Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that support the aggregation of acknowledgement messages and control messages. Advantageously, acknowledgement and negative acknowledgement indications for multiple client nodes are combined into a single aggregated message which is broadcast or multicast to the multiple client nodes. Based on unique identifiers assigned to each client node, client nodes are grouped such that the aggregated acknowledgement messages can be efficiently encoded to conserve both network capacity when they are transmitted, as well as processing capacity when they are parsed by the client nodes. If code division multiple access (CDMA) technology is used, the aggregated acknowledgment message can be transmitted without CDMA spreading to effectively broadcast or multicast it to multiple client nodes. A similar technique can be employed for the efficient broadcast or multicast of aggregated control messages.

Abstract: An access terminal establishes a session with a first radio access network (RAN). As a result, the access terminal receives a Unicast Access Terminal Identifier (UATI) assigned by the first RAN and establishes configuration settings for radio communications between the access terminal and the first RAN. The access terminal moves from the first RAN to a second RAN. Before the access terminal has a session established with the second RAN, the access terminal receives a request from a user to originate a call. In response, the access terminal sends the second RAN a connection request that includes the UATI assigned by the first RAN. The second RAN evaluates the UATI included in the connection request and determines that it was previously assigned to the access terminal by another RAN. Based on this determination, the second RAN grants the connection request by assigning a traffic channel to the access terminal.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system to manage paging channels in a wireless communication network. When the network encounters a situation where the network is to transmit an access response message in a coverage area to a mobile station, the network will determine whether the mobile station is in an access handoff state. If not, the network will transmit the message to the mobile station on a paging channel selected based on the mobile station's identifier. Otherwise, the network will transmit the message to the mobile station on both that paging channel and a default paging channel (e.g., primary channel) selected without consideration of the mobile station's identifier. This process can help avoid an access handoff failure. Further, a radio access network may opt to use the default paging channel in response to the wireless coverage area having a different number of paging channels than an adjacent coverage area.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that support the aggregation of acknowledgement messages and control messages. Advantageously, acknowledgement and negative acknowledgement indications for multiple client nodes are combined into a single aggregated message which is broadcast or multicast to the multiple client nodes. Based on unique identifiers assigned to each client node, client nodes are grouped such that the aggregated acknowledgement messages can be efficiently encoded to conserve both network capacity when they are transmitted, as well as processing capacity when they are parsed by the client nodes. If code division multiple access (CDMA) technology is used, the aggregated acknowledgment message can be transmitted without CDMA spreading to effectively broadcast or multicast it to multiple client nodes. A similar technique can be employed for the efficient broadcast or multicast of aggregated control messages.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for using DRCLocks for conducting call admission control. In an embodiment, an access node provides service to a plurality of access terminals on a carrier in a coverage area, where the plurality of access terminals does not include a first access terminal. The access node receives a request for new service on the carrier in the coverage area from the first access terminal over an air interface, and responsively determines whether an aggregate-DRCLock condition is met. If the aggregate-DRCLock condition is met, the access node denies the request for new service.

Abstract: A radio access network (RAN) allocates a resource, such as a forward traffic channel, to a mobile station that is engaged in a call. During the call, the RAN monitors a reverse link signal that is received from the mobile station. If the RAN detects a reception failure, such as the receipt of an errored frame in the reverse link signal, the RAN determines the power level that the mobile station used to transmit the reverse link signal when the reception failure occurred. If the mobile station was already transmitting at its maximum power level, the RAN may immediately release the resource. Otherwise, the RAN defines a test period that is sufficient for the mobile station to increase its transmit power to the maximum level. If the reception failure continues throughout the test period, the RAN may then release the resource.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for using packet-transport metrics for setting DRCLocks. In an embodiment, an access node provides packet-data service to access terminals, which comprises (a) providing wireless service over an air interface in a wireless coverage area and (b) providing transport service over a packet-data network. The access node measures, over at least the packet-data network, each packet-transport metric in a set of one or more packet-transport metrics. The access node sets a DRCLock for at least one of the access terminals based at least in part on the one or more measured packet-transport metrics.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided causing a mobile station to, after experiencing a dropped call, originate a subsequent call via a coverage area different than that used for the first call. In an embodiment, a mobile station detects that, when it was engaged in the first call at a first location via a first wireless coverage area, the mobile station experienced the first call being dropped. When the mobile station subsequently attempts to originate a second call, the mobile station determines that its current location is within a threshold distance of the first location, and responsively attempts to originate the second call via a second wireless coverage area different from the first.

Abstract: A spread spectrum communication system includes a base station that is able to transmit wireless signals that are spread by any of a plurality of orthogonal spreading codes and receive wireless signals that mobile stations transmit in an access channel. One of the orthogonal spreading codes is reserved as an indicator code that the base station uses to indicate when the access channel is occupied by a transmission from a mobile station. When the base station detects a transmission in the access channel, the base station estimates a completion time when the transmission will be completed and transmits an indicator signal spread with the indicator code until the completion time is reached. Before a mobile station transmits a message in the access channel, the mobile station determines whether the access channel is occupied by determining whether the base station is transmitting the indicator signal.

Abstract: An access terminal in a coverage area of an access network may be monitoring a level of loading on the coverage area's reverse link, such as by monitoring a series of reverse activity bits sent by the access network. The access terminal may then detect new data for transmission to the access network and responsively select a reverse-link data rate based on the monitored level of loading. In this respect, the access terminal may select (a) a first data rate (e.g., a reverse-link data rate at which the access terminal last transmitted data) if the access terminal detects a low load, and (b) a second data rate (e.g., a minimum available reverse-link data rate) if the access terminal detects a high load, where the second data rate is lower than the first data rate. The access terminal may also consider its location in selecting the reverse-link data rate.

