Tips for 3GPP Specfication                                        Home : www.sharetechnote.com

 

 

 

If you have something about which you have no idea of what they are talking about, you would ask somebody else for explanation.. and usually what you think is expert would give you very brief explanation which would not help you much and say "Refer to the 3GPP spec AA.BBB for the detailed explanation". So you download and open the specification AA.BBB and start reading. Does this help ? In most case, NO. If you read the spec AA.BBB and it also says in similar way as your expert did, meaning "giving you a minimum description and saying 'refer to spec BB.CCC" and if you gets into the spec BB.CCC.. you will get into the same situation. This would be the first frustration when you try to understand based on the 3GPP specification.

 

Is there any easy solution for this ? Honestly and unfortunately, NO. But one thing that may help you in long term would be to understand relationships among multiple specifications.

Pick a specific area where you are specially interested in and make a list of additional specification and define the relationship among those specification. I have a couple of examples here.

 

 

Specification Formation Flow

 

 

 

Specifications for Big Picture.

 

EUTRA/EUTRAN Overview - TS36.300 (Read this as often as possible)

NAS : EPS - TS 24.301, TS 23.401, TS 29.274

NAS : QoS Related - TS 23.203 (Policy and Charging Control Architecture)

RRC : TS 36.331

 

 

TDoc List

 

 

Network Architecture

  • 23.002 LTE;Network architecture
  • 23.402 LTE;Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses

 

 

Frequency Band and ARFCN Table

 

TS 36.101 - 5.7.3

TS 36.521 - 5.4.4

 

 

Overview of Conformance Test Suite Implementation

 

TS 36.523-3 , V8.6.0 (2011-07)

TS 36.523-3 - 7.2 Uplink Grant

TS 36.523-3 - 7.3 Downlink Resource Allocation

TS 36.509 - Special Conformance Testing Functions for UE

TS 36.509 - 5 Test Control (TC) protocol procedures and test loop operation

  • 5.3.2 Activate UE test mode
  • 5.4.2 Close UE test loop
  • 5.4.5 Open UE test loop

TS 36.509 - 6 Message definitions and contents

  • 6.1 CLOSE UE TEST LOOP
  • 6.3 OPEN UE TEST LOOP
  • 6.5 ACTIVATE TEST MODE

 

 

PUCCH Reference Signal

 

TS 36.211 - 5.4 Physical uplink control channel

TS 36.211 - 5.4.1 PUCCH formats 1, 1a and 1b

TS 36.211 - 5.4.3 Mapping to physical resources

TS 36.211 - 5.5.1.3 Group hopping

TS 36.211 - 5.5.2.2 Demodulation reference signal for PUCCH

TS 36.211 - 5.5.2.2.1 Reference signal sequence

TS 36.212 - 5.2 Uplink transport channels and control information

TS 36.212 - 5.2.3 Uplink control information on PUCCH

TS 36.213 - 10.1 UE procedure for determining physical uplink control channel assignment

TS 36.331 - 6.3.2 Radio resource control information elements - PUCCH-Config

 

 

PUCCH Format

 

TS 36.213 - 10.1.1 PUCCH format information

 

 

PUSCH

 

TS 36.211 - 5.5.2.1 Demodulation reference signal for PUSCH

TS 36.212 - 5.2 Uplink transport channels and control information

TS 36.212 - 5.2.2 Uplink shared channel

TS 36.212 - 5.2.3 Uplink control information on PUCCH

TS 36.331 - 6.3.1 System information blocks – SystemInformationBlockType2

TS 36.331 - 6.3.2 Radio resource control information elements – PUSCH-Config

 

 

PHICH

 

TS 36.211 - 6.9 Physical hybrid ARQ indicator channel

TS 36.213 - 8.3 UE ACK/NACK procedure

TS 36.213 - 9.1.2 PHICH Assignment Procedure

 

 

Channel Encoding Procedure

 

TS 36.212 - 5.3.1 Broadcast channel

TS 36.212 - 5.3.2 Downlink shared channel, Paging channel and Multicast channel

TS 36.212 - 5.3.3 Downlink control information

TS 36.212 - 5.3.4 Control format indicator

TS 36.212 - 5.3.5 HARQ indicator

 

 

RACH Procedure

 

TS36.211 - 5.7 Physical random access channel

TS36.211 - Table 5.7.1-2 Frame structure type 1 random access configuration for preamble format 0-3.

TS36.331 - 6.3.1 System information blocks – SystemInformationBlockType2

TS36.331 - 6.3.2 Radio resource control information elements - PRACH-Config

TS36.331 - 6.3.2 Radio resource control information elements - RACH-ConfigCommon

TS36.331 - 6.3.2 Radio resource control information elements - RACH-ConfigDedicated

TS 36.300 - 10.1.5 Overall description of RACH Process. Read this first.

