ACM - Adaptive Coding and Modulation

MSE - Mean Square Error

Ceragon Training Services

CeraOS 8.5

Proprietary and Confidential

JULY 2016
Agenda
• ACM Introduction

• Mean Square Error (MSE)

• Calculating MSE

• MSE in digital modulation (Radios)

• Using MSE

• ACM Benefits

• ACM and Adaptive Transmit Power

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 Adaptive Coding and Modulation (ACM)
• With ACM ON, the radio will select the highest capacity based on Received Signal Quality (MSE)
• When the signal quality is degraded (fading / interference) => radio goes to more robust modulation &
capacity is reduced.
• When signal quality improves, the modulation is automatically increased and capacity is restored. The
capacity changes are hitless (no errors introduced).
• During reduced capacity, traffic is prioritized based on Ethernet QoS. In congestion, Ethernet traffic
with lowest priority is dropped.

2048QAM
2048QAM

1024 QAM SFEC

1024 QAM SFEC

1024 QAM
1024 QAM

512 QAM
512 QAM

QAM

LFEC
QAM
LFEC

QAM
QAM

256
256

QAM
QAM

128
QAM
QAM
128

QAM
QAM

64
QPSK
64

32
32

16
QA
QA
16

M
M

8
8

High
Priority
Traffic
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ACM Profiles
• 11 Profiles QPSK to 2048 QAM
• Each profile differs by modulation order and coding rate =>different capacities per profile
• ACM Tx profile can be different than ACM Rx profile
• ACM Tx profile is determined by far-end MSE.

Tx

Rx MSE

Tx Downgrade / Upgrade command

4 4
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 Profile Modulation Bits/Symbol
Hitless and Errorless switching 0 QPSK 2
1 8PSK 3
2 16QAM 4
3 32QAM 5
4 64QAM 6
5 128QAM 7
6 256QAM 8
7 512QAM 9
8 1024QAM 10
(strong FEC)
9 1024QAM 10
(light FEC)
10 2048QAM 11

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ACM Modulation

16 QAM

256 QAM
8 PSK

QPSK 64 QAM 6
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Using MSE with ACM

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MSE - Definition 160

MSE => used to quantify the

140
difference between an estimated/ Expected Received
expected value and the actual 120
value received.
100
MSE => the average the squared
errors(see errors in distributions) 80

60
MSE => an aggregated error by
which the expected value differs from the 40
quantity to be estimated.
20
The difference occurs because of
randomness or because the receiver does 0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
not account for information that could
produce a more accurate estimated RSL.
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To simplify….
Imagine a production line where a
machine needs to insert one part into
the other, so both pieces must match
perfectly.

Let us assume the dimension has to

be 10mm wide

But in real life, we take a few of parts and

measured them to see how many can fit in….

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The Errors Histogram (Gaussian probability distribution function)

Exp. Value = Rec.Value

Quantity 9

Exp.Value > Rec.Value Exp. Value < Rec.Value

3
3
2
1

width
6mm 7mm 10mm 12mm 16mm

The accuracy of our machine is given by how many values differ from the expected
value.
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The difference from Expected value…
Quantity
Error = 0 mm

Error = + 2 mm
Error = - 3 mm
Error = + 6 mm
Error = - 4 mm

width
6mm 7mm 10mm 12mm 16mm

To evaluate the inaccuracy (how sever the situation is) we

measure how much the errors differ from expected value
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Giving bigger differences more weight than smaller
differences
Quantity
Error = 0 mm

+ 2 mm = 4
-3 mm = 9
- 4 mm = 16 + 6 mm = 36

width
6mm 7mm 10mm 12mm 16mm

We convert all errors to absolute values and then we square them

The squared values give bigger differences more weight than smaller differences, resulting in a
more powerful statistics tool:

16cm parts are 36 ”units” away than 2cm parts which are only 4 units away
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Calculating MSE
Error = 0 mm
Quantity

+ 2 mm = 4
-3 mm = 9
- 4 mm = 16 + 6 mm = 36

width

To evaluate the total errors, we sum all the squared errors and take the average:

Total Error = 16 + 9 + 0 + 4 + 36 = 65,

Average (MSE) = Total Error / # of errors = 65/5 =13

The bigger the errors (differences) >> the bigger MSE becomes
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Calculating MSE
MSE determines how narrow / wide the “Bell” is
Quantity

width
10mm

When MSE is very small – the “Bell” shaped histogram is closer

to perfect condition (straight line): errors = ~ 0
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MSE in digital modulation (Radios)
Q
• Let us use QPSK (4QAM) as an
01 00 example:
• QPSK = 2 bits per symbol
• 2 possible states for I signal
I
• 2 possible states for Q signal
• = 4 possible states for the combined

