A framework for investigating radio resource management algorithms in TD-SCDMA systems

TDD-CDMA, globally recognized as the basis for Chinese 3G, is designed for symmetrical and asymmetrical 3G mobile services. As a time-division duplexing system, TD-SCDMA works in unpaired frequency allocations, supporting the flexible allocation of uplink/downlink slots in one carrier, and adapting to the different system loads between uplink and downlink. Dynamic time slot allocations make it more spectrally efficient than paired uplink/downlink carriers. Consequently, TD-SCDMA can make full use of the radio spectrum through optimal adaptive radio resource allocation. In order to support peak rates of 5 Mb/s or higher, the TD-SCDMA standard is enhanced via high-speed downlink packet access (HSDPA) mode. In this article the properties and strategies of radio resource management (RRM) are introduced, and the differences in admission control, power control, handover, load control, dynamic channel allocation, and adaptive HSDPA techniques between TDD-CDMA and the conventional FDD-CDMA system are analyzed. Some advanced strategies and architectures for TDD-CDMA RRM algorithms are presented. Since uplink multi-user detection (MUD) and smart antenna (SA) techniques are adopted in TD-SCDMA, the RRM algorithms based on MUD and SA are investigated further. In addition, these advanced RRM algorithms are characterized by an OPNET-based dynamical system-level simulator.