TS 36.211 - 5.7 RRC Messages and IE (Information Elements) which are involved in RACH process.

TS 36.213 - 6 MAC Layer Procedure related to RACH Process.

 

 

Paging Procedure

 

TS 36.304 - 7 Paging

 

 

CCE Index Calcuation

 

TS 36.213 - 9.1.1 PDCCH Assignment Procedure

 

 

DCI Format

 

TS 36.212 - 5.3.3 Downlink control information

TS 36.213 - 7.1 UE procedure for receiving the physical downlink shared channel

 

 

Transport Block Size and Throughput Calculation

 

Transport Block Size and Throughput Calculation - TS36.213 Table7.1.7.1-1

 

 

ICIC/eICIC

 

TS 36.300 - 16.1.5 Inter-cell Interference Coordination

 

 

CoMP

 

TR 36.819 Coordinated multi-point operation for LTE physical layer aspects

 

 

D2D (Device to Device)

 

36.211 9.Sidelink

36.213 14 UE procedures related to Sidelink

36.331 6.3.8 Sidelink information elements

 

 

MAC

 

TS 36.321

  • 6.1.3.1 Buffer Status Report MAC Control Elements
  • 6.1.3.2 C-RNTI MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.3.3 DRX Command MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.3.4 UE Contention Resolution Identity MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.3.5 Timing Advance Command MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.3.6 Power Headroom MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.3.6a Extended Power Headroom MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.3.8 Activation/Deactivation MAC Control Element
  • 6.1.4 MAC PDU (transparent MAC)
  • 6.1.5 MAC PDU (Random Access Response)
  • 6.2.1 MAC header for DL-SCH, UL-SCH and MCH
  • 6.2.2 MAC header for Random Access Response
  • 6.2.3 MAC payload for Random Access Response

 

 

RRC

 

TS 36.331

  • Figure 4.2.1-1: E-UTRA states and inter RAT mobility procedures, 3GPP
  • Figure 4.2.1-2: Mobility procedures between E-UTRA and CDMA2000
  • Figure 5.2.1.3-1: Change of system Information
  • TS 36.331 - 6.2 RRC messages (ASN Structure)
  • TS 36.331 - 7.3 Timers (Informative)
  • TS 36.331 - 7.4 Constants
  • TS 36.331 - 9.1.1 Logical channel configurations
  • TS 36.331 - 9.2 Default radio configurations
  • TS 36.331 - 9.2.2 Default MAC main configuration
  • TS 36.331 - 9.2.3 Default semi-persistent scheduling configuration
  • TS 36.331 - 9.2.4 Default physical channel configuration
  • TS 36.331 - 9.2.5 Default values timers and constants
  • TS 36.331 - 11 UE capability related constraints and performance requirements
    • 11.1 UE capability related constraints
    • 11.2 Processing delay requirements for RRC procedures

 

 

NAS 

 

