AMR Bubble Noise Detection

and Correction
Feature Guide
 AMR Bubble Noise Detection and Correction

AMR Bubble Noise Detection and Correction

Version Date Author Reviewer Remarks

V1.0 2015/7/28 He Zhiping Wu Xiuling First edition

V1.1 2015/12/30 He Zhiping Wu Xiuling Modify some description

© 2016 ZTE Corporation. All rights reserved.

ZTE CONFIDENTIAL: This document contains proprietary information of ZTE and is not to be disclosed or used
without the prior written permission of ZTE.
Due to update and improvement of ZTE products and technologies, information in this document is subjected to
change without notice.

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 AMR Bubble Noise Detection and Correction

Contents

1 Feature Attribute ............................................................................................... 4

2 Overview ............................................................................................................ 4
2.1 Feature Description.............................................................................................. 4
2.2 License Control .................................................................................................... 4
2.3 Relationships with other Features ........................................................................ 5

3 Technical Description ....................................................................................... 6

3.1 Background.......................................................................................................... 6
3.2 Feature Control .................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Bubble Noise Detection ....................................................................................... 8
3.4 Uplink Bubble Noise Correction ........................................................................... 9

4 Parameters......................................................................................................... 9

5 Related Counters and Alarms ........................................................................ 12

5.1 Related Counters ............................................................................................... 12
5.2 Related Alarms .................................................................................................. 12

6 Engineering Guide .......................................................................................... 13

6.1 Application Scenario .......................................................................................... 13
6.2 Feature Activation Procedure ............................................................................. 13
6.3 Feature Validation Procedure ............................................................................ 14
6.4 Feature Deactivation Procedure......................................................................... 15
6.5 Network Impact .................................................................................................. 16

7 Acronym........................................................................................................... 16

8 Reference Documents..................................................................................... 16

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FIGURES

Figure 3-1 Bubble Noise Detection and Correction ............................................................. 6

Figure 3-2 f8 Encryption and Decryption Algorithm Diagram ............................................... 7
Figure 6-1 Parameter Configuration Interface 1 .................................................................13
Figure 6-2 Parameter Configuration Interface 2 .................................................................14

TABLES

Table 2-1 Feature License Control List ............................................................................... 5

Table 4-1 Parameter List .................................................................................................... 9
Table 5-1 Related Counters List ........................................................................................12
Table 6-1 Feature Validation Procedure.............................................................................14
Table 6-2 Feature Deactivation Procedure.........................................................................15

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1 Feature Attribute
RNC version: [ZXWR RNC V3.14.10.14], [ZXUR 9000 V4.14.10.14]

Attribute: [Optional feature]

Involved NEs and requirements:

Involved or
NE Name Special Requirements
Not

UE -

Node B -

RNC √

iTC -

MSC -

MGW -

SGSN -

GGSN -

HLR -
“√””: involved, “-”” no involved.

2 Overview

2.1 Feature Description

The feature is to identify whether the voice frames processed by the RNC are correct or
incorrect in accordance with the AMR encoding rule, those voice frames not complying
with the AMR encoding rule are identified as bubble noises. It can also correct the bubble
noises caused by uplink encryption parameter errors.

2.2 License Control

This feature is controlled by the license. It needs to be authorized on the NM before

being activated.

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Table 2-1 Feature License Control List

NE for
License
Feature No. Feature Name License Unit
Control Item
Deployment

Bubble noise
ZWF21-05-032 detection and RNC CELL
correction

2.3 Relationships with other Features

1. Required Features

None

2. Mutually Exclusive Features

None

3. Affected Features

ZWF21-01-008 Radio Connection Re-establishehment,

The parameter URncFunction.waitVoiceRbCompT indicates the time of the RNC waiting

for CS RB Setup Response over Uu Interface when voice data needs to be ciphered. The
larger the parameter, the higher the probability of receiving the RB Setup Complete
message. However, if the RNC fails to receive the RB Setup Complete message before
timeout (exceeding a CFN period, 2.56s), it may increase the probability of inconformity
between UE’s and RNC’s TM RB HFN values, which results in an encipher/decipher
error, and the voice is accompanied by bubble noise.

According to this feature, URncFunction.waitVoiceRbCompT can be set over a CFN

period.

