Abstract: An interference level is determined in an uplink portion of a wireless communication link between a wireless device and an access node. A traffic class of data is identified in a first portion of the uplink portion, and resource blocks in a second portion of the uplink portion are selected based on the determined interference level and the identified traffic class. The wireless device is sent an allocation of the selected resource blocks in the second portion of the uplink portion, and control channel information is received from the wireless device in the uplink portion in the selected resource blocks.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and computer-readable storage media for scheduling physical resource blocks are provided. Base stations, of a communication radio access network, may be configured with schedulers that assign one or more physical resource blocks to a communication channel of a wireless device based on distance or power. The physical resource blocks allow the wireless device to communicate with the base station. Some resource blocks may be monitored across multiple sites to determine whether an aggregate power for the resource blocks exceeds a threshold. When the aggregate power threshold is surpassed, the schedulers may limit or prevent use of the identified resource blocks.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that may help a base station to adjust forward-link data rates in a given sector based on transmission-power variations in neighboring sectors. An exemplary method involves a base station that serves a first sector: (a) determining a respective transmission power for each of two or more channels of a second sector, (b) detecting a transmission-power difference between at least two of the channels of the second sector, and (c) in response to detecting the transmission-power difference: (i) determining a data rate control (DRC) adjustment for the first sector based at least in part on the transmission-power difference; and using the determined DRC adjustment to determine a forward-link data rate for at least one access terminal in the first sector.

Abstract: An example embodiment may involve defining a time-division multiplexed, orthogonal frequency-division multiplexed wireless air interface containing a primary signaling channel. The primary signaling channel may be formed by a first set of modulation symbols that are allocated to a fixed time position of each time-division multiplexed subframe across a plurality of contiguous subcarrier frequencies. A first set of the subcarrier frequencies may be powered at a first level and a second set of subcarrier frequencies may be powered at a second level. The example embodiment may also involve defining a secondary signaling channel. The secondary signaling channel may be formed in the air interface by a second set of modulation symbols that are allocated to dynamic time positions on the first set of the subcarrier frequencies. The example embodiment may further involve transmitting signaling messages to one or more WCDs via the secondary signaling channel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in which (i) a user equipment device registers with a first radio access network (RAN) that provides connectivity with a transport network, (ii) once registered with the first RAN, the device then registers via the first RAN and transport network with a call server, and (iii) in response to the device registering with the call server, but before the device then engages in a call served by the call server, the device registers via the first RAN with a second RAN. The method may thereby help to expedite later handover of a call served by the call server from being via the first RAN to being via the second RAN. Further, by the second RAN registration being conducted in response to registration of the device with the call server, the method may help to ensure usefulness of the registration of the device with the second RAN.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for improved paging in a wireless communication system. In a scenario where base stations broadcast congestion indicators to prevent mobile stations from registering in coverage areas that are experiencing threshold congestion, the method provides for a new form of zone based paging that accounts for the possibility that a mobile station has entered into a new zone but has not yet registered due to a threshold congestion state. According to the method, a paging attempt will be directed to the mobile station's zone of last registration and to only those coverage areas in at least one adjacent paging zone that are deemed to be experiencing threshold congestion.

Abstract: A mobile station will sort wireless coverage sectors in order of distance of the sectors from the mobile station, and the mobile station will then scan for pilot signals from the sectors in the sorted order. The invention can be applied advantageously to provide an order of scanning remaining set sectors in a mobile station operating according to a code division multiple access protocol.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system to help manage resources in a wireless communication system. When a first access network has allocated a resource for use in serving a UE and the UE has then transitioned from being served by the first access network to being served by a second access network, a determination may be made that (i) the UE has then moved into particular coverage of the second access network and (ii) the first access network does not have a coverage area that corresponds with that particular coverage area of the second access network. In response, the first access network may then release the resource that it had allocated for use in serving the UE. In a scenario where the first access is configured to normally release the resource upon expiration of a resource-release timer, the release in response to the determination may advantageously occur before the timer expires.

Abstract: A network node receives from a mobile terminal being served by a first coverage area a measurement report indicating signal level of a second coverage area detected by the mobile terminal. The network node then makes a determination, by considering PLMNs of the mobile terminal and of the coverage areas, of (i) whether the mobile node is a home mobile node of the first coverage area and (ii) whether the mobile node is a home mobile node of the second coverage area. Based on that determination, the network node then selects a handoff threshold. And based on the handoff threshold and the reported signal level, the network node decides whether to trigger handoff of the mobile terminal from the first coverage area to the second coverage area. The network node then triggers the handoff if the decision is to do so.