TS 24.301- NAS for EPS

  • Table 9.3.1: Security header type
  • Table 9.8.1: Message types for EPS mobility management
  • Table 9.8.2: Message types for EPS session management
  • Figure 9.9.2.1.1: EPS bearer context status information element
  • Table 9.9.2.1.1: EPS bearer context status information element
  • Figure 9.9.2.7.1: NAS security parameters to E-UTRA information element
  • Table 9.9.2.7.1: NAS security parameters to E-UTRA information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.7.1: Detach type information element
  • Table 9.9.3.7.1: Detach type information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.9.1: EMM cause information element
  • Table 9.9.3.9.1: EMM cause information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.12.1: EPS mobile identity information element for type of identity "GUTI"
  • Figure 9.9.3.12.2: EPS mobile identity information element for type of identity "IMSI"
  • Table 9.9.3.12.1: EPS mobile identity information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.12A.1: EPS network feature support information element
  • Table 9.9.3.12A.1: EPS network feature support information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.13.1: EPS update result information element
  • Table 9.9.3.13.1: EPS update result information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.14.1: EPS update type information element
  • Table 9.9.3.14.1: EPS update type information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.15.1: ESM message container information element
  • Table 9.9.3.15.1: ESM message container information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.19.1: KSI and sequence number information element
  • Table 9.9.3.19.1: KSI and sequence number information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.21.1: NAS key set identifier information element
  • Table 9.9.3.21.1: NAS key set identifier information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.22.1: NAS message container information element
  • Table 9.9.3.22.1: NAS message container information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.23.1: NAS security algorithms information element
  • Table 9.9.3.23.1: NAS security algorithms information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.25A.1: Paging identity information element
  • Table 9.9.3.25A.1: Paging identity information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.27.1: Service type information element
  • Table 9.9.3.27.1: Service type information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.28.1: Short MAC information element
  • Table 9.9.3.28.1: Short MAC information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.32.1: Tracking area identity information element
  • Table 9.9.3.32.1: Tracking area identity information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.33.1: Tracking area identity list information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.33.2: Partial tracking area identity list – type of list = "000"
  • Figure 9.9.3.33.3: Partial tracking area identity list – type of list = "001"
  • Figure 9.9.3.33.4: Partial tracking area identity list – type of list = "010"
  • Table 9.9.3.33.1: Tracking area identity list information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.34.1: UE network capability information element
  • Table 9.9.3.34.1: UE network capability information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.35.1: UE radio capability information update needed information element
  • Table 9.9.3.35.1: UE radio capability information update needed information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.36.1: UE security capability information element
  • Table 9.9.3.36.1: UE security capability information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.38.1: CLI information element
  • Table 9.9.3.38.1: CLI information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.39.1: SS Code information element
  • Table 9.9.3.39.1: SS Code information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.40.1: LCS indicator information element
  • Table 9.9.3.40.1: LCS indicator information element
  • Figure 9.9.3.41.1: LCS client identity information element
  • Table 9.9.3.41.1: LCS client identity information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.2.1: APN aggregate maximum bit rate information element
  • Table 9.9.4.2.1: APN aggregate maximum bit rate information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.3.1: EPS quality of service information element
  • Table 9.9.4.3.1: EPS quality of service information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.4.1: ESM cause information element
  • Table 9.9.4.4.1: ESM cause information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.5.1: ESM information transfer flag information element
  • Table 9.9.4.5.1: ESM information transfer flag information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.6.1: Linked EPS bearer identity information element
  • Table 9.9.4.6.1: Linked EPS bearer identity information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.9.1: PDN address information element
  • Table 9.9.4.9.1: PDN address information element
  • Figure 9.9.4.10.1: PDN type information element
  • Table 9.9.4.10.1: PDN type information element
  • Table 10.2.1: EPS mobility management timers – UE side
  • Table 10.2.2: EPS mobility management timers – network side
  • Table 10.3.1: EPS session management timers – UE side
  • Table 10.3.2: EPS session management timers – network side
  • Annex A (informative): Cause values for EPS mobility management
  • A.2 Cause related to subscription options
  • A.3 Causes related to PLMN specific network failures and congestion/authentication failures
  • A.5 Causes related to invalid messages
  • Annex B (informative): Cause values for EPS session management
  • B.2 Protocol errors (e.g., unknown message) class
  • Annex C (normative): Storage of EMM information
  • Annex D (normative): Establishment cause (S1 mode only)
    • D.1 Mapping of NAS procedure to RRC establishment cause (S1 mode only)

TS 29.274

TS 32.426  

 

 

Core Network Protocol

 

TS 24.008

TS 24.008 - 10.5.6.3    Protocol configuration options (an IE in PDN Request and Attach Accept)

 

 

X2 Interface

 

TS 36.420 - X2 general aspects and principles

TS 36.423 - X2 Application Protocol (X2AP)

 

 

S1 Interface

 

TS 36.413 - S1 Application Protocol (S1AP)

 

 

Ciphering and Integrity

 

TS 33.401 - Security Architecture

TS 33.402 - Security aspects of non-3GPP accesses

TS 33.102 - 3G security;Security architecture

TS 24.301 - 9.3 Security header type and EPS bearer identity - Security related NAS Message

TS 33.102 - 6.3 Authentication and key agreement

TS 33.402 - 6.2 EPS key hierarchy

TS 135 201 V7.0.0 (2007-06) - 3GPP confidentiality and integrity algorithms; Document 1: f8 and f9 specification

3GPP Algorithms - http://www.etsi.org/WebSite/OurServices/Algorithms/3gppalgorithms.aspx

 

 

SMS

 

TS 24.301 - 5.6.3.1

TS 24.301 - 5.6.3.3

TS 24.301 - 9.9.3.22

TS 24.301 - 5.6.3.1

TS 24.011 - Point-to-Point Short Message Service (SMS) support on mobile radio interface"

TS 36.523 - 11.1 SMS over SGs

 

 

IMS

 

Now this part has become so complicated. So I created a separate pages for IMS related specification and brief introduction to each of the documents. See IMS Specifications page.

 

 

CSFB (CS Fallback)

 

TS 23.272 - Circuit Switched (CS) fallback in Evolved Packet System (EPS); Stage 2

 

 

SRVCC

 

TS 23.216 - Single Radio Voice Call Continuity (SRVCC); Stage 2

 

 

XCAP (XML Configuration Access Protocol)

 

TS 24.623

 

 

WiFi OffLoad

 

TS 23.402 - Architecture enhancements for non-3GPP accesses

TS 33.402 - Security aspects of non-3GPP accesses

 

 

USIM/UICC/ISIM

 

TS 31.102 - Characteristics of the Universal Subscriber Identity Module (USIM) application : This documents describes all the parameters and format of UICC parameters.

