and a handover is initiated. The handover comparison process is then completed.

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Cellular Mobile Radio

Handover
Comparison
Process

CONDITION 1: RXLEV_NCELL(n) > RXLEV_MIN(n)

+ Max(0, Pa)
CONDITION 2:

disabled

EN_PBGT_HO

PBGT(n) > HO_MARGIN(n)

enabled
CONDITION 1 & 2

no

yes

T(n) = 0

T(n) = T(n) + 1

H1 = 0

PBGT(n) <
HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n)

yes

H2 = -1

no
T(n)< DELAY_TIME(n)

no

H2 = 1

yes
H1 = 1

H = H1 + H2

Calculate HO_MARGIN_EXT(n)
using (Equ. 2-4)

PBGT(n)>HO_MARGIN_EXT(n)

yes

Intercell HO
PBGT

no
x

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Figure 2.1: Handover comparison process based upon Power Budget criterion with var
hysteresis margin to avoid handovers into microcells for rapidly moving mobiles
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3.

Cellular Mobile Radio

Illustrative Example

The operation of the handover algorithm described in the previous chapter is illustrated
in Figures 3.1 and 3.2.
Pathloss level

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Received signal level

from Macro-BS
RXLEV_DL

RXLEV_NCELL(n) + (MS_TXPWR_MAX - MSTXPWR_MAX(n))

HO_MARGIN(n)

HO_MARGIN(n)

Received signal level

from Micro-BS
RXLEV_NCELL(n)

RXLEV_MIN(n)

microcell borders

S T

moving direction of MS

Distance

Figure 3.1: Received signal levels at MS from Macro-BS and Micro-BS

PBGT(n) [dB]

HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) for high speed MSs

HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n)

HO_TEMP_MARGIN(n)

HO_MARGIN(n)

HO_STATIC_OFFSET(n)
HO_DYNAMIC_OFFSET(n)

0 dB
HO_MARGIN_EXT(n) for low speed MSs

S T A B

Distance

Figure 3.2: Comparison of PBGT of the microcell with the variable hysteresis margin
HO_MARGIN_EXT(n). At the designated points the following events occur:
O: PBGT(n)=0; S: RXLEV_NCELL(n)=RXLEV_MIN(n); T: T(n) is started; Q: T(n) is reset;
A: Timer expired (T(n)=DELAY_TIME(n)) for a low speed MS, the hysteresis margin is reduced, thus a handover is initiated. B: Timer not expired (T(n)<DELAY_TIME(n)) for a high
speed MS, the hysteresis margin is increased, thus a handover into the microcell is avoided.
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Cellular Mobile Radio

Figure 3.1 shows the pathloss levels at the MS both from the communicating Macro-BS
and the colocated Micro-BS. The MS is moving towards the microcell. At point S the received signal level from the microcell becomes greater than a required minimum defined
by the parameter RXLEV_MIN(n) (CONDITION 1 is satisfied). It is assumed that the
maximum peak power corresponding to the power class of the MS exceeds the maximum
admissible transmit power in both the macrocell and the microcell. For the sake of simplicity it is assumed that transmitter power control is not active (i.e. PWR_C_D=0).Due
to the small size of the microcell the corresponding maximum allowed transmit power
within the microcell is much less than that within the macrocell. Thus for the calculation/
representation of the Power Budget the pathloss level of the microcell is shifted upwards
according to the difference between the maximum admissible transmit power levels (c.f.
hatched curve). Note that, due this shift and depending on the slope of the pathloss level
of the macrocell, the microcell borders are primarily determined either by the hysteresis
margin HO_MARGIN(n) or by the minimum received level RXLEV_MIN(n). Taking
into account the moving direction of the MS, the microcell border is reached at point T,
where CONDITION 2 is also fulfilled. At this moment the timer T(n) is started. Every
SACCH-block the value of the timer is incremented and compared with
DELAY_TIME(n). Figure 3.2 shows the Power Budget and the variable hysteresis margin, which are compared in order to make a handover decision. Initially the hysteresis
margin exceeds the Power Budget due to the static offset. For the duration of
DELAY_TIME(n) a low speed MS covers a short distance, e.g. from point T to point A.
As depicted in Figure 3.2 a negative dynamic offset is applied to the hysteresis margin.
Since then the Power Budget becomes greater than the resulting hysteresis margin, a
handover is initiated. On the other hand a high speed MS will reach point B before
DELAY_TIME(n) has elapsed. In this case a positive dynamic offset is applied to the
hysteresis margin. It is evident from Figure 3.2 that a handover into the microcell becomes impossible due to the high positive value of the hysteresis margin.
Finally, it should be noted that the proposed algorithm has not been tested yet.

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4.

Cellular Mobile Radio

References

[1] S.T.S. Chia, A handover protocol for a mixed cell system, IEE 6-th Int. Conf. on
Mobile Radio an Personal Communicatations, 9-11 Dec. 1991, pp 225-232
[2] G. Falciasecca, M. Frullone, P. Grazioso, G. Riva and A.M. Serra, Performance
evaluation of a UMTS in a urban environment, IEE 6-th Int. Conf. on Mobile Radio
an Personal Communicatations, 9-11 Dec. 1991, pp 218-224
[3] Jan Uddenfeldt, The evolution of digital cellular into personal communications,
Forum 91, Part 2, Vol. II, pp 201-205.
[4] ETSI, GSM-Rec. 05.08, Version 4.0.0, October 1991
[5] AG 1/4, Nationale Feinspezifikation 05.08.01, Version 3.0, Juni 1992

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[6] ETSI, GSM-Rec.05.05, Version 4.0.0, October 1991

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