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3 Technical Description

3.1 Background

The UMTS system uses Adaptive Multi-Rate (AMR) codec to transmit the voice data.
The voice data is encoded at the transmitting end, and decoded at the receiving end. If
the data frames are changed in the transmission process for any reasons, the restored
voice data at the decoding end may contain noises like the bubbles.

For security purpose, the UMTS encrypts and decrypts the air interface data. The uplink
data is encrypted at the UE end and decrypted at the RNC end. The downlink data is
encrypted at the RNC end and decrypted at the UE end. The encryption and decryption
algorithms and parameters are specified by the system. If the encryption and decryption
algorithms and parameters at both ends are different, the decrypted data will be
inconsistent with the original data, and the restored voice will sound like the bubbles.

The feature is to identify whether the voice frames are correct or incorrect in accordance
with the AMR encoding rule, and correct the bubble noise caused by uplink encryption
parameter error.

Figure 3-1 Bubble Noise Detection and Correction

Downlink bubble noise

Uplink bubble noise
detection
detection and correction

UE1 RNC1 CN RNC2 UE2

Uplink bubble noise

Downlink bubble noise
detection and correction
detection

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Figure 3-2 f8 Encryption and Decryption Algorithm Diagram

COUNT -C DIRECTION COUNT -C DIRECTION

BEARER LENGTH BEARER LENGTH

CK f8 CK f8

KEYSTREAM KEYSTREAM
BLOCK BLOCK

PLAINTEXT CIPHERTEXT PLAINTEXT

BLOCK BLOCK BLOCK

Transmitting end Receiving end

UE or RNC RNC or UE

As shown in the above figure, except COUNT-C, all parameters in the algorithm are
relatively fixed. The CONT-C consists of HFN and CFN. The initial HFN is specified
during the RB configuration. It is possible that the HFN at the RNC end is inconsistent
with the HFN at the UE end resulting in decryption errors.

3.2 Feature Control

This feature of AMR bubble noise detection and correction is controlled by several
switches. The global feature switch at the RNC side is URnluCfg.RncBndcSwitch. The
AMR-NB feature switch is URnluCfg.AmrNbBndcSwitch (This RNC version does not
support the AMR-WB bubble noise feature). The cell feature switch is
UExtCelInfoFDD.cellBndcSwitch, which can selectively activate this feature to cells that
require this feature. Only after all above mentioned switches are turned on, the encrypted
conversational calls in the corresponding cells can activate AMR bubble noise detection
and correction.

Bubble noise detection is based on the AMR codec rule. Any voice data that does not
comply with the AMR codec rule is regarded as bubble noise. The current version is
designed with three detection algorithms. The main algorithm can detect most of the

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bubble noises, and sub-algorithm 1 and sub-algorithm 2, supplementary to the main

algorithm, can detect the bubble noises missed by the main algorithm but consume
computing resources. Therefore, the switches URnluCfg.AmrBndcSubAlgo1 and
URnluCfg.AmrBndcSubAlgo2 are introduced to control the two algorithms.

Because detection algorithms cannot detect all bubble noise frames, the concept of
bubble noise period is introduced. During a period of time (URnluCfg.AmrDetectPeriod),
if the proportion of detected bubble noises reaches a certain threshold
(URnluCfg.AmrBubbleNoiseThd), this period of time is regarded as a bubble noise
period.

The bubble noise detection and correction algorithm consume the processing resources
of the RUB board. If all data frames are checked during the whole conversational service
life circle, the performance of the RUB board will be greatly affected. On the other hand,
for the encryption parameter only changes when the RB is switched, it is not necessary
to check the data frames throughout the process. Therefore, max detection and
correction times are designed to control the processing time. The maximum number of
downlink detection period is URnluCfg.AmrDlDetectTimes and that of uplink detection
period is URnluCfg.AmrUlDetectTimes. The maximum number of uplink correction period
is URnluCfg.AmrUlCorrectTimes. When these parameters are set to 0, the detection and
correction feature is not activated.

3.3 Bubble Noise Detection

The downlink detection starts after the RAB is established and the peer user accepts this
calling. If three consecutive periods are identified as bubble noise periods, we identify
that this call has a downlink bubble noise exception. When the detection period reaches
the maximum number of downlink detection periods URnluCfg.AmrDlDetectTimes, the
detection ends up.

