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Outdoor LTE Infra Equipemnt

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Outdoor LTE Infrastructure Equipment

(eNodeB)

 Kimio Watanabe  Mamoru Machida

Fujitsu has developed outdoor Long Term Evolution (LTE) infrastructure equipment
(eNodeB) based on the specifications in the 3rd Generation Partnership Project
(3GPP). Thanks to the use of highly efficient and highly integrated devices, flexible
software configuration technology and simple hardware architecture, this LTE
infrastructure equipment is small, lightweight and has a low power consumption.
This means it can be deployed easily and efficiently when a number of base stations
are installed to cope with heavy traffic load in a mobile network. As a result, this
equipment helps reduce capital investment and operating costs in our customers’
networks and it also contributes to the environment. This paper describes an
outline of this LTE infrastructure equipment and its features.

1. Introduction 2. Key technologies to support


In recent years, mobile networks have seen LTE
a dramatic increase in traffic due to the diffusion LTE is the standard for wireless
of smartphones in Japan. Many operators in communications specified by the 3rd Generation
Japan and overseas plan to deploy Long Term Partnership Project (3GPP), a standardization
Evolution (LTE) wireless base station equipment, organization, as 3GPP Release 8.1)
which makes it possible to utilize frequencies LTE concerns a wireless communication
very efficiently, in large volume to respond to a system optimized for packet services and realizes
rapid increase in traffic. From the viewpoint of high throughput, low latency and highly efficient
the locations of base stations, equipment with frequency utilization.
a small footprint that can be easily installed in 1) System optimized for packet services
various places as shown in Figure 1 is desired. LTE is a wireless communication system
Fujitsu has cultivated assets through the that handles voice calls, which require real-time
development of W-CDMA and LTE for mobile processing, as IP packet data (Voice over IP), in
operators such as NTT DOCOMO. Taking addition to Internet and e-mail.
advantage of such assets, it has developed at an 2) Simplification of network architecture
early date small and lightweight outdoor LTE With LTE, eNodeB is equipped with a
infrastructure equipment (eNodeB), which is wireless access control feature and directly
flexible in terms of where it can be installed. connected to a core network. With a reduced
This paper describes an outline of the number of layers of equipment that constitutes a
eNodeB. wireless access network, this system is simplified
as compared with the existing third-generation
mobile communication systems. As a result, this
system enables low latency for data transfer and

FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 48, No. 1, pp. 27–32 (January 2012) 27
K. Watanabe et al.: Outdoor LTE Infrastructure Equipment (eNodeB)

hand-over. quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM) and


3) Wireless access technology robust in multi- 64 quadrature amplitude modulation (64QAM).
path environment Adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) is
As wireless access systems, LTE uses achieved by combining them with multiple error
orthogonal frequency division multiple access correction coding rates. By using AMC, the
(OFDMA) for downlinks and single carrier- modulation scheme can be dynamically switched
frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) according to the quality of communication
for uplinks. OFDMA incorporates a mechanism between eNodeB and user equipment (UE) so as
to suppress delayed signal interference by using to optimize the transmission capacity.
a cyclic prefix (CP) in a transmission signal 5) Antenna technology to realize high
format. This makes it robust in a multi-path throughput
environment. As with OFDMA, SC-FDMA LTE adopts multiple input multiple output
also uses a CP and is useful in a multi-path (MIMO) as the antenna technology. MIMO is a
environment. In addition, the reduced peak- spatial multiplexing transmission technology, in
to-average power ratio (PAPR) means it can which multiple antennas are used to transmit
effectively reduce the power consumption of and receive different data, and 2 × 2 MIMO
terminals. allows transmission with approximately twice as
4) Adaptive modulation according to much throughput.
communication quality
For modulation, LTE uses three schemes:
quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK), 16

IP network

Core network

S-GW
MME
S1 line P-GW

X2 line
eNodeB S1 line

eNodeB eNodeB

Urban Mountainous
area area
UE
UE
eNodeB
eNodeB eNodeB

Underground
area
Residential
area Interurban area

eNodeB: evolved Node B


UE: User equipment
MME: Mobility Management Entity
S-GW: Serving Gateway
P-GW: PDN Gateway
Figure 1
Confi guration of LTE system.

