Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB

Feature Presentation
Background/Problem DESCRIPTION
› Carrier aggregation (CA) technology is becoming
widespread as it addresses both end-user and network
capacity aspects
› UEs with carrier aggregation capability is not always
camping on the most appropriate cell from a CA
perspective
› Legacy Inter-Frequency Load Balancing feature does not
consider UEs CA capability and might move a CA capable
UE to a worse cell (from a CA perspective)

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 2
Feature Overview
› Feature is divided into two main functional parts:
– CA triggered redirection (CATR)
– CA-aware UE Selection in Load Balancing procedures
› There are four additional parts that are part of the feature
scope:
– Clean up of the MOM configuration used for configuring A5 event
measurement reporting for load balancing
– Reducing computational complexity of the legacy IFLB UE selection loop
– Removal of the system constant (introduced by TR HS20251 in L14A)
used to decide whether CA-configured UEs should be subject to load
balancing
– Introduction of MOM parameters for A5 RSRP threshold1 and A5 RSRQ
threshold2 for load balancing

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 3
Feature Overview

c y
ga
Le

Frequency

CA
CA

10+10 MHz (CA)

Non-CA UE
CA CA
CA
10 MHz (non-CA)
CA

Distance

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 4
Feature Overview

B
IFL
a r e
-a w
CA

Frequency

CA
CA

10+10 MHz (CA)

Non-CA UE
CA CA CA
CA
10 MHz (non-CA)
CA

Distance

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 5
CONCEPTS

› A UE is called Carrier Aggregation (CA) capable

– if the UE indicates in its EUTRAN capability container, that it
supports at least one band combination for carrier aggregation.
› A cell is called Carrier Aggregation (CA) capable
– if the eNB where the cell resides has the Carrier Aggregation
feature OPERABLE and there is another cell in the eNB which is
allowed as SCell for this cell.
– For a source cell that handles load reports from different target cells
(sent by their respective controlling eNBs) the information that a
target cell is CA capable in the former mentioned sense is found
from the load reports.

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 6
CA SUBSCRIPTION CAPACITY
Symmetrical
T31 Pcell-Scell relation
T21 T22

T11 T12 CA +
+
+
Source +

Possible CA combinations
caCapSource = sCaps + sCapT11
Source +
caCapSource = sCaps + sCapT12

caCapT11 = sCapT11 + sCapSource

T11 + caCapT11 = sCapT11 + sCapT21

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 7
CA triggered redirectION
› CA Triggered Redirection tries to ensure quick and optimal
distribution of CA capable UEs
› CA capable UEs are evaluated during initial context setup
– When UE capabilities become known
› If a better cell from a CA perspective is found (check based on
capacity) then an attempt is made to redirect (i.e. handover) the
UE to that cell
› All evaluated cells must have a valid load balancing relation to
the source cell
› CATR is allowed to create a load imbalance in its task of
redirecting CA-capable UEs
– IFLB is dealt the task to even out this load imbalance

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 8
 CA TRIGGERED REDIRECTION
Three criteria have to be fulfilled in order for CATR to be performed:
Criterion #1 Criterion #2 Criterion #3
Load Load Capacity
CATR CATR Hysteresis that
CATR
makes sure that
lbCaThreshold target cell is
lbDiffCaOffset sufficiently better
than source cell
Range where CATR is lbCaCapHysteresis
allowed (given this
source load)

Source Target Source Target Source Target

IF subRatiot < lbCaThreshold IF lbDiff + lbDiffCaOffset > 0 IF caCapt > caCaps(1+lbCaCapHyst)

THEN CATR is allowed THEN CATR is allowed THEN CATR is allowed
“If load in target cell is smaller “CATR is allowed to overload the “If target cell CA subscription
than threshold then CATR is target with lbDiffCaOffset compared capacity is sufficiently better than
allowed.” to source.” source cell CA subscription capacity
then CATR will try to handover the
UE to target cell”

CATR strives to find best target cell in terms of CA subscription capacity

that fulfills all three criterias
Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 9
CA-Aware UE Selection

Load measurement
Determine traffic load in each individual cell

Load information exchange

Request and exchange load information between cells

Load balancing action magnitude

Determine the amount of offloading needed to balance load

UE selection for load balancing action

Determine and offload suitable UEs

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 10
CA-Aware UE Selection
UE selection for load balancing action