11 10 signal
• The graph shows the expected values
(constellation) of the received signal
(RSL)
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MSE in digital modulation (Radios)
Q • Black dots represent the
01 00 expected values of the
received signal (RSL)
• The blue dots represent the
I
actual RSL
• As in the previous example,
11 10 the bigger the errors are, the
harder it becomes to detect &
recover the transmitted signal
(at receiver)

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MSE in digital modulation (Radios)
Q • MSE would be the average errors of
01 00 e1 + e2 + e3 + e4….
e1
e2
• When MSE is very small the actual
I signal is very close to the expected
e4 signal
e3

11 10 • We calculate MSE based on a large

sample of different symbols(>512)

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MSE in digital modulation (Radios)
Q • When MSE is too big, the actual signal
01 00 (amplitude & phase) is too far from the
e1 expected signal
e2

I
e4
e3

11 10

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Commissioning with MSE in EMS

When you commission your radio link,

make sure your MSE is small

Actual values may be read

-34dB to -35dB

2048QAM requires around MSE = -41dB

Bigger values(-18dB) will result in loss of

signal
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Troubleshooting wrong modulation
When different settings of Modulation are set, MSE will be
showing -99.99dB (Modulation Mismatch):

RSL = ~ (-45) dBm RSL = ~ (-45) dBm

MSE = -99.99 dB MSE = -99.99 dB

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MSE and Adaptive Coding and Modulation - ACM

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MSE and ACM
When the errors is too big, we need a
stronger error correction mechanism (FEC)

Therefore, we reduce the number of bits per

symbol allocated for data and re-assign the
extra bits for correction instead

For example –
256QAM has great capacity but poor
immune to noise

64QAM has less capacity but much better

immune for noise
ACM – Adaptive Code Modulation

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Triggering ACM with MSE
When ACM is enabled, MSE values are analyzed on each side of the link

When MSE degrades or improves, the system applies the required modulation per radio to
maintain service Profile Mod MSE Down-Threshold MSE Up-Threshold
0 QPSK   -18
1 8PSK -16 -19
2 16QAM -17 -23
3 32QAM -21 -26
4 64QAM -24 -29
5 128QAM -27 -32
6 256QAM -30 -34
7 512QAM -32 -37
1024 QAM -35 -38
8 SFEC
1024 QAM -36 -41
9 WFEC
10 2048QAM -39  
The values are typical and subject to change in relation to the frequency and RFU
type. For more details please contact your Ceragon representative 23
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ACM & MSE: An example…
It is easier to observe the hysteresis of changing the ACM profile with respect to measured MSE.

As you can see, the radio remains @ profile 8 untill MSE improves to -38dB:

ACM
Profile
Downgrade
-41 Downgrade

-
38 -
37
-
34

Profile 10 Profile 9 Profile 8 Profile 7 Profile 6 Profile 5 Profile 4 Profile 3

2048 QAM 1024 QAM 1024 QAM 512 QAM 256 QAM 128 QAM 64 QAM 32 QAM

MSE
-39 -36 -35 -32 -30 -27 -24 -21

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ACM & MSE: An Example
When RF signal degrades and MSE passes the upgrade point (MSE @ red point), ACM will switch back FASTER to a
higher profile (closer to an upgrade point) when MSE improves.
 
When RF signal degrades and MSE does not pass the upgrade point (green point) – ACM waits till MSE improves to
the point of next available upgrade point (takes longer time to switch back to the higher profile).

ACM
Profile -41 -38

Profile 10 Profile 9 Profile 8

-39 -36 -35 MSE

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Why use ACM?
• To maximized spectrum usage
• To increased capacity over a given bandwidth
• To get system gain, ~3 dB for each point change
• Hitless/Errorless modulation changes, based on signal quality
• Adaptive Tx Power on modulation for maximal system gain per working point
• An integrated QoS mechanism for smart congestion management, ensures high
priority traffic is not affected during link fading

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ACM and Multi Carrier-ABC
• With ACM ON, MC-ABC provides maximum capacity with hitless service when profiles change. (both
ACM and MC-ABC changes are errorless)
• With ACM ON, the MC-ABC also provides Graceful Degradation of Service:
• If fading => system reduces the no. data blocks per carrier, down to loss of connection with the other
end. No other data blocks will be assigned to this carrier.
• If hardware failure => only data transferred to the radio will be lost. When loss of carrier, the system
stops sending data to carrier.
ACM

MC-ABC
+

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Agenda
 ACM Introduction

 Mean Square Error (MSE)

 Calculating MSE

 MSE in digital modulation (Radios)

 Using MSE

 ACM Benefits

 ACM and Adaptive Transmit Power

Proprietary and Confidential 28

 Thank You

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