Abstract: When a user equipment device (UE) is served with standalone connectivity by a first access node on a first carrier, the first access node could detect a trigger for transitioning the UE from the standalone connectivity to dual connectivity. In response to at least the trigger, the first access node could then (i) transition the UE from the first carrier to a second carrier selected based on the second carrier being lower in frequency than the first carrier, so as to help facilitate quality communication in the dual connectivity service, and then (ii) transition the UE from the standalone connectivity to the dual connectivity.

Abstract: When a user equipment device (UE) is served with standalone connectivity by a first access node on a first carrier, the first access node could detect a trigger for transitioning the UE from the standalone connectivity to dual connectivity. In response to at least the trigger, the first access node could then (i) transition the UE from the first carrier to a second carrier selected based on the second carrier being lower in frequency than the first carrier, so as to help facilitate quality communication in the dual connectivity service, and then (ii) transition the UE from the standalone connectivity to the dual connectivity.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and corresponding apparatus to help manage wireless communication between a base station and a device served by the base. In accordance with the disclosure, when a base station transitions from serving the device on just a first carrier to serving the device on a combination of the first carrier and a second carrier, the base station will responsively take action to improve downlink communication to the device on the first carrier. In particular, the base station will respond to the occurrence of that transition by starting to beamform downlink transmission to the device on the first carrier.

Abstract: A voice coding rate is selected for a voice call involving a user equipment (UE) device based on an air interface efficiency of the base station serving the UE device. The air interface efficiency of the base station is determined based on at least one of (i) a beamforming capability of the base station, (ii) a multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) capability of the base station, or (iii) an antenna configuration of the base station. The voice coding rate could be selected by either the UE device or by the base station. The UE device transmits to the base station during the voice call one or more voice frames that convey voice data coded at the selected voice coding rate. During the voice call, a new air interface efficiency may be determined, and a new voice coding rate may be selected based on the new air interface efficiency.

Abstract: Selecting a subcarrier spacing for a wireless sector includes determining a predominant traffic type within the wireless sector, the predominant traffic type being based on traffic requirements of a plurality of wireless devices operating within the wireless sector, and selecting a subcarrier spacing for the wireless sector based on the predominant traffic type. Guaranteed bit rate, low-latency, VoIP, and heavy traffic types result in selection of wider subcarrier spacings, so as to limit inter-subcarrier interference.

Abstract: Given first and second base stations that have at least partially geographically-overlapping coverage on at least partially frequency-overlapping carriers, a determination could be made that the first base station supports voice-interworking service in which served UEs could separately receive voice-over-circuit service but that the second base station does not support voice-interworking service. And in response to at least that determination, the second base station could be given priority over the first base station for providing voice-over-packet service.

Abstract: When multiple user equipment devices (UEs) are served with dual connectivity, with each UE being served by a first access node on a respective first connection according to a first RAT and all of the UE's respective first connections having a first carrier as anchor carrier for the dual connectivity, the first access node will detect that load on the first carrier is threshold high. And in response, the first access node will (i) select one or more of the UEs based on each of the selected one or more UEs being within uplink range of the first access node on a second carrier higher in frequency than the first carrier and (ii) for each selected UE, reconfigure the UE's respective first connection from having the first carrier as the anchor carrier for the dual connectivity to instead having the second carrier as the anchor carrier for dual connectivity.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes are related to selective resource allocation in a wireless network. An exemplary method includes determining, at an access node, wireless services utilized by a plurality of wireless devices connected to the access node. The wireless services include a first type of wireless service and a second type of wireless service. The method also includes determining whether a first percentage of the plurality of wireless devices utilizing the first type of wireless service relative to the second type of wireless service is greater than or equal to a service type threshold. The method also includes selecting a dynamic allocation scheme if the first percentage of the plurality of wireless devices utilizing the first type of wireless service relative to the second type of wireless service is greater than or equal to the service type threshold.

Abstract: A method and system for proactively managing a base station neighbor list. A base station or other network node tracks changes to the base station's neighbor list and identifies a recurring pattern of changes, in correspondence with a particular time of day for instance. The base station or other node then proactively changes the base station's neighbor list in anticipation of a recurrence of the identified pattern, such as in anticipation of recurrence of the time of day for instance. Advantageously, this method can help to reduce the extent to which the base station engages in an automatic neighbor relation process, and thus reduce the extent of signaling and other issues associated with engaging in that process.

Abstract: When a UE is served with dual-connectivity service on a first radio access technology (RAT) concurrently with a second RAT, and when a serving base station faces a choice of which additional carrier to add to the UE's connection according to the first RAT for carrier-aggregation service of the UE according to the first RAT, the selection of an additional first-RAT carrier will be made based on a consideration of the carrier's load attributable to first-RAT-only service as compared with dual-connectivity service. For instance, the base station could select an additional first-RAT carrier based on the carrier's load attributable to first-RAT-only service, perhaps for high-priority first-RAT-only service, being threshold low. Or the base station could exclude from the selection a candidate first-RAT carrier based the carrier's load attributable to such first-RAT-only service being threshold high. The base station could then configure carrier-aggregation service of the UE accordingly.

