Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for communicating with a wireless device via at least two access nodes include receiving, at a gateway node, data addressed to a first network address of the wireless device, transmitting, via a donor access node, a first portion of the data within a first bearer addressed to a second network address of the wireless device, and transmitting, via a relay access node wirelessly coupled to the donor access node, a second portion of the data within a second bearer addressed to a third network address of the wireless device.

Abstract: Performing carrier aggregation for high-powered wireless devices that may cause interference to other wireless devices includes determining that a wireless device attached to an access node is assigned to a high power class and capable of operating in a carrier aggregation mode, initiating the carrier aggregation mode for the wireless device, and instructing the access node to utilize a frequency-division-duplexing (FDD) carrier deployed by the access node as a primary carrier for the wireless device. A handover of the wireless device to the FDD carrier may be triggered by a threshold level of interference caused by uplink transmissions from the wireless device when operating in the high-powered transmission mode on a TDD carrier.

Abstract: A mechanism to help facilitate uplink communication from multiple user equipment devices (UEs) to a base station on shared air interface resources, i.e., with the multiple UEs transmitting to the base station on the same subcarriers and at the same time as each other. The mechanism makes use of successive interference cancellation (SIC) and non-orthogonal coding to help distinguish and separate the UEs' transmissions from each other and thus to help the base station separately process each UE's transmission even though the UEs transmit to the base station on the same air interface resources as each other.

Abstract: A mechanism for S1 handover triggered by a target eNodeB. When a UE is being served by a source eNodeB and detects threshold strong coverage of a target cell, the UE sends an RRC connection request to the target eNodeB and informs the target eNodeB that the UE is being served by the source eNodeB. In response, the target eNodeB engages in a process to invoke handover of the UE to the target eNodeB, without the target eNodeB having received from the MME or from the source eNodeB a handover request for the handover of the UE.

Abstract: A system for allocating uplink resources to relay nodes in a wireless network includes an access node configured to deploy a first radio air interface. The system also includes a relay node configured to attach to the first radio air interface and to deploy a second radio air interface to which one or more end-user wireless devices are attached. The system further includes one or more other end-user wireless devices attached to the first radio air interface. The system further includes a processor configured to determine a type of traffic related to the one or more end-user wireless devices served by the relay node. The processor is further configured to selectively issue an extended uplink grant to the relay node based on the type of traffic.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for adjusting a scheduling algorithm based on wireless device priority. A plurality of resource blocks may be transmitted from an access node to a set of wireless devices using a scheduling algorithm, wherein the set comprises a first priority subset of wireless devices and a second priority subset of wireless devices. It may be detected that a number of resources blocks received by the second priority subset of wireless devices is greater than a number of resource blocks received by the first priority subset of wireless devices. And, based on the detecting, the scheduling algorithm may be adjusted such that the resource blocks received by the first priority subset of wireless devices are increased after the adjustment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for communicating with a wireless network using multiple transceivers by instructing a serving access node to initiate a handover of a wireless device to a target access node, wherein the wireless device is simultaneously communicatively coupled to each of the serving access node and the target access node, and wherein the wireless device is engaged in a first communication session with the serving access node, instructing the serving access node to transmit data associated with the first communication session to the target access node, and instructing the wireless device to establish a second communication session with the target access node, wherein the second communication session is established seamlessly at the wireless device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling base station selection for service of a user equipment device (UE). When the UE is within coverage of a first base station and within coverage of a second base station, a determination could be made as to whether the UE should be served by the first base station or rather by the second base station, with the determination being based at least on a comparison of (i) maximum number of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) layers that the first base station supports per UE with (ii) maximum number of MIMO layers that the second base station supports per UE. Action could then be taken to cause the UE to be served in accordance with the determination.

Abstract: A method and system to limit voice-filter bandwidth based for a device model based on observed sound quality trend. A system monitors sound quality of voice-call communications coming from various devices and detects based on the monitoring that the sound quality of voice-call communications coming from devices of a particular model tends to be threshold low even when the devices have threshold high quality wireless coverage. In response the system then imposes a policy for devices of that model to restrict the voice-filter bandwidth that they apply—such as by limiting the devices to use a voice-filter bandwidth that is no wider than a designated bandwidth.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for selecting relay nodes for Single-User Multiple-Input-Multiple Output (SU-MIMO). A channel orthogonality and Signal-to-Interference-Plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) of a plurality of wireless devices located in a geographic area of an access node is determined. A relay-capable status of the plurality of wireless devices is determined. Non-relay capable wireless devices located in the geographic area are excluded from SU-MIMO. From the plurality of wireless devices, relay-capable wireless devices are selected for SU-MIMO. The selected relay-capable wireless devices are prioritized for SU-MIMO based on a channel orthogonality and SINR meeting a set threshold.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for activating beamforming based on monitoring uplink conditions of one or more wireless devices attached to a serving access node, wherein the one or more wireless devices are assigned to a high power class and, upon determining uplink conditions meeting a threshold, activating a beamforming transmission mode of the serving access node. The uplink conditions meeting the threshold trigger at least one of the one or more wireless devices to transmit using a high powered transmission mode.

