In LTE network, UEs usually estimate channel state information and aggregate it into a Channel Status Information (CSI) Report, simply analyzing network data retrieved from physical layer measurement.
CSI comprises:
- Channel Quality Indicator - (CQI) - Precoding Matrix indicator - (PMI) - Precoding Type indicator - (PTI) - Rank Indication - (RI)
Measurements should be conducted to determine the optimal CQIs under different CSI conditions. The reported CQI is a number between 0 (worst case) and 15 (best case), as shown in Table 1.1, indicating the most efficient MCS which would lead to a Block Error Rate (BLER) of 10%. BLER measures the successful transmission rate at MAC and physical layer. Each CQI value in fact, is sharply associated with an MCS index, a spectral efficiency (b/s/Hz) and coding rate. Depending on the CQI a combination of modulation scheme, number of spatial streams and code rate MCS is selected [10]
Also there are two kinds of CQI reporting: periodic and aperiodic. Usually periodic CQIs are employed but if eNodeB needs channel quality information at a specific time, aperiodic CQIs are triggered. Aperiodic CQIs are mainly due to used loss of synchronization or handover and requested by the eNodeB by setting a CQI request bit on the Physical Downlink Control Channel (PDCCH).
To compute CQI in LTE downlink, channel quality parameters are measured and ag- gregated periodically. Although CQI is defined by the 3GPP, numerical computation and
1.3 Feedback mechanism in LTE 13
measurement represent an issue to address if they rely only on the CQI to perceive network status [11]. It is pretty obvious that Signal-to-interference-and noise Ratio (SINR), Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Reference Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI), Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) play important roles to CQI measurement. Channel quality is represented by SINR which is usually computed for link adaptation along with packet scheduling, whereas RSRP and RSRQ are key values for handover making decision when intra E-UTRAN handover occur in LTE.
1.3.1
Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP)
For a particular cell, RSRP is defined as the average power (in Watts [W]) of the REs that carry cell-specific RSs within the considered bandwidth. RSRP measurement, normally are expressed in dBm. If a single UE is capable to receive multiple RS over different antenna ports, their combination is quite powerful and constructive to determine RSRP. For the purpose of RSRP determination a cell-specific reference signals R0 according [9] shall be used. Basically RSRP is a power measurement for a single subcarrier, a cell-specific signal strength related metric that is used as an input for cell resection and handover decisions. The value does not change with bandwidth or number of RBs currently assigned for data transmissions. So, this measurement would give you the lowest value comparing to other parameters and an idea of the strength of the signal a UE gets from the network, but it is not clearly stated which the signal quality is. RSRP is used mainly to rank among different candidate cells in accordance with the signal strength they provide.
1.3.2
Received Signal Strength Indicator (RSSI)
RSSI is the linear average of the total received power observed, including co-channel non-serving and serving cells, adjacent channel interference and thermal noise, within the measurement bandwidth over N RBs. RSSI is defined as the received wide band power, taking into account also thermal noise and noise generated in the receiver, within the bandwidth defined by the receiver demodulator. A reference point for the measurement should be the antenna connector of the single user.
1.3.3
Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ)
RSRQ measurement is a cell-specific signal quality metric. As RSRP measurement, this parameter is used mainly to provide ranking among different candidate eNodeB accordingly with their signal strenght and quality. This metric can be employed as an input in making
14 LTE Architecture and Radio Procedures
cell re-selection and handover decisions in scenarios, for example, in which the RSRP mea- surements are not sufficient to make reliable cell-re-selection/handover decisions. Reference Signal Received Quality (RSRQ) can be defined as:
RSRQ= N ·RSRP
RSSI (1.1)
where N is the number of RB’s of the E-UTRA carrier of the LTE carrier RSSI measurement bandwidth. The measurements in the numerator and denominator should be assessed over the same set of RBs. If higher-layer signaling indicates that a particular subframes is suitable for performing RSRQ measurements, then RSSI is taken over all OFDM symbols in the preferred subframes. The reference point for the RSRQ should be the antenna connector of the user. RSSI is used as a primary quantity to compute LTE RSRQ measurement. It is also clear that due to the inclusion of RSSI, RSRQ includes also the effect of signal strength and external interferences. It is also possible to observe that mathematically RSRQ is proportional to RSRP.
1.3.4
Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR)
SINR is measured by UE on RB basis. UE’s granularity on SINR computation is per RB. It converts it into CQI and send it to eNodeB where it is adopted to select the most suitable MCS for user informations transmissions within a particular RB. SINR suggests which MCS to use for a particular Resource Block, the quantity of bits per symbol to be sent and the throughput to be obtained for that RB as well as the number of RBs to be allocated by eNodeB to UEs. SINR is defined as the ratio of the signal power to the summation of the average interference power from all the neighbor cells and the thermal noise. RSRP, RSRQ and RSSI measurements are defined by 3GPP, however SINR is not defined in 3GPP specifications, but fully addressed in UE vendors standards.