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 method and system for controlling wireless service of a user equipment device (UE) by an access node. The access node serves the UE with uplink carrier-aggregation over a connection that encompasses encompassing multiple uplink channels including a primary uplink channel (uplink PCell) and a secondary uplink channel (uplink SCell). Further, the access node dynamically sets a channel-quality threshold (e.g., an RSRP threshold) applicable to control when to deconfigure the uplink SCell from service of the UE, with the dynamically setting of the channel-quality threshold including iteratively adjusting the channel-quality threshold based on uplink spectral efficiency of the access node. And the access node applies the dynamically set channel-quality threshold to control when to deconfigure the uplink SCell from service of the UE.

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: Performing handovers based on RACH capabilities includes instructing neighboring access nodes to share RACH capabilities with each other, identifying a RACH capability of wireless devices attached to a serving access node, and selecting a target access node based on matching the RACH capabilities. The RACH capabilities are associated with a format and/or a range or distance of RACH transmissions.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling wireless service of a user equipment device (UE) by an access node. The access node serves the UE with uplink carrier-aggregation over a connection that encompasses encompassing multiple uplink channels including a primary uplink channel (uplink PCell) and a secondary uplink channel (uplink SCell). Further, the access node dynamically sets a channel-quality threshold (e.g., an RSRP threshold) applicable to control when to deconfigure the uplink SCell from service of the UE, with the dynamically setting of the channel-quality threshold including iteratively adjusting the channel-quality threshold based on uplink spectral efficiency of the access node. And the access node applies the dynamically set channel-quality threshold to control when to deconfigure the uplink SCell from service of the UE.

Abstract: A method and system to help address excessive RAB-modification requests as may happen when a UE is connected with and served by a first access node and the first access node repeatedly configures and de-configures dual connectivity for the UE where the UE would be connected with and served concurrently by the first access node and a second access node, with each configuring and de-configuring including a RAB-modification request to transfer a RAB of the UE between being anchored at the first access node and being anchored at a second access node. A computing system could detect that the rate of such RAB-modification requests is at least predefined threshold high and could cause the requests to be discontinued, such as by causing the first access node to at least temporary stop sending such requests.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling transmission of signaling between a first access node and a second access node, in a system where the first access node and second access node are each configured to provide respective wireless coverage and service. An example method includes monitoring a total volume of data communication between the first access node and the second access node and, based at least on the monitoring, controlling a rate of periodic control signaling between the first access node and the second access node. In a dual-connectivity implementation, the method could apply, for instance, to control a rate at which the second access node transmits data-usage reports (e.g., second-RAT usage reports) to the first access node.

Abstract: In a system where a first node provides a first area of TDD coverage on a first TDD carrier using a first TDD configuration and an adjacent second node provides a second area of TDD coverage on a second TDD carrier using a different second TDD configuration, the first node could additionally provide an area of FDD coverage on a first FDD carrier, including causing the area of FDD coverage to sit at least partially between the first and second areas of TDD coverage and therefore to define a spatial buffer between the first and second areas of TDD coverage. For instance, the first access node could restrict its service on the first TDD carrier to be for user equipment devices (UEs) that are relatively close to the first access node and could restrict its service on the first FDD carrier to be for UEs that are relatively far away from the first access node.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling uplink transmit power of a UE when the UE is served concurrently on at least two air interfaces including a first air interface and a second air interface. An example method includes, iteratively for each successive given time interval of a continuum of equal-duration time intervals, (i) determining an actual average transmit power of the UE on the first air interface over the given time interval, (ii) using the determined actual average transmit power of the UE on the first air interface over the given time interval as a basis to set a maximum average transmit power of the UE for transmission on the second air interface in a respective subsequent time interval, and (iii) applying the set maximum average transmit power as a limitation on uplink transmit power of the UE for the transmission on the second air interface in the respective subsequent time interval.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling maximum quantity of concurrent air-interface connections with an access node. An example method includes a tracking an aggregate rate of data flow served by the access node per time of day. And the example method includes, based on the tracking, determining what aggregate rate of data flow the access node tends to serve at a given time of day. Further, the example method includes, based on the determined aggregate rate of data that the access node tends to serve at the given time of day, (ii) determining a maximum limit on quantity of concurrent air-interface connections with the access node, and (iii) proactively configuring the access node to apply, at the given time of day, the determined maximum limit on quantity of concurrent air-interface connections with the access node.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling connectivity in a wireless communication system that includes a first cell and a second cell, when the first cell and the second cell are both candidates to serve a given user equipment device (UE). An example method includes determining a first Radio-Resource-Control (RRC)-connection-establishment failure rate of the first cell, where the first RRC-connection-establishment failure rate of the first cell is based on one or more instances of RRC-connection-establishment failure experienced in the first cell. And the method includes using at least the determined first RRC-connection-establishment failure rate of the first cell as a basis to control whether the given UE will be connected with the first cell or rather with the second cell. Further, in this method, the one or more instances of RRC-connection-establishment failure experienced in the first cell encompass RRC-connection-establishment failure experienced by one or more UEs other than the given UE.

