Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers

Extension

Feature Description

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Copyright

© Ericsson AB 2018-2021. All rights reserved. No part of this document may be

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 Contents

Contents

1 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension Overview 1

2 Dependencies of Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension 3

3 Feature Operation of Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers

Extension 5
3.1 Rank 2 Transmissions 7

4 Network Impact of Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers

Extension 8

5 Parameters for Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension 9

6 Performance of Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension 10

7 Enable or Disable Capacity 11

8 Engineering Guidelines for Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers

Extension 12

Appendix A: Feature Change History 13

Appendix A.a: 20.Q2: Downlink Aggressive Pairing up to Four Layers 13
Appendix A.b: 20.Q4: TM7 Support for Multi-User MIMO Downlink
Layers Extension 14

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Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

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1 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension
Overview

This capacity can increase the downlink capacity in the 64TRx and 32TRx
AAS.

Access Type: LTE

Feature Identity: FAJ 121 4877
Value Package Name: Multi-User MIMO
Value Package Identity: FAJ 801 1011
Node Type: Baseband Radio Node
Licensing: Licensed capacity. One license for each node.

Summary
In a 64TRx or 32TRx AAS when the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension
capacity is enabled in a cell, the downlink capacity can be increased. This is
compared to when the Basic AAS for TDD feature is used. The capacity achieves
this by using the spatial multiplexing of the 64TRx or 32TRx AAS. Spatial
multiplexing allows the eNodeB to schedule downlink data to several UEs on the
same downlink PRBs in a subframe.

The maximum number of layers used for transmitting is defined by the

EUtranCellTDD.dlMaxMuMimoLayers attribute for each cell. The sum value of
EUtranCellTDD.dlMaxMuMimoLayers for each cell can exceed the license
capacity value. However, the maximum scheduled beamforming layers (except
TM9) within a Baseband unit for each TTI is limited by the license capacity value.

With the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension capacity activated,

spectrum efficiency increases without the need to increase the bandwidth of the
system.

The Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension capacity provides the following
benefits:
— Simultaneous downlink transmission to multiple users on the same
frequency and time resources.

— Better interference handling by delivering user-specific beams to spatially

separate users.

— Increases network capacity.

— Increases spectrum efficiency in the downlink.

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

The Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension capacity is supported only in

TDD.

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2 Dependencies of Multi-User MIMO Downlink
Layers Extension

The capacity is related to features related to switching and scheduling.

Features

Table 1 Feature Dependencies

Feature
Basic AAS for TDD (FAJ 121 4882)
Downlink Frequency-Selective Scheduling (FAJ 121
2053)
Enhanced PDCCH Link Adaptation
(FAJ 121 3051)
PDCCH Power Boost (FAJ 121 3057)
TM7 Mode Switching (FAJ 121 3010)
TM8 Mode Switching (FAJ 121 4508)
Radio Resource Partitioning (FAJ 121 4571)
Relationship Description
Prerequisite To use the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers
Extension capacity, the Basic AAS for TDD feature
needs to be activated. Only users having SRSs
allocated are considered candidates for multi-user
scheduling.
Related With the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers
Extension capacity enabled, only the UEs scheduled
as bottom UE benefit from this feature. This is
because all UEs co-scheduled on top need to follow
the resource allocation of the bottom UE.
Related With the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers
Extension capacity enabled, the Enhanced PDCCH
Link Adaptation feature is recommended to be
activated to benefit from more co-scheduling
opportunities. This is achieved because of the
Enhanced PDCCH Link Adaptation feature allowing
more multi-user MIMO candidates to receive
scheduling resources.
Related With the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers
Extension capacity enabled, the PDCCH Power
Boost feature is recommended to be activated to
benefit from more co-scheduling opportunities. This
is achieved because of the PDCCH Power Boost
feature allowing more multi-user MIMO candidates
to receive scheduling resources.
Related With the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers
Extension capacity enabled, switching to TM3 is not
preferred. This is because the co-scheduling
capability can get lost and the total cell
performance can become degraded.
Related With the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers
Extension capacity enabled, switching to TM3 is not
preferred. This is because the co-scheduling
capability can get lost and the total cell
performance can become degraded.
Conflicting The Radio Resource Partitioning feature is not
supported with the Multi-User MIMO Downlink
Layers Extension capacity.

Hardware
No specific hardware requirements.

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

Limitations
The capacity is supported only in TDD.

TM7 has the following limitations:

— Up to downlink 64QAM is supported for cells configured TM7 MU-MIMO.

— Downlink carrier aggregation is not supported.

