Abstract: A method and system to help minimize communication latency. When data is to be transmitted from a transmitting entity to a receiving entity, the transmission will be scheduled to occur in a time interval that selected based on a consideration of the delay-sensitivity of the data and based on a HARQ delay associated with the selected time interval. For instance, if the data is particularly delay-sensitive, then the transmission could be scheduled to occur in a time interval that is selected based on the time interval having a relatively low associated HARQ delay, so as to help reduce the overall delay of the communication. Whereas, if the data is not particularly delay-sensitive, then the transmission could be scheduled to occur in a time interval that has a relatively high associated HARQ delay.

Abstract: When a base station is going to offload a UE from a carrier and is faced with a choice of whether to transition the UE from that carrier to a first carrier or rather to a second carrier, the base station will select the first carrier as the target carrier based at least on a determination that the first carrier has higher insertion loss than the second carrier. In addition, to help offset service of the UE on the high-insertion-loss carrier, the base station may block other UEs from being served on the first carrier.

Abstract: A system for scheduling resources in a wireless network is provided. The system 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 a processor configured to perform operations including determining an indicator of congestion at the relay node, prioritizing traffic based on the indicator of congestion and a channel bandwidth between the relay node and the access node, and scheduling resources based on the prioritized traffic.

Abstract: A radio access network (RAN) may receive a request to establish a call involving a wireless communication device (WCD) served by the RAN. The WCD may receive signals from the RAN, via a plurality of wireless coverage areas, at respective signal strengths. A set of n wireless coverage areas may be selected from the plurality of wireless coverage areas to support communications related to the call, where n is at least 2. A service option to use for the call may be determined, where the service option indicates a call type. Based on the indicated call type, at least one wireless coverage area may be removed from the set of n wireless coverage areas. The call may be established between the RAN and the WCD.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes are related to preventing message overloading in a wireless network. The method includes establishing, by the access node, the wireless connection with the wireless device. The method also includes forwarding, from the access node to a controller node, a network connection message from the wireless device. The network connection message requests connection to network services of the wireless network. Additionally, the method includes receiving, at the access node from the controller node, a message indicating that the wireless device is denied access to the network services. Also, the method includes terminating, at the access node, the wireless connection with the wireless device in response to receiving the message. The method further includes limiting, at the access node, an establishment of future wireless connections with the wireless device in response to receiving the message.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods to reduce interference in heterogeneous networks having a plurality of access nodes, such as combinations of macro cells, micro cells, pico cells, femto cells, etc. are disclosed. Interference caused in sectors of two or more access nodes that face each other is minimized by dividing a total number of resource blocks into resource block sets that are uniquely numbered and allocated across each sector of each access node. The allocation is rotated based on a different time stamp or a different starting number, or may be a random sequence of sets per access node. These independent allocations for each access node generally distribute the interference across the system, and provide better interference reduction, resulting in an increase in system capacity per sector of each cell.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for communicating with a wireless device via at least two access nodes include communicating with a wireless device via at least two access nodes includes receiving, at a relay access node coupled to a donor access node, downlink data intended to be transmitted to an end-user wireless device attached to the relay access node; determining that a signal condition at the relay access node meets a criteria; and in response to determining that the signal condition meets the criteria, forwarding the downlink data to the donor access node. The donor access node transmits the downlink data to the end-user wireless device, and the relay access node maintains a control channel with the end-user wireless device.

Abstract: A base station that is configured to provide first-RAT service on multiple carriers will reserve at least one of the carriers for use in providing UEs with dual-connectivity service on the first RAT and a second RAT, and the base station will reserve at least one other of the carriers for use in providing UEs with standalone first-RAT service. For instance, a 4G base station that is configured to provide 4G service on multiple 4G carriers could reserve at least one of those 4G carriers for use in providing UEs with EN-DC service (where each UE would be served concurrently on a 5G carrier as well) and could reserve another one of those 4G carriers for use in providing UEs with standalone 4G service.

Abstract: A method for controlling handover of a user equipment device (UE) between (i) a first cell site that provides dual-connectivity service on a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second RAT and (ii) a second cell site that provides standalone first-RAT service, wherein the handover includes transitioning the UE from source first-RAT service to target first-RAT service. The method includes setting a handover threshold to use as a basis to evaluate whether target first-RAT coverage detected by the UE is sufficiently stronger than source first-RAT coverage detected by the UE, where setting the handover threshold includes setting the handover threshold to a value selected based on whether the UE has detected that second-RAT coverage of the first cell site meets a defined threshold measurement threshold. Further, the method includes applying the set handover threshold as a basis to control whether to invoke the handover of the UE.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for assigning wireless resources to a high power wireless device. In some embodiments, a quality of service metric used for communication between a wireless device and an access node is identified, wherein the wireless device is configured to transmit an uplink signal at a first signal level that meets a power criteria. Default uplink resource are assigned to the wireless device based on the identified quality of service criteria, wherein the default uplink resources are associated with a default wireless device configured to transmit an uplink signal at a second signal level that does not meet the power criteria. And uplink communication is received at the access node from the wireless device using the assigned default uplink resources.

