Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system to help manage communication in a network configured to support an inter-network fallback process in which the network passes pre-registration signaling and call-setup signaling between a fallback network and user equipment devices (UEs) served by the network to facilitate transition of UEs from being served over one air interface protocol by the network to being served with calls over a different air interface protocol by the fallback network. When the network detects a threshold extent of failure of the inter-network fallback process with respect to at least one UE served in a first coverage area provided by the network, the network may responsively direct one or more UEs served in the first coverage area to each hand over from the first coverage area to at least one second coverage area provided by the network instead of transitioning to be served by the fallback network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system that may help to expedite initiation of a packet-based real-time media session such as a VoIP session. Per the disclosure, the initial uplink grant that a base station provides to a UE in response to an access request may be an extent of uplink resources sufficient to carry just a radio-link-layer connection request. But when a UE is going to initiate a packet-based real-time media session, the UE may send a particular type of access request that is indicative of the plan to initiate a packet-based real-time media session, and responsive to the access request being of that particular type, the base station may then instead provide an initial grant of a greater extent of uplink resources sufficient to carry from the UE not only the radio-link-layer connection request but also a session initiation request (e.g., SIP INVITE) for the packet-based real-time media session.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for requesting a UE to forgo handover to a congested neighbor. In particular, a wireless communication system may serve the UE over an air interface connection between the UE and the first base station. While serving the UE, the wireless communication system may receive from the UE a handover request requesting a handover of the UE from the first base station to a second base station. In response to receiving from the UE the handover request, the wireless communication system may determine that the second base station is threshold congested, and, responsive to the determining, (i) deny the handover request and (ii) send to the UE a command for the UE to withhold transmission of further requests for handover of the UE from the first base station to the second base station.

Abstract: A base station may use the quality of service (QoS) levels of the bearer connections of user equipment devices (UEs) as a basis to allocate paging resources to the UEs. In one example, a UE may receive from the base station a message defining a plurality of recurring paging occasions. The plurality of paging occasions may include a first set of paging occasions and a second set of paging occasions that are mutually exclusive. The UE may then make a decision, based on a QoS level of a bearer connection of the UE, of whether to monitor one or more paging occasions of the first set of paging occasions or rather to monitor one or more paging occasions of the second set of paging occasions. And the UE may monitor, in accordance with the decision, at least one paging occasion for paging messages destined for the UE.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and a corresponding system for managing quantity of carriers, based at least in part on consideration of a public land mobile network (PLMN) to which the user equipment device (UE) at issue subscribes. A base station serving the UE may determine the PLMN to which the UE subscribes and, based at least on the UE's PLMN, may determine a quantity of carriers on which to serve the UE, the determined quantity of carriers being at least one carrier. The base station may then configure an air interface between the base station and the UE to encompass the determined quantity of carriers, so that the base station is then set to serve the UE on the determined quantity of carriers.

Abstract: In an example method, a base station encounters a trigger to begin providing carrier aggregation service to a UE. The base station is serving the UE on a first carrier, and makes a determination that the first carrier is a carrier having an uplink transmission power restriction rather than a carrier that does not have the uplink transmission power restriction. Responsive to encountering the trigger: based at least on the determination, the base station initiates a handover of the UE from the first carrier to a second carrier that does not have the uplink transmission power restriction; and the base station providing the UE with the carrier aggregation service, using the second carrier as a primary carrier during the carrier aggregation service.

Abstract: A wireless network includes first-configuration sectors with a first frequency assignment and second-configuration sectors with a second frequency assignment. When served by a first-configuration sector that borders a second-configuration sector, the mobile station receives (i) a neighbor list that identifies neighbor sectors of the primary sector, including the second-configuration sector, (ii) a primary-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the primary sector and a reference point in the primary sector, and (iii) a neighbor-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the second-configuration sector and the reference point. Based on the reference distances, the mobile station calculates a border distance between the primary sector's transmitter and a border between the sectors. The mobile station compares its distance from the primary sector's transmitter to the primary-sector reference distance and/or border distance.

Abstract: A method and system for transferring buffered downlink data for a wireless communication device (WCD) from a source base station to a target base station as part of a handover of the WCD from the source to the target base station. The source base station may have downlink data for transmission to the WCD buffered during the handover. 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 refrain from transmitting at least one portion of the buffered data to the target base station.

Abstract: A method and system for pre-configuring a UE with timing advance for use in communication with a handover target. When a UE is being served by a handover source, the handover source transmits to a handover target a measurement request that specifies an uplink reference signal that the UE will provide, and the handover target evaluates that uplink reference signal to determine a timing advance for the UE and reports the timing advance in a response to the handover source. As the handover source then directs the UE to hand over to the handover target, the handover source provides the UE with an indication of the timing advance provided by the handover target. The UE may then transition to be served by the handover target and to make use of the indicated timing advance.