› UE selection is extended with a CA criteria consisting of

three CA criterion
– The criteria are only applied to CA-capable UEs
› The purpose of the CA criteria is to make sure that CA-
capable UEs are not moved to a worse cell from a CA
perspective
– IFLB should not undo what CATR has achieved

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 11
 CA CRITERIA
In order for a CA capable UE to be selected for load balancing it must fulfil
one (or more) of three criteria:

Criterion #1 Criterion #2 Criterion #3

Load Load Capacity
Threshold that Margin that Hysteresis that
dictates how high dictates how large allows for small
load in source cell load difference capacity difference
that is allowed that is allowed between source
before UE’s CA before UE’s CA and target cell
capability is ignored capability is
lbCaCapHysteresis
ignored
lbCaThreshold +
lbCaHysteresis lbDiffCaOffset +
lbCaHysteresis

Source Target Source Target Source Target

IF subRatios > (lbCaThreshold + IF lbDiff > (lbDiffCaOffset + IF caCaps <

lbCaHysteresis) THEN
UE is selected for load balancing
“If load in source cell is large
enough then it is more important
to lower the load than to keep CA
capable UEs in better cell.”
Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 12
lbCaHysteresis) THEN
UE is selected for load balancing
“If load difference is large enough
then it is more important to close the
load gap than to keep CA capable
UEs in better cell.”
caCapt(1+lbCaCapHysteresis) THEN
UE is selected for load balancing
“If source cell capacity is worse (or
slightly better) than target cell then
the UE will be subject to load
balancing. This ensures that it is
possible to load balance CA capable
UEs between PCells with (almost)
same aggregated capacity.”
 CATR and IFLB - INTERACTION

› CA aware IFLB essentially moves the load balance point for CA capable users (lbDiffCaOffset)
– Cell2 is assumed to support better CA combination than Cell1
– The rateOffset mechanism is not illustrated (does not change the illustrated behavior)

Load

lbDiffCaOffsetHyst
lbDiffCaOffset
Cell1 lbThreshold

Cell2

Cell1 is working Cell2 is working

Cell2 is working to load balance
to load balance to load balance
non-CA capable users to Cell1
any user to Cell2 any user to Cell1

Cell1 redirects CA capable users to Cell2

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 13
MEASUREMENT ADDITIONS
› Addition of MOM parameter a5Threshold1Rsrp
– Gives the possibility to exclude UEs in good radio environment from
load balancing
› Addition of MOM parameter a5Threshold2Rsrq
– Similar implementation as for MCPC
– Will be used to check target quality in received measurement report
– If worse than threshold load balancing action will be aborted
– Triggering quantity for load balancing is still RSRP
– Possible to offset with SSLM through new attribute
lbA5Threshold2RsrqOffset

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 14
Benefits of the Feature
› Improved average user and system throughput through
efficient distribution of carrier aggregation capable UEs to
cells where carrier aggregation can be (better) used
› The ratio of configured or active CA users versus total
number of CA capable users will improve

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 15
SIMULATION RESULTS 1(2)
› TBD. Include sample results from Redhawk simulations

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 16
SIMULATION RESULTS 2(2)
› Simulation of new functionality F3 10 MHz (non-CA)
– 3 overlapping cells on F1, F2 and F3.
F2
– F1 and F2 can be aggregated by the CA capable UEs 10+10 MHz (CA)
F1
› Functionality activated after 20 lb cycles
› Initially around 1000 UEs per cell
– 50% of those are CA-capable
Active population in networks
1500

Users with CAcap on F1 (10 MHz, CA capable)

Users with CAcap on F2 (10 MHz, CA capable)
Users with CAcap on F3 (10 MHz, nonCA capable)
All Users on F1 (10 MHz, CA capable)
All Users on F2 (10 MHz, CA capable)
All Users on F3 (10 MHz, nonCA capable)
1000
Number of users

500

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200
Number of load balancing cycles
Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 17
Dependency to Standards
› No specific dependency to standards

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 18
Dependency to Other Network Elements
› The feature is only implemented in the eNB.
› Feature requires Inter-Frequency Handover and event A5
support in UEs
– Same as for IFLB

