Abstract: Systems and methods are described for allocating resources from an access node in a wireless network. Power reports may be received from multiple wireless devices at the access node. Based on the received power reports, the access node may classify each wireless device of the multiple wireless devices as a high power wireless device or a low power wireless device. An offset scheduling factor may be selected for wireless devices classified as high power wireless devices at the access node. Resources can be allocated for high power wireless devices using the selected offset scheduling factor.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for emitting pilot beacons. The method includes a base station system emitting a pilot beacon on a first air interface protocol. The base station system wirelessly receives a registration message for a mobile station that detected the pilot beacon on the first air interface protocol. The registration message includes a registration request seeking registration of the mobile station under the first air interface protocol with the base station system. In response to the received registration message, the base station system makes a determination that the mobile station is capable of operating on a second air interface protocol different from the first air interface protocol. In response to the determination, the base station system emits at least one pilot beacon on the second air interface protocol.

Abstract: Controlling the uplink transmission power includes dynamically activating and deactivating a high-power transmission mode of the wireless devices in response to changes in a network topology, such as presence or absence of different types of access nodes, and signal level measurements of reference signals transmitted from said different types of access nodes. Such dynamic control of the uplink transmission power in real time minimizes interference that may be caused to uplink transmissions of other wireless devices in the network, and mitigates unnecessary power consumption for wireless devices capable of utilizing the high-power mode.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for selecting a wireless device to share a set of resource blocks from an access node. A channel orthogonality of a plurality of parallel data streams received at the access node from wireless devices may be determined. From the wireless devices, a non-relay capable wireless device whose channel orthogonality meets a set threshold may be selected. From the plurality of wireless devices, a relay-capable wireless device whose channel orthogonality meets a set threshold may be selected. The selected non-relay capable and relay-capable wireless devices may be paired to share a same set of resource blocks. The selected non-relay capable and relay-capable wireless devices may be scheduled for resource transmission.

Abstract: When a UE is served by a first RAN and engages in signaling via the first RAN with a second RAN for the second RAN serve the UE with a call (e.g., in a circuit-switched fallback process), the second RAN will determine a speed of movement of the UE and will decide based on the speed of movement whether to provide the UE with a second-RAN traffic channel assignment in addition to providing the UE with an indication of second-RAN coverage in which the call will be served. For instance, if the UE is moving at a threshold high rate of speed, then the entity will provide the UE with a second-RAN traffic channel assignment so as to help expedite the start of the call and to help avoid an issue where the UE may move out of the second-RAN coverage in which the call is to be served.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for configuring device to device communication using a plurality of transmission devices. Application requirements may be retrieved for a recipient wireless device, at a source wireless device, wherein the source wireless device transmits data to the recipient wireless device using a device to device transmission. A device to device transmission configuration based on the retrieved application requirement may be determined. Data associated with the recipient wireless device may be transmitted to a number of wireless devices based on the determined configuration such that the number of wireless devices transmit the data to the recipient wireless device as device to device transmissions.

