Abstract: A new type of Network Function (NF), referred to as Network Management Function (NMF), is introduced and included in communications network. The NMF implemented in accordance with some embodiments of the invention includes a Network Management Function database (NMFDB) including maintenance mode (MM) flag(s) and control logic for processing received messages from NFs, said control logic using the maintenance mode flag value information in determining which processing operations to perform. The NMF is placed between NFs, which are to be managed by the NMF, and a Network (function) Repository Function (NRF), which includes a typical NRF database which does not include any MM flags. By using the MM flags at the NMF, it is possible to centrally manage the traffic flow and use of individual instances of NFs in the network allowing instances of NFs to be easily taken in and out of service, e.g., as maintenance is required.

Abstract: Methods and/or apparatus for reducing or avoiding (IDC) in-device coexistence problems in devices which support multiple communications protocols, e.g., WiFi and LTE, are described. In various embodiments a WiFi AP can request or require devices, e.g., STAs to report IDC information pertinent to the individual device. This is done by sending one or more trigger frames, e.g., as part of a multicast or unicast operation. Alternatively, devices can voluntarily report IDC information. The AP, e.g., WiFi AP, takes the IDC information it receives, e.g., from multiple devices, e.g., STAs, into account when scheduling UL resources to be used by the wireless devices. By taking into consideration the IDC information provided by STAs, IDC conflicts can be avoid even though a WiFi AP is scheduling resources for WiFi communication in devices which are also using resources for another communications standard, e.g., LTE, over which the AP does not have control.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining losses due to obstructions in a wireless communications system are described. Pairs of measurements points, one of each side of an obstruction are selected, and wireless device reported received signal energy measurements corresponding to the pair of selected locations are used to determine a path loss through the obstruction. In some embodiments, the pair of measurements points are selected based on one or more of: wireless device orientation at the time of measurement, application in use at the time of measurement, time between measurements, or location between measurements. In one example, a first selected location in the pair corresponds to an outdoor location with a unobstructed line of sight view to the base station, while the second selected location corresponds to an indoor location.

Abstract: Various embodiments describe methods, systems, and devices for establishing a packet cable multi-media (PCMM) session. Exemplary implementations may receiving, a call initiation request message; determine whether a negative PCMM response associated with the call initiation request message is received; determine whether to ignore the negative PCMM response based on a call preferences parameter associated with the first UE in response to determining that the negative PCMM response is received; and establish a call associated with the call initiation request message in response to determining to ignore the negative PCMM response based on the call preferences parameter associated with the first UE.

Abstract: Channel information is accessed that identifies a plurality of channels, and for each channel a multicast address to which packets carrying channel content are addressed. Multicast data rate information is obtained from a plurality of routers that identifies, for each respective router, a real-time data rate of data addressed to a multicast address being routed by the respective router. It is determined, based on the multicast data rate information, that an output channel data rate of a first channel of the plurality of channels is lower than an expected output channel data rate that corresponds to the first channel. Information indicating that the first channel has an output channel data rate that is less than the expected output channel data rate is presented on a display device.

Abstract: A network environment includes a wireless base station and a repeater wireless station. The repeater wireless station receives first wireless communications and second wireless communications transmitted from a wireless base station. The repeater wireless station also receives schedule information notifying the repeater wireless station to retransmit at least the first wireless communications. In accordance with the schedule information, the repeater wireless station controls retransmission of the first wireless communications and the second wireless communications.

Abstract: A communications system includes a non-MUSIM enhanced PLMN and a MUSIM enhanced PLMN. The MUSIM enhanced PLMN includes a novel Multi-Path (MP) Proxy node. The MP Proxy Node is controlled to switch between two alternative DL data flow paths to facilitate graceful path changeovers. Downlink (DL) data flow toward the non MUSIM enhanced network (e.g., PLMN-A) is based on the interaction between the MUSIM UE and the MUSIM enhanced network (e.g., PLMN-B) together with the novel MultiPath (MP) Proxy node.

