Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for adjusting the maximum number of downlink retransmissions that are permissible for a user entity, according to whether or not coordinated multipoint service is being provided for the user entity.

Abstract: A method and system to control WCD handover. A first base station will request load information from a second base station, and, based at least in part on a result of that request, the first base station will control handover of the WCD. The first base station may decline to hand over the WCD to the second base station in response to determining that the first base station did not responsively receive load information from the second base station. Further, the first base station may determine a level of confidence in load information of the second base station based on whether the first base station received load information of the second base station and based on whether the first and second base stations are provided by the same vendor, and the first base station may then use that level of confidence as a basis to control handover of the WCD.

Abstract: A radio access network may determine that a hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) transmission schedule of a wireless air interface defined by the RAN includes time-division-multiplexed slots that are subject to HARQ acknowledgment bundling and time-division-multiplexed slots that are not subject to HARQ acknowledgment bundling. The RAN may assign, to relay base stations served by the RAN, time-division-multiplexed slots of the wireless air interface that are not subject to HARQ acknowledgment bundling. The RAN may also assign, to non-relay wireless communication devices (WCDs) served by the RAN, time-division-multiplexed slots of the wireless air interface that are subject to HARQ acknowledgment bundling. The RAN may transmit, over the air interface, HARQ subpackets according to the transmission schedule and assignments of time-division-multiplexed slots.

Abstract: A method and system for disabling handover of a wireless communication device (WCD) that is acting as a relay WCD in relay base station. The relay WCD may receive from its serving base station a parameter message including one or more sets of handover threshold parameter values, where the relay WCD compares measurements of power received from one or more base stations with one or more handover threshold values to determine if a condition is met for sending receive-power measurement messages to the serving base station. Based on the one or more sets of handover threshold values, the relay WCD may infer what capability the serving base station has for distinguishing between relay WCDs and non-relay WCDs. Based on the inference, the relay WCD may control its reporting to the serving base station of receive-power measurement reports relating to the one or more sets of handover threshold values.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and corresponding system for controlling how a user equipment device (UE) is served by a second network while the UE is concurrently served by a base station of a first network, where the first network has an interconnection with the second network. In an example method, if the UE determines that the base station serving the UE is not a relay base station, the UE then causes itself to be served by the second network in a first mode in which the UE is registered with the second network via the first network. Whereas, if the UE determines that the base station is a relay base station, the UE then instead causes itself to be served by the second network in a second mode in which the UE is registered with the second network directly via the second network rather than via the first network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for controlling paging by a radio access network (RAN), where the RAN provides multiple cells in which to serve wireless client devices (WCDs). In an example method, if the RAN determines that a WCD is configured to provide connectivity between at least one other device and the RAN, the RAN then pages the WCD using a first mode in which an initial page attempt of a sequence of page attempts is in just the WCD's cell of last registration and a subsequent page attempt of the sequence is in at least a wider region around the WCD's cell of last registration. Whereas, if the RAN determines that the WCD is not configured to provide such connectivity, the RAN instead pages the WCD using a second mode in which each page attempt of the sequence is in just the WCD's cell of last registration.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (WCD) may determine that the WCD has bearer traffic queued for transmission to a radio access network (RAN). The WCD may be configured to transmit the bearer traffic and neighbor reports over a reverse-direction channel of the RAN. The neighbor reports may contain information related to wireless coverage areas. One or more characteristics of the bearer traffic may also be determined. Based on the one or more characteristics of the bearer traffic, the neighbor reports may be scheduled to be transmitted over the reverse-direction channel at a particular rate. The WCD may transmit the neighbor reports over the reverse-direction channel at the particular rate.

Abstract: A method of managing modulation for transmission of data in anticipation of handover. When a source base station is serving a UE and determines that the UE is going to hand over to a target base station, the source base station automatically transitions to transmit data to the UE with a low-order MCS selected without regard to CQIs reported by the UE, or at least to apply an MCS corresponding with a CQI lower than that reported by the UE. By applying a low-order MCS to transmit data to the UE, the source base station may increase the likelihood that the data will arrive successfully at the UE, as the low-order MCS may be more tolerant to noise than higher-order MCSs.

Abstract: A method and system for handover of a wireless communication device (WCD) from a source base station to a target base station that is a relay base station. The source base station may engage in procedure to handover the WCD to the target base station. A determination may be made as to whether or not the target base station is a relay base station with a wireless backhaul. If the target base station is determined to be a relay base station with a wireless backhaul, then the source base station may transmit to the WCD on an air interface a message containing a particular identifier for use by the WCD in a contention-free random access request to the source base station. In the event that the handover fails, the WCD may make a contention-free random access request to the source base station to regain access through the source base station.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system to help ensure contention-free response to a paging message. As disclosed, when a base station transmits a paging message for receipt by a UE, the base station includes in the paging message a contention-free random-access preamble useable by the UE to engage in contention-free random access in response to the paging message. The UE thus receives the paging message and responsively engages in a contention-free random access process with the base station, to establish a radio-link-layer connection between the UE and the base station.