Abstract: A wireless communication device (WCD) is configured to receive and maintain concurrently in data storage at least two different IMS transfer-addresses, such as one for use when the WCD's transition between radio access networks (RANs) is a single-radio transition and the other for use when the WCD's transition between RANs is a dual-radio transition, and/or one for use when the WCD's transition between RANs is packet-to-packet and the other for use when the WCD's transition between RANs is packet-to-circuit. Upon transitioning between RANs, the WCD may then select the appropriate one of these IMS transfer-addresses and transmit the selected IMS transfer-address to a network node to facilitate handover of an ongoing call to be via the WCD's new serving RAN.

Abstract: As a communication device receives packet data via a first access network, the communication detects that packet data arriving via a second access network is duplicative of the packet data that the communication device is receiving via the first access network. In response to detecting such duplication, the communication device discontinues being served by the first access network and continues with communication via the second access network.

Abstract: One embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a base station. The method includes the base station serving a wireless communication device (WCD) on a given air-interface resource. While serving the WCD, the base station may receive a data packet from the WCD. In response, the base station may update the data packet to include an indication of the given air-interface resource on which the base station is serving the WCD. The base station may then transmit the updated data packet for receipt by one or more gateways.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling a circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) process is disclosed. A first wireless network serving a wireless communication device (WCD) receives from an interworking server an indication of an incoming call that the WCD can receive via a second wireless network. The first wireless network sends the interworking server an indication of a location related to the WCD. The interworking server determines a load level of the second wireless network in an area proximate the indicated location. The interworking server selects a control message based on the load level and sends the selected control message to the first wireless network. The first wireless network determines whether to transition the WCD to the second wireless network to receive the incoming call based on the selected control message from the interworking server.

Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement in which a radio access network detects a trigger such as the RAN being threshold loaded, and the RAN responsively causes each of one or more served UEs to transition from operating in a mode in which the UE would engage in call initiation signaling via the RAN to set up the call extending through the RAN, so the UE would then engage in the call served by the RAN to operating in a mode in which the UE would engage in call initiation signaling via the RAN to instead set up the call extending through another RAN and would transition to be served by the other RAN, so the UE would engage in the call served by the other RAN. As disclosed, one RAN may be an LTE RAN, and the other RAN may be a fallback RAN such as a CDMA or GSM RAN.

Abstract: In order to provide better wireless service to wireless communication devices (WCDs) at different altitudes (e.g., on different levels of a high-rise structure), a radio access network (RAN) may include antennas that are configured to provide coverage at these different altitudes. The RAN may assign resources, such as transmit power or frequencies, to wireless coverage areas serving particular altitude ranges in a proportion that is commensurate with the number of WCDs being served by these particular altitude ranges. As a result, RAN and WCD performance may improve.

Abstract: A method and corresponding system and apparatus to help manage UE context records. When a network controller detects that it is at or approaching a context record storage limit, such as might be imposed by license agreement for instance, the network controller offload one or more of its stored UE context records to another network controller to be stored temporarily by the other network controller until needed, even though the other network controller is not serving the UE(s) at issue.

Abstract: A wireless-communication system includes a first network and a second network (e.g., an EV-DO network and a 1xRTT network, respectively). A wireless-communication-system entity determines that a mobile station is engaged in a first type of communication (e.g., a voice call) via the first network. In response to making the determination, the entity configures the second network to send second-network data (e.g., 1xRTT page messages) to the mobile station via an inter-network connection interface.

Abstract: One embodiment takes the form of a method carried out by a gateway. The method includes the gateway receiving a message that was originated by a wireless communication device (WCD) being served by an access network. Next, the gateway may identify a given air-interface resource on which the access network is serving the WCD. After receiving the message, the gateway may use the given air-interface resource to determine one or more rules for decrementing an account balance associated with the WCD. The gateway may then decrement the account balance associated with the WCD in accordance with the determined one or more rules.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for handing off packet-transmission between sectors of a wireless communication system is disclosed herein. During transmission of a packet from an access network to an access terminal, the access terminal determines that the packet should theoretically be transmitted to the access terminal in fewer timeslots in another sector than the number of allowed timeslots remaining for the packet transmission in a current sector. In response, the access terminal abandons packet transmission in the current sector and hands off to the other sector, in an effort to increase throughput and save air interface resources.

Abstract: As a communication device receives packet data via a first access network, the communication detects that packet data arriving via a second access network is duplicative of the packet data that the communication device is receiving via the first access network. In response to detecting such duplication, the communication device discontinues being served by the first access network and continues with communication via the second access network.