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K. Watanabe et al.: Outdoor LTE Infrastructure Equipment (eNodeB)

3. eNodeB connecting with a core network, termination of


3.1 Equipment configuration X2 line used for connecting with the neighboring
An eNodeB is composed of one baseband unit eNodeB, call processing and monitoring control
(BBU) and up to three remote radio heads (RRHs) processing. IP packets received from the core
that can be connected. To connect the BBU and network are modulated into digital baseband
each RRH, an optical interface compliant with signals and transmitted to the RRH(s). The
the common public radio interface (CPRI)2) digital baseband signals received from the
specification, which is standard, is used. The RRH(s) are demodulated and IP packets are
specifications of eNodeB are shown in Table 1 transmitted to the core network.
and its configuration in Figure 2. 2) RRH
1) BBU An RRH transmits and receives wireless
The BBU is responsible for digital baseband signals. An RRH converts the digital baseband
signal processing, termination of S1 line used for signals from BBU that have been subjected to
protocol-specific processing into radio frequency
Table 1 (RF) signals and power-amplifies them to
eNodeB equipment specifications. transmit to UE. The RF signals received from
Item Specifications UE are amplified and converted to digital
Radio frequency band Band4, Band9, Band17 baseband signals for transmission to the BBU.
Bandwidth 5, 10, 15, 20 MHz
Figure 3 shows an external view of the BBU and
Access scheme Downlink: OFDMA Uplink: SC-FDMA
RRH.
Downlink: 2 × 2 MIMO
Antenna technology
Uplink: 1 × 2 SIMO
No. of sectors 6 sectors max. 3.2 Architecture
Maximum To reduce the size, weight and power
60 W (30 W + 30 W)
transmission power
consumption, eNodeB is designed to integrate
Maximum
transmission rate
Downlink: 150 Mb/s the multiple cards that are conventionally
Uplink: 50 Mb/s
(per sector) included in the configuration to achieve a
S1/X2 line interface 1000Base-SX, 1000Base-T simple architecture. As a result, the number
Mobile environment Up to 350 km/h of components and signal lines of interfaces
Equipment size BBU: 20 L max. RRH: 20 L max. between cards have been significantly reduced.
SIMO: Single input multiple output

eNodeB

RRH

AMP TRX BBU

BB CNT

RRH APL

CPRI
RRH

Figure 2
eNodeB hardware architecture.

FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 48, No. 1 (January 2012) 29


K. Watanabe et al.: Outdoor LTE Infrastructure Equipment (eNodeB)

(a) BBU (b) RRH

Figure 3
Appearance of eNodeB equipment.

The following describes the respective 2) BB


functional parts of eNodeB shown in Figure 2. Performs protocol processing for each of
1) CNT the RLC, PDCP, MAC and PHY layers. The
The CNT is a functional part that BB is a functional part responsible for digital
performs IP layer protocol processing, call baseband processing including the LTE-specific
control processing, operations, administration MIMO processing, multilevel modulation,
and maintenance (OAM) processing, S1/X2 OFDMA processing, SC-FDMA processing,
line termination processing, network address AMC processing, H-ARQ processing, power
translation (NAT) processing, band control control processing and inter-cell interference
processing and also collection of failure control. This functional part is realized by
information from other functional parts and a high-performance digital signal processor
equipment failure monitoring processing. This (DSP) and FPGA. This allows functional
functional part is realized by devices such as enhancement according to the future release of
a high-performance CPU, communications 3GPP standardized specifications by means of a
processor and field programmable gate array software download.
(FPGA). 3) TRX
The application software (APL) installed This functional part takes charge of
in the CNT is compliant with the standard wireless signal processing including distortion
specifications established in 3GPP Release 8. It compensation processing, D-A conversion and
is responsible for call control processing including A-D conversion of transmission signals. TRX is
cell lock and radio admission control and OAM realized by a high-performance CPU and FPGA.
processing such as performance management, 4) AMP
cell supervision and call trace. An interface in This functional part amplifies the
view of possible future extension such as self- transmission power of wireless signals. The
organizing network (SON), which automates the AMP consists of RF devices such as a monolithic
configuration and operation of eNodeB, is also microwave integrated circuit (MMIC).
provided.

