Abstract: A method of allocating frequency bands of an access node includes determining a number of relay wireless devices attached to a donor access node neighboring the access node and transmitting to the access node information related to the number of relay wireless devices attached to the donor access node. An inter-frequency handover threshold of the access node is altered based at least in part on the information related to the number of relay wireless devices attached to the donor access node. Systems and methods relate to allocating frequency bands of an access node.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for assigning operating bands to wireless devices of a wireless network. Registration notifications for a plurality of wireless devices are received at an access node. Each of the plurality of wireless devices are classified as either an indoor wireless device or an outdoor wireless device. The access node instructs wireless devices classified as indoor wireless devices to operate on a first operating band. The access node instructs wireless devices classified as outdoor wireless devices to operate on a second operating band.

Abstract: A method and system for proactively managing a base station neighbor list. A base station or other network node tracks changes to the base station's neighbor list and identifies a recurring pattern of changes, in correspondence with a particular time of day for instance. The base station or other node then proactively changes the base station's neighbor list in anticipation of a recurrence of the identified pattern, such as in anticipation of recurrence of the time of day for instance. Advantageously, this method can help to reduce the extent to which the base station engages in an automatic neighbor relation process, and thus reduce the extent of signaling and other issues associated with engaging in that process.

Abstract: When a UE is going to engage concurrently in a first transmission on a first channel and a second transmission on a second channel, the UE will apply a level of power-backoff for the first transmission, with the level of power-backoff being dynamically established (i) based on a prediction of what PSD-limited frequency in the nearest IM3 product will have the highest PSD and (ii) based on a mapping between that predicted worst-case frequency to an associated power-backoff value. For instance, considering the IM3 product nearest in frequency to the first transmission, a determination could be made as to what portion of the IM3 product is subject to a PSD limit. And a prediction could be made as to what frequency within that frequency range will have the highest PSD. That predicted worst-case frequency could then be mapped to an associated power-backoff value, and the UE could be configured accordingly.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling wireless communication over an air interface between a base station and a user equipment device (UE) served by the base station. In examples, the base station is configured to use a particular modulation and coding scheme (MCS) to transmit downlink control signals over the air interface to the UE without the base station beamforming the downlink control signals to the UE. Responsive to the base station determining that the UE is experiencing threshold poor RF conditions on the air interface, the base station reconfigures itself to beamform downlink control signals to the UE. And, given that the base station is reconfigured to beamform downlink control signals to the UE, the base station further reconfigures itself to use a higher-order MCS to transmit downlink control signals to the UE.

Abstract: Access nodes in a network are configured to periodically measure cell loads and exchange cell load measurements with neighbors. At each access node, cell loads are compared with load thresholds, and with neighboring loads, to determine whether or not load balancing operations should be triggered. Load balancing operations include reducing or increasing an effective coverage area of one or both of the congested cell and the neighbor cell by adjusting a handover threshold parameter, such as a threshold signal level. Adjusting thresholds at a congested cell triggers more handovers from the congested cell to the non-congested cell. Similarly, adjusting thresholds at a non-congested cell prevents handovers from the non-congested cell to the congested cell.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for providing a quality of service (QoS) to wireless devices attached to a relay access node include determining that a first amount of a first traffic type between a donor access node and a first one or more wireless devices in communication with the donor access node via the relay access node exceeds a threshold amount, and adjusting a quality of service (QoS) parameter of a wireless backhaul link between the relay access node and the donor access node from a first default QoS parameter to a new QoS parameter.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for configuring an eNodeB for improved circuit-switched-fallback (CSFB) service. The method includes detecting that, during past CSFB call setup for UEs served by the eNodeB, UEs reported as a strongest fallback coverage area a fallback coverage area that is not included in the eNodeB's CSFB-candidate data. And the method includes responsively (i) determining, based on location information and based on an identifier of the reported fallback coverage area, a node of the fallback network that the eNodeB's network can contact to facilitate CSFB call setup in the reported fallback coverage area, and (ii) adding to the CSFB-candidate data a record of the reported coverage area in association with a node identifier of the determined node, the added record being thereafter useable by the eNodeB to facilitate CSFB call setup in the reported fallback coverage area for a UE served by the eNodeB.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system that may help control when a network will request (and receive) a remaining battery energy level report from a UE. Per the disclosure, a network that has an established radio-link-layer connection with the UE could track an amount of time in which the UE operates in a radio-link-layer connected mode. The network could then determine whether the amount of time in which the UE has operated in the radio-link-layer connected mode has exceeded a predetermined threshold amount of time. And responsive to determining that the amount of time in which the UE has operated in the radio-link-layer connected mode has exceeded the threshold amount of time, the network could cause the UE to report to the network the remaining battery energy level of the UE.