Abstract: A first access node that is operating on a first TDD carrier having a first TDD configuration will determine that a second TDD carrier on which a proximate second access node is operating has a different, second TDD configuration, such that there is at least one time interval in which the first TDD carrier is downlink concurrently with the second TDD carrier being uplink. In response to at least this determination, the first access node will then transition to a mode in which, during the time interval, the first access node will operate with reduced transmission power on a frequency portion of the first TDD carrier that is closest in frequency to the second TDD carrier. Further, the first access node could allocate the lower-transmission-power frequency portion for use in transmission to served devices deemed to be in at least predefined threshold high quality coverage of the first access node.

Abstract: A method and system for proactively reconfiguring communication to a user equipment device (UE) in anticipation the UE experiencing a coverage-throughput reduction when the UE is receiving streaming media. An example method includes (i) predicting, when the UE is receiving streaming media, that the UE is going to experience the coverage-throughput reduction and (ii) based at least in part on the predicting, proactively increasing a quality-of-service (QoS) level of a bearer through which the UE is receiving the streaming media, the proactively increasing occurring before the UE experiences the coverage-throughput reduction so that the QoS level is increased by when the UE experiences the coverage-throughput reduction.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling wireless service of a user equipment device (UE) by an access node. The access node serves the UE with uplink carrier-aggregation over a connection encompassing multiple uplink channels including a primary uplink channel (uplink PCell) and a secondary uplink channel (uplink SCell). Further, the access node dynamically sets a channel-quality threshold applicable to control when to deconfigure the uplink SCell from service of the UE, with the dynamically setting of the channel-quality threshold including setting the channel-quality threshold to a value selected based on one or more operational circumstances of the UE, such as whether the UE is engaged in uplink heavy or rather uplink light communication. And the access node applies the dynamically set channel-quality threshold to control when to deconfigure the uplink SCell from service of the UE.

Abstract: A method and a system for concurrently transmitting from an antenna a first sequence of data from a first access node and a second sequence of data from a second access node is presented. An example method includes orthogonally encoding the first and second sequences, including encoding the first sequence with a first binary code to produce a first encoded sequence and encoding the second sequence with a second binary code to produce a second encoded sequence, combining the first encoded sequence and the second encoded sequence to produce a combined encoded sequence, and transmitting the combined encoded sequence from the antenna, with transmitting the combined encoded sequence from the antenna including engaging in a first transmission of the combined encoded sequence from the antenna and engaging in a second transmission of the combined encoded sequence from the same antenna with a phase delay compared with the first transmission.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling how many carriers to aggregate together for carrier-aggregation service of a UE. A base station could take into account how many MIMO layers a UE would support respectively for each of various candidate quantities of carriers, and the base station could select the candidate quantity of carriers that would result in use of a highest aggregate total number of MIMO layers. Further, the selection could involve mapping UE-reported rank to a quantity of carriers, with the rank being inversely proportional to the selected quantity of carriers. The base station could then configure carrier-aggregation service of the UE with the selected quantity of carriers.

Abstract: A method and system to control carrier aggregation in a wireless communication system including a first access node and a second access node, where the first access node has a first respective backhaul connection, where the second access node has a second respective backhaul connection, where the first access node supports serving user equipment devices (UEs) with standalone connectivity, and where the first and second access nodes cooperatively support serving UEs with dual connectivity. A method includes detecting that the second respective backhaul connection of the second access node is threshold heavily loaded. And the method includes, based at least in part on the detecting that the second respective backhaul connection of the second access node is threshold heavily loaded, causing the first access node to suppress an extent of carrier-aggregation service that the first access node will provide to any standalone-connected UEs, to help free up capacity for dual-connectivity service.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling connection-request transmission in a cell provided by an access node, the access node supporting access attempts by user equipment devices (UEs), each access attempt including the UE engaging in random access signaling with the access node and the UE then engaging in up to a maximum allowed number of connection-request transmissions to the access node in an effort to ensure successful receipt by the access node of a connection request from the UE, where an access block occurs if the access node does not successfully receive connection-request transmission from the UE through the maximum allowed number connection-request transmissions. An example method includes (i) determining an extent to which the cell has experienced such access blocks and (ii) using the determined extent as a basis to dynamically set a maximum allowed number of connection-request transmissions per access attempt in the cell.

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 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.