Abstract: A communication system includes multiple repeater wireless stations and communication management hardware. The multiple repeater wireless stations receive first wireless signals from a wireless base station. The multiple repeater wireless stations transmit second wireless signals from the multiple repeater wireless stations to a mobile communication device. The second wireless signals are reproductions of the first wireless signals. The communication management hardware controls phase shifts of the second wireless signals in time such that the second wireless signals received by the mobile communication device are phase aligned.

Abstract: A SMS message is conditionally additionally directed toward an STB, located at the customer premises, to which the target phone number of the SMS message corresponds, and is displayed on a device, e.g., a TV, coupled to the STB, in addition to being directed to the phone corresponding to the target phone number. A new STB SMS server: i) determines whether an incoming SIP message including a SMS message is to be sent toward a STB for SMS display on a display device coupled to the STB, or is to be dropped, e.g., based on a SMS_DISPLAY_STB flag value in a subscriber profile corresponding to the target phone number, ii) determines, for a SIP message including a SMS message, a particular video endpoint, and iii) sends a SIP message including a SMS message to a determined video endpoint for SMS message delivery to a STB interfacing with the video endpoint.

Abstract: A Configuration Auditor and Configuration Enforcer (CACE) automatically runs audits of cells in a network and finds any discrepancies between the actual and preferred configuration. The CACE has access to lists of parameters and preferred settings for the network operator in which the cell being audited is located and thus knows the preferred settings for the given type of radio being audited and/or use of the radio in terms of the intended coverage area and/or traffic type being communicated. The list of parameters to which the actual radio settings is compared is sometimes referred to as a “golden parameter list”. The detection of radio parameter setting discrepancies, e.g., setting errors, and the correction of the parameter settings is performed automatically with parameter settings being automatically corrected on the fly, e.g., immediately, when possible without disrupting service or during a scheduled service interval if a radio reboot is required.

Abstract: Methods and systems for automated relay registration in a customer premises is described herein. A method for automatically registering a relay using a Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum includes receiving, at a spectrum access system (SAS) registration processing tool from a user interface input unit, relay information for a relay to extend wireless coverage in a customer premises, the wireless coverage extending from a donor base station, extracting, by the SAS registration processing tool, commonly-used object information from a donor base station object associated with the donor base station, generating, by the SAS registration processing tool, a relay registration object from the relay information and the extracted commonly-used object information, and automatically registering, by the SAS registration processing tool, the relay with a spectrum access system using the relay registration object when the relay is turned on at the customer premises.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting wireless medium sharing in wireless communications systems, e.g., various 802.11 wireless communications systems, are described. A novel shared transmission type of trigger frame is implemented, which allows a wireless station, acting as a host station, to make available transmission resources, which have been acquired by the wireless station, to one or more guest stations. A shared transmission type of trigger frame, generated and transmitted by the host station communicates information identifying the attributes of a corresponding trigger based (TB) frame, information identifying resources of the TB frame to be used by the host station and information identifying one or more set of shared resources which may be used by guest station(s). The trigger based (TB) frame, corresponding to the transmitted shared transmission type trigger frame, is used by the host station and one or more guest stations to transmit data to an access point.

Abstract: Virtual reality content (VR content) streaming based on quality of experience level is disclosed. In response to a request from a head-mounted display device (HMDD) to serve a VR content, a computing device determines a head motion quantifier (HMQ) associated with the VR content. The computing device is configured to dynamically provide to the HMDD imagery from the VR content based on head movements of a user of the HMDD. The computing device determines a latency value associated with a round-trip time of data between the computing device and the HMDD. The computing device determines a quality of experience level of a plurality of different quality of experience levels based on the HMQ and the latency value, and performs an action based on the quality of experience level.