Abstract: A method and system for using a positioning reference signal (PRS) of a cell to indicate an operational state of the cell. The cell could have two or more candidate PRS configurations defining physical configurations of its PRS, such as frequency positions of air interface resources that carry the cell's PRS. One such PRS configuration could correspond with one operational state of the cell (e.g., heavy cell load), and another such PRS configuration could correspond with a different operational state of the cell (e.g., normal or light cell load). A base station could thus select and apply a particular PRS configuration to indicate operational state of the cell. And an entity such as a wireless client device or neighboring base station could determine the PRS configuration used in the cell as a way to determine the operational state of the cell.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for detecting interference at an access node. A rate at which packets are unsuccessful received at a wireless device may be monitored, wherein the wireless device is in communication with a cell of an access node. The access node may retransmit one or more unsuccessfully received packets to the wireless device. A retransmission metric for retransmission attempts to the wireless device from the access node may be monitored. And it may be determined that communication between the cell of the access node and the wireless device is experiencing interference from a neighboring cell when the monitored rate and monitored retransmission metric meet the interference criteria.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for implicit information transfer. Neighboring access nodes may coordinate an Almost Blank Subframe (ABS) pattern for ABS transmissions. Implicit transmit symbols may be assigned to ABS? of the ABS pattern. Traffic may be scheduled for a wireless device on at least one ABS of the ABS pattern. The neighboring access nodes may use the scheduled ABS to decode implicit information associated with the implicit transmit symbols.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for coordinating transmissions from a multiple access nodes in a communication network. A relay-capable status of wireless devices connected to an access node may be determined. Relay capable wireless devices are dynamically selected from the connected wireless devices for assignment of coordinated transmissions from an access node. Scheduling between the selected relay capable wireless devices and the access node is conducted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for controlling air interface communication in a wireless communication system that supports multiple TDD configurations. In a disclosed example, a base station's cell is initially configured to operate with a particular TDD configuration. The base station then detects a trigger to reduce uplink latency in the cell, such as by detecting a threshold number of devices being served with latency-sensitive communication such as voice-over-packet communication. And the base station responsively reconfigures the cell to operate with a different TDD configuration having lower uplink latency, where uplink latency of each TDD configuration is based average wait to uplink subframe of the TDD configuration.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for selection of a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) mode for a relay base station, based on traffic load being experienced between the relay WCD and donor base station that provide the relay tunnel used by the relay base station for backhaul communication. An exemplary method involves the relay base station: (i) determining a load indication for a communication link between a relay wireless communication device (WCD) and a donor base station, (ii) using the load indication for the communication interface between the relay WCD and the donor base station as a basis for selecting a CoMP mode from a plurality of available CoMP modes; and (iii) providing wireless service in at least one coverage area according to the selected CoMP mode.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for selectively muting default downlink transmission of particular reference signals in order to reduce interference experienced by user equipment devices (UEs) receiving user data. In scheduling transmission of a downlink resource block (RB), a base station may select a particular transmission mode (TM) that does not require transmission of the particular reference signal. The base station may also determine that no condition exists that requires default transmission of the particular reference signal during a time interval allocated for transmission of the RB and on sub-carrier frequencies allocated to the RB. With particular TM selected and the absence of other requirements for default transmission of the particular reference signal, the base station can then mute transmission of the particular reference signal during transmission of the downlink RB. The base station may also coordinate scheduling with a neighboring base station to achieve further interference reduction.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically controlling bearer quality-of-service (QoS) configuration. In an example arrangement, a wireless communication device (WCD) may have a first bearer and a second bearer with a base station, where the first bearer has a first set of one or more QoS parameters defining a first priority level for the base station scheduling communications on the first bearer, and the second bearer has a second set of one or more QoS parameters defining a second priority level for the base station scheduling communications on the second bearer, the second priority level being different from the first priority level. In this arrangement, an example method may involve detecting that the base station is threshold highly loaded, and responsive to the detecting, reconfiguring the second bearer to have the same QoS parameters as the first set of one or more QoS parameters.

Abstract: A control element of a first wireless communication network, such as a mobility management entity, determines that a wireless device is being served by a second wireless communication network. The control element also receives an indicator associated with the availability of a base station in the first wireless communication network to serve the wireless device. Based on the indicator, the control element initiates a handover of the wireless device from the second wireless communication network to the first wireless communication network. The control element may also initiates a handover of the wireless device based on the indicator and based on a signal strength reported by the wireless device.

Abstract: Dynamically selecting a frame configuration as depicted herein includes determining a number of wireless devices within the wireless network that are capable of multiple transmissions using a first frame configuration comprising a first ratio of uplink subframes relative to downlink subframes, comparing the number with a threshold, and selecting a second frame configuration for each of the number of wireless devices based on the comparison. The second frame configuration comprises a second ratio of uplink subframes relative to downlink subframes that is different from the first ratio.

Abstract: A UE is configured to function as a relay on behalf of a donor access node. The donor access node can dynamically adjust scheduling of resources to the relay UE based on a size of a buffer associated with the relay UE. The donor access node monitors a size of the buffer and, if the size exceeds a threshold, assigns a greater scheduling weight to the relay UE. Similarly, when the buffer size associated with the relay UE drops below a threshold, the scheduling weight may be lowered. The buffer may include any combination of a downlink buffer stored on the donor access node or an uplink buffer stored on the relay UE.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for improving capacity of voice services for data packet transmission through a wireless network. Application requirements including a data rate for a wireless device may be determined. An access node may determine available resources to transmit data as indicated by the application requirements. The wireless device and the access node may communicate data transmissions wirelessly for use by the wireless device application. Data transmission may be in a first mode or in a second mode depending whether there are sufficient available network resources for the determined data rate. The first and second transmission modes may be generated from a common input such as a wireless device user's voice; however, the second mode of data transmission may be converted in order to consume less network resources.

Abstract: A method and system to help control air interface resource allocation. A base station monitors for each served UE a ratio of physical resource block (PRB) allocation to queued data, as a PRB/data ratio. The base station then detects that the PRB/data ratio of a first served UE has been threshold lower than the PRB/data ratio of each of a plurality of second served UEs, and the base station responsively selects at least one of the second UEs based on its modulation and coding scheme (MCS) being relatively high, and the base station limits PRB allocation to the selected UE to help reduce its PRB/data ratio and to thereby help achieve a level of fairness in PRB allocation.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing handover of a wireless device to a target Access Node (AN) sector. Beam-form capable sectors of one or more target ANs may be selected from a pool of candidate sectors. At least one of the selected sectors may be prioritized (e.g., over the other sectors) based on an open beam-form seat. Handover of the wireless device from a first AN to the prioritized sector may be performed.