Abstract: Allocating resources in a wireless network utilizing SU-MIMO and MU-MIMO modes of operation includes determining an increase in a resource usage of MU-MIMO wireless devices and responsive to the determining, reducing an allocation of resources for one or more SU-MIMO wireless devices. These operations may be performed based on determining that a load level associated with a serving access node rises to meet a threshold.

Abstract: In a wireless access node, Packet Data Convergence Protocol (PDCP) circuitry identifies a noise metric for the wireless access node. The PDCP circuitry receives Downlink (DL) user data for User Equipment (UE). The PDCP circuitry allocates a first portion of the DL data and a second portion of the DL data based on the noise metric. The PDCP circuitry transfers the first portion of the DL data over first Radio Link Control (RLC) circuitry to first MAC circuitry. The PDCP circuitry transfers the second portion of the DL data over second RLC circuitry to second MAC circuitry. The first MAC circuitry schedules wireless delivery of the first portion of the DL data and transfers the first portion of the DL data to the UE over first Physical Layer (PHY) circuitry. The second MAC circuitry schedules wireless delivery of the second portion of the DL data and transfers the second portion of the DL data to the UE over second PHY circuitry.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling connectivity of a user equipment device (UE), the UE being dual-connectivity capable. The UE detects that the UE has ping-ponged at a threshold high rate between standalone connectivity and dual connectivity. And responsive to at least detecting that the UE has ping-ponged at the threshold high rate between standalone connectivity and dual connectivity, the UE transmits, to an access node serving the UE, a report including an indication that the UE is not dual-connectivity capable, even though the UE is dual-connectivity capable. The access node could then use the indication in the report as a basis to forgo configuring of dual connectivity for the UE, which could thereby help discontinue the ping-ponging.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling application of MU-MIMO. The disclosure provides for considering a device's power class as a basis to decide whether to provide the device with MU-MIMO service. For instance, a base station could determine which of the base station's served devices that are threshold distant from the base station are each a high power device rather than a lower power device. And on at least that basis, the base station could select each such device to receive MU-MIMO service. Or faced with a choice between devices to receive MU-MIMO service, the base station could compare the devices' power classes and could select the devices that have higher power class to receive MU-MIMO service.

Abstract: A mechanism to help control connectivity of a user equipment device (UE). When the UE is served by a master node (MN) that does not support VOP service, the MN will cause the UE to not have a secondary connection with a secondary node (SN) that would engage in control-plane signaling with the UE via the UE's master connection with the MN. For instance, in that situation, the MN could avoid setting up the secondary connection for the UE in the first place. Or if the secondary connection exists already, the MN could tear down that secondary connection. By causing the secondary connection to not exist, the mechanism may help to avoid problems with operation of the secondary connection as a result of the UE tuning away to facilitate voice service.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling operation of a first access node that supports operation according to a first radio access technology (RAT) but does not support dual-connectivity operation according to the first RAT and a second RAT. A system detects a high extent of occurrences of dual-connectivity-capable user equipment devices (UEs) being connected with the first access node when the dual-connectivity-capable UEs could instead connect with a second access node that supports the dual-connectivity operation. And in response, the first access node blocks dual-connectivity-capable UEs from being connected with the first access node while allowing UEs that are not dual-connectivity capable to be connected with the first access node.

Abstract: In a wireless access node, a radio receives measurement reports from wireless User Equipment (UEs) that indicate past radio measurements taken at measurement locations. Baseband circuitry processes the measurement reports to determine radio metric variances at the measurement locations. The baseband circuitry determines UE locations for the wireless UEs. The baseband circuitry selects measurement time periods for the wireless UEs based on the radio metric variances at the measurement locations that correspond to the UE locations for the wireless UEs. The radio wirelessly transfers the selected measurement time periods to the wireless UEs. The wireless UEs use the selected measurement time periods to take the future radio measurements at the UE locations.

Abstract: A Radio Access Network (RAN) is configured to serve wireless User Equipment (UEs). The RAN comprises a Baseband Unit (BBU) and a Tower Mounted Amplifier (TMA). The BBU determines an amount of proximate wireless UEs that have transmit power levels that fall below a proximity threshold and when the amount of the proximate UEs exceeds a concentration threshold. When the proximate UEs exceeds the concentration threshold, the BBU schedules the proximate wireless UEs to use proximate UE Transmit Time Intervals (TTIs) and schedules other wireless UEs to use other TTIs. The BBU transfers control signals to deactivate TMA amplification during the proximate UE TTIs and to activate the TMA amplification during the other TTIs. The TMA receives UE signals, and in response to the control signals, deactivates TMA amplification on UE signals during the proximate UE TTIs and activates TMA amplification on UE signals during the other TTIs.

Abstract: A cell site router communicatively coupled to an access node and configured to transmit data between the access node and an external network is further configured to determine a packet loss occurring at a port of the cell site router and adjust a size of a buffer of the cell site router based on the packet loss. The buffer can be associated with the port and/or a RAT associated with the port, and a latency requirement of the data transmission can be considered when adjusting buffer sizes.

Abstract: Systems for mitigating interference in a massive MIMO wireless network include an access node, a plurality of antennae communicatively coupled to the access node, and a processor communicatively coupled to the access node. The processor can be configured to perform operations including communicating with one or more wireless devices within a wireless sector utilizing one or more antennae from the plurality of antennae, and monitoring an interference level within the wireless sector. Upon the interference level meeting a threshold, the processor may be configured to utilize fewer antennae to communicate with the one or more wireless devices. Conversely, upon the interference level not meeting the threshold, the processor may be configured to utilize more antennae to communicate with the one or more wireless devices.

