Abstract: A serving base station (SBS) that provides service to a UE device can receive or determine admission capacity of a neighbor base station (NBS). The SBS can determine a reporting interval based on the admission capacity and provide the UE device with the reporting interval. Upon determining that handover from the SBS to the NBS may be necessary, the UE device can responsively start transmitting measurement data regarding the NBS to the SBS. Transmission of the measurement data can occur at intervals that equal the reporting interval. The value of the reporting interval can be conditioned on the admission capacity of the NBS. As the capacity for admitting more UE devices decreases, the likelihood of the UE device handing over to the NBS may decrease. Increasing the reporting interval for reporting measurement data regarding the NBS can reduce loading of the reverse-links to the SBS.

Abstract: In systems and methods of tracking area adjustment, a number of tracking area update messages based on a transition of wireless devices from a first access node associated with a first tracking area to a second access node associated with a second tracking area are monitored. When the number of tracking area update messages meets a threshold, the association of the first access node is changed to the second tracking area.

Abstract: In systems and methods of managing wireless communication link resources, a static overhead load, a data traffic load, and a signaling load are determined of a wireless communication link between an access node and at least one wireless device. A wireless communication link load is calculated based on the static overhead load, the data traffic load, and the signaling load, and a load control process is performed when the wireless communication link load meets a load criteria.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and corresponding system for transmitting a determined altitude of a user equipment device located in a building. One embodiment takes the form of a method. The method may involve determining a first distance between a node at a known position in a building and a user equipment device located in the building based on known planar coordinates of the node and known planar coordinates of the user equipment device. The method may further involve determining a second distance between the user equipment device and the node based on propagation of at least one signal between the node and the user equipment device. The method may further involve determining an altitude of the user equipment device based on the determined first distance, the determined second distance, and a known altitude of the node. And the method may involve transmitting the determined altitude of the user equipment device.

Abstract: A spread spectrum communication system includes a base station that is able to transmit wireless signals that are spread by any of a plurality of orthogonal spreading codes and receive wireless signals that mobile stations transmit in an access channel. One of the orthogonal spreading codes is reserved as an indicator code that the base station uses to indicate when the access channel is occupied by a transmission from a mobile station. When the base station detects a transmission in the access channel, the base station estimates a completion time when the transmission will be completed and transmits an indicator signal spread with the indicator code until the completion time is reached. Before a mobile station transmits a message in the access channel, the mobile station determines whether the access channel is occupied by determining whether the base station is transmitting the indicator signal.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system for managing how long a UE will wait before attempting to be served by a RAN, such as before the UE searches for coverage of the RAN and determines whether the RAN supports providing a particular service. The method may apply in a scenario where the RAN is normally configured to provide the particular service but from time to time may lack support for providing that service. As disclosed, a network entity may evaluate past instances of the RAN lacking support for providing the service, and may thereby estimate a typical (e.g., average) duration for such lack of support. Based on that estimate, the network entity may then provide the UE with an indication of how long the UE should wait before the UE attempts to be served by the RAN, and the UE may responsively wait for that time period.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to manage a communication device are disclosed. The method includes receiving a first message comprising a first battery charge level of the communication device and a first time associated with the first battery charge level, storing a first database entry comprising information comprised in the first message, in a battery charge database, determining based on data from the battery charge database, or retrieving from a power management database, a power management efficiency factor of the communication device, determining an expected operational time of the communication device based on the first message and the power management efficiency factor, and transmitting an indication that the battery charge level is low when the determined operational time remaining meets an expected operational time criteria, to the communication device.

Abstract: While a mobile node is engaged in a communication session via a first air interface channel, the user of the mobile node requests a vertical handoff. In response to the user's handoff request, the mobile node goes into a dormant mode to release the first air interface channel. The mobile node then acquires a second air interface channel, which may have a higher data rate than the first air interface channel, and continues the communication session via the second air interface channel. The mobile node may also determine that a vertical handoff may be available, e.g., by checking a preferred roaming list (PRL), and then indicate to the user that a vertical handoff may be available.

Abstract: Methods and corresponding systems are provided for limiting mobile station operation when multiple mobile stations are moving together in a group. Such group movement includes but is not limited to movement in a vehicle. According to disclosed methods, a determination is made that multiple mobile stations are moving substantially together, and in response to the determination, operation of one or more of the mobile stations is limited.

Abstract: In response to receiving a first resource request from a first wireless communication device (WCD) and a second resource request from a second WCD, a radio access network (RAN) may determine that the first WCD and second WCD are contending for a resource of a wireless coverage area that is defined by the RAN. The RAN may further determine that the first WCD supports a first media codec, and that the second WCD supports a second media codec but does not support the first media codec. The RAN may compare the first media codec to the second media codec, and based on a result of this comparison, may allocate the resource to the first WCD.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and devices are presented that allow a wireless communication device (WCD) to use multiple access identifiers (NAIs) in conjunction with a communication session between the WCD and a home agent. The home agent may maintain a binding that reflects the state of the session. Accordingly, the binding may contain a home IP address (HOA) as well as a first NAI. The home agent may then receive a registration request message containing the HOA and a second NAI. In order to avoid potential hijacking attacks from entities other than the WCD, the home agent may, in conjunction with an authentication server, attempt to validate that that first NAI and second NAI are both associated with the WCD. If this is the case, the home agent may update the binding to reflect that the second NAI is associated with the session, and the home agent may maintain the session so that the WCD does not suffer an appreciable interruption in service.