The uplink detection starts when there are RB reconfigurations and encrypted
parameters changes. If three consecutive periods are identified as bubble noise periods,
we identify that this call has an uplink bubble noise exception. When the detection period
reaches the maximum number of uplink detection period URnluCfg.AmrUlDetectTimes,

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the detection ends up. During a conversational call, the uplink detection may start several
times, depending on the condition of RB reconfigurations.

3.4 Uplink Bubble Noise Correction

Only when the uplink bubble noise detection starts, does the uplink bubble noise
correction start. When an uplink bubble noise is detected, the RNC corrects the bubble
noise by using COUNT-C consisting of different HFN+CFN, and re-check whether the
generated AMR voice frames have any bubble noise. Only when all bubble noises are
corrected in one URnluCfg.AmrDetectPeriod period, the RNC replaces an old HFN with a
new HFN for encryption. When the number of times (URnluCfg.AmrUlCorrectMaxTimes)
is exceeded, regardless of the correction is successful or not, the RNC stops the bubble
noise correction.

4 Parameters

Table 4-1 Parameter List

Recom
Parameter Parameter Value Default
GUI Name Unit mende
Name Description Range Value
d Value

This is the switch

UExtCelInfoFD for bubble noise
Cell BNDC 0: Off
D.cellBndcSwitc detection and None 0: Off 1: On
Switch 1: On
h correction function
in this cell.

This is the main

switch for bubble
noise detection and
correction function
0,1
URnluCfg.RncB in this RNC, it
BNDC Switch 0: off None 0: Off 1: On
ndcSwitch controls bubble
1: on
noise detection
function for AMR
downlink and
detection and

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Recom
Parameter Parameter Value Default
GUI Name Unit mende
Name Description Range Value
d Value
correction function
for AMR uplink.

0,1
URnluCfg.AmrN AMR-NB BNDC BNDC switch for
0: off None 0: Off 1: On
bBndcSwitch Switch AMR-NB users.
1:on

BNDC switch for

sub detection
algorithm 1. If the
main detection
0,1
URnluCfg.AmrB AMR BNDC Sub algorithm can fulfill
0:off None 0: Off 1: On
ndcSubAlgo1 Algo 1 Switch the precise needs,
1: on
the switch is turned
off to avoid the
impact on system
performance.

BNDC switch for

sub detection
algorithm 2. If the
main detection
0,1
URnluCfg.AmrB AMR BNDC Sub algorithm can fulfill
0:off None 0: Off 0: Off
ndcSubAlgo2 Algo 2 Switch the precise needs,
1:on
the switch is turned
off to avoid the
impact on system
performance.

Period of BNDC
detection and
correction. If this
parameter is set to
a too low value, the
URnluCfg.AmrD BNDC Detect frames in this period
0..6000 Ms 1000 1000
etectPeriod Period are not enough to
count the ratio of
bubble noise; if this
parameter is set to
a too high value, it
takes more time to

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Recom
Parameter Parameter Value Default
GUI Name Unit mende
Name Description Range Value
d Value
correct the bubble
noise and affect the
user experience.

Threshold of BNDC
Detect. If (number
of bubble noise
frames detected by
algorithm / number
URnluCfg.AmrB Threshold of
of total frames in 0..100 % 40 40
ubbleNoiseThd BNDC Detect
AmrDetectPeriod) x
100% > DetectThd,
a bubble noise
period is
determined.

Max Num of BNDC

Downlink Detection.
If this value is set to
0, the bndc
Max Num of
URnluCfg.AmrD downlink detection
BNDC Downlink 0..65535 None 5 5
lDetectTimes is turned off.
Detect
AmrDlDetectTimes
x AmrDetectPeriod
is the last time of
downlink detection.

Max Num of Bndc

Uplink Detection. If
this value sets to 0,
the bndc uplink
Max Num of
URnluCfg.AmrU detection is turned
BNDC Uplink 0..65535 None 5 5
lDetectTimes off.
Detect
AmrUlDetectTimes
* AmrDetectPeriod
is the last time of
uplink detection.

URnluCfg.AmrU Max Num of Max Num of Bndc

lCorrectMaxTim BNDC Uplink Uplink Correction. If 0..65535 None 5 5
es Correct this value sets to 0,

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Recom
Parameter Parameter Value Default
GUI Name Unit mende
Name Description Range Value
d Value
the bndc uplink
correct function is
disabled.
AmrUlCorrectMaxTi
mes *
AmrDetectPeriod is
the last time of
uplink correction.