Abstract: When a base station encounters a trigger to reduce the number of carriers on which the base station serves a wireless commination device (WCD), the base station will responsively reduce the number of carriers but will also responsively increase the number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers on which the base station serves the WCD, to help offset for the reduction in number of serving carriers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system to help rectify errors in operation of a wireless communication system. When a base station detects one or more errors in operation of the system, the base station will automatically request and receive from an adjacent base station a set of one or more operational parameters that the adjacent base station is set to provide, and the base station will substitute the received operational parameters for those that the base station is set to provide to UEs. This process may thereby help to avoid recurrence of certain errors in operation of the system.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically selecting call setup procedure based on channel quality. While a wireless communication device (WCD) is being served by a first radio access network (RAN), a network node receives an indication of a communication quality of the at least one channel used by the first RAN to serve the given WCD. Then, the network node selects a call setup procedure for establishing a call to be served by a second RAN based on the received indication of the communication quality of the at least one channel, where the selected call setup procedure comprises the given WCD transitioning to be served with the call by the second RAN. Next, the network node signals to invoke setup of the call using the selected call setup procedure.

Abstract: A method and system to help avoid a failed eCSFB call setup in the presence of handover. While a WCD is being served by a base station of a first network, the base station may detect both a fallback trigger and a handover trigger. The fallback trigger may be a trigger to initiate a fallback setup procedure, where the fallback setup procedure involves execution of a sequence of steps including a particular step. The handover trigger may be a trigger to initiate a handover procedure. The base station determines that the handover trigger was detected before execution of the particular step of the fallback setup procedure. Responsive to determining that the handover trigger was detected before execution of the particular step, the base station (a) foregoes the fallback setup procedure and (b) transmits to the WCD a message directing the WCD to establish communication with the second network.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for facilitating detection of interference data in association with radars are provided. In some embodiments, signal levels at a communication tower are monitored. In accordance with the monitored signal levels, a periodic interference associated with a radar remote from the communication tower is recognized based on a pattern of signal levels monitored. Interference data associated with the periodic interference is calculated. Such interference data may include, for example, an interference periodicity and an interference duration.

Abstract: In accordance with the disclosed methods and systems, while providing a service that enables user equipment devices (UEs) being served by a first network to engage in signaling with a second network via the first network, a controller or other network entity may detect an error condition associated with the service, such as a threshold-high level of signaling or an interface failure. In response to detecting the error condition, base stations in the first network may then direct one or more UEs being served by the first network to refrain from using the given service. As a result, the one or more UEs may refrain from using the given service and may instead use another approach to engage in signaling with the second network, which may enable the one or more UEs to circumvent the error condition until it gets remedied.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for improved paging in a wireless communication system. In a scenario where base stations broadcast congestion indicators to prevent mobile stations from registering in coverage areas that are experiencing threshold congestion, the method provides for a new form of zone based paging that accounts for the possibility that a mobile station has entered into a new zone but has not yet registered due to a threshold congestion state. According to the method, a paging attempt will be directed to the mobile station's zone of last registration and to only those coverage areas in at least one adjacent paging zone that are deemed to be experiencing threshold congestion.

Abstract: An example embodiment may involve determining a quality of service level for network traffic associated with a WCD. The WCD may be served by an air interface of a RAN. The air interface may include a primary signaling channel and a secondary signaling channel, where the primary signaling channel simultaneously spans all of a plurality of contiguous subcarrier frequencies and the secondary signaling channel does not simultaneously span all of the plurality of contiguous subcarrier frequencies. The example embodiment may further involve, possibly based on the quality of service level for the network traffic associated with the WCD, selecting the primary signaling channel or the secondary signaling channel for transmission of a signaling message to the WCD. The example embodiment may also involve transmitting the signaling message to the WCD via the selected signaling channel.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems to help conserve battery life of a user equipment device (UE). In particular, the UE may make a determination that a remaining battery life is threshold low. In response to making the determination, the UE may engage in a scanning-limiting process that involves (i) the UE identifying on the list each carrier frequency higher than the serving carrier frequency and (ii) based on the identifying, the UE excluding each identified higher carrier frequency from the list, so that, in response to detecting a trigger to scan carrier frequencies in search of target coverage for possible handover, the UE scans each carrier frequency on the list that is lower than the serving carrier frequency but forgoes scanning each identified higher carrier frequency. Further, once the UE detects the trigger, the UE may responsively scan carrier frequencies in accordance with the scanning-limiting process.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and corresponding apparatus to make use of hybrid-ARQ repetition factors as a way to differentiate service quality to various mobile terminals. Depending on a mobile terminal's subscription service class, such as the mobile terminal's PLMN, the mobile terminal may be made to use a particular hybrid-ARQ repetition factor. For instance, a mobile terminal of a high service class may be made to use a low hybrid-ARQ repetition factor, which may help the mobile terminal experience less downlink transmission delay and thus a higher downlink data rate. Whereas, a mobile terminal of a low service class may be made to use a high hybrid-ARQ repetition factor, which may cause the mobile terminal to experience more downlink transmission delay and thus a lower downlink data rate, and may further free up downlink transmission resources to facilitate better service for other mobile terminals.

Abstract: A method for controlling tune-away of a UE from its serving base station during handover, where the UE is configured to tune away from its serving base station at scheduled tune-away times, is disclosed herein. The method includes, between a first scheduled tune-away time and a next, second scheduled tune-away time, (a) determining that the UE has threshold weak signal strength from the serving base station, and (b) responsive to determining that the UE has threshold weak signal strength from the serving base station, determining a remaining battery energy level of the UE. The method further includes, based at least in part on the determined remaining battery energy level of the UE, causing the UE to tune away from the serving base station before the second scheduled tune-away time to scan for target coverage.