Abstract: According to aspects of the disclosure, a method and system are provided for managing cell selection in a wireless communication network. In accordance with this disclosure, each cell in a radio access network (RAN) broadcasts a respective carrier-aggregation policy of the cell on its air interface. A UE engaging in a cell selection process reads the respective carrier-aggregation policy of each cell under consideration and selects a cell on which to attach based at least in part on the respective carrier-aggregation policies of the cells. The UE can then attach to the selected cell so that the selected cell can then serve the UE.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless packet access network comprises receiving, at a wireless network control system, a packet data request from an application in a wireless communication device, determining if the application is a member of a first application group or a second application group, and selecting a core packet network access point from a plurality of core packet network access points based on whether the application is a member of the first application group or the second application group. The method further comprises transmitting the packet data request to the selected core packet network access point to initiate access to a core packet network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system to help manage latency and reduce unnecessary signaling in setup of fallback communications, such as circuit switched fallback calls for instance, by taking into account the load in various fallback coverage areas. When the load of a fallback coverage area is threshold high, signaling may pass to a serving network to cause that fallback coverage area to be filtered out of a list of fallback coverage areas that a base station of the serving network would provide to a served device, so as to help avoid having the device scan for coverage of that fallback coverage area.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for managing coverage area changes using base station signaling. The method may involve a first base station increasing the distance of coverage of the first base station on a first carrier frequency such that the extended coverage extends to a coverage area of a second base station on the first carrier frequency. The second base station may also be providing the coverage area on a second carrier frequency. The method may also involve causing one or more UEs being served by the second base station on the second frequency to prioritize operating on the first carrier frequency of the second base station over operating on the second carrier frequency of the second base station.

Abstract: A method for controlling a UE situated in both a coverage area of a first base station and a coverage area of a second base station involves detecting that the UE is ping-ponging between being served by the first base station and being served by the second base station and determining that the second base station is a relay base station. Further, the method involves, responsive to detecting the ping-ponging and determining that the second base station is a relay base station, (a) determining a carrier on which the first base station provides service and on which the second base station does not provide service, and (b) based on the first base station providing service on the determined carrier and the second base station not providing service on the determined carrier, causing the UE to be served by the first base station on the determined carrier.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for release of a UE's context record in response to failure of air interface communication. As disclosed, a wireless communication system includes a base station that has a protocol stack defining a series of logical processing layers through which the base station sequentially processes data for transmission to a UE. The layers include an upper layer and a physical layer at which the base station processes the data for communication over an air interface to the UE. Accordingly, the base station detects failure of air interface communication between the base station and the UE. In response to detecting the failure, and without waiting to detect at the upper layer a further failure corresponding with the failure of the air interface communication, the base station transmits to a network controller a UE-context release request requesting release of bearer context that was established for the UE.

Abstract: In one aspect, an exemplary method involves a WCD: (i) determining a likelihood of roaming, wherein the likelihood of roaming indicates a likelihood that the WCD will be handed off from a preferred coverage area to a non-preferred coverage area; and (ii) using the likelihood of roaming as a basis for managing an active set of the WCD. In particular, the WCD may manage its active set by setting at least one active-set parameter affecting the number of active sectors in an active set of the WCD, and then maintaining its active set according to the setting of the at least one active-set parameter. According to an exemplary embodiment, a WCD will make an effort to increase the number of sectors in its active set when the likelihood of roaming is greater, and vice versa.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems that may help to dynamically schedule data transmissions in accordance with a fairness policy between different classes of a users. An example method may be implemented in an access network that is configured for carrier-aggregation service via a plurality of component carriers in a given coverage area, and involves: (i) determining a usage level in the given coverage area, and (ii) determining that the usage level in the given coverage area is greater than a threshold usage level and responsively: (a) determining relative carrier-aggregation capabilities between two or more classes of user equipment (UE) that have established data connections in the coverage area, and (b) adjusting a per-carrier scheduling ratio for the given coverage area based on the relative carrier-aggregation capabilities between the two or more UE classes.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and corresponding system for managing communication in a first network, where the first network is interconnected with a fallback network. The first network may detect, when a user equipment device (UE) served by a base station of the first network seeks to initiate a voice call, the UE will transition from being served by the first network to be served by the fallback network in order to initiate the voice call directly via the fallback network rather than initiate the voice call via the first network. In response to detecting this, and further in response to the base station not supporting signaling between the UE and the fallback network, the first network may cause the UE to not transition to be served by the fallback network and to instead stay served by the base station.

Abstract: A determination may be made that resources from wireless coverage areas of a radio access network (RAN) are to be assigned to a particular wireless communication device (WCD), and that the particular WCD is configured for machine-to-machine (M2M) communication. Possibly in response to making the determination, the RAN may assign resources from a first extent of wireless coverage areas for substantially simultaneous communication between the RAN and the particular WCD. For other WCDs not configured for M2M communication, resources from a second extent of wireless coverage areas may be assigned for substantially simultaneous communication between the RAN and the other WCDs. The first extent may be greater than the second extent.