5 Related Counters and Alarms

5.1 Related Counters

Table 5-1 Related Counters List

Counter No. Counter Name

C314197209 Number of UL detection for AMR-NB bubble noise

C314197210 Number of UL detected AMR-NB bubble noise

C314197211 Number of UL corrected AMR-NB bubble noise

C314200703 Number of DL detection for AMR-NB bubble noise

C314200704 Number of DL detected AMR-NB bubble noise

5.2 Related Alarms

This feature has no related alarm.

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6 Engineering Guide

6.1 Application Scenario

The AMR bubble noise detection feature can detect bubble noises in conversational calls,
make statistics of the top problem cells, and optimize the cell parameters. The uplink
bubble noise correction feature corrects by a certain proportion the bubble noises caused
by encryption in order to increase the voice QoS.

6.2 Feature Activation Procedure

This procedure describes how to locate the parameters related to this feature in the GUI.
The parameter values on the screenshots in the procedure are for reference only. Refer
to Chapter 4 for the recommended values of the related parameters.

Figure 6-1 Parameter Configuration Interface 1

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In the configuration resource tree window, open the [Modify Area->Managed

Element->UMTS Logical Feature Configuration->UTRAN Cell->Extended Information 2
of UTRAN Cell] and make sure that the configuration of Switch for bubble noise detection
and correction features are as shown in the following figure.

Figure 6-2 Parameter Configuration Interface 2

6.3 Feature Validation Procedure

Table 6-1 Feature Validation Procedure

Test Item Mobility Management

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Test Item Mobility Management

1. The WCDMA system is ready.

2. Cell1 supports HSUPA, HSDPA and DCH. Cell1 belongs to

RNC1/NodeB1.

3. UE1 camps on Cell1 are in idle mode.

4. Make sure that the encryption algorithm is activated (such as UEA1).

5. Make sure that the below parameters are activated:

URnluCfg.RncBndcSwitch
Preconditions
UExtCelInfoFDD.cellBndcSwitch

URnluCfg.AmrNbBndcSwitch

URncFeature.emiMeasInCDTSwch

UMR.emiMeasInMRSwch

6. Make sure that the configuration of URnluCfg.AmrDetectPeriod ,

URnluCfg.AmrBubbleNoiseThd , URnluCfg.AmrDlDetectTimes,

URnluCfg.AmrUlCorrectMaxTimes in rational range.

1. UE1 makes an AMR 12.2 kbps voice call to another UE or PSTN in

Cell1.

Test Steps 2. Make sure the quality of Uu interface is bad of Cell1.

3. Check the EMI report is in signaling files.

4. Release all the services.

Anticipative
1. In Step 3, the bubble noise IE can be found and fixed successfully.
Result

6.4 Feature Deactivation Procedure

Table 6-2 Feature Deactivation Procedure

Managed Object. Default Value Deactivation

GUI Name
logic name Value

RNC bubble noise

URnluCfg.RncBn
detection and 0: Off 0: Off
dcSwitch
correction switch

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For the description and configuration of above parameters , refer to Chapter 6.2.

6.5 Network Impact

1) Impact on the device performance:

After this feature is activated, the AMR decoding and encryption parameter attempts to
consume the processing resources on the user panel. Under default configuration of this
feature, with 10% CS users online and holding 30s, the downlink bubble noise detection
and uplink bubble noise detection increase the consumption of processing resources of
the user panel by no more than 30% respectively, and the uplink correction increases
this by no more than 4% in lab testing.

In Shenzhen, with 6% CS users online, the consumption of processing resources

increases less than 2%.

2) Impact on the network KPI.

None

7 Acronym
Acronym Full Spelling

AMR Adaptive Multi-Rate

NB Narrow Band

8 Reference Documents
1. ZXUR 9000 UMTS(V4.14.10.14) Wireless Network Controller Wireless Parameter
Reference

2. ZXWR RNC(V3.14.10.14) Wireless Network Controller Wireless Parameter

Reference

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3. ZXUR 9000 UMTS(V4.14.10.14) Wireless Network Controller Performance Counter

Reference

4. ZXWR RNC(V3.14.10.14) Wireless Network Controller Performance Counter

Reference

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