— Up to eight layers for each cell and 24 layers for each Baseband is supported.

— The EUtranCellTDD.subframeAssignment attribute must be set to 2 with

the following patterns:
— SSF5

— SSF6

— SSF7

— Three cells for each Baseband is supported.

Network Requirements
For TM7, 3GPP release 8 UE is sufficient.

For TM8, 3GPP release 9 UE is sufficient.

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3 Feature Operation of Multi-User MIMO
Downlink Layers Extension

The capacity co-schedules multiple users in the same PRBs with spatial
multiplexing.

In a 64TRx or 32TRx AAS, the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

capacity uses UE specific beamforming that enables spatial multiplexing. With
spatial multiplexing, the capacity increases the system capacity by co-scheduling
multiple users in the same PRBs.

Figure 1 shows how multiple users can be co-scheduled using the same PRBs
through separation in the spatial domain.

Figure 1 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension Operation

2D antenna
4 rows

8 columns

Frequency

Time

L0001965A

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension Operation Sequence Diagram

For Every Subframe

and Cell

Multi-User MIMO Downlink

Layers Extension User Validation

Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers

Extension Resource Allocation

Multi-User MIMO Downlink

Layers Extension Transmission

UE 1 UE 2 UE 3 UE 4

L0001981B

Process Steps

1. The Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension capacity is enabled or

disabled at cell level by defining the value of the
EUtranCellTDD.dlMaxMuMimoLayers attribute. This value sets the
maximum number of layers that can be co-scheduled for each cell.

Note: When the value for the EUtranCellTDD.dlMaxMuMimoLayers

attribute is set to 0, it prevents co-scheduling on that cell.

2. The validated user candidates are co-scheduled in the same PRBs, up to the
maximum number of layers supported in the cell.

3. The eNodeB determines the user candidates to be co-scheduled at every

subframe in every cell where the feature is enabled.

4. In case of sufficient PRBs, multi-user capable and noncapable candidates

can also be co-scheduled in a subframe to completely exploit the system
bandwidth as shown in Figure 2.

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 Number of
Layers

UE 4
UE 3
UE 2
UE 0 UE 1 System
Bandwith
TM3 SRS based TM8 PRB Limit
(non multi-user candidate) (multi-user capable)

L0001980A

Figure 2 Co-scheduling of Multi-User Capable and Noncapable Users in the

Same Subframe

5. For every co-scheduled user, beamforming is calculated and applied in the

downlink transmission. The user specific beamforming enables transmitting
to different users in the same PRBs.

3.1 Rank 2 Transmissions

With the capacity enabled, only one layer for each co-scheduled UE is
transmitted, so the number of rank 2 transmissions for each UE can
decrease.

For the Multi-User MIMO Downlink capacity, adaptive rank selection is applied
based on the single-user MIMO rank decision.

If the antenna selection is supported by the UE, the single-user MIMO rank
decision is followed.

To achieve the best performance for co-scheduling, rank 1 transmission is

selected for the Multi-User MIMO Downlink capacity if the antenna selection is
not supported.

Note: If the total number of co-scheduling opportunities in the TTI is too low
when rank 1 transmission is selected, the performance can be worse
compared to when single-user MIMO is used. In this case, it is
recommended to fall back to single-user MIMO. Single-user MIMO users
can use rank 2 transmissions.

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

4 Network Impact of Multi-User MIMO

Downlink Layers Extension

The capacity affects spectrum efficiency and downlink cell throughput.

Capacity and Performance

The Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension capacity increases the
spectrum efficiency of the system and the downlink cell throughput. The
downlink gain depends on the following conditions:

— The number of co-scheduled layers.

— The number of co-scheduling opportunities in the cell.

— The channel conditions of the UEs.

Interfaces
Data over the radio interface link increases during co-scheduling that is
supported by the introduced eCPRI interface.

Other Network Elements

No impact.

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5 Parameters for Multi-User MIMO Downlink
Layers Extension

This capacity introduces attributes associated with downlink MU-MIMO.

Parameter Type Description

EUtranCellTDD.dlMaxM
uMimoLayers
EUtranCellTDD.dlMuTr
ansmissionMode
Introduced See MOM description.
Introduced See MOM description.
The operator can
configure the allowed
transmission mode for
the Multi-User MIMO
Downlink Layers
Extension capacity with
this attribute.

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

6 Performance of Multi-User MIMO Downlink

Layers Extension

The capacity has associated performance management entities related to

cell throughput and scheduling.

KPIs
The table lists the main KPIs associated with the capacity, and the expected
impact.

