Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for an enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) in a wireless communications network. In one embodiment, a number of base stations in a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, accommodate both Spatial Multiplexing (SM) enabled user elements and non-SM enabled user elements. In another embodiment, a number of base stations form a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, where the MBMS zone is sub-divided into an SM zone and a non-SM zone. In another embodiment, the wireless communications network includes multiple MBMS zones. For each MBMS zone, base stations serving the MBMS zone transmit an MBMS zone identifier (ID) for the MBMS zone. The MBMS zone ID may be used by a user element for decoding and/or to determine when to perform a handoff from one MBMS zone to another.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed herein for an enhanced Multimedia Broadcast Multicast Service (MBMS) in a wireless communications network. In one embodiment, a number of base stations in a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, accommodate both Spatial Multiplexing (SM) enabled user elements and non-SM enabled user elements. In another embodiment, a number of base stations form a MBMS zone, or broadcast region, where the MBMS zone is sub-divided into an SM zone and a non-SM zone. In another embodiment, the wireless communications network includes multiple MBMS zones. For each MBMS zone, base stations serving the MBMS zone transmit an MBMS zone identifier (ID) for the MBMS zone. The MBMS zone ID may be used by a user element for decoding and/or to determine when to perform a handoff from one MBMS zone to another.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for assessing radio resource requirements using virtual bin virtualization. An embodiment method includes receiving a service request from a user equipment (UE) in a geographical bin. Resource requirements are then obtained, from a lookup table (LUT), for a serving radio node and neighbor radio nodes associated with the geographic bin of the UE. The LUT comprises a plurality of entries that map combinations of path losses of wireless links for the serving radio node and neighbor radio nodes to corresponding combinations of resource requirements. The entries of the path losses further include one or more service specific and network node parameters for the serving radio nodes and neighbor radio nodes, which are also mapped to the resource requirements. The obtained resource requirements are then assessed, including deciding whether to serve the UE according to the resource requirements and to resource availability.

Abstract: Inter-cell interference can be reduced by re-assigning uplink scheduling responsibilities for a user equipment (UE) from a controller associated with a serving access point (AP) to a controller associated with a neighboring AP, as the controller associated with the neighboring AP may have better access to channel information corresponding to interference experienced by the neighboring AP as a result of uplink transmissions from the UE. After the re-assignment, the controller associated with the neighboring AP may independently schedule an uplink transmission parameter (e.g., a transmit power level, a modulation coding scheme level and/or a precoder) of the UE in a manner that mitigates inter-cell-interference in the neighboring cell.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling uplink data traversing a backhaul in a Radio Access Network (RAN). Uplink data received at access nodes of the RAN is processed by processing functions separate from the access nodes. The processing functions provide processed data for use, by further nodes, in decoding of the information transmitted from client devices. Processing can include one or more of: regenerating uplink signals, requantizing signals, and selecting a portion of received data to forward. A scheduler which controls various access nodes and processing functions concurrently with issuance of uplink grants is also provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for resource allocation in the backhaul network of a radio access network are provided. Devices such as schedulers communicate utility functions to a traffic engineering controller. Each utility function expresses amount of utility associated with at least one prospective backhaul resource allocation, from the perspective of the device or clients or UEs served thereby. The traffic engineering controller incorporates the utility functions into an objective to be maximized, subject to constraints such as backhaul link capacity constraints. A backhaul resource allocation is determined by solving a corresponding optimization problem. The traffic engineering controller then instructs various entities in the backhaul network to implement the resource allocation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating communication through a wireless communication system configured for transmission of general-purpose data, are provided. A transparent radio bearer is instantiated in a device and is configured to interface with an application of the device. A transparent logical channel is also instantiated in the device and is configured to interface with a medium access layer of the device. The medium access layer forms a part of a chain of protocol layers operatively configured to facilitate communications to another device associated with the wireless communication system. The transparent radio bearer maps onto the transparent logical channel in order to bypass at least one sub-layer of the chain of protocol layers while conveying data between the application and the medium access layer of the device.

Abstract: A method for managing data transmissions between Radio Access Network (RAN) nodes is disclosed. The method may be performed by a communications entity, and includes receiving a request from a recipient node that comprises a desired attribute, receiving an indication of data from a transmitting node that is suited for classifying the data into one or more data attributes, and facilitating transmission of the data from the transmitting node to the recipient node when the one or more data attributes correspond to the desired attribute.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for balancing multipoint Radio Access Network traffic to mitigate backhaul congestion is provided. Schedulers communicate with a Traffic Engineering (TE) controller either directly or via a Virtual Link Monitor. The schedulers receive indications of data rate upper limits for virtual links overlaid onto the backhaul network, and schedule mobile device communications such that the data rate upper limits are respected. The Virtual Link Monitors maintain indications of current loading of the virtual links and provide the schedulers with operational information based on same. Scheduling is performed in view of the operational information. The Virtual Link Monitors also provide the TE controller with indications of service requirements for the virtual links, so that the TE controller can reconfigure the virtual links based on same.

Abstract: Data is scrambled at a transmitter according to one of a number of predetermined scrambling sequences which are associated with a particular one of a number of predetermined transmit antenna diversity schemes (i.e., a specific number of transmit antenna ports). Received data is decoded using one or more of the known transmit antenna diversity schemes and the scrambled data is descrambled according to a corresponding descrambling sequence (related to the scrambling sequence). Based on the descrambled data, the receiver determines which transmit antenna diversity scheme (i.e., the number of antenna ports) is used by the transmitter. In one specific embodiment, CRC parity data is scrambled in the transmitter and the receiver descrambles the recovered CRC parity data according to a descrambling sequence, computes CRC parity data from the received data, and compares the descrambled CRC parity data to the newly computed CRC parity data.

