M2M communications

1. M2M Communications in 3GPP LTE/LTE-A
Networks: Architectures, Service Requirements,
Challenges, and Applications
Shqiperim Krasniqi
Besfort Shtaloja
Lirim Rexhepi

2. What is M2M?
“M2M is about enabling the flow of data between machines and
machines, and ultimately machines and people.”
M2M is an emerging technology. IDC predicted that one third of
embedded devices are to be M2M enabled by 2015. Lots of
industries are getting engaged in M2M such as healthcare, home
management, industrial monitoring and automation.
M2M is also named as Machine Type Communication (MTC) in 3GPP

3. n Machine – To – Machine:
n device (water meter) which is monitored by means of sensor [in “uplink”]
n device (valve) which is instructed to actuate [in “downlink”]
n keywords: physical sensors and actuators; cost
n Machine – To – Machine:
n network which facilitates end-to-end connectivity between machines
n composed of radio, access network, gateway, core network, backend
server
n keywords: hardware; protocols; end-to-end delay and reliability; cost
n Machine – To – Machine:
n device (computer) which extracts, processes (and
displays) gathered information
n device (computer) which automatically controls and
instructs other machines
n keywords: middleware, software, application; cost

4. 3GPP Network Architecture
• The LTE system is comprised of two networks:
- E-UTRAN (Evolved UTRAN)
- Consists of E-UTRAN Base Stations, called eNodeBs
- EPC (Evolved Packet Core)
Consists of:
- MME (Mobility Management Entity)
- SGW (Serving Gateway)
- PDN GW (Packet Data Network Gateway)
- HSS (Home Subscriber Server)
Data rates up to 150 Mbps (theoretical)
- VoIP
- Streaming multimedia
- Video-conferencing

5. M2M Communications over 3GPP LTE/LTE-A
Networks

6. Figure : Communication scenarios with MTC devices communicating with the MTC
server.

7. Figure : Communication scenarios of MTC devices communicating with each other without
intermediate MTC server.

8. Standardization activities for M2M communications
• 3GPP Standardization Group
– The objective is to optimize the system design that can mitigate M2M signaling
congestion and network overload problems.
• ETSI Standardization Group
– The goal of the ETSI TC M2M is to support a wide range of M2M applications
and needed functions (e.g., functional architecture and interface
standardization) to be shared by different M2M applications.
• OneM2M
– The aim of oneM2M is to meet the critical needs for designing a common M2M service
layer, which can be easily embedded within different hardware and software to connect a
large number of devices with M2M application servers.

9. • Provide a mechanism to activate or deactivate M2M features for the M2M
subscribers.
• Identify which individual M2M features are activated for a particular M2M
subscriber by the network operator.
• Provide a mechanism for the network operator to control the addition or
removal of individual M2M features and also restrict activation of M2M
features.
• Provide a mechanism to reduce peaks in data and signaling traffic when a
large number of M2M devices simultaneously attempt data transmissions.
• Provide a mechanism to restrict downlink data traffic and also limit access
towards a specific APN when the network is overloaded.
General Service

10. M2M Device Triggering
• Device triggering is one of the key requirements for a 3GPP LTE/LTE-A
network. For devices that do not have IP addresses (e.g., 2/3G devices), it is
obvious that these devices cannot be attached in the packet switch (PS)
domain in order to be reached by the network. Since the majority of M2M
applications are data applications, it is necessary for an application server to
reach the device in the PS domain. This requires a device to be allocated an
IP address. Therefore, device triggering is related to the devices that are not
reachable by the AS or the SCS.
– M2M identifiers can be categorized into:
• Internal identifiers, which is the identity that the entities within the 3GPP system use for addressing an
M2M device. (IMSI)
• External identifiers, which is the identity used from outside the 3GPP system, by which an M2M device
is known to the M2M server. (MSISDN)

11. Figure : The structure of the IMSI.
Figure : The structure of the MSISDN.
Addressing

12. • Low Mobility
– M2M Devices do not move, move infrequently, or move only within a certain region
• Time Controlled
– Send or receive data only at certain pre-defined periods
• Time Tolerant
– Data transfer can be delayed
• Packet Switched
– Network operator to provide packet switched service with or without an MSISDN
• Online small Data Transmissions
– MTC Devices frequently send or receive small amounts of data.
• Monitoring
• Low Power Consumption
• Location Specific Trigger
Features of M2M Communications

13. Challenges of M2M Communications over
3GPP LTE/LTE-A Networks
• Heterogeneous Network (HetNet)
– Macrocells(E-UTRAN eNBs)
– Picocells (small transmission power eNBs)
– Femtocells (HeNBs)
– Relay Nodes (RNs)
• Air Interface
• Low-energy and low-latency devices
• Standardization process for the air
interface
• Coexistence with current
communication systems

14. Proposed Solutions
• Group-based Operations of M2M Devices
- Alleviate the signaling congestion on the air interface by reducing communication loads between
an M2M device and 3GPP E-UTRAN and EPC
- Logically based on service requirements or based on physical locations of M2M devices
• Device-to-Device Communications
- lower power consumption
- less transmission delay
- less load distribution of data servers for local M2M traffic
- 3GPP Release 12
• Cognitive M2M Communications
- interference mitigation between H2H and M2M communications
- Radio Access Channel (RACH) - devices can compete and access an available channel for
wireless transmission independently without coordination and centralized control
- Cognitive radio (CR) - improve the spectrum utilization and transmission efficiency

15. Proposed Solutions
• Resource Allocation with QoS Provisioning
- some applications (e.g., traffic control, robotic networks, and e-health) need mobility support
- other applications (e.g., data traffic from meters in smart grid or navigation systems) require strict timing
- orthogonal channels vs shared resource allocation
1. The eNB-to-M2M device link
2. The eNB-to-UE link
3. The eNB-to-M2M gateway link
4. The M2M gateway-to-M2M device link
5. The M2M device-to-M2M device link
- restrictions on the transmit power
- restrictions on available radio resources

16. Proposed Solutions
• Random Access Channel Congestion
- Random access procedure is used by the M2M device in order to perform handover from one eNB to another
eNB, or to acquire the uplink timing synchronization
- The number of M2M devices in a cell is expected to be much larger than the number of UEs
- Collisions (packet losses, extra energy consumption, waste of radio resources, and unexpected delays)
1. Backoff Scheme
2. Slotted Access Scheme
3. Access Class Barring (ACB) Scheme
4. Pull-based Scheme
5. Dynamic PRACH Resource Allocation Scheme
• Reliable Data Transmission
• Energy Management
• Self-Management Capabilities
- self-optimization
- self-healing
- self-protection

17. M2M Communications Applications
M2M
communications
applications
e-Health
Tracking and
monitoring
Identification and
authentication
Data collection
Sensing
Smart
environment
Smart homes
Smart lighting
Smart industrial
plants
Green environment
Intelligent
transportation
Assisted driving
e-Ticketing
Smart parking
Fleet management
Security and
public safety
Remote surveillance
Personal tracking
Public
infrastructure
protection
Other futuristic
applications
Information-ambient
society
Robotic applications
Environment
monitoring

18. Thank You!
Questions?