Abstract: A wireless network allocates uplink resources to wireless communication devices (WCDs) based on power headroom reports, with more resources being allocated to WCDs reporting greater power headrooms. Each WCD may determine a respective power headroom as a difference between its maximum transmit power and a transmit power requirement for its current uplink resource allocation. However, a WCD may report an adjusted power headroom that is obtained, for example, by decreasing its respective power headroom by an adjustment value. The WCD may then receive an uplink resource allocation that is based on the adjusted power headroom that it reported. The adjustment value could be based on a priority level of the WCD, a priority level of data to be transmitted by the WCD, and/or an instruction from the wireless network. In one example, basic-priority WCDs report adjusted power headrooms so that more uplink resources are available for high-priority WCDs.

Abstract: A method and system for managing broadcast of notifications indicating whether system information has changed, so as to enable served devices to determine when to read and store updated system information. A radio access network tracks changes in system information on a per wakeup cycle basis, so as to determine whether system information has changed since a last instance of broadcasting such a notification in a particular wakeup cycle. If system information has changed, the network responsively broadcasts an indication that system information has changed, so as to cause devices operating on that wakeup cycle to read and store the updated system information. Whereas, if system information has not changed, the network responsively broadcasts an indication that system information has not changed (or forgoes broadcasting an indication that system information has changed), so that devices operating on that wakeup cycle can avoid reading and storing the system information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for assigning a wireless communication device (WCD) to a wireless coverage are a based on early termination gain (ETG) are presented. In particular, a RAN may receive a request, from a WCD, for an assignment to one of a plurality of wireless coverage areas. In response to receiving the request, the RAN may select a wireless coverage area of the plurality that has a highest ETG, and assign the WCD to the selected wireless coverage area. Prior to selecting this wireless coverage area, the RAN may optionally remove one or more wireless coverage areas with high utilization from consideration.

Abstract: A method and system to help manage transition of a device between wireless access networks. The device engages in a call served by a given access network and the call ends. Responsive to the call ending, (i) a determination is made as to which base station of that network last served the device, (ii) the determined base station is mapped to a proximate base station of another access network, and (iii) a bearer connection is established in the other access network with the proximate base station in anticipation of the device seeking to be served by that base station.

Abstract: In operation, a plurality of data packets is received from a wireless device in communication with a first network, the data packets comprising an indication of first network congestion. The plurality of data packets are examined to determine an application requirement and a data rate of an application running on the wireless device. When a number of indications of first network congestion in relation to the data rate meets a congestion criteria, which can be based on the application requirement, a handover is performed to hand over the wireless device to a second network.

Abstract: A paging message is received at a first access node for a wireless device. It is determined by the first access node that the wireless device is unavailable at the first access node, and the paging message is forwarded from the first access node to a second access node over a communication link between the first access node and the second access node. A message can also be sent from the first access node to a controller node to prevent the sending of a second paging message from the controller node.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems may help to more intelligently provide adaptive paging. An exemplary method involves: (i) making a determination that a wireless communication device (WCD) should be paged, (ii) in response, selecting one or more coverage areas for an initial page attempt to the WCD, wherein the selected coverage areas are selected from recent-response list that indicates coverage areas via which a page response message was recently received from the WCD, and wherein selecting the coverage areas comprises, for each coverage area from the recent-response list, using both (a) a paging success rate for the coverage area and (b) a paging-channel occupancy of the coverage area as a basis for determining whether or not to select the coverage area for the initial page attempt, and (iii) initiating the initial page attempt to the WCD in the one or more selected coverage areas.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that may help to adjust the paging process for a wireless communication device (WCD) according to the codec that was last assigned to the WCD. An exemplary method may involve a radio access network (RAN): (a) determining that a wireless communication device (WCD) should be paged in a coverage area of the RAN; (b) determining a codec that was last assigned to the WCD in the coverage area; (c) using the last-assigned codec as a basis for adjusting a paging process that is used to page the WCD; and (d) paging the WCD according to the adjusted paging process.

Abstract: Management of bearers in a communication system. A network may establish for a user equipment device (UE) a first bearer of a first type. Thereafter, upon establishment of a bearer of a second type for the UE, the network may automatically release the first bearer of the first type. In turn, when the UE finishes communication on the bearer of the second type, the network may not only release that bearer of the second type but may automatically establish for the UE a second bearer of the first type.

Abstract: In systems and methods of talk group communication, a group PTT call is established between a originating wireless device and recipient wireless devices. A group identifier of the PTT call group is provided to the recipient wireless devices indicating that the PTT call involves a call group without indicating an identifier of originating wireless device. In an embodiment, when the group PTT call is terminated, a response call request is received based on the group PTT call from one of the plurality of recipients and a bilateral PTT call is established between the one of the plurality of recipients and the originating wireless device. In an embodiment, a response is received based on the group PTT call from one of the plurality of recipients, the group PTT call is terminated, and a bilateral PTT call is established between the one of the plurality of recipients and the originating wireless device.