Abstract: A system for inter band carrier aggregation includes an access node configured to deploy a radio air interface to provide wireless services to a plurality of wireless devices. The access node includes a processor configured to determine a location of a wireless device. The processor is also configured to compare the location of the wireless device with predetermined map data to determine whether the wireless device is located within an overlapping area between a first coverage area of a first modulation scheme on a first frequency band and a second coverage area of a second modulation scheme on a second frequency band. The processor is further configured to, when the wireless device is located within the overlapping area, perform an inter band carrier aggregation between the first frequency band and the second frequency band for the wireless device.

Abstract: A method and system to help control transmission over an air interface from a base station to a served WCD. When the base station has a threshold small quantity of data to transmit over the air to a WCD, the base station will schedule the transmission to occur in a downlink PRB of a special subframe, rather than in a PRB of a regular downlink subframe. As the downlink PRB of the special subframe likely has fewer useable resource elements than the PRB of the regular downlink subframe, this process could help to minimize waste of air interface resources resulting from not making use of resource elements in an allocated PRB.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling application of MU-MIMO. The disclosure provides for considering a device's mobility 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 are each stationary or moving less than a threshold extent. 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' speed of movement and could select the devices that have lower speed of movement to receive MU-MIMO service.

Abstract: According to exemplary embodiments described herein, communicating via a plurality of antennae includes transmitting different data streams from each of a first antenna and a second antenna in a first transmission mode, and transmitting identical data streams from a third antenna and one of the first and second antennae in a second transmission mode. The first and second antennae are horizontally stacked relative to each other and the third antenna is vertically stacked relative to both the first and second antennae.

Abstract: An access node can dynamically adjust a buffer allocation of a wireless device connected thereto, based on a packet loss or other signal degradation characteristic of a wireless link between the access node and the wireless device. The wireless device may be a relay node. The signal degradation may be indicated by a packet loss of data transmitted over the wireless link. Based on the detected signal degradation, the donor access node dynamically and in real-time adjusts a size of a buffer or sub-buffer allocated to the relay node. Threshold comparisons are used to determine when and by how much to adjust the buffer size. Operations are not limited to relay node buffers, and can be applied to buffers associated with standard wireless devices based upon signal characteristics thereof, an application requirement of the devices, or a historical trend of packets losses for the wireless links associated therewith.

Abstract: Methods, processing nodes, and systems are provided for managing relay nodes in a wireless network. A number of relay nodes attached to a donor access node can be determined. A number of latency sensitive wireless devices attached to the relay nodes can be determined. A latency sensitive wireless device can be a wireless device running a latency sensitive application. A latency sensitive relay node can be a relay node attached to the donor access node having an attached latency sensitive wireless device. A maximum number of relay nodes attached to the donor access node can be set, for example, based on the number of latency sensitive wireless devices attached to latency sensitive relay nodes.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for selecting a relay wireless device for beamforming with a beamforming-capable access node. In certain instances, the relay wireless device may be prioritized over end-user wireless devices for beamform activation, particularly when there are more wireless devices meeting the beamforming criteria of a donor access node than available beamform seats.

Abstract: Dual connectivity operations described herein include splitting a PDU into at least first and second portions of data addressed to or from first and/or second network addresses of a wireless device respectively, and modifying a source/destination address of the second portion of data from the first network address to the second network address in the downlink direction, and from the second network address to the first network address in the uplink direction. Uniquely-marked bearers set up between relay access nodes and donor access nodes (and gateways associated therewith) enable transmission of portions of data to and from the different network addresses.

Abstract: Minimizing interference that may potentially be caused by high-powered wireless devices to other wireless devices in the network includes determining that a first wireless device assigned to a first power class is engaged in located in a data session of a first type, and activating a high-powered transmission mode of the first wireless device. The high-powered transmission mode utilizes a first transmission power level that is associated with the first power class.