Abstract: A method and system to assign a contention-free access resource 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 involves the first network detecting an attempt to set up a circuit-switched-fallback (CSFB) call between (i) a UE served by the first network and (ii) a remote party, where the CSFB call is to be served by the second network to which the UE would transition to be served with the CSFB call. The method further involves, in response to detecting the attempt to set up the CSFB call, the first network assigning a contention-free access resource to the UE, so as to allow a contention-free access request by the UE to the first network.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically reconfiguring an air interface that defines a continuum of frames each divided into a sequence of transmission time intervals (TTIs). The air interface is initially configured according to a first radio access technology (RAT). The base station then detects that at least a threshold extent of wireless client devices (WCDs) served by the base station on the air interface support operation according to a second RAT. And in response, the base station reconfigures the air interface so that certain TTIs per frame instead operate on a second RAT, with the remaining TTIs per frame still operating on the first RAT. The base station then serves WCDs that support the second RAT in the TTIs now configured according to the second RAT, while continuing to serve other WCDs according to the first RAT in the remaining TTIs configured according to the first RAT.

Abstract: According to aspects of the disclosure, a method and system are provided for managing signaling in a wireless communication network. In accordance with the disclosure, a base station serves a plurality of user equipment devices (UEs) via an air interface extending between the base station and the UEs. The base station also receives, on an uplink of the air interface, a report from each UE indicating channel state information (CSI). The base station periodically receives the report from each UE according to a CSI reporting rate specified by the base station for the UE. The base station may determine that a level of loading on the uplink is greater than a threshold load value. Responsive to such determination, the base station selects a subset of the plurality of UEs and reduces the CSI reporting rate for the selected subset of the plurality of UEs to reduce congestion on the uplink.

Abstract: When a UE is being served by a base station over a first air interface in a client-server relationship and the UE receives from the base station a HARQ NACK for a transmission over the first air interface, the UE will responsively engage in the HARQ re-transmission to the base station over a second, different air interface, such as through a peer-to-peer communication to the base station. The first air interface may be an OFDMA air interface such as LTE, and the second air interface may be a WLAN air interface such as WiFi. Engaging in re-transmission via the second air interface may enable the base station to complete receipt of the data from the UE and thereby provide the UE, via the first air interface, with a HARQ ACK. This arrangement may help reduce delay in re-transmission, which may be particularly useful for delay-sensitive communications such as VoIP communications.

Abstract: A computing system such as an alert originator may provide an interface through which a user (e.g., an employee of a public safety agency) may input a definition of a target area for distribution of a prospective alert. Upon receiving a target-area definition, the computing system may then request and receive a definition of an actual area in which the prospective alert would be distributed—which is composed of the coverage areas in which each participating wireless carrier networks would distribute the prospective alert. In turn, the computing system may present the user with a depiction of the actual distribution area for the prospective alert (e.g., an overlay of a geospatial shape on a map graphic), which enables the user to assess the actual distribution area and decide whether to refine the target geographic area for an alert before that alert is distributed.

Abstract: An RF fingerprint of the environment of a base station antenna will be regularly monitored, such as by regularly evaluating various RF metrics of uplink reflections of downlink transmission from the antenna. Through regular monitoring of the RF fingerprint, a baseline RF fingerprint could be established. And through continued monitoring of the RF fingerprint, an unexpected change in the RF fingerprint could then be detected, as an indication that the antenna's RF beam direction may have changed. In response to detecting the unexpected change in the antenna's RF fingerprint, the antenna's RF beam direction could then be newly determined, and the antenna's configuration record could be updated to indicate the newly determined RF beam direction.

Abstract: Methods and systems disclosed herein can help to dynamically adjust page transmission power, and in particular, the transmission power for quick paging bits, depending upon whether a user equipment (UE) is operating as a single radio LTE (SRLTE) device. An exemplary method involves an access network making a determination that a UE is configured to use a single radio system for (a) data communication under a first air interface protocol, and (b) voice calls under a second air interface protocol; and responsively initiating a process to set a transmission power used to page the first UE for a voice call under the second air interface protocol to a higher power level, as compared to a transmission power level utilized to page a second UE configured to use separate radio systems for data communication under the first air interface protocol and voice calls under the second air interface protocol.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein describe systems, methods, and processing nodes for traffic management in wireless networks based on performing correlations between radio network attributes and wireless device attributes, and generating updated network parameters based on the correlation. Correlations between radio network attributes and wireless device attributes can yield commonalities or patterns based on a frequency band, a site, or a market. Based on the commonalities or patterns, network parameters such as cell reselection priority, allocation of resources, maximum traffic per frequency band, etc. can be calculated and deployed to various network elements such as control nodes, access nodes, wireless devices, etc. The deployment results in an optimal traffic distribution across each frequency band, such that the available spectrum is utilized efficiently and per-user throughput is maximized for all users of the wireless network.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments described herein include systems, methods, and nodes for distributing relay wireless devices across an access node. Network identification numbers associated with at least two wireless devices may be determined. At an access node, a traffic class identifier and frequency band may be assigned to the at least two wireless devices, wherein each frequency band available for communication at the access node is assigned at most a maximum number of wireless devices comprising a network identification number that meets the criteria. Data may then be communicated between the access node and the at least two wireless devices according to the assigned traffic class identifiers and frequency bands, wherein the wireless devices comprise relay wireless devices that relay data between the access node and one or more small cells.

