A Machine Learning based Framework for KPI Maximization in Emerging Networks using Mobility Parameters

Current LTE network is faced with a plethora of Configuration and Optimization Parameters (COPs), both hard and soft, that are adjusted manually to manage the network and provide better Quality of Experience (QoE). With 5G in view, the number of these COPs are expected to reach 2000 per site, making their manual tuning for finding the optimal combination of these parameters, an impossible fleet. Alongside these thousands of COPs is the anticipated network densification in emerging networks which exacerbates the burden of the network operators in managing and optimizing the network. Hence, we propose a machine learning-based framework combined with a heuristic technique to discover the optimal combination of two pertinent COPs used in mobility, Cell Individual Offset (CIO) and Handover Margin (HOM), that maximizes a specific Key Performance Indicator (KPI) such as mean Signal to Interference and Noise Ratio (SINR) of all the connected users. The first part of the framework leverages the power of machine learning to predict the KPI of interest given several different combinations of CIO and HOM. The resulting predictions are then fed into Genetic Algorithm (GA) which searches for the best combination of the two mentioned parameters that yield the maximum mean SINR for all users. Performance of the framework is also evaluated using several machine learning techniques, with CatBoost algorithm yielding the best prediction performance. Meanwhile, GA is able to reveal the optimal parameter setting combination more efficiently and with three orders of magnitude faster convergence time in comparison to brute force approach

Optimized Performance Evaluation of LTE Hard Handover Algorithm with Average RSRP Constraint

Hard handover mechanism is adopted to be used in 3GPP Long Term Evolution (3GPP LTE) in order to reduce the complexity of the LTE network architecture. This mechanism comes with degradation in system throughput as well as a higher system delay. This paper proposes a new handover algorithm known as LTE Hard Handover Algorithm with Average Received Signal Reference Power (RSRP) Constraint (LHHAARC) in order to minimize number of handovers and the system delay as well as maximize the system throughput. An optimized system performance of the LHHAARC is evaluated and compared with three well-known handover algorithms via computer simulation. The simulation results show that the LHHAARC outperforms three well-known handover algorithms by having less number of average handovers per UE per second, shorter total system delay whilst maintaining a higher total system throughput.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures, International Journal of Wireless & Mobile Networks (IJWMN

A survey of handover algorithms in DVB-H

Digital Video Broadcasting for Handhelds (DVB-H) is a standard for broadcasting IP Datacast (IPDC) services to mobile handheld terminals. Based on the DVB-T standard, DVB-H adds new features such as time slicing, MPE-FEC, in-depth interleavers, mandatory cell id identifier, optional 4K-modulation mode and the use of 5 MHz bandwidth in addition to the usually used 6, 7, or 8 MHz raster. IPDC over DVB-H is proposed for ETSI to complement the DVB-H standard by combining IPDC and DVB-H in an end-to-end system. Handover in such unidirectional broadcasting networks is a novel issue. In the last few years since the birth of DVB-H technology, great attention has been given to the performance analysis of DVB-H mobile terminals. Handover is one of the main research topics for DVB-H in mobile scenarios. Better reception quality and greater power efficiency are considered to be the main targets of handover research for DVB-H. New algorithms for different handover stages in DVB-H have been the subject of recent research and are currently being studied. Further novel algorithms need to be designed to improve the mobile reception quality. This article provides a comprehensive survey of the handover algorithms in DVB-H. A systematic evaluation and categorization approach is proposed based on the problems the algorithms solve and the handover stages being focused on. Criteria are proposed and analyzed to facilitate designing better handover algorithms for DVB-H that have been identified from the research conducted by the author

Low-complexity medium access control protocols for QoS support in third-generation radio access networks

One approach to maximizing the efficiency of medium access control (MAC) on the uplink in a future wideband code-division multiple-access (WCDMA)-based third-generation radio access network, and hence maximize spectral efficiency, is to employ a low-complexity distributed scheduling control approach. The maximization of spectral efficiency in third-generation radio access networks is complicated by the need to provide bandwidth-on-demand to diverse services characterized by diverse quality of service (QoS) requirements in an interference limited environment. However, the ability to exploit the full potential of resource allocation algorithms in third-generation radio access networks has been limited by the absence of a metric that captures the two-dimensional radio resource requirement, in terms of power and bandwidth, in the third-generation radio access network environment, where different users may have different signal-to-interference ratio requirements. This paper presents a novel resource metric as a solution to this fundamental problem. Also, a novel deadline-driven backoff procedure has been presented as the backoff scheme of the proposed distributed scheduling MAC protocols to enable the efficient support of services with QoS imposed delay constraints without the need for centralized scheduling. The main conclusion is that low-complexity distributed scheduling control strategies using overload avoidance/overload detection can be designed using the proposed resource metric to give near optimal performance and thus maintain a high spectral efficiency in third-generation radio access networks and that importantly overload detection is superior to overload avoidance

Capacity Analysis in Downlink WCDMA Systems Using Soft Handover Techniques With SIR-Based Power Control and Site Selection Diversity Transmission

This work analyzes the downlink performance of a WCDMA system with site selection diversity transmission power control (SSDT) during soft handover mode. Signal to interference ratio (SIR) power control techniques are modeled and used in the simulations of this analysis. The study is focused on finding the optimum soft handover margin in terms of maximum system capacity under energy-per-bit to noise spectral density ratio (Eb/N0) quality requirements. The results of this analysis show an increase in user capacity of about 15 -20 % for optimum soft handover margins of 5 – 5.5 dB. Nevertheless, the resources required (number of scrambling codes) by base station increase faster than the number of active users in terms of soft handover margin up to soft handover margin values of approximately 9.5 dB.Reig, J. (2006). Capacity Analysis in Downlink WCDMA Systems Using Soft Handover Techniques With SIR-Based Power Control and Site Selection Diversity Transmission. IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology. 55(4):1362-1372. doi:10.1109/TVT.2006.877705S1362137255

Soft handover issues in radio resource management for 3G WCDMA networks

PhDMobile terminals allow users to access services while on the move. This unique feature has driven the rapid growth in the mobile network industry, changing it from a new technology into a massive industry within less than two decades. Handover is the essential functionality for dealing with the mobility of the mobile users. Compared with the conventional hard handover employed in the GSM mobile networks, the soft handover used in IS-95 and being proposed for 3G has better performance on both link and system level. Previous work on soft handover has led to several algorithms being proposed and extensive research has been conducted on the performance analysis and parameters optimisation of these algorithms. Most of the previous analysis focused on the uplink direction. However, in future mobile networks, the downlink is more likely to be the bottleneck of the system capacity because of the asymmetric nature of new services, such as Internet traffic. In this thesis, an in-depth study of the soft handover effects on the downlink direction of WCDMA networks is carried out, leading to a new method of optimising soft handover for maximising the downlink capacity and a new power control approach