Abstract: A method and system for controlling dual-connectivity service in a system where a first access node provides service on a first air interface and a second access node provides service on a second air interface, and where (i) in a single-connection-uplink mode for the dual-connectivity service, uplink user-plane communication is carried on just the second air interface and (ii) in a split-uplink mode for the dual-connectivity service, uplink user-plane communication is split between the first air interface and the second air interface. An example method includes determining an uplink Multi-User Multiple-Input-Multiple-Output (MU-MIMO) grouping efficiency of the second air interface and, based on the determined uplink MU-MIMO grouping efficiency of the second air interface, controlling whether to provide the dual-connectivity service in the single-connection-uplink mode or rather in the split-uplink mode.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling data split of a dual-connected user equipment device (UE) when the UE has at least two co-existing air-interface connections including a first air-interface connection with a first access node and a second air-interface connection with a second access node. An example method includes (i) comparing a level of insertion loss of the first air-interface connection with a level of insertion loss of the second air-interface connection, (ii) based at least on the comparing, establishing a split ratio that defines a distribution of data flow of the UE between at least the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection, and (iii) based on the establishing, causing the established split ratio to be applied. Further the method could include using the comparison as a basis to set one of the UE's air-interface connections as the UE's primary uplink path.

Abstract: A voice coding rate is selected for a voice call involving a user equipment (UE) device based on an air interface efficiency of the base station serving the UE device. The air interface efficiency of the base station is determined based on at least one of (i) a beamforming capability of the base station, (ii) a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) capability of the base station, or (iii) an antenna configuration of the base station. The voice coding rate could be selected by either the UE device or by the base station. The UE device transmits to the base station during the voice call one or more voice frames that convey voice data coded at the selected voice coding rate. During the voice call, a new air interface efficiency may be determined, and a new voice coding rate may be selected based on the new air interface efficiency.

Abstract: A voice coding rate is selected for a voice call involving a user equipment (UE) device based on an air interface efficiency of the base station serving the UE device. The air interface efficiency of the base station is determined based on at least one of (i) a beamforming capability of the base station, (ii) a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) capability of the base station, or (iii) an antenna configuration of the base station. The voice coding rate could be selected by either the UE device or by the base station. The UE device transmits to the base station during the voice call one or more voice frames that convey voice data coded at the selected voice coding rate. During the voice call, a new air interface efficiency may be determined, and a new voice coding rate may be selected based on the new air interface efficiency.

Abstract: When a user equipment device (UE) is served with standalone connectivity by a first access node on a first carrier, the first access node could detect a trigger for transitioning the UE from the standalone connectivity to dual connectivity. In response to at least the trigger, the first access node could then (i) transition the UE from the first carrier to a second carrier selected based on the second carrier being lower in frequency than the first carrier, so as to help facilitate quality communication in the dual connectivity service, and then (ii) transition the UE from the standalone connectivity to the dual connectivity.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling data split of a dual-connected user equipment device (UE) when the UE has at least two co-existing air-interface connections including a first air-interface connection with a first access node and a second air-interface connection with a second access node. An example method includes (i) comparing a level of multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) support of the first air-interface connection with a level of MIMO support of the second air-interface connection, (ii) based at least on the comparing, establishing a split ratio that defines a distribution of data flow of the UE between at least the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection, and (iii) based on the establishing, causing the established split ratio to be applied. Further the method could include using the comparison as a basis to set one of the UE's air-interface connections as the UE's primary uplink path.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling configuration of dual connectivity for a user equipment device (UE), where the dual connectivity includes the UE being served cooperatively by (i) a first access node over a first air-interface connection between the UE and the first access node and (ii) a second access node over a second air-interface connection between the UE and the second access node. An example method includes (a) predicting whether both (i) in the dual connectivity, a data split will put a threshold greater portion of data flow of the UE on the second air-interface connection than on the first air-interface connection and (ii) coverage strength of the UE from the second access node will be threshold lower than coverage strength of the UE from the first access node and (b) using the prediction as a basis to control whether or not to establish the dual connectivity for the UE.

