7 Functions and Architecture

28.6273GPPRelease 17RequirementsSelf-Organizing Networks (SON) Policy Network Resource Model (NRM) Integration Reference Point (IRP)Telecommunication managementTS

7.1 Self-Optimization Logical Architecture

The lines between the functional blocks do not indicate specific 3GPP interfaces.

For the abbreviations used, please see the headlines of clause 4.2.

Figure 7.1-1 Self-Optimization logical architecture

7.2 Self-Optimization Reference Model

The SO_MMF has a part located in the EM and a part located at the NM.

For the abbreviations used, please refer to clause 4.2.

Figure 7.2-1 Self-Optimization reference model

Annex A (informative):
Steps for SON self-optimization Technical Specifications

The TSs for SON self-optimization shall follow the steps below.

1. Goal

<The concise goal statement for the purpose of this self-optimization>

2. Problem Scenarios

The problem scenarios need to be optimized under the goal. This part may contain multiple problem scenarios

<PS 1…>

<PS 2…>

3. Parameters to be Optimized

The list of parameters needs to be optimized to resolve the problems under the goal. The parameters listed here are the overall parameters need to be optimized; it does not imply that all of the parameters are required to be open over Itf-N.

<Parameter 1, 2, 3…>

4. Architecture and Responsibilities

The suitable architecture to optimize the parameters above, it can be centralized, distributed or hybrid SON architectures.

And based on the architecture, the clear split of the responsibilities among NM, EM and NE should be stated here. This will result in the work split among 3GPP WGs.

5. Performance Measurements and NRMs

Performance measurements:

List of the performance measurements which are required via Itf-N to recognize the problem scenarios, and to monitor the result of self-optimization, based on the selected architecture and responsibilities.

This part only includes the descriptions for the performance measurements, and the detailed definitions will be defined in TS 32.425/32.426.

<Performance measurement 1>

<Performance measurement 2>

NRMs:

The parameters need to be modeled in NRM, to support the optimizations required over Itf-N according to the selected architecture and split responsibilities.

<Parameters 1, 2, …>

Annex B (informative):
General descriptions related to NM centralized CCO high level use cases

B.1 General

Coverage and capacity are two closely related characteristics of a cellular network, which largely determine the network capabilities in terms of providing a certain grade of service for a given number of customers in a given geographical area and on a given set of radio spectrum. In order to utilize cell resources in the most efficient way and to serve as many customers as possible with the required level of service, there is a need to configure cell resources according to the actual radio conditions, propagation environment and traffic needs.

Such an optimization process shall be automated with minimal manual intervention and has to be based upon actual network conditions, i.e. measured data obtained from UEs and from the network.
Looking for coverage holes or finding capacity improvement possibilities manually is particularly time consuming, costly and requires expert knowledge. Therefore, an automated CCO function can significantly contribute to OPEX reductions.

The use cases for NM centralized CCO can only work during long optimisation cycles (5 minutes or longer). This means that optimisation in or near real time is excluded. Typically, the optimization cycle for NM centralized CCO is 24 hours.

NM centralized CCO is divided into 3 stages:

1) Monitoring

2) Detailed improvement analysis

3) Improvement action

Figure B.1-1: NM Centralized CCO function stages

Monitoring is constantly active and monitors the whole network all the time to find potential improvements. This is done by using performance monitoring. For the monitoring step to detect improvement possibilities there is no need to continuously report fine granular detailed information, since at this stage it is wanted to detect the existence of the improvement opportunity and not necessarily the exact location and reason of the improvement opportunity. This allows aggregations in PM measurements (e.g. in space and time), which makes the continuous monitoring scalable for the whole network without losing the detection capability.

Detailed improvement analysis may be activated for the area where monitoring has detected an improvement opportunity in order to do a more fine grained assessment of the improvement possibility and its localisation. This is done by using a fine grained detection function/tool, e.g. MDT with periodic measurements. Detailed improvement analysis is optional and only needed if the monitoring stage does not give sufficient information.

Improvement action will determine and apply specific improvement action(s). The action may be to reconfigure some cell parameters, e.g. output power. To reconfigure any attribute, the existing CM operations over Itf-N are reused. When no automated corrective action can be applied, the CCO function may provide information to the operator (for example, a new base station site may be installed in the area where an improvement is needed).

B.2 Monitoring of UE distribution

Figure B.2-1 shows an example of how the UE distribution can be monitored periodically by two-dimensional bins measurements, which are created by TADV (Timing Advanced) and AOA (Angle Of Arrival) measurements reported by connected mode UE (see clause 10.2 and 10.3 of TS 3GPP TS 36.133 [8]). In figure B.2-1, "D" denotes the distance between the base station antenna and the UE, "C" is the speed of light in air, and "TADV" represents the TADV-index multiplied by Ts (the basic time unit).

Figure B.2-1 Two-dimensional bin measurements

An example of a definition of two-dimensional bin measurements that show the UE distribution in a cell is shown below:

Measurement description (example):

This measurement provides two-dimensional bins to monitor the UE distribution across geographical area (e.g. in a cell). The two-dimensional bins are formed from Timing Advance (TADV) and Angle of Arrival (AOA),

where TADV = 1) NTA – for UEs that are uplink timing al igned (TS 36.213 [4])
2) 11 bits Timing Advance value – for UEs that are not uplink timing aligned (TS 36.321 [10])

AOA (TS 36.133 [8]) = measured on any part of the uplink transmission, such as user data frame or PRACH, or via Sounding Reference Signals.

The table below illustrates an example implementation with x and y ranges [0..10] and [0..11] respectively. x and y are integers within the implementation specific ranges.

Index x – TADV (Unit Ts)

(ref. TS 36.133 [4] sect 10.3)

Index y – AOA (Unit Degree °) (ref. TS 36.133 [4] sect 10.2)

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

0°-30°

30°-60°

60°-90°

90°-120°

120°-150°

150°-180°

180°-210°

210°-240°

240°-270°

270°-300°

300°-330°

330°-360°

0

0 TADV< 48

1

48 TADV< 96

2

96 TADV< 144

3

144 TADV< 192

4

192 TADV< 288

5

288 TADV< 384

6

384 TADV< 576

7

576 TADV< 768

8

768 TADV< 960

9

960 TADV< 2048

10

2048 TADV

Annex C (informative):
Change history

Change history

Date

TSG #

TSG Doc.

CR

Rev

Subject/Comment

Old

New

2014-06

SA#64

SP-140358

001

remove the feature support statements

11.0.0

11.1.0

2014-09

Update to Rel-12 version (MCC)

11.1.0

12.0.0

2014-12

SA#66

SP-140801

003

1

Add NM centralized Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO) logical description

12.0.0

13.0.0

004

Add references and abbreviations related to Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO)

005

Improve and correct business level requirements for Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO)

007

1

Add specification level requirements for NM centralized Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO)

008

1

Add specification level use case for NM centralized Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO)

2015-03

SA#67

SP-150063

006

2

Add NM centralized Coverage and Capacity Optimization (CCO) high level use cases and general descriptions

13.0.0

13.1.0

2016-03

SA#71

SP-160031

010

1

Correction of Business level requirements for Handover Parameter Optimization

13.1.0

13.2.0

Change history

Date

Meeting

TDoc

CR

Rev

Cat

Subject/Comment

New version

2017-03

SA#75

Promotion to Release 14 without technical change

14.0.0

2018-01

SA#78

SP-170968

0014

1

B

Add SON for AAS management requirements

15.0.0

2020-07

Update to Rel-16 version (MCC)

16.0.0

2022-03

Update to Rel-17 version (MCC)

17.0.0