Abstract: A wireless device or UE is configured to function as a relay on behalf of a donor access node. The relay UE performs call admission controls including balancing the resources of the relay access node with the resources provided by the donor access node providing services to end UEs via the relay access node, i.e. a backhaul connection of the relay UE. The backhaul throughput is compared to a throughput requirement of the end UEs being served by the relay UE. If the throughput requirement is larger than the backhaul throughput, any new connection requests from an additional end UE may be rejected. A threshold may be defined to ensure that there are ample resources at the backhaul prior to accepting connection requests from additional end UEs.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling broadcast of system messaging from a relay, where the relay provides service on a first air interface and is configured to periodically broadcast on the first air interface a system message useable by WCDs to facilitate acquisition of wireless connectivity with the relay, and where the relay is served by a donor base station over a second air interface on which the donor base station provides service. Per the disclosure, an entity detects that resource utilization on the second air interface on which the donor base station provides service is threshold high, and in response to at least that detecting, the relay is made to temporarily discontinue the periodic broadcast of the system message on the first air interface so as to prevent the acquisition of connectivity with the relay.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for managing conflicts between a load balancing protocol and a neighbor relations protocol. Network characteristics for an access node in communication with a plurality of wireless devices may be determined. The plurality of wireless devices may be classified into a high priority class and a low priority class based on a traffic requirement for each of the wireless devices. The determined network conditions my then be compared to a criteria. Based on the comparison, the high priority class of wireless devices may be instructed to perform one of a neighbor relations protocol and a load balancing protocol.

Abstract: A method and system to help manage resources in a fallback scenario is disclosed. A first network may be configured to serve user equipment devices (UEs) according to a first protocol and a second network may be configured to serve UEs according to a second protocol. The method may involve the first network serving a UE, where serving the UE includes allocating at least one resource to the UE. The method may also involve, after the UE has transitioned from being served by the first network to being served by the second network for a circuit-switched-fallback call, (i) if the UE completes call setup, the first network releasing the resources, but (ii) if the UE does not complete call setup, the first network using the allocated resources to serve the UE after the UE transitions back to being served by the first network.

Abstract: When a serving base station encounters a trigger for handover of a UE to a target base station, the serving base station will responsively predict whether, before the serving base station would direct the UE to handover to the target base station, an inactivity timer for the UE will expire, and the serving base station will then control the handover based on that prediction. For instance, responsive to the predicting being that the inactivity timer will expire before the serving base station would send a handover command message to the UE, the serving base station could forgo engaging in handover-preparation signaling with the target base station for the handover, instead allowing the UE to transition to idle mode upon expiration of the timer, at which point the UE could then engage in idle-mode handover to the target base station.

Abstract: A mechanism to control power consumption by a base station, such as a base station that implements an antenna array, such as a massive-MIMO antenna array. A computing system detects operation by the base station in a low-usage state and operation by a collated base station in a low-usage state. In response, the computing system then causes reconfiguration of a proper subset of antenna structures of the antenna array from an enabled state to a disabled state, while keeping a remainder of the antenna structures of the antenna array in the enabled state.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for managing air interface communications between a base station and a user equipment device (UE). When setup of a dedicated bearer connection between a base station and a UE served by the base station fails, setup of the dedicated bearer connection can be re-initiated responsive to determining that, following the failure, a threshold extent of dedicated bearer connections have been successfully set up between base station and one or more other UEs.

Abstract: Contention-based random access operations are enhanced by enabling wireless devices to transmit a plurality of orthogonal preambles simultaneously to an access node, thereby increasing the probability of at least one preamble being heard by the access node, and minimizing the risk of preamble collision with another wireless device. Different classes of devices may be configured to transmit different numbers of preambles, depending on a priority level for that class, for purposes such as emergency communications, real-time applications, etc. Parameters including relationships between specific priority levels, device classes, application classes, quality of service, and number of preambles permitted, may be broadcast or otherwise communicated to wireless devices by the wireless network.

Abstract: An eUICC is configured with one or more master delete keys each allowing an associated level of profile-deletion access for deleting one or more profiles from the eUICC, and the eUICC is configured to control profile-deletion access in accordance with the one or more delete keys. For instance, one delete key could allow deletion of any or all profiles on the eUICC including any operational profiles (e.g., MNO profiles) and any non-operational profiles. Whereas, another delete key could allow deletion of any or all operational profiles but not any non-operational profiles. Further, a blockchain protocol could be used to securely convey such a delete key from one party to another, helping to establish chain of custody of the delete key.

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein can help to dynamically adjust the degree of or enable/disable concatenation of page messages, depending upon whether a user equipment is operating as a single radio LTE (SRLTE) device. An exemplary method involves a radio access network: (i) determining that a UE is configured to use a single radio system for both (a) data communication under a first air interface protocol, and (b) voice calls under a second air interface protocol that is different from the first air interface protocol, (ii) based at least in part on the determination, selecting a page-concatenation level to be used to page the first UE, and (iii) transmitting at least on page message to the UE according to the selected page-concatenation level.