Abstract: An adaptive interference cancellation method is disclosed. In an example, when a UE is served in a first cell by a first access node, the UE detects a second cell provided by a second access node that is not serving the UE. Further, responsive to the detecting, the UE determines that both (i) a broadcast CRS of the second cell occupies air-interface resource elements that the first access node uses as part of a PDSCH of the first cell and (ii) the UE has coverage strength of the second cell that is threshold similar to coverage strength that the UE has from the first access node. And, responsive to the determining, the UE cancels from scheduled PDSCH transmission from the first access node to the UE, potential interference attributable to the broadcast CRS of the detected second cell, such as by reconstructing and subtracting the CRS from the PDSCH transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling air-interface resource utilization in a wireless communication system in which an access node provides service on a carrier defining air-interface resources. An example method includes monitoring a rate of voice muting on the carrier, detecting when the monitored rate of voice muting on the carrier is at least predefined threshold high, and responsive to detecting that the monitored rate of voice muting on the carrier is at least predefined threshold high, starting to apply a maximum limit on how many user equipment devices (UEs) the access node will concurrently serve with a resource-intensive service on the carrier.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that can help to select an enhancement mode for uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP). An exemplary method involves: determining a measure of remaining battery power of a first user equipment (UE), wherein the first UE is capable of uplink coordinated multipoint (CoMP) communication; determining a particular UE type of the first UE, wherein the particular UE type is one of a plurality of possible UE types; based at least in part on (a) the particular UE type of the first UE, and (b) the measure of remaining battery power of the first UE, selecting either a battery-saving mode or a throughput-enhancement mode as an uplink CoMP enhancement mode for the first UE; and providing uplink CoMP service to the first UE according to the selected uplink CoMP enhancement mode.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling connectivity of a user equipment device (UE) in a wireless communication system. An example method includes (i) while the UE has dual connectivity with a first access node and a second access node, determining that power headroom of the UE on an air-interface connection between the UE and the second access node is threshold low, and (ii) responsive to at least the determining, transitioning the UE from having the dual connectivity with the first access node and the second access node to instead having standalone connectivity with the second access node. Transitioning the UE to having standalone connectivity with the second access node as to which the UE had threshold low power headroom may help to improve quality of communication between the UE and the second access node.

Abstract: When a first access node is considering setup of dual-connectivity service for a UE, the first access node could determine that the UE supports dual-band dual-connectivity service in which the UE would be served concurrently by a first access node, under a first radio access technology (RAT) over a first connection on a first frequency band and by a second access node, under a second RAT over a second connection on a second frequency band. To help optimize service when faced with the ability to set up either single-band dual-connectivity for the UE or dual-band dual-connectivity for the UE, the first access node will set up single-band dual connectivity for the UE.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling data split of a dual-connected user equipment device (UE) when the UE has at least two co-existing air-interface connections including a first air-interface connection with a first access node and a second air-interface connection with a second access node. An example method includes (i) comparing a level of spectral efficiency of the first air-interface connection with a level of spectral efficiency of the second air-interface connection, (ii) based at least on the comparing, establishing a split ratio that defines a distribution of data flow of the UE between at least the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection, and (iii) based on the establishing, causing the established split ratio to be applied. Further the method could include using the comparison as a basis to set one of the UE's air-interface connections as the UE's primary uplink path.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling application of TTI bundling on a carrier on which an access node provides service, the carrier defining air-interface resources. An example method includes detecting that at least a predefined threshold number of devices of a predefined class (e.g., IoT devices) are connected with the access node on the carrier. Further, the example method includes, responsive to the detecting that at least the predefined threshold number of devices of the predefined class are connected with the access node on the carrier, proactively reserving a portion of the air-interface resources for use to serve communications between the access node and the devices of the predefined class and, in view of the proactive reserving of the portion of the air-interface resources, imposing a reduction in the application of the TTI bundling by the access node on the carrier.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling service of a user equipment device (UE), including (i) predicting that the UE will move sequentially through multiple zones of coverage of an access node that operates on a different respective set of one or more frequency bands in each zone of coverage and that has a respective radio-frequency (RF) circuitry quality as to each frequency band, (ii) based on the predicting, determining an RF-circuitry-quality score of the access node as an aggregate of the RF-circuitry-qualities of the access node as to the frequency bands on which the access node operates in the multiple zones of coverage through which the UE is predicted to move, and (iii) before the predicted movement of the UE through the multiple zones of coverage occurs, proactively using the determined RF-circuitry-quality score of the access node as a basis to control whether the UE is served by the access node.