Table 2 Key Performance Indicators

KPI Description
Average DL PDCP Cell Throughput Increased cell throughput is expected when the
feature is enabled. This is achieved with the co-
scheduling of several UEs using the same PRBs.

Counters

— EUtranCellTDD.pmPrbUsedMimoLayersDlDistr

— EUtranCellTDD.pmMultiUserMimoSchedPrbDl

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 Enable or Disable Capacity

7 Enable or Disable Capacity

While licensed features need to be individually activated, capacities are

automatically enabled when the License Key File is installed on a node. Capacity
cannot be deactivated once it is enabled on the node.

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

8 Engineering Guidelines for Multi-User MIMO

Downlink Layers Extension

The capacity has configurations related to downlink capacity and

transmission mode.

When the number of co-scheduling opportunities in the cell is too low, the
expected gains of the Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension capacity are
not achieved. In this case, check the value of the pmPrbUsedMimoLayersDlDistr
counter on its third and further bins. These values are incremented when more
than two layers are co-scheduled in a TTI. These values can alter because of the
following reasons:

— The number of layers to be co-scheduled at one time can be lower than the
maximum value configured in the cell. This can happen, for example, when
the number of users to be co-scheduled exceeds the amount of available
CCEs.

— User-related data can change the number of layers to be co-scheduled at one

time. This includes the buffer size or the priority of the UE in the scheduling
list.

— The channel conditions of the user candidates to be co-scheduled can

influence the total number of co-scheduled layers.

The number of layers can be set with the EUtranCellTDD.dlMaxMuMimoLayers

attribute. For more information regarding the maximum number of layers, see
Supported Capacity and Configurations.

Changing the transmission mode from TM8 to TM7 is possible by setting the
EUtranCellTDD.dlMuTransmissionMode attribute from TRANSMISSION_MODE_8
to TRANSMISSION_MODE_7. If TM7 with MU-MIMO is enabled, TM8 with MU-
MIMO in the same cell is not supported and TM8 UEs can only use SU-MIMO.

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 Feature Change History

Appendix A: Feature Change History

This section lists changes that affected this feature and the impact it had on
the network.

Appendix A.a: 20.Q2: Downlink Aggressive Pairing up to Four Layers

The feature enhancement increases the possibility of co-scheduled UEs at
the same subframe.

Feature Name: Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

Feature Identity: FAJ 121 4877
Value Package Name: Multi-User MIMO
Value Package Identity: FAJ 801 1011
Node Type: Baseband Radio Node
Access Type: LTE

Benefits
The feature enhancement enables more UEs to be co-scheduled, especially in the
lower range of co-scheduled layers, up to four. Under these conditions, it is
possible to get more layers, and connections that have previously been single-
user can now be multi-user connections instead..

Capacity and Performance

The feature enhancement enables the increase of the average downlink pairing
layers, the spectral efficiency, and the downlink cell throughput.

Operation
No impact.

Interfaces
No impact.

Hardware
No special hardware requirements.

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 Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

Other Network Elements

No impact.

Appendix A.b: 20.Q4: TM7 Support for Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension
This feature enhancement provides TM7 support for the Multi-User MIMO
Downlink Layers Extension feature.

Feature Name: Multi-User MIMO Downlink Layers Extension

Feature Identity: FAJ 121 4877
Value Package Name: Multi-User MIMO
Value Package Identity: FAJ 801 1011
Node Type: Baseband Radio Node
Access Type: LTE

Capacity and Performance

When most of the UEs are only TM7-capable in a highly loaded AAS cell, this
feature enhancement can increase the downlink cell throughput and the spectral
efficiency.

If this feature enhancement is enabled, TM8 with MU-MIMO in the same cell is
not supported.

Operation
This feature enhancement introduces the
EUtranCellTDD.dlMuTransmissionMode attribute, which enables the operator
to configure the allowed transmission mode for the Multi-User MIMO Downlink
Layers Extension feature.

The operation of this feature enhancement can be observed through the

following counters:
— EUtranCellTDD.pmPrbUsedMimoLayersDlDistr

— EUtranCellTDD.pmPdcpVolDlDrb

— EUtranCellTDD.pmRadioThpVolDl

— EUtranCellTDD.pmRadioTxRankDistr

Interfaces
No impact.

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 Feature Change History

Hardware
This feature enhancement requires the same hardware as Basic AAS for TDD.

Other Network Elements

To fully benefit from the change, the node requires support from the following
network elements:

— ENM

ENM version 20.4 or later is required for this feature enhancement.

— UE

TM7-capable UEs are required for this feature enhancement to take effect.

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