30 FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 48, No. 1 (January 2012)


K. Watanabe et al.: Outdoor LTE Infrastructure Equipment (eNodeB)

3.3 Features identified. When equipment failure occurs, the


Major features of eNodeB include the downtime can be minimized by reducing some
following: of the functions and continuing to operate the
1) Small, lightweight and low power system.
consumption 5) Environmental measures
High-efficiency amplifiers based on digital As an approach to environmental measures
pre-distortion (DPD), a distortion compensation other than reducing the power consumption of
technology, and highly integrated devices have the equipment, energy saving, which is one SON
been adopted. In addition, the number of parts solution anticipated for adoption, is realized.
has been reduced by revising the architecture.
This has reduced the size, weight, and power 4. Interference control and green
consumption of the equipment and has realized technology
natural air cooling for it. High throughput performance and low
2) Flexible installation power consumption are required of LTE wireless
The BBUs and RRHs developed for outdoor base stations. For that reason, the eNodeB is
use can be easily installed on utility poles and equipped with interference control and green
walls. They can also be installed separately in features, which are described below.
different locations. 1) Inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC)
3) Flexible equipment configuration feature
The most suitable hardware and software ICIC is a feature in which neighboring
can be combined to flexibly configure the eNodeBs autonomously assign wireless
equipment according to the system requirements resources of different frequencies. In this way,
(bandwidth and number of sectors) desired by radio wave interference, generated when radio
the customer. signals of the same frequency are used at the
4) Easy maintenance boundary with the neighboring cell, can be
Additions and changes to the functions can avoided. This improves the throughput of the
be easily made by a remote software update. An terminals located at the cell boundary. Figure 4
autonomous maintenance diagnostic function illustrates an outline of ICIC. For details of ICIC,
is provided to allow failed parts to be promptly see “Inter-Cell Interference Coordination (ICIC)

Cell center Inter-eNodeB communications Cell center

Cell edge Cell edge

eNodeB
Cell #0 Cell #1

Interference/deterioration of throughput

Cell #0 Cell #1
Power

Power

Frequency Frequency

Figure 4
Outline of ICIC.

FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 48, No. 1 (January 2012) 31


K. Watanabe et al.: Outdoor LTE Infrastructure Equipment (eNodeB)

5. Conclusion
Fujitsu has realized small and lightweight
outdoor LTE infrastructure equipment featuring
low power consumption. It has achieved this by
making use of its original high-efficiency amplifier
On-peak technology and highly integrated devices,
adopting a flexible equipment configuration that
takes advantage of software and use of a simple
Power off architecture that allows hardware to be scaled
down. The equipment is provided with green
and interference control features.
Off-peak
The features of this equipment can be
efficiently deployed to handle the future increase
Power off of mobile wireless traffic and contribute to the
reduction of capital investment and operational
Figure 5 costs of customers. Fujitsu is committed to
Outline of energy saving.
making continued efforts to promptly fulfill the
requests of customers and society and realizing
high-value products.
Technology” contained in this special issue.
2) Green features References
The eNodeB is equipped with the following 1) 3GPP TS36.300 V8.12.0.
http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/
green features. 36300.htm
• Power consumption/temperature monitoring 2) CPRI Specification V4.2.
http://www.cpri.info/downloads/
feature CPRI_v_4_2_2010-09-29.pdf
The eNodeB has a feature to monitor
the power consumption and temperature of
the equipment. The monitored information is Kimio Watanabe
Fujitsu Ltd.
used to centrally manage (visualize) the power Mr. Watanabe is currently engaged
consumption and CO2 emissions of the entire in development of LTE wireless base
station equipment.
network devices.
• Remote power on/off feature (energy saving)
The eNodeB has a feature to remotely
power the equipment on and off according to the
dynamically changing traffic conditions. This
Mamoru Machida
raises prospects for a reduced power consumption Fujitsu Ltd.
Mr. Machida is currently engaged in
in the nighttime, when traffic decreases. development of LTE wireless base
Figure 5 shows an outline of energy saving. station equipment.

32 FUJITSU Sci. Tech. J., Vol. 48, No. 1 (January 2012)

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