Abstract: When a base station is using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication defining multiple layers of communication to serve a user equipment device (UE) over an uplink channel, and the base station detects that its backhaul connection is threshold highly congested, the base station will responsively reduce the number of communication layers used to serve the UE over the uplink channel. In some examples, the base station could reduce the number of communication layers to a single layer, thereby transitioning from serving the UE using uplink MIMO communication to serving the UE using uplink single-input single-output (SISO) communication.

Abstract: A computing system will detect when a UE engaged in a voice call hands over from a lower frequency coverage area to a higher frequency coverage area where it is raining, and the computing system will responsively take action to help improve the UE's communication quality, in an effort to help minimize the extent to which voice call quality will degrade as a result of the transition to the higher frequency where it is raining. In particular, per the disclosure, the computing system could respond to this scenario by causing the target base station to use a more robust wireless transmission mode than the source base station was using to serve the UE.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for a base station to manage air interface communications with a user equipment device (UE) served by the base station. The base station will determine whether the served UE is a relay-UE that provides wireless backhaul connectivity for a relay base station and whether the relay base station serves at least a threshold extent of delay-sensitive communication traffic. Based on a determination that the served UE is a relay-UE and that the relay base station serves at least the threshold extent of delay-sensitive communication traffic, the base station will responsively cause the relay-UE to be served by the base station on a particular carrier frequency, in an effort to reduce a total delay resulting from the wireless relay arrangement.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling when a base station will provide a UE with carrier aggregation service rather than serving the UE on just a single carrier. The base station dynamically invokes carrier aggregation service for the UE in response to detecting simultaneous voice and data communication by the UE. And the base station dynamically discontinues providing carrier aggregation service for the UE, and transitions to serving the UE on just a single carrier, in response to detecting that the UE's simultaneous voice and data communication has ended and that the UE is engaged in just voice communication or just data communication.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for selecting a carrier on which to serve a user equipment device (UE). In particular, a base station may determine that a speed of movement of the UE is threshold high. In response to determining that the speed of movement of the UE is threshold high, the base station may select a carrier based on a group delay variation (GDV) of the selected carrier. For example, the base station may respond to the determining by selecting a carrier having a threshold low GDV. In another example, the base station may respond to the determining by selecting the carrier having the lowest GDV among two or more candidate carriers being considered as part of the selection process. As such, once a carrier is selected, the base station may then serve the UE on the selected carrier.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for adjusting the maximum number of downlink retransmissions that are permissible for a user entity, according to whether or not coordinated multipoint service is being provided for the user entity.

Abstract: Transmission mode selection operations include determining that a first wireless device out of a plurality of wireless devices connected to an access node qualifies for a beamforming transmission mode, determining that a pair of wireless devices out of the plurality of wireless devices qualifies for a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) transmission mode, prioritizing each of the first wireless device and the pair of wireless devices based on one or more of a content type, a device type, or a device capability, and selecting one downlink transmission mode from the beamforming transmission mode and the MU-MIMO transmission mode based on the prioritizing.

Abstract: A transmitting device may use a determined extent of retransmissions by the transmitting device to a receiving device as a basis to decide on an extent of concatenation of frames of media. In one example, a transmitting device may monitor an extent of retransmissions by the transmitting device to a receiving device during a packet-based real-time media session. The transmitting device may detect a threshold low extent of retransmissions during the packet-based real-time media session. And responsive to detecting the threshold low extent of retransmissions, the transmitting device may increase an extent of concatenation of frames of media during the packet-based real-time media session.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for triggering transmission bundling for participant wireless devices of an antenna system. An uplink signal may be received at an access node from a wireless device in communication with the access node. It may be detected that the wireless device is proximate to an antenna system in communication with one or more participant wireless devices, wherein the antenna system does not comprise the access node. It may be then determined that transmission bundling should be triggered for the participant wireless device based on the detecting. And the participating wireless devices may be instructed to perform transmission bundling.

Abstract: A method and system to control WCD handover. A first base station will request load information from a second base station, and, based at least in part on a result of that request, the first base station will control handover of the WCD. The first base station may decline to hand over the WCD to the second base station in response to determining that the first base station did not responsively receive load information from the second base station. Further, the first base station may determine a level of confidence in load information of the second base station based on whether the first base station received load information of the second base station and based on whether the first and second base stations are provided by the same vendor, and the first base station may then use that level of confidence as a basis to control handover of the WCD.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method, apparatus, and system for authenticating a communication session between a user equipment device (UE) and a communication network. A first authentication of a UE is performed by generating an authentication key, transmitting the authentication key over a first communication link from the UE to a communication network, authenticating the UE using the authentication key, and generating an authentication result indicative of authenticating the UE. A second authentication of the UE is performed to authorize a communication session over a second communication link between the UE and the communication network. The second authentication includes transmitting UE identifying information over the second communication link from the UE to the communication network and authenticating the UE using the UE identifying information and the authentication key. The second communication link is established under an internet protocol.