Abstract: When a UE is served by a first radio access network (RAN) and is engaged in a voice call such as a VoIP call, a determination will be made that the UE is at an edge of coverage (e.g., threshold poor coverage) of the first RAN and that there is no other adjacent coverage of the first RAN that could support the voice call. In response, signaling will cause a second RAN to page the UE via the first RAN so as to cause the UE to transition from being served by the first RAN to being served by the second RAN. More generally, when a UE has poor coverage of its serving RAN, another RAN will pull the UE to the second RAN by paging the UE to trigger transition of the UE from to the second RAN.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for activating beamforming based on monitoring uplink conditions of one or more wireless devices attached to a serving access node, wherein the one or more wireless devices are assigned to a high power class and, upon determining uplink conditions meeting a threshold, activating a beamforming transmission mode of the serving access node. The uplink conditions meeting the threshold trigger at least one of the one or more wireless devices to transmit using a high powered transmission mode.

Abstract: A method and system to limit voice-filter bandwidth based for a device model based on observed sound quality trend. A system monitors sound quality of voice-call communications coming from various devices and detects based on the monitoring that the sound quality of voice-call communications coming from devices of a particular model tends to be threshold low even when the devices have threshold high quality wireless coverage. In response the system then imposes a policy for devices of that model to restrict the voice-filter bandwidth that they apply—such as by limiting the devices to use a voice-filter bandwidth that is no wider than a designated bandwidth.

Abstract: A system for inter band carrier aggregation includes an access node configured to deploy a radio air interface to provide wireless services to a plurality of wireless devices. The access node includes a processor configured to determine a location of a wireless device. The processor is also configured to compare the location of the wireless device with predetermined map data to determine whether the wireless device is located within an overlapping area between a first coverage area of a first modulation scheme on a first frequency band and a second coverage area of a second modulation scheme on a second frequency band. The processor is further configured to, when the wireless device is located within the overlapping area, perform an inter band carrier aggregation between the first frequency band and the second frequency band for the wireless device.

Abstract: According to exemplary embodiments described herein, communicating via a plurality of antennae includes transmitting different data streams from each of a first antenna and a second antenna in a first transmission mode, and transmitting identical data streams from a third antenna and one of the first and second antennae in a second transmission mode. The first and second antennae are horizontally stacked relative to each other and the third antenna is vertically stacked relative to both the first and second antennae.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and processing nodes for selecting a relay wireless device for beamforming with a beamforming-capable access node. In certain instances, the relay wireless device may be prioritized over end-user wireless devices for beamform activation, particularly when there are more wireless devices meeting the beamforming criteria of a donor access node than available beamform seats.

Abstract: Minimizing interference that may potentially be caused by high-powered wireless devices to other wireless devices in the network includes determining that a first wireless device assigned to a first power class is engaged in located in a data session of a first type, and activating a high-powered transmission mode of the first wireless device. The high-powered transmission mode utilizes a first transmission power level that is associated with the first power class.

Abstract: A wireless device or UE is configured to function as a relay on behalf of a donor access node. The relay UE performs call admission controls including balancing the resources of the relay access node with the resources provided by the donor access node providing services to end UEs via the relay access node, i.e. a backhaul connection of the relay UE. The backhaul throughput is compared to a throughput requirement of the end UEs being served by the relay UE. If the throughput requirement is larger than the backhaul throughput, any new connection requests from an additional end UE may be rejected. A threshold may be defined to ensure that there are ample resources at the backhaul prior to accepting connection requests from additional end UEs.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for determining an access node for a wireless device. A first signal may be transmitted from a first access node with an increased signal level. An indication of a first adjustment factor based on the increased first signal level may also be transmitted from the first access node. Signal information may then be received from a wireless device, where the signal information includes a determined first signal level associated with the first access node and a determined second signal level associated with a second access node. The determined first signal level from the signal information may comprise a received signal level of the first signal decreased by the first adjustment factor. Based on the signal information, one of the first access node and the second access node may be selected for communication with the wireless device and the wireless device may be instructed to communicate with the selected access node.

Abstract: Allocating resources in a wireless network includes monitoring usage of each of a control channel and a data channel, determining that at least the usage of the data channel exceeds a capacity of the data channel, determining a usage of each of the control channel and the data channel operating in MU-MIMO mode, determining that the usage of the control channel in the MU-MIMO mode exceeds a first capacity of the control channel, determining a usage of each of the control channel and the data channel operating in both the MU-MIMO mode and an enhanced control mode, and adjusting a size of the portion of resources of the data channel allocated for control information upon determining that the second usage of one of the control channel or the data channel exceeds a second capacity of one of the control channel or the data channel.