Wireless Systems and

Standards
Chapter 11
GSM Architecture & Interfaces
I nterleaving in Speech Traffic
The source encoder gives out 456 bits every
20ms at rate of 228 kbps. Interleaving is done
on 3 steps:
1. The 456 bits will be put in a matrix row by
row into 8 sub-blocks with 57 bits each.
(
(
(
(
(
(

=
456 449
16 9
8 2 1
A A
A A
A A A
A Block
2. Another 456 bits will be put in a matrix in the same
way

(
(
(
(
(
(

=
456 449
16 9
8 2 1
B B
B B
B B B
B Block
The interleaver puts these sub-blocks onto 8
consecutive bursts. Interleaving between these
two matrices happen by interleaving A1, A2, A3,
A4 with B5, B6, B7, B8 then A5, A6, A7, A8 with
B1, B2, B3, B4
3. The final step is interleaving within the coded
data bits by:

Bursts no. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Even no. bits A
1
A
2
A
3
A
4
B
1
B
2
B
3
B
4
Odd no. bits B
5
B
6
B
7
B
8
A
5
A
6
A
7
A
8

Interleaving in Data Traffic
Interleaving for data applications is deeper and
more complex than the one used for coded
speech. It is done on 3 steps:
1. Each coded data blocks of 456 bits length is
spread over 22 bursts (sub-blocks).
2. The scheme breaks up the 456 bits block into
16 sub-blocks of 24 bits each, 2 sub-blocks of
18 bits each, 2 sub-blocks of 12 bits each and 2
sub-blocks of 6 bits each.
3. Each block puts its 22 sub blocks onto 22
successive bursts as shown in table

There are two types of GSM channels
Reverse link: 890-915 MHz
Forward link: 935-960 MHz
The forward and reverse channels are divided
into 200 kHz channels called Absolute Radio Frequency
Channel Numbers, which denote forward and reverse
pairs separated in frequency by 45 MHz and
each channel is time shared between as many
as eight subscribes using TDMA. Each of the
eight subscribers uses the same ARFCN and
occupies a unique timeslot (TS) per frame.

Traffic channels (TCHs)
Traffic channels carry digitally encoded user
speech or user data and have identical
functions and formats on both the forward and
reverse link.

Control channels (CCHs)
Control channels carry signalling and
synchronization commands between the base
station and the mobile station.


GSM Frame Structure
A hyperframe constitutes 2048 superframes and is sent every 3h, 28min, 54sec
Types of Bursts in GSM System
Each user transmits a burst of data during
the time slot assigned to it. These data
burst may have one of five specific
formats. They may be used for various
control and traffic bursts.
1. Normal Burst:



It is the most common burst in the GSM system. It is mostly used for
traffic on both the forward and reverse link.

Training Sequence: it is agreed upon by the MS and the BS in order
to auto correlate the incoming frame with these bits to extract the
coded data at the receiver again.

Guard period: it is a period of time to avoid overlap between two
users sending on successive time slots.


2. Random Access Burst: It is the burst used by all
mobiles to access service from any base station.
Synchronization acts as a training sequence
3. Frequency Correction Burst: It is used to broadcast
the frequency control messages on the forward link.
4. Synchronization Burst: It is used to broadcast the
time synchronization control messages on the
forward link.
5. Dummy Burst: It is used as filter information for
unused time slots on the forward link.
Compute the longest time over which a mobile station
would have to wait in order to determine the frame number
being transmitted by a GSM base station.
The frame number is sent with the base station identity
code during the SCH burst. From the previous figure it is
clear that the interval between two consecutive SCH
burst is 10TDMA frames. Therefore
ms
frames
multiframe control frames TDMA
multiframe control ms
T
08 46
10
51
235
.
/
/
max
=
=