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 19
Configuration
› The following new attributes are introduced:
– CA Triggered Redirection Active
– A5 Threshold 2 RSRP (replaces A4 Threshold RSRP)
– A5 Threshold 1 RSRP
– A5 Threshold 2 RSRQ
– Hysteresis A5 (replaces Hysteresis A4)
– A5 Threshold 2 RSRP Offset (replaces A4 Threshold RSRP Offset)
– Load Balancing Difference CA Offset
– Load Balancing CA Hysteresis (hidden)
– Load Balancing CA Threshold
– Load Balancing Rate Offset Coefficient
– Load Balancing Rate Offset Load Threshold (previously hardcoded to 1)

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 20
 Blue: new attributes
Black: related and re-used
attributes
Configuration Red: removed attributes

EUtranCellFDD/TDD
ENodeBFunction lbUtranOffloadThreshold (IROW only) Child
cellSubscriptionCapacity (IFLB only) 1..1

UeMeasControl
sMeasure
Child Child
Child
1..1 1..1 1..1

LoadBalancingFunction QciTable ReportConfigEUtraInterFreqLb

lbUtranOffloadBackoffTime a5Threshold2Rsrp (a4ThresholdRsrp)
lbCeiling Child hysteresisA5 (hysteresisA4)
lbRateOffsetCoefficient (hidden -> open) a5Threshold1Rsrp
0..8
lbDiffCaOffset a5Threshold2Rsrq
lbCaHysteresis
lbRateOffsetLoadThreshold EUtranFreqRelation
lbCaThreshold
lbCaCapHysteresis caTriggeredRedirectionActive
eutranFreqToQciProfileRelation[0..19] {
lbA5Threshold2RsrpOffset (lbA4Threshold2RsrpOffset)
Child lbA5Threshold2RsrqOffset
10..10/ lbQciProfileHandling ExternalEnodeBFunction
0..9 qciProfileRef
} Child
QciProfilePredefined/ Child
Refer to 0..24
QciProfileOperatorDefined 0..128

qciSubscriptionQuanta EUtranCellRelation ExternalEUtranCellFDD/TDD

loadBalancing Refer to
lbUeMeasScaling

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 21
Administration
› Feature License per eNB for CA-aware IFLB

› Requires the following existing feature licenses:

– Inter-Frequency Load Balancing

› Feature License controls:

– CA-aware UE selection (extension to legacy IFLB)
– CA Triggered Redirection (new functionality)

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 22
Performance Monitoring
› The following new PM counters are proposed
Counter MOC
pmHoPrepAttLteInterFCaRedirect EUtranCellRelation
pmHoPrepSuccLteInterFCaRedirect EUtranCellRelation
pmHoExeAttLteInterFCaRedirect EUtranCellRelation
pmHoExeSuccLteInterFCaRedirect EUtranCellRelation
pmCaRedirectMeasuredUE EUtranFreqRelation
pmCaRedirectQualifiedUE EUtranCellRelation

› The new handover counters shall be excluded from mobility

KPIs, in a similar fashion as legacy IFLB handover
counters are handled today

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 23
Performance Monitoring
› The two existing pmEvents
INTERNAL_EVENT_LB_MEAS_UE and
INTERNAL_EVENT_LQ_QUAL_UE will be changed from
cell events to UE events.
› The new events will be extended with information that
enhances the detailed observability of the feature
– It will be possible to correlate the measurements for a single UE

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 24
Relation to other Features
› The feature has a relation and shall be able to coexist with all existing load management
features:
– IFLB Activation Threshold
– IRAT Offload to WCDMA
– IF Offload
– Best Neighbor relation for Load Balancing
– Automated Cell Capacity Estimation
› The same goes for all existing (and coming) CA features:
– 2C Carrier Aggregation
– 3C Carrier Aggregation
– Dynamic SCell selection
– Multi-DU Carrier Aggregation
– Carrier Aggregation up to 40Mhz
– Carrier Aggregation with DL-only SCell
– Contiguous Carrier Aggregation
– Non-contiguous Carrier Aggregation
› Other related features:
– Support for Multiple Frequency Band Indicators

Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 25
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Metadata
(to help the author of the customer presentation)

› FP Author: Jonas Nilsson A (ENILJON)

› Feature Responsible: Jonas Nilsson A, Diana Andrei
› Main requirement number: 105 65-0333/01144
› Main requirement text:
UEs shall be moved, based on UE capability and load situation, to a
carrier where they best can utilize carrier aggregation.
This functionality should be achieved by a combination of CA Triggered
Redirection applied at UE connection setup and complementary load
imbalance triggered IFLB UE related actions where CA capabilities of the
UE and the network are considered to avoid moving UEs unnecessarily.
The feature shall be optional and licensed.
› FAJ: FAJ 121 3075 (FDD), FAJ 221 3075 (TDD)

