LTE Release 8 is one of the primary broadband technologies based on OFDM, which is currently being commercialized. LTE Release 8, which is mainly deployed in a macro/microcell layout, provides improved system capacity and coverage, high peak data rates, low latency, reduced operating costs, multi-antenna support, flexible bandwidth operation and seamless integration with existing systems. LTE-Advanced (also known as LTE Release 10) significantly enhances the existing LTE Release 8 and supports much higher peak rates, higher throughput and coverage, and lower latencies, resulting in a better user experience. Additionally, LTE Release 10 will support heterogeneous deployments where low-power nodes comprising picocells, femtocells, relays, remote radio heads, and so on are placed in a macrocell layout. The LTE-Advanced features enable one to meet or exceed IMT-Advanced requirements. It may also be noted that LTE Release 9 provides some minor enhancement to LTE Release 8 with respect to the air interface, and includes features like dual-layer beamforming and time-difference- of-arrival-based location techniques. In this article an overview of the techniques being considered for LTE Release 10 (aka LTEAdvanced) is discussed. This includes bandwidth extension via carrier aggregation to support deployment bandwidths up to 100 MHz, downlink spatial multiplexing including single-cell multi-user multiple-input multiple-output transmission and coordinated multi point transmission, uplink spatial multiplexing including extension to four-layer MIMO, and heterogeneous networks with emphasis on Type 1 and Type 2 relays. Finally, the performance of LTEAdvanced using IMT-A scenarios is presented and compared against IMT-A targets for full buffer and bursty traffic model.

LTE-advanced: next-generation wireless broadband technology [Invited Paper]

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are becoming a crucial component of our society, whereas reliable and efficient vehicular communications consist of a key enabler of a well-functioning ITS. To meet a wide variety of ITS application needs, vehicular-to-vehicular and vehicular-to-infrastructure communications have to be jointly considered, configured, and optimized. The effective and efficient coexistence and cooperation of the two give rise to a dynamic spectrum management problem. One recently emerged and rapidly adopted solution of a similar problem in cellular networks is the so-termed device-to-device (D2D) communications. Its potential in the vehicular scenarios with unique challenges, however, has not been thoroughly investigated to date. In this paper, we for the first time carry out a feasibility study of D2D for ITS based on both the features of D2D and the nature of vehicular networks. In addition to demonstrating the promising potential of this technology, we will also propose novel remedies necessary to make D2D technology practical as well as beneficial for ITS.

D2D for Intelligent Transportation Systems: A Feasibility Study

UMTS LTE system can support flexible bandwidth configuration up to 20 MHz. Currently, system enhancements are being considered to provide substantial improvements to LTE and allow it to meet or exceed IMT-Advanced requirements. One key enhancement feature is bandwidth extension via carrier aggregation to support deployment bandwidth up to 100 MHz. This will allow peak target data rates in excess of 1 Gbps in the downlink and 500 Mbps in the uplink to be achieved. Carrier aggregation is attractive because it allows operators to deploy a system with larger bandwidth by aggregating several smaller contiguous or non-contiguous carriers while providing backward compatibility to legacy users. For instance, an 80MHz system can be constructed using contiguous or non-contiguous 4×20MHz component carriers. Legacy users can then access the system using one of the component carriers. This paper provides an overview of carrier aggregation and discusses major technical issues including aggregation structure, scenarios, implementation, control signalling design and coexistence with legacy LTE systems.

Carrier Aggregation in LTE-Advanced

A method for transmitting a signal via physical uplink control channel (PUCCH) in a wireless communication system and an apparatus for performing the method are provided. Control information bits are modulated to generate N1 modulation symbols, wherein N1 is twice a number of subcarriers in one resource block (RB). The modulation symbols are spread by using various orthogonal codes to generate a plurality of sequences and the generated plurality of sequences are transmitted using different slots of a subframe through different antenna ports, each sequence of the plurality of sequences being mapped on a corresponding single carrier frequency division multiple access symbol in a corresponding slot.

Method and apparatus for transmitting control information in a wireless communication system

Evolved UTRA and UTRAN is being standardized in 3GPP standard group as a long term evolution of the 3GPP radio-access technology. The goal is to achieve 2-4 times the spectral efficiency and user throughput and much smaller latency compared to HSDPA/HSUPA. Single carrier FDMA (e.g. DFT-SOFDM) is the multiple access technique of choice for uplink transmission. Interference control is one of the key elements to achieve the target spectral efficiency and user cell- edge performance requirement, especially for uplink. In this paper, interference mitigation is implemented through slow fractional power control and interference coordination through UE alignment and FDM resource allocation. Simulation results show that these techniques significantly improve uplink sector and cell edge user throughput performance.

Uplink Power Control, Interference Coordination and Resource Allocation for 3GPP E-UTRA

Long-term evolution (LTE) will provide substantial enhancements to UMTS 3G systems including improved system capacity and coverage, low latency, reduced operating costs, multi-antenna support, flexible bandwidth operations and seamless integration with existing systems. LTE supports both frequency division duplex (FDD) and time division duplex (TDD) modes to provide deployment flexibility in accordance with operatorpsilas preference and spectrum allocation. This paper presents an overview of LTE TDD design and highlights key differences with FDD. Design challenges unique to TDD are presented together with adopted technical solutions. Finally, simulation results are provided to demonstrate typical TDD system performance with data applications.

TDD design for UMTS Long-Term Evolution

With the emergence of packet-based wireless broadband systems such as 802.16e, it is evident that a comprehensive evolution of the universal mobile telecommunications system specifications is required to remain competitive. As a result, work has begun on long term evolution (LTE) of the UMTS terrestrial radio access and radio access network aimed for commercial deployment in 2010. Goals for the evolved system include support for improved system capacity and coverage, high peak data rates, low latency, reduced operating costs, multi-antenna support, flexible bandwidth operations and seamless integration with existing systems. To reach these goals, a new design for the air interface is envisioned. This paper provides a preliminary look at the air interface for Evolved UTRA (E-UTRA) and associated key technologies required to reach its design objectives. Initial E-UTRA system performance results show a 2 to 3x improvement over a reference Rel-6 UMTS system configuration [1, 2] for both uplink and downlink.

Overview of UMTS Air-Interface Evolution

Evolved UTRA (EUTRA) is currently under study by 3GPP standards organizations as a long term evolution (LTE) for current generation universal terrestrial radio access (UTRA) networks. One of the key aspects of EUTRA wireless systems will be providing voice services in packet domain using voice over IP (VoIP). This paper provides system simulation results evaluating uplink VoIP capacity for EUTRA. Simulations indicate that if efficient control signaling and scheduling mechanisms are in place, EUTRA systems can support 80 to 130 Erlangs of VoIP traffic per sector in a 1.08 MHz spectrum allocation as part of a 5 MHz LTE carrier.

R. Nory

Papers

TDD design for UMTS Long-Term Evolution

Overview of UMTS Air-Interface Evolution

Uplink VoIP Support for 3GPP EUTRA