Abstract: An inter-frequency handoff of a mobile station engaged in a call via wireless network is effected by gradually changing a carrier frequency of a forward link signal from a first-channel frequency, corresponding to a first frequency channel, to a second-channel frequency, corresponding to a second frequency channel. Initially, a first transmitter in the wireless network transmits the forward link signal in the first frequency channel. A second transmitter then transmits the forward link signal while changing the carrier frequency from the first-channel frequency to the second-channel frequency at a specified tuning rate. The tuning rate may be dynamically adjustable in response to requests from the mobile station. Once the second-channel frequency is reached, a third transmitter continues transmitting the forward link signal in the second frequency channel. The mobile station may also gradually change the carrier frequency of the reverse link signal that it transmits for the call.

Abstract: A base station may be configured to emit a plurality of beams in a given coverage area, where each beam defines a different respective sub-coverage area of the given coverage area and serves wireless communication devices (WCDs) located in the respective sub-coverage area. While emitting these beams, the base station may detect that there is a threshold number of highly-mobile WCDs located in the given coverage area. In response, the base station may activate a global beam that serves WCDs located anywhere in the given coverage area. In turn, the base station may assign at least one highly-mobile WCD located in the given coverage area to the global beam.

Abstract: A method of accessing a communication system and a communication device for performing the same are disclosed. The method includes transmitting, by a communication device to a node of a communication system through a communication link between the communication device and the node, a request to negotiate basic capabilities for communicating with the node, receiving, by the communication device from the node, a response to the request to negotiate basic capabilities, and, transmitting, by the communication device to the node, a request to disconnect the communication link, when the response to the request to negotiate basic capabilities indicates that the node does not support authentication.

Abstract: Embodiments may be implemented to take codec quality into account when helping to manage the active set of a wireless communication device (WCD). An illustrative method may involves a radio access network (RAN) component determining a comparative signal-strength measure for a candidate sector as compared to at least one active sector in the active set of a WCD, determining a comparative codec-quality measure for the candidate sector as compared to the at least one active sector in the active set of a WCD, and based at least in part on both (a) the comparative signal-strength measure and (b) the comparative codec-quality measure, making a determination as to whether or not to add the candidate sector to the active set.

Abstract: This specification describes a method and corresponding system for reducing aggregate forward link transmission power. In one arrangement, a RAN may reduce the aggregate transmission power level in a coverage area by (i) determining which WCDs in the coverage area have a communication error rate that is at least a threshold level of communication error rate, and in response to the determining, (ii) reducing the forward link transmission power level of the determined WCDs. In another arrangement, the RAN may reduce the aggregate transmission power level in a coverage area by reducing the forward link transmission power of WCDs in the coverage area that have (i) a forward link transmission power level that is at least a threshold level of forward link transmission power and (ii) a communication error rate that is at least a threshold level of communication error rate.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for adjusting a sensitivity threshold of a wireless communication device (WCD). In an embodiment, a WCD measures both a signal power level of a received signal and a noise power level. The WCD also makes a sensitivity-adjustment determination, which includes (i) a determination that the signal power level is less than a current sensitivity threshold of the receiver of the WCD and (ii) a determination that a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the signal power level to the noise power level is greater than an SNR threshold. Responsive to making the sensitivity-adjustment determination, the WCD adjusts its receiver from having the current sensitivity threshold to having an adjusted sensitivity threshold that is less than or equal to the signal power level.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (WCD) may transmit a first sequence of access probe messages to a radio access network (RAN) via a first wireless coverage area. The WCD may then transmit a second sequence of access probe messages to the RAN via a second wireless coverage area. Based on the first wireless coverage area being more preferable to the WCD than the second wireless coverage area, the WCD may use a negative inter-sequence power step for the power levels at which the WCD transmits the access probe messages of the first and second sequences. Thus, the WCD may transmit the first access probe message of the second sequence at a lower power than the first access probe message of the first sequence.

Abstract: A paging message is received and determined to be an alert message intended for a tracking area. Numbers of wireless devices comprising an active connection over a first channel and over a second channel in the tracking area are determined. A number of wireless devices which will respond to the alert message over the first channel and the second channel is determined based on the number of wireless devices comprising an active connection the access node on the first and second channels and a total number of connections in the tracking area. At least one wireless device comprising an active connection over the first channel is instructed to communicate over the second channel before the alert message is sent to the tracking area based on the estimated number of wireless device which will respond to the alert message over the first channel and the second channel.

Abstract: A method for a setting up a conference call with a mobile station and an intermediary mobile station, using the intermediary mobile station as a bridged-node. When a conference server receives a request to setup a conference call, the conference server initiates conference setup signaling with both mobile stations using a cellular link. The conference server uses the conference setup signaling to direct one mobile station to act as a bridged-node and the other mobile station to act as a bridged-leg. Responsive to the directives, the bridged-leg mobile station and the bridged-node mobile station establish a Wi-Fi link. The bridged-leg mobile station then uses the Wi-Fi link to bridge to an air traffic channel associated with the bridged-node mobile station.