Abstract: In a system and method of controlling a wireless communication module in communication with an electronic device, when a manufacturer certificate, a wireless device credential, and a user credential each meet a respective first, second and third validity criteria, an encryption value is generated, and the encryption value is used to generate a cryptographic hash value. The cryptographic hash value is used to enable a device to communicate with a communication network.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems and methods for symmetrical implementation of inter-cell interference coordination (ICIC) in a radio access network (RAN) having a first base station serving a first set of access terminals and a second base station serving a second set of access terminals. In an embodiment, a network entity makes both a first determination that each access terminal in the first set is receiving at least a threshold-strong signal from the second base station and a second determination that each access terminal in the second set is receiving at least a threshold-strong signal from the first base station. Responsive to making these determinations in combination, the network entity manages an assignment of reverse-link resource blocks in the RAN such that no reverse-link resource blocks are assigned to both an access terminal in the first set and an access terminal in the second set.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for prioritizing frequencies in femtocell frequency-hopping pilot beacons. The frequency-hopping pilot beacon may prioritize transmission on particular frequencies according to usage of one or more particular applications by mobile devices served by the femtocell. The femtocell and/or femtocell control elements in the macro-network may determine that one or more particular applications are used by mobile devices served by the femtocell, identify one or more frequencies associated with the one or more frequencies, and then cause the femtocell to prioritize transmission on the identified one or more frequencies as compared to other frequencies.

Abstract: A radio access network (RAN) may be configured to communicate with mobile stations using two or more different coordinated multipoint schemes. Further, the RAN may use different coordinated multipoint schemes for different communications with the same mobile station. In particular, methods and systems are disclosed herein that help to intelligently switch between different coordinated multipoint schemes for communications with a given mobile station, based on the remaining battery life of the mobile station.

Abstract: Range indicators for sectors in a wireless network may be determined by measuring, in a plurality of test locations, signal strengths of pilot signals transmitted by the sectors. Each sector's determined range indicator may be stored as a predefined range indicator for the sector in association with a list of predefined neighbors for the sector. When a candidate sector is added to a mobile station's active set, a neighbor list may be constructed for the mobile station, by taking into account the predefined range indicator for the candidate sector. If the predefined range indicator indicates that the candidate sector has a standard range, then the candidate sector's predefined neighbors may be added to the neighbor list. If the predefined range indicator indicates that the candidate sector has a non-standard range (e.g., indicating a “boomer”), then the candidate sector's predefined neighbors may be omitted from the neighbor list.

Abstract: In systems and methods of managing tracking area updates, tracking area update messages received from a wireless device are monitored, where the tracking area update messages are received from a wireless device when the wireless device changes between communicating over a first channel associated with a first tracking area identifier and a second channel associated with a second tracking area identifier. The first tracking area identifier comprises a unique tracking area code and a first network identifier, and the second tracking area identifier comprises the unique tracking area code and a second network identifier. When a number of the tracking area update messages received from the wireless device meets a message threshold, the wireless device is instructed to not send a next tracking area update message.

Abstract: A media system includes a content platform that provides an interface for browsing and/or purchase of ringback media content by a user of a communications device. The system includes a profiles database containing profile information for a multitude of users of communications devices. The media system further includes a memory storing instructions for execution by the platform which causes it to 1) obtain information from the device including assignment of ringback media content to contacts in an address book maintained on the device; and 2) update the profiles database in accordance with the information obtained from the device. The information obtained in 1) may be obtained automatically, each time the user accesses the content platform. The system may further include an analyzer module which is used to generate targeted promotional messages based on the contents of the profile database.

Abstract: A radio access network (RAN) determines whether transmission time interval (TTI) bundling is warranted for a wireless communication device (WCD) based on at least a power headroom report from the WCD. In response to determining that TTI bundling is warranted, the RAN selects a TTI bundle size, N, for the WCD and instructs the WCD to use the selected TTI bundle size. The TTI bundle size, N, could be selected from among a set of predefined values, such as N=2, N=3, and N=4. The selection could be based on various factors, such as a utilization of an uplink shared channel, a re-transmission rate of the WCD, and/or a remaining battery life of the WCD.

Abstract: While a first entity and a second entity are engaging in a communication session on multiple wireless links, the first entity may adjust the power level at which to send power control commands (PCCs) directed to the second entity based on a respective channel quality at which each wireless link is carrying the communication session. For example, the first entity may identify which wireless link is carrying the communication session at a best channel quality and then cause an increase of a transmission power at which to send PCCs directed to the second entity on the identified wireless link. As another example, the first entity may determine that a respective channel quality of each wireless link satisfies a given condition and then cause an adjustment of a respective transmission power at which to send PCCs directed to the second entity on each wireless link.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and device for secret fingerprint scanning and reporting. When a portable communication device has been lost or stolen, an entity may transmit a fingerprint scan-report trigger message to the device. In response to receipt of the fingerprint scan-report trigger message, the device then automatically invokes an integrated fingerprint scanner to scan a fingerprint of a user of the device and to report the resulting fingerprint data to a remote destination. Optimally, the scanning and reporting are done without notification to a user of the device. The method, system, and device may thereby help to identify the user of the device and to potentially recover the device.