Abstract: Systems and methods of a field deployed access CPE device with smart and efficient agent integrated with an agile software architecture to collect and analyze proactive network maintenance (PNM) management information base (MIB) data. The access CPE device may determine the OFDMA channel's impulse response and group delay, stream the collected data to the operator's streaming and analytics platform to identify cable plant faults, determine whether the identified faults are located inside or outside the customer's home, and mitigate the impact of the identified faults via machine learning models.

Abstract: A content delivery network (CDN) includes UE gateways, a service switch (SS) mesh network, and server gateways. The CDN nodes maintain cache lists of mappings identifying corresponding upstream system nodes for content items available at content servers connected to the server gateways. When a CDN node receives an upstream service instance request for a specific content item by a corresponding UE connected to a UE gateway, upon determining that a mapping for the specific content item is in its cache list, the CDN node forwards the upstream service instance request to the corresponding upstream system node as part of a process of defining a downstream data path for the specific content item from the corresponding content server to the corresponding UE. The CDN enables service-level content delivery at lower levels of latency than conventional DNS-based systems.

Abstract: A first dual SIM user equipment (UE) has a first wireless connection to first Citizens Broadband radio Services Devices (CBSD) of a first network and a second wireless connection to a second CBSD of a second network. Different encryption and different frequency hopping patterns are used with regard to communicating the same voice packet information over the first and second wireless connections. The same voice information is attempted to be redundantly communicated over the two connections, e.g. concurrently or with a slight delay with regard to the two connections. The CBRS communications are typically less reliable than cellular licensed spectrum communications, and a particular encrypted voice packet may, and sometimes is lost; however, the redundancy is used to compensate for expected losses. Successfully recovered encrypted voice packets are sent from the CBSDs to a packet synchronizer which performs decryption and combines the recovered packets into a single packet stream.

Abstract: A method for providing a differentiated feature to a first user equipment (UE) connected to a local area network (LAN) implemented by a router connected to a customer premises equipment (CPE) provisioned with a default feature associated with a first service tier of a plurality of service tiers provided by an internet service provider includes obtaining data indicating the first UE has connected to the LAN and determining the first UE is eligible for a second service tier of the different tiers. In response to determining the first UE is eligible for the second service tier, the method includes causing the CPE to be dynamically provisioned for a differentiated service associated with the second service tier. The method includes sending a message to the router to configure the router to provide the differentiated feature to the first UE.

Abstract: According to one configuration, a wireless network environment includes a first wireless network and a second wireless network. A mobile communication device in the wireless network environment receives first paging notifications directed to the mobile communication device from a first wireless base station such as operated by a first wireless network service provider. The mobile communication device receives second paging notifications directed to the mobile communication device from a second wireless base station such as operated by a second wireless network service provider. The wireless network environment provides improved paging over conventional techniques.

Abstract: A system includes a primary playback system and a secondary playback system. The primary playback system plays back selected content. The secondary playback system plays back supplemental media associated with the content played back on the primary playback system. A media playback function (such as associated with the secondary playback system) monitors playback of the content on the primary playback system. For example, a first processing thread of the media playback function initially synchronizes playback of supplemental media on the secondary playback system with respect to playback of the content on the primary playback system. Based on further monitoring of playing back the content on the secondary playback system, a second processing thread of the media playback function verifies synchronization (and, when needed, initiates re-synchronization) of playback of the supplemental media on the secondary playback system with respect to playback of the content on the primary playback system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for supporting band steering and/or channel steering in wireless communications systems, e.g. WiFi communications systems, are described. An access point aggregates information, e.g., from messages being communicated between the access point and client devices being serviced by the access point, and generates reports. The generated reports are communicated to a control device, e.g. a radio resource management (RRM) device. In some embodiments, generated reports include one or more of: i) message header information, e.g. resource unit (RU) allocation and/or use information and/or BSS color information, ii) collision reports, iii) received signal strength indicator (RSSI) reports, signal to noise ratio (SNR) reports, iv) interference reports; v) power information; vi) access point measurement information; and vii) access point control information.