Abstract: A method and system for managing carriers on which a base station provides service to a user equipment device (UE), based on consideration of latency. A base station that is arranged to operate on a plurality of carriers may, while serving a UE on a set of one or more carriers of the plurality, select, from at least two other carriers of the plurality, an additional carrier to add to the set of one or more carriers on which the base station serves the UE, and may make the selection based a latency on the selected carrier. In response to selecting the additional carrier, the base station may add the selected carrier to the set of one or more carriers on which the base station serves the UE, and may then serve the UE on the set of one or more carriers including the selected carrier.

Abstract: A method and system to control configuration of dual-connectivity for UEs served by a first NB. A computing system monitors the level of load on a backhaul interface through which the first NB communicates with a core network. And based on the monitored level of backhaul load, the computing system imposes a limit on establishing secondary connectivity with one or more second NBs for one or more UEs served by the first NB. For instance, when the backhaul interface through which the first NB communicates with the core network becomes threshold highly loaded with communication traffic, the computing system could responsively impose a maximum cap on the number of the first-NB-served UEs that will be provided with secondary connectivity by one or more second NBs and/or on the number of secondary connections that will be established for UEs served by the first NB.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling uplink communication from a user equipment device (UE) that has at least two co-existing air-interface connections including a first air-interface connection with a first access node and a second air-interface connection with a second access node. An example method includes comparing a level of antenna pattern efficiency associated with the first air-interface connection with a level of antenna pattern efficiency associated with the second air-interface connection and, based at least on the comparing, configuring an uplink split ratio defining a distribution of uplink user-plane data flow of the UE between at least the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection. In an example implementation, this could involve configuring one of the air-interface connections as a primary uplink path to which the UE restricts its uplink communication unless and until a trigger occurs for transitioning the UE to operate in an split-uplink mode.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling uplink communication from a user equipment device (UE) that has at least two co-existing air-interface connections including a first air-interface connection with a first access node and a second air-interface connection with a second access node. An example method includes comparing a level of uplink backhaul congestion of the first access node with a level of uplink backhaul congestion of the second access node and, based at least on the comparing, configuring an uplink split ratio defining a distribution of uplink user-plane data flow of the UE between at least the first air-interface connection and the second air-interface connection. In an example implementation, this could involve configuring one of the air-interface connections as a primary uplink path to which the UE restricts its uplink communication unless and until a trigger occurs for transitioning the UE to operate in an split-uplink mode.

Abstract: A method and system to control selection of a serving cell for a UE. An example method includes determining respectively for each candidate cell of multiple candidate cells a maximum backhaul bit rate of the candidate cell, determining that a given one of the candidate cells has a highest determined maximum backhaul bit rate among the candidate cells, and based at least on the determining that the given candidate cell has the highest determined maximum backhaul bit rate among the candidate cells, selecting the given candidate cell to be the serving cell for the UE. Further, the method could also include basing the selection on consideration of a backhaul packet-drop rate of the given cell. In example implementations, the selection of a serving cell could be a selection of a PCell for carrier-aggregation service, an anchor cell for dual-connectivity service, or a secondary cell for dual-connectivity service, among other possibilities.