3G LTE channel types
There are three categories into which the various data channels may be grouped.
Physical channels: Transport channels: Logical channels: structure.
These are transmission channels that carry user data and control messages. The physical layer transport channels offer information transfer to Medium Access
Control (MAC) and higher layers. Provide services for the Medium Access Control (MAC) layer within the LTE protocol
3G LTE physical channels
The LTE physical channels vary between the uplink and the downlink as each has different requirements and operates in a different manner.
Downlink:
Physical Broadcast Channel (PBCH):
This physical channel carries system information for
UEs requiring to access the network. It only carries what is termed Master Information Block, MIB, messages. The modulation scheme is always QPSK and the information bits are coded and rate matched - the bits are then scrambled using a scrambling sequence specific to the cell to prevent confusion with data from other cells. The MIB message on the PBCH is mapped onto the central 72 subcarriers or six central resource blocks regardless of the overall system bandwidth. A PBCH message is repeated every 40 ms, i.e. one TTI of PBCH includes four radio frames. The PBCH transmissions has 14 information bits, 10 spare bits, and 16 CRC bits.
Physical Control Format Indicator Channel (PCFICH) :
As the name implies the PCFICH
informs the UE about the format of the signal being received. It indicates the number of OFDM symbols used for the PDCCHs, whether 1, 2, or 3. The information within the PCFICH is essential because the UE does not have prior information about the size of the control region. A PCFICH is transmitted on the first symbol of every sub-frame and carries a Control Format Indicator, CFI, field. The CFI contains a 32 bit code word that represents 1, 2, or 3. CFI 4 is reserved for possible future use. The PCFICH uses 32,2 block coding which results in a 1/16 coding rate, and it always uses QPSK modulation to ensure robust reception.
Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH) :
The main purpose of this physical channel is
to carry mainly scheduling information of different types:
Downlink resource scheduling Uplink power control instructions Uplink resource grant Indication for paging or system information
The PDCCH contains a message known as the Downlink Control Information, DCI which carries the control information for a particular UE or group of UEs. The DCI format has several different types which are defined with different sizes. The different format types include: Type 0, 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2, 2A, 2B, 2C, 3, 3A, and 4.
Physical Hybrid ARQ Indicator Channel (PHICH) :
As the name implies, this channel is
used to report the Hybrid ARQ status. It carries the HARQ ACK/NACK signal indicating whether a transport block has been correctly received. The HARQ indicator is 1 bit long - "0" indicates ACK, and "1" indicates NACK. The PHICH is transmitted within the control region of the subframe and is typically only transmitted within the first symbol. If the radio link is poor, then the PHICH is extended to a number symbols for robustness.
Uplink:
Physical Uplink Control Channel (PUCCH) :
The Physical Uplink Control Channel, PUCCH
provides the various control signalling requirements. There are a number of different PUCCH formats defined to enable the channel to carry the required information in the most efficient format for the particular scenario encountered. It includes the ability to carry SRs, Scheduling Requests. The basic formats are summarised below:
PUCCH FORMAT Format 1 Format 1a Format 1b Format 2 Format 2a Format 2b Format 3 UPLINK CONTROL INFORMATION SR 1 bit HARQ ACK/NACK with or without SR 2 bit HARQ ACK/NACK with or without SR CQI/PMI or RI CQI/PMI or RI and 1 bit HARQ ACK/NACK CQI/PMI or RI and 2 bit HARQ ACK/NACK MODULATION SCHEME N/A BPSK QPSK QPSK QPSK + BPSK QPSK + BPSK BITS PER SUBFRAME N/A 1 2 20 21 22 Provides support for carrier aggregation. NOTES
Physical Uplink Shared Channel (PUSCH) : the Uplink counterpart of PDSCH
This physical channel found on the LTE uplink is
Physical Random Access Channel (PRACH) :
This uplink physical channel is used for
random access functions. This is the only non-synchronised transmission that the UE can make within LTE. The downlink and uplink propagation delays are unknown when PRACH is used and therefore it cannot be synchronised. The PRACH instance is made up from two sequences: a cyclic prefix and a guard period. The preamble sequence may be repeated to enable the eNodeB to decode the preamble when link conditions are poor.
LTE transport channels
The LTE transport channels vary between the uplink and the downlink as each has different requirements and operates in a different manner. Physical layer transport channels offer information transfer to medium access control (MAC) and higher layers.
Downlink:
o o o o
Uplink:
Broadcast Channel (BCH) : (BCCH)
The LTE transport channel maps to Broadcast Control Channel This transport channel is the main channel for
Downlink Shared Channel (DL-SCH) : Paging Channel (PCH) : up multicast transmissions.
downlink data transfer. It is used by many logical channels. To convey the PCCH This transport channel is used to transmit MCCH information to set Multicast Channel (MCH) :
o o
Uplink Shared Channel (UL-SCH) : Random Access Channel (RACH) :
This transport channel is the main channel for uplink data This is used for random access requirements.
transfer. It is used by many logical channels.
LTE logical channels
The logical channels cover the data carried over the radio interface. The Service Access Point, SAP between MAC sublayer and the RLC sublayer provides the logical channel.
Control channels: these LTE control channels carry the control plane information:
o o o o o
Broadcast Control Channel (BCCH) : Paging Control Channel (PCCH) : searching a unit on a network. Common Control Channel (CCCH) : Multicast Control Channel (MCCH) : multicast reception. Dedicated Control Channel (DCCH) :
This control channel provides system information to all
mobile terminals connected to the eNodeB. This control channel is used for paging information when This channel is used for random access information, e.g. This control channel is used for Information needed for This control channel is used for carrying user-specific
for actions including setting up a connection.
control information, e.g. for controlling actions including power control, handover, etc..
Traffic channels:These LTE traffic channels carry the user-plane data:
o o
Dedicated Traffic Channel (DTCH) : data. Multicast Traffic Channel (MTCH) : data.
This traffic channel is used for the transmission of user This channel is used for the transmission of multicast