Abstract: An adaptive interference cancellation method is disclosed. In an example, when a UE is served in a first cell by a first access node, the UE detects a second cell provided by a second access node that is not serving the UE. Further, responsive to the detecting, the UE determines that both (i) a broadcast CRS of the second cell occupies air-interface resource elements that the first access node uses as part of a PDSCH of the first cell and (ii) the UE has coverage strength of the second cell that is threshold similar to coverage strength that the UE has from the first access node. And, responsive to the determining, the UE cancels from scheduled PDSCH transmission from the first access node to the UE, potential interference attributable to the broadcast CRS of the detected second cell, such as by reconstructing and subtracting the CRS from the PDSCH transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling connectivity of a user equipment device (UE) in a wireless communication system. An example method includes (i) while the UE has dual connectivity with a first access node and a second access node, determining that power headroom of the UE on an air-interface connection between the UE and the second access node is threshold low, and (ii) responsive to at least the determining, transitioning the UE from having the dual connectivity with the first access node and the second access node to instead having standalone connectivity with the second access node. Transitioning the UE to having standalone connectivity with the second access node as to which the UE had threshold low power headroom may help to improve quality of communication between the UE and the second access node.

Abstract: A method and system to control configuration of dual-connectivity for UEs served by a first NB. A computing system monitors the level of load on a backhaul interface through which the first NB communicates with a core network. And based on the monitored level of backhaul load, the computing system imposes a limit on establishing secondary connectivity with one or more second NBs for one or more UEs served by the first NB. For instance, when the backhaul interface through which the first NB communicates with the core network becomes threshold highly loaded with communication traffic, the computing system could responsively impose a maximum cap on the number of the first-NB-served UEs that will be provided with secondary connectivity by one or more second NBs and/or on the number of secondary connections that will be established for UEs served by the first NB.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling connectivity of a user equipment device (UE) in a wireless communication system. An example method includes (i) while the UE has dual connectivity with a first access node and a second access node, determining that power headroom of the UE on an air-interface connection between the UE and the second access node is threshold low, and (ii) responsive to at least the determining, transitioning the UE from having the dual connectivity with the first access node and the second access node to instead having standalone connectivity with the second access node. Transitioning the UE to having standalone connectivity with the second access node as to which the UE had threshold low power headroom may help to improve quality of communication between the UE and the second access node.

Abstract: A mechanism to control transmission by a base station, which may help to control interference on an adjacent frequency. The base station is configured to operate on a first frequency and is equipped with a number of antennas enabled for transmission on the first frequency. Upon detecting of a trigger for reducing potential interference on the adjacent frequency, the base station reduces the number of its antennas that are enabled for transmission on the first carrier, which may reduce the overall energy of the base station's transmission and may thereby reduce interference on the adjacent frequency. In an example implementation, the base station could disable a proper subset of its antennas from use for transmission on the first frequency, while leaving a remainder of its antennas enabled for transmission on the first frequency.

Abstract: A method is provided for dynamically modifying a buffer in a network deploying multiple carriers, wherein multiple wireless devices communicate over the network. The wireless devices run applications, each application belonging to an application category. The method includes identifying the application category for a selected wireless device communicating over the network, wherein a first application category requires at least one of high throughput and low latency. The method additionally includes reducing a size of the buffer when the application category is the first application category, thereby initiating carrier aggregation for the selected wireless device.

Abstract: Dynamic reconfiguring of dual-connectivity service of a UE includes detecting that quality of the UE's second air-interface connection with a second access node is threshold poor and responsively reconfiguring the dual-connectivity service from (i) a first mode in which user plane communication of the dual-connectivity service is downlink on both the first and second air-interface connections and is uplink on the second air-interface connection but not on the first air-interface connection to (ii) a second mode in which the user-plane communication of the dual-connectivity service is downlink on both the first and second air-interface connections and is uplink on the first air-interface connection but not on the second air-interface connection.

Abstract: In a wireless access node, a radio receives measurement reports from wireless User Equipment (UEs) that indicate past radio measurements taken at measurement locations. Baseband circuitry processes the measurement reports to determine radio metric variances at the measurement locations. The baseband circuitry determines UE locations for the wireless UEs. The baseband circuitry selects measurement time periods for the wireless UEs based on the radio metric variances at the measurement locations that correspond to the UE locations for the wireless UEs. The radio wirelessly transfers the selected measurement time periods to the wireless UEs. The wireless UEs use the selected measurement time periods to take the future radio measurements at the UE locations.

Abstract: A pairing efficiency and/or a resource usage associated with wireless devices attached to a sector are monitored. Responsive to determining that the pairing efficiency is below a threshold and/or the resource usage is higher than a threshold, one or more pairing criteria are adjusted to increase MIMO pairing, thereby exploiting the benefits of massive MIMO in wireless networks.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes are configured to manage wireless devices in a wireless network, such as a network that employs MIMO techniques, by receiving a request from a new wireless device for access to a wireless network using a first communication protocol, the wireless network using at least two communication protocols simultaneously, determining that a number of wireless devices in the wireless network using the first communication protocol of the at least two communication protocols meets a threshold number of wireless device, and adjusting an operating parameter of a multi-element antenna for communicating signals between an access node and the wireless devices in the wireless network using the first communication protocol when it is determined that the number of wireless devices in the wireless network using the first communication protocol meets the threshold number of wireless devices.