TS 31.103 - Characteristics of the IP Multimedia Services Identity Module (ISIM) application : Format is similar to 31.102, but it carries information/parameters about IMS Service

 

 

AT Command

 

TS 27.007 - AT Command for UE

TS 51.011 - Mobile Equipment (SIM-ME) interface

 

 

Specifications for UE conformance Testing

 

If you want to know the details of Conformance Test for LTE, you need to refer to the specification listed at http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/Specs/html-info/36-series.htm

 

Even though you are not in the conformance type of testing, a lot of IOT (Inter Operability Test) and any user defined test cases has similar concept to the conformance. So trying to understand the conformance testing would help you understand any type of testing.

 

The first set of specification you have to be familar with are as follows :

 

36.521-1 : RF Conformance (Transmitter Test, Reciever Test and Performance Test)

36.521-3 : RF Conformance (RRM Test)

36.523 : Protocol Conformance

When you read these specification, they would describe only test purpose/expected result and overal procedure, but does not describe details of protocol sequence and IE(information elements) for each of the Layer 3 messages. Regarding these, you have to refer to

 

36.508 : UE Test Environment

36.101 : UE TxRx

 

For example, if you want to understand the procedure about "LTE Transmit Power" Measurement, the first thing you will look into will be the following description of 36.521.

 

** 6.2.2.4.1 Initial Condition **

1. Connect the SS to the UE antenna connectors as shown in TS 36.508[7] Annex A Figure A3.

2. The parameter settings for the cell are set up according to TS 36.508 [7] subclause 4.4.3.

3. Downlink signals are initially set up according to Annex C.0, C.1, and C.3.0, and uplink signals according to Annex H.1 and H.3.0.

4. The UL Reference Measurement channels isset according to Table 6.2.2.4.1-1.

5. Propagation conditions are set according to Annex B.0.6. Ensure the UE is in State 3A according to TS 36.508 [7] clause 4.5.3A. Message contents are defined in clause6.2.2.4.3.

 

** 6.2.2.4.2 Test procedure **

1. SS sends uplink scheduling information every TTI via PDCCH DCI format 0 for C_RNTI to schedule the ULRMC according to Table 6.2.2.1.4.1-1. Since the UE has no payload and no loopback data to send the UE sendsuplink MAC padding bits on the UL RMC

2. Send continuously uplink power control “up” commands in the uplink scheduling information to the UE until theUE transmits at its maximum output power state according to the test configuration from Table 6.2.2.4.1-1.

3. Measure the mean power of the UE in the channel bandwidth of the radio access mode. The period ofmeasurement shall be one sub-frame (1ms).

 

Just for overall test procedure, the information described above would be enough even without refering to other specification or table. But if you have to do the troubleshooting of the failed test/test error or if you are an engineer who has to develop the test cases, you should not miss even a tiny particles out of all of the following items which was refered in the procedure.

 

TS 36.508 Annex A Figure A3

TS 36.508 subclause 4.4.3.

TS 36.521 Annex C.0, C.1, and C.3.0

TS 36.521 Annex H.1 and H.3.0

TS 36.521 Table 6.2.2.4.1-1

TS 36.508 clause 4.5.3A

TS 36.521 Table 6.2.2.1.4.1-1

 

If you want to know the protocol sequence during the test case execution, you have to refer to TS 36.508 section "4.5 Generic Procedure"

 

Then you need to know the contents (IE : Information Elements) of each message which is described in 36.508 section 4.6, 4.7, 4.7A.

 

Isn't this complicated enough to make your head spinning ? -:) But once you got into this area, you would never survive without being familiar with this documents and struggling with them.

 

Where can I get TTCN and Viewer ?

 

This is where you can download the TTCN source code from

http://www.3gpp.org/ftp/tsg_ran/WG5_Test_ex-T1/TTCN/Deliveries/LTE_SAE/

 

You can download free TTCN-3 Viewer from

https://www.anritsu.com/en-GB/Promotions/ttcn3-viewer/registration.aspx

 

Where do I have to start ?

 

If you open up the TTCN source, it would look extremly complicated and I don't know where to start to look at. Where do I have to start ?

 

If you want to have overall understanding of test procedure/protocol sequence of each test case, I think it would be better to look at test case description in 3GPP 36.523-1. But when you go over the test procedure over and over, I would start further details of parameters and it's default values of the IE (information elements) for the test cases. I would start with EUTRA_RRC_ASN1_Definitions.asn in CommonEUTRA_Def folder.