Abstract: Methods and systems use traffic channels to extend wireless coverage areas. In an embodiment, an access node transmits a standard pilot signal over a pilot channel. The access node initially operates in a standard transmission mode, wherein the access node transmits a standard traffic signal over a traffic channel at a first power level. The access node makes a determination to operate in an alternative transmission mode involving the access node generating and transmitting a modified traffic signal comprising (i) a standard traffic signal and (ii) a modified pilot signal. The access node transmits the modified traffic signal at a second power level that is greater than the first power level.

Abstract: Methods and computer-readable media are provided to determine which sector the mobile device will bias during soft handoff. Signals are received from multiple sectors, and for a first quantity of time slots of a frame, the signals are inspected to determine whether a quality threshold is met. Based on whether the quality threshold is met, each sector is assigned a power control command indicating that either a decrease or increase of output power is recommended when a subsequent signal is sent to the mobile device. For a second quantity of time slots, the overall power control command sent to the sectors corresponds to the power control command assigned to the sector that has communicated the highest quality signals for the first quantity of time slots of the frame.

Abstract: An access network may receive an incoming communication for an idle access terminal having a last-known location in a first service area of the access network. In response to receiving the incoming communication, the access network may determine whether the last-known location is proximate to a border between the first service area and a second service area of the access network. If so, the access network may define a border paging area encompassing one or more coverage areas within the second service area that are proximate to the last-known location. In turn, the access network may determine a representative paging-channel occupancy of the border paging area. Based on the representative paging-channel occupancy, the access network may then select a time at which to initiate a border page of the access terminal in the border paging area and then perhaps initiate the border page at the selected time.

Abstract: Methods and systems for efficiently using multiple paging channels in a wireless communication network are proposed. In particular, a radio access network (RAN) may determine that a wireless communication device (WCD), such as a cell phone, has not been responding to paging messages transmitted on a secondary paging channel. In response to this determination, the RAN may instruct the WCD to listen only to a primary paging channel, while the RAN will only use the primary paging channel to page the WCD. This, in turn, may increase the likelihood that the WCD is able to properly receive and respond to paging messages, and reduce the power consumption and battery drain of neighboring WCDs.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus or system is disclosed for managing operating in a cellular wireless communication system. The method involves detecting a threshold transition of user devices (generally any wireless communication devices) that are actively operating in a given wireless coverage area into a state of soft handoff between the given coverage area and another coverage area, and perhaps a resulting threshold increase in total transmission power in the given coverage area, and responsively forcing out of the given coverage area at least one user device that is in soft handoff with the given coverage area. The method may thereby help to avoid or minimize an undesirable cyclic power increase effect that could lead to power overload.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for a wireless communication device (WCD) to utilize one or more search windows to capture both an earliest-received signal and a strongest received signal. In an embodiment, in a first time period, the WCD detects an arrival time of an earliest-received signal and an arrival time of a strongest received signal in one or more search windows for each of at least one set of signals. The WCD then centers a first search window based on the arrival time of the earliest-received signal and centers a second search window based on the arrival time of the strongest received signal for each of the at least one set of signals. In a second time period, the WCD searches for signals using the first and second search windows.

Abstract: A mobile station receives forward link signals and transmits reverse link signals for a communication session conducted via a wireless network. A controller maintains a reverse-active set that defines which sectors of the wireless network are used to receive the reverse link signals. When the mobile station transmits a request signal requesting the communication session, the controller may create the reverse-active set to include the sector that received the request signal with the highest signal strength. During the communication session, the signal strengths of the reverse link signals may be monitored in each of a plurality of sectors to obtain reverse-link signal strengths. The controller may maintain the reverse-active set based on the reverse-link signal strengths, adding sectors that report reverse-link signal strengths greater than an add threshold and dropping sectors that report reverse-link signal strengths less than a drop threshold.

Abstract: A two-stage method is used to page a target mobile station. A wireless network transmits an initial page message into a plurality of wireless coverage areas (e.g., the wireless coverage areas defined by a paging zone) that includes the target mobile station's last reported location. The initial page message is received by a plurality of mobile stations, which then transmit a plurality of responses. The plurality of responses includes a target response from the target mobile station. The wireless network determines the target wireless coverage area that received the target response and then transmits a supplemental page message into the target wireless coverage area. The initial page message may be a very short message, such as a page indicator, that does not identify the target mobile station. The supplemental page message may be a longer message that identifies the target mobile station and the reason for the page.

Abstract: Methods and systems for triggering the delivery of a message waiting indicator (MWI) are introduced. In a wireless communication network, a radio access network (RAN) determines that a wireless communication device (WCD), such as a mobile phone, has missed an incoming call, and responsively: (i) routes the incoming call to a message storage system to enable an originator of the call to leave a message for a user of the WCD, (ii) waits a period of time after routing the incoming call to the message storage system, and (iii) then generates and transmits a message waiting query to the message storage system without prompting from the WCD. In response to the message waiting query, the message storage system may transmit a signal indicative of the message to the RAN. Responsively, the RAN may then transmit to the WCD a message waiting indication (MWI) indicative of the message, for presentation of the MWI to the user of the WCD.

Abstract: Systems and methods for adjusting the power control settings in a wireless communication network are provided. In one embodiment, a base station determines a target access terminal's use of service so far in a billing period, wherein the target access terminal is located in a sector of the wireless communication network. The base station then determines whether the target access terminal's use of service is above a threshold value. Responsive to the base station determining that the target access terminal's use of service is above the threshold value, the base station adjusts a power control setting of one or more other access terminals located in the sector of the wireless communication network.