Abstract: Various devices and methods are disclosed to support clustering optimization in a communication system. For example, multiple nodes of the communication system can be segmented into multiple clustering plans. Each clustering plan can include multiple clusters that do not overlap with one another within that clustering plan. At least one of the clusters of one clustering plan can overlap at least one of the clusters of at least one other clustering plan. Each node could be a non-boundary node in at least one cluster of at least one clustering plan. Multiple nodes of the communication system can alternatively be segmented into clusters having expanding and contracting borders.

Abstract: There are disclosed systems, devices, and methods for distributing pre-fetch data. A parent node obtains pre-fetch data comprising at least one of: i) data expected to be of interest to a particular user, pre-fetched by the parent node from at least one data source; and (ii) at least one identifier identifying data expected to be of interest to the particular user, for pre-fetching the identified data at a child node. The parent node selects first and second subsets of the pre-fetch data for transmission, respectively, to first and second child nodes, the selecting based on at least a predicted future location of the particular user and a respective geographic location of the first and second child nodes; and transmits the first and second subsets of the pre-fetch data, respectively, to the first and second child nodes.

Abstract: Visual information from camera sensors can be used to assign scheduling and/or transmission parameters in a wireless network. For example, the visual information can be used to visually discover a user equipment (UE) prior to initiating link discovery. This may be accomplished by analyzing the visual information to identify an absolute or relative position of the UE. The positioned may then be used to select antenna configuration parameters for transmitting a discovery signal, e.g., direction of departure (DoD), angle of departure (AoD), precoder. As another example, the visual information is used to predict a link obstruction over a radio interface between a UE and an AP. In yet other examples, the visual information may be used for traffic engineering purposes, such as to predict a traffic density or pair UEs with APs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards a communications system and uplink transmission method which may dynamically adapt to changing conditions of the backhaul network. A traffic engineering element (TEE) is disclosed which receives a request from at least one wireless device for uplink data transmission. The TEE then determines the backhaul conditions of the backhaul network and coordinates uplink data transmissions from at least one wireless device to one or more receivers dependent on the determined backhaul conditions.

Abstract: A hierarchical link scheduling system and method is provided. A central controller gathers network information, including global parameters and long term demands, and determines an initial schedule for link activation based on these variables. A scheduler receives the initial schedule and modifies the initial schedule based on local parameters, inter-schedule negotiation, or other short term or localized requests. The scheduler activates the links according to the modified schedule. Accordingly, the scheduler can be responsible for modifying the initial schedule provided by central controller with localized or short term requests or demands, and providing the necessary parameters to enable link activation between nodes according to the modified schedule.

Abstract: Backhaul resource utilization efficiency can be improved by performing lower-layer decoding of uplink transmissions at access points to obtain transport blocks carried by the uplink transmissions, and then strategically scheduling the transport blocks over backhaul links extending between the access points and network nodes. Upon reception, the network nodes may perform radio link control (RLC) decoding of the transport blocks to obtain the uplink data. Transport blocks may be scheduled a manner that prioritizes time-sensitive data (e.g., voice traffic), or in a manner that strategically routes transport blocks over backhaul paths to increase the overall utilization of backhaul resources.

Abstract: There are disclosed systems, devices, and methods for distributing pre-fetch data. A parent node obtains pre-fetch data comprising at least one of: i) data expected to be of interest to a particular user, pre-fetched by the parent node from at least one data source; and (ii) at least one identifier identifying data expected to be of interest to the particular user, for pre-fetching the identified data at a child node. The parent node selects first and second subsets of the pre-fetch data for transmission, respectively, to first and second child nodes, the selecting based on at least a predicted future location of the particular user and a respective geographic location of the first and second child nodes; and transmits the first and second subsets of the pre-fetch data, respectively, to the first and second child nodes.

Abstract: Dynamic point selection (DPS) can be implemented using access points having partial or no DPS synchronization. Specifically, a mobile device may broadcast a bounce back message to access points participating in DPS transmissions to signal that a data segment has been successfully received and/or decoded by the mobile device. The bounce back message may cause the access points to drop remaining packets corresponding to the data segment from their buffers without sending those remaining packets over their respective radio interfaces. The bounce back message may be broadcast over any wireless signaling channel, such as via radio link control (RLC) signaling. Moreover, different priorities may be assigned to encoded packets intended for DPS transmission based on whether the encoded packets are communicated over a primary or secondary backhaul path.

Abstract: Embodiments are provided for header compression with online network codes. A header formulation is used in accordance with the network codes to reduce the header overhead. An agent node between a source of packets and a user equipment (UE) adds to a header in the packets block labels corresponding to blocks of data in the packets. The agent node further adds, to a payload portion of the packets, start and end times for transmitting the blocks. The blocks of data are encoded using an online network coding scheme and the packets are sent to an access node serving the UE. The access node receives the packets, compresses the header by compressing bits of the block labels based on a pre-defined finite number of paths between the agent node and a plurality of access nodes components serving the UE, and sends the compressed header in the packets to the UE.

Abstract: It is possible to achieve fast high-frequency link discovery by communicating location parameters identifying a spatial location of a mobile device over a low-frequency interface to a low-frequency access point (AP). The location parameters are then used to identify antenna configuration parameters (e.g., precoders, etc.) for communicating discovery signals between the mobile device and a high-frequency access point. In one embodiment, the low-frequency AP relays the location parameters to the high-frequency AP, which uses the spatial location of the mobile device to perform link discovery. In another embodiment, the low-frequency AP communicates high-frequency antenna configuration parameters to the mobile device over the low-frequency interface.