Abstract: In a long term evolution (LTE) network, coordinated multipoint (CoMP) and transmission time interval (TTI) bundling can both help to improve uplink communications, but both can also place a burden on network resource. Further, since both utilize redundancy to improve uplink communications, albeit in different ways, use of CoMP and TTI bundling may be considered unnecessary. Accordingly, example methods and systems are provided that may help to balance the application of TTI bundling and CoMP.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling service of user equipment devices (UEs) by a base station in a wireless communication system. In an example arrangement, the base station detects that uplink noise on its air interface is threshold high and that multiple UEs being served by the base station are threshold distant from the base station. In response to detecting this combination of factors, the base selects at least one of the threshold distant UEs for the base station to stop serving, with the selection being based on the UE having highest uplink transmission power among the multiple served UEs that are threshold distant from the base station, and the base station then causes handover of the selected UE from the base station.

Abstract: Disclosed are structures and processes to help enable a wireless communication device (WCD) to support operation in a dual-connectivity scenario, such as where the WCD operates concurrently with 4G and 5G wireless connections over frequency channels in a common frequency band. Downlink low-noise-amplification could be controlled with a split dual-stage arrangement and control communication between modems in the WCD. And uplink maximum-power reduction could be controlled based on an evaluation of the frequency channels used by the respective connections, given knowledge of frequency resources allocated for one of those connections, and with a presumed worst-case-scenario frequency-resource allocation on the other connection.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling application of MU-MIMO. The disclosure provides for considering a device's power headroom 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 each have threshold low power headroom. 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' levels of power headroom and could select the devices that have lower power headroom to receive MU-MIMO service.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems that can help to determine a maximum size of the cooperating set of cells, which coordinate to provide a user equipment (UE) with coordinated multipoint (CoMP) service. An exemplary method involves: (a) determining, from a plurality of possible communication types, a communication type of a communication associated with a first UE; (b) using the determined communication type as a basis for determining a maximum size for a CoMP cooperating set for the UE, wherein the cooperating set specifies one or more cells to provide CoMP service to the UE; and (c) selecting one or more cells to include in the CoMP cooperating set for the UE, wherein a total number of cells selected is less than or equal to the determined maximum size.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for load balancing between frequency bands based on bandwidth capacity. A load for a first frequency band and a load for a second frequency band may be determined, wherein a cell communicates with wireless devices over the first and second frequency bands. The determined loads may be adjusted based on a channel width for each frequency band and a duplexing scheme for each frequency band. And the adjusted loads may be balanced between the first frequency band and the second frequency band by instructing wireless devices in communication with the cell to change frequency bands used for communicating with the cell.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus to help manage communication on a wireless channel when transmitting and receiving nodes will engage in a sequence of data-ACK exchanges with each other on the channel. As disclosed, the transmitting node and/or receiving node may include in at least one of the data-ACK exchanges an indication of how many data-ACK exchanges remain in the sequence and may further include indicia of how often each data-ACK exchange will occur and how long each data-ACK exchange will last. A neighboring node that is observing the channel to determine whether the channel is available may thus determine, based at least in part on the indication in the data-ACK exchange how many times to refrain from transmitting on the channel, how often to so refrain, and how long to refrain in each instance.

Abstract: Link adaptation for an uplink channel is dynamically performed based on changes in uplink resources in the wireless network, the changes based on frame configuration. If the ratio of uplink to downlink subframes in the new frame configuration is smaller, the throughput is increased by increasing a modulation and coding scheme of the uplink channel, and transmit power of wireless devices. If the ratio of uplink to downlink subframes is increased in the new frame configuration, the throughput is decreased, and the wireless device is instructed to transmit using reduced transmit power.

Abstract: A system for selecting a number of transmitting ports in an antenna at an access node includes an access node configured to deploy a first radio air interface to provide wireless services to wireless devices. The access node includes an antenna having ports and configured to communicate data with wireless devices through the ports and the first radio air interface. The access node also includes a processor configured to determine a trigger for dynamically selecting a number of transmitting ports in the antenna based on data received from the wireless devices relating to changes in levels of signals received at the wireless devices. The processor is also configured to estimate an amount of change based on the data relating to the changes. The processor is further configured to select a number of transmitting ports in the antenna based on the estimated amount of change.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for minimizing interference caused by high-powered wireless devices to other wireless devices in the network by determining an increase in a number of high-powered wireless devices attached to a serving access node causing a corresponding increase in a potential interference to standard-powered wireless devices attached to the serving access node. In response to determining this increase, the methods include activating a coordinated transmission mode for one or more standard-powered wireless devices.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for controlling base station buffering of data. In an example method, the base station serves a wireless communication device (WCD) over an air interface, where the air interface encompasses a quantity of channels on which the base station serves the WCD, where the base station is configured to buffer, in a data buffer, data awaiting transmission to the WCD, where the buffer has a fullness-threshold defining a maximum quantity of data that the base station will buffer for the WCD, and where the base station is configured to respond to the quantity of data in the buffer meeting the fullness-threshold by increasing the quantity of channels. Then, while serving the WCD, the base station determines an extent to which the WCD provides connectivity between at least one other device and the base station, and sets and applies the fullness-threshold based on the extent.