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Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 27
 LEGACY
• One (or zero) UEs are handled each subcycle
• The actual execution is done at the beginning of each subcycle (illustrated by blue line)
• Number of subcycles (N) and the length of each subcycle (L) are system constants and depends on DU
Start of type and the number of cells that are supported
LB cycle
• Subcycle handling is aborted when measurements for lbAmount number of UEs have been started
• Only 10 out of 15 seconds of the lbCycle are used by the subcycles

LBA
magnitude

1 2 3 4 … … N-1 N

subcycle length (L) 0-3 cells 4-6 cells 7-12 cells

DU
Start of
subcycle
N L N L N L
timer
DUL 40 0.25 s 20 0.5 s N/A N/A
Start of
subcycle DUS 80 0.125 40 0.25 s 20 0.5 s
timer
s

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Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 28
CATR AMOUNT
› In order to control CATR a CATR amount will be introduced
› A successful CATR only affects target load since the UE
will only stay in the source cell for a short while before
being handed over to a target cell
› To control situations where CATR and LB goes in the same
direction it is proposed to update both lbAmount (if > 0) and
catrAmount for LB and CATR
Load
Target for CATR, Criterion 1
Target for CATR, Criterion 2

Target for LB

Source Target

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Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 29
CATR AMOUNT
› Criterion 1 and 2 can be translated into an amount of
quanta that can be accepted by each target cell
– catrC1Amount = sCap_t*(lbCaThreshold – sRatio_t)
– catrC2Amount = sCap_t*(lbDiff_t + lbDiffCaOffset)

Criterion #1 Criterion #2
Load Load
CATR CATR

lbDiffCaOffset Range
where
CATR is
allowed
(given this
source load)

Source Target Source Target

subRatiot < lbCaThreshold lbDiff + lbDiffCaOffset > 0

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Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 30
CATR AMOUNT
Load Balancing
Load
lbAmount = lbAmount – quanta_UE

catrC1Amount = catrC1Amount – quanta_UE

catrC2Amount = catrC2Amount – 2*quanta_UE

Source Target

CATR lbAmount = lbAmount – 0.5*quanta_UE

Load

catrC1Amount = catrC1Amount – quanta_UE

catrC2Amount = catrC2Amount – quanta_UE

Source Target
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Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 31
 CA-AWARE IFLB
• Each subcycle is provisionally reserved for LB or CATR
• A subcycle reserved for LB means that LB will run in that cycle
• A subcycle reserved for CATR means that maximum one CATR will be handled in the previous subcycle
• A used CATR subcycle means that 2 measurements (one for LB and one for CATR) are started in the
previous LB subcycle and none during the actual CATR subcycle – in order to even out the load
• If LB failed to start a measurement in the preceeding subcycle then CATR is allowed also in the CATR
subcycle
Start of • CATR is allowed as long as catrC1Amount > 0 AND catrC2Amount > 0
LB cycle
• If no CATR was triggered during the LB subcycle then the following CATR subcycle will also be used for LB.
• If lbAmount has been satisfied and there are spare LB subcycles, then these will be used for CATR
CATR
CATR
CATR

CATR
CATR

CATR
CATR

CATR
CATR
CATR

1 2 3 4 … … N-1 N

lbAmount
satisfied
subcycle length (L)

Start of
subcycle
timer

Start of
subcycle
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timer
Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 32
 INCREASED NUMBER OF SUBCYCLES
• It is suggested to also increase the number of subcycles to mitigate the effect on LB
execution since budget is shared with CATR
• This is achieved by letting the subcycles occupy the full LB cycle.
Start of Start of
LB cycle • Last subcycle shall always be left empty since execution in that subcycle might be halted by LB cycle
lbCycle timer
• Represents a 50% increase of LB capacity

1 2 3 4 … … N-1 N

subcycle length (L) 0-3 cells 4-6 cells 7-12 cells

DU
Start of
subcycle
N L N L N L
timer
DUL 60 0.25 s 30 0.5 s N/A N/A
Start of
subcycle DUS 120 0.125 60 0.25 s 30 0.5 s
timer
s

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Feature Presentation Carrier Aggregation-Aware IFLB | Ericsson Internal | 6/1570-10/FCP 130 4300/14 Uen, Rev PB1 | 2014-05-16 | Page 34