Last updated: December 3, 2008
This section applies only to the lab applications.
The test set provides you with control over resource allocation. This allows you to define difficult scenarios for the mobile station and more comprehensively exercise its protocol. Four modes for uplink resource allocation are provided:
Fixed Allocation
In the fixed allocation mode, the mobile station is allocated uplink blocks based on the number of octets the mobile station needs to transfer all its data. The mobile station requests these octets in the RLC octet count parameter in either the Packet Resource Request message or the Packet Downlink Ack/Nack message. There are two types of Temporary Block Flows (TBFs) that might be requested by the mobile station:
You can use the maximum octet allocation parameter to limit the number of octets that the test set provides in any single allocation to a mobile station requesting a close-ended TBF. When this parameter is turned off, the mobile station is provided with exactly what it requests. When the maximum octet allocation value is set to a value greater than zero, this is the maximum amount of octets that the mobile station may transfer on the uplink. If this allocation does not satisfy the mobile station's requirement for a data transfer then it must request further fixed allocations until its needs are met. Therefore, you can control the number of reallocations by limiting the maximum number of octets per allocation. Forcing requests for more allocations utilizes the mobile station's protocol more extensively.
Fixed allocation is valid only while using the auto connection type. It cannot be used in the ETSI test modes connection types because the test specification mandates that Dynamic Allocation or Extended Dynamic Allocation must be used. In BLER mode there is no uplink Temporary Block Flow (TBF), so the allocation type is unused. Connections established while the connection type is set to auto do use uplink TBFs and have no restrictions on the choice of allocation type.
As fixed allocation is only valid when using the auto connection type, when an invalid connection type is selected, the current TBFs end, and the test set changes the allocation mode setting to a valid selection (dynamic mode or extended dynamic allocation).
Automatic Dynamic Allocation
When automatic dynamic allocation is used the test set automatically determines whether Dynamic Allocation or Extended Dynamic Allocation is used based on the number of uplink bursts per frame.
When dynamic allocation is used, the mobile station monitors the downlink for a USF value that matches its assigned USF. When it finds a match, the mobile station can then transfer the data blocks on the allocated uplink block.
Dynamic allocation is valid while using the following Connection Types: Auto, ETSI Type A, ETSI Type B, and BLER. The dynamic allocation setting is used when there is one or two uplink bursts per frame.
Extended Dynamic Allocation
When extended dynamic allocation is used the mobile station only monitors the USF of the first downlink burst of the multislot configuration. When a USF in the first downlink burst matches the assigned USF, the mobile station can then transfer data blocks on all the uplink timeslots. Extended dynamic allocation mode is used for class B mobile stations which cannot simultaneously receive and transmit and when there are more than two uplink bursts present in the frame.
The default Medium Access Mode for multislot configurations that have three or more uplinks is extended dynamic allocation.
The table below lists all the configurable parameters in the MAC Control menu. Click on any of the links within the table for more information. The GPIB Command links take you to the GPIB Command table which contains the command description, setting range, *RST values, and a programming example.
USF BLER results are displayed only when the allocation mode is dynamic, automatic dynamic, or extended dynamic. In fixed mode, the mobile station is not sending data blocks dependent upon the USF value. Instead, the mobile station ignores the USF on the downlink because it is given a block allocation by the network or, in this case, the test set.