Internal

Principles of the WCDMA

System
GSM-to-UMTS Training Series_V1.0
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Scrambling in the WCDMA System

Downlink: Different cells (sector carrier frequencies) have different

downlink scrambling codes.

Each cell is configured with a unique downlink scrambling code. The UE

identifies a cell based on the scrambling code.

OVSF codes are used to differentiate different users in a cell.

Uplink: Scrambles are used to differentiate different users.

In a cell, each user is configured with a unique uplink scrambling code.

OVSF codes are used to differentiate the services of a user.

Source
coding

Channel

Interleaving
Spreading
coding and

Scrambling

Modulation

interleaving

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RF
emission

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WCDMA Scrambling Code: Gold Sequence

Over downlink channels, OVSF codes are used to differentiate

users.
There are 224 uplink long scrambling codes and 224 uplink short
scrambling codes.
Over downlink channels, scrambling codes are used to differentiate

cells (sectors/carriers).
There are (218 - 1 = ) 262143 scrambling codes on the downlink.
Currently, however, only the primary scrambling codes in the
scrambling codes from No.0 to No.8191 are used.
A scrambling code is repeated every 10 ms. It is 38400 chips long.

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Primary and Secondary Scrambling Codes

Primary
scrambling code 0
Secondary
scrambling code 1

Downlink
scrambling code

Set 0
Set 1

Set 511

Secondary
scrambling code 15

Primary scrambling
code 51116
Secondary scrambling
code 51116 1

8192 scrambling
codes

512 sets

Secondary scrambling
code 51116 15

Currently, the system mainly uses primary

scrambling codes.
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Each set contains 1

primary scrambling
code and 15
secondary
scrambling codes.

Primary Scrambling Codes and Scrambling Code

Groups
Primary scrambling
code 0
Primary
scrambling code 1

Downlink
scrambling code

Group 0

Primary
scrambling code 7

Group 1

Group 63

Primary scrambling
code 504
Primary scrambling
code 505

512 scrambling
codes

64 groups

Primary scrambling
code 511

Each group
contains eight
scrambling
codes, one of
which is the
primary
scrambling code.

Scrambling code planning in the network planning is

to plan and allocate the 512 primary scrambling codes.
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Spreading/De-spreading Principle
Explanations for Frequency Domain
Eb/No = Ec/Io Gain
Power spectrum

a2Tbit = Ebit
Eb/No
required
Allowed maximum interference level

Gain

Other user
interference signals

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Power sharable for all

users

Echip

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Spectrum Change in CDMA

Spreading code

P(f)

P(f)
f
P (f)

Broadband signal
f
Narrowband signal

f
Noise

Separation of
signals and noise
P (f)

Signal
combination

Noise + broadband signal

P (f)

f
Spreading code

The CDMA broadband spreading technology

effectively avoids frequency-selective fading of radio channels.
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