Abstract: Systems and methods are described for selecting a wireless device to share a set of resource blocks from an access node. A channel orthogonality of a plurality of parallel data streams received at the access node from wireless devices may be determined. From the wireless devices, a non-relay capable wireless device whose channel orthogonality meets a set threshold may be selected. From the plurality of wireless devices, a relay-capable wireless device whose channel orthogonality meets a set threshold may be selected. The selected non-relay capable and relay-capable wireless devices may be paired to share a same set of resource blocks. The selected non-relay capable and relay-capable wireless devices may be scheduled for resource transmission.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for coordinating transmissions from a multiple access nodes in a communication network. A relay-capable status of wireless devices connected to an access node may be determined. Relay capable wireless devices are dynamically selected from the connected wireless devices for assignment of coordinated transmissions from an access node. Scheduling between the selected relay capable wireless devices and the access node is conducted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for controlling air interface communication in a wireless communication system that supports multiple TDD configurations. In a disclosed example, a base station's cell is initially configured to operate with a particular TDD configuration. The base station then detects a trigger to reduce uplink latency in the cell, such as by detecting a threshold number of devices being served with latency-sensitive communication such as voice-over-packet communication. And the base station responsively reconfigures the cell to operate with a different TDD configuration having lower uplink latency, where uplink latency of each TDD configuration is based average wait to uplink subframe of the TDD configuration.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for detecting interference at an access node. A rate at which packets are unsuccessful received at a wireless device may be monitored, wherein the wireless device is in communication with a cell of an access node. The access node may retransmit one or more unsuccessfully received packets to the wireless device. A retransmission metric for retransmission attempts to the wireless device from the access node may be monitored. And it may be determined that communication between the cell of the access node and the wireless device is experiencing interference from a neighboring cell when the monitored rate and monitored retransmission metric meet the interference criteria.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for dynamically controlling bearer quality-of-service (QoS) configuration. In an example arrangement, a wireless communication device (WCD) may have a first bearer and a second bearer with a base station, where the first bearer has a first set of one or more QoS parameters defining a first priority level for the base station scheduling communications on the first bearer, and the second bearer has a second set of one or more QoS parameters defining a second priority level for the base station scheduling communications on the second bearer, the second priority level being different from the first priority level. In this arrangement, an example method may involve detecting that the base station is threshold highly loaded, and responsive to the detecting, reconfiguring the second bearer to have the same QoS parameters as the first set of one or more QoS parameters.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing handover of a wireless device to a target Access Node (AN) sector. Beam-form capable sectors of one or more target ANs may be selected from a pool of candidate sectors. At least one of the selected sectors may be prioritized (e.g., over the other sectors) based on an open beam-form seat. Handover of the wireless device from a first AN to the prioritized sector may be performed.

Abstract: A UE is configured to function as a relay on behalf of a donor access node. The donor access node can dynamically adjust scheduling of resources to the relay UE based on a size of a buffer associated with the relay UE. The donor access node monitors a size of the buffer and, if the size exceeds a threshold, assigns a greater scheduling weight to the relay UE. Similarly, when the buffer size associated with the relay UE drops below a threshold, the scheduling weight may be lowered. The buffer may include any combination of a downlink buffer stored on the donor access node or an uplink buffer stored on the relay UE.

Abstract: Dynamically selecting a frame configuration as depicted herein includes determining a number of wireless devices within the wireless network that are capable of multiple transmissions using a first frame configuration comprising a first ratio of uplink subframes relative to downlink subframes, comparing the number with a threshold, and selecting a second frame configuration for each of the number of wireless devices based on the comparison. The second frame configuration comprises a second ratio of uplink subframes relative to downlink subframes that is different from the first ratio.

Abstract: A relay wireless device is subject to a handoff procedure based on a signal strength and other features of a plurality of neighbor access nodes that are within range of the relay wireless device, and based on their ability to provide services to end-user wireless devices via the relay wireless device. A first access node obtains a plurality of features of the neighbor access nodes to enable determination of an optimal donor access node to provide services to the end-user devices via the relay wireless device. The first access node may obtain the features directly from each neighbor access node or by communicating with an EMS server. The features of the neighbor access nodes include loading information for each node. The loading information may be matched to the requirements of the relay wireless device.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically managing a downlink coverage threshold that is used for triggering handover processing of a user equipment device (UE). The downlink coverage threshold is dynamically decreased upon invoking of uplink Transmission Time Interval (TTI) bundling service for the UE.

Abstract: Mitigating interference in distributed antenna systems (DAS) includes determining, at a processing node of the DAS, that a first wireless device attached to a first access node is within a coverage area of one or more antennae of the DAS, and transmitting, from the processing node to the first access node, a request to trigger a handover of the first wireless device from the first access node to the DAS. The first access node triggers the handover by instructing the first wireless device to perform a signal measurement.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments described herein include systems, methods, and nodes for determining a frequency band for wireless backhaul. It may be determined that a utilization of a frequency band used for backhaul between a relay wireless device and an access node meets a criteria. An overhead may be calculated for a set of frequency bands available for use as backhaul between the relay wireless device and the access node, wherein the calculated overhead for a particular one of the set of frequency bands is based on at least one of a number of wireless devices that use the particular frequency band for carrier aggregation and a number of wireless devices that receive a beamformed signal over the particular frequency band. One of the set of frequency bands may be selected based on the calculated overhead. And the relay wireless device may be instructed to communicate wireless backhaul to the access node over the selected frequency.

Abstract: Backhaul data may be communicated between an access node and a relay wireless device, wherein the relay wireless device serves as backhaul for a plurality of end-user wireless devices and a set of the plurality of the end-user wireless devices comprise a quality of service metric that meets a quality of service criteria. Wireless resources may be scheduled for the relay wireless device using semi-persistent scheduling such that wireless resources are pre-allocated for the relay wireless device based on a periodicity. And data may be transmitted according to the semi-persistent scheduling from the access node to the relay wireless device based on the periodicity, wherein data for the set of end-user wireless devices that is received at the access node between transmissions for the semi-persistent scheduling is queued such that it is transmitted to the relay wireless device at a next transmission for the semi-persistent scheduling.

Abstract: A method and system for controlling TTI bundling in a wireless communication system that includes a base station configured to serve UEs over an air interface, where each UE has a maximum transmit power for air interface transmission, where the UEs include a first class of UEs and a second class of UEs, and where the maximum transmit power of the UEs of the second class is higher than the maximum transmit power of the UEs of the first class. The base station detects a capacity constraint on the air interface, such a threshold high air interface load, and the base station responds by operating in a mode in which the base station differentially controls application of TTI bundling as between the first class of UEs and the second class of UEs, based on the second class of UEs having higher maximum transmit power than the first class of UEs.

Abstract: Backhaul data may be communicated between an access node and a relay wireless device, wherein the relay wireless device serves as backhaul for a plurality of end-user wireless devices and a set of the plurality of the end-user wireless devices comprise a quality of service metric that meets a quality of service criteria. Wireless resources may be scheduled for the relay wireless device using pre-allocated scheduling such that wireless resources are pre-allocated for the relay wireless device. Data may be aggregated for the set of end-user wireless devices that is received at the access node between scheduled transmissions for the pre-allocated scheduling. And the aggregated data may be transmitted, according to the pre-allocated scheduling, from the access node to the relay wireless device at a next transmission for the pre-allocated scheduling.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate to performing pre-emptive handovers of the backhaul connection of a moving small access node or a relay node that is attached to a mode of transportation traveling along a known or predefined route. The handovers to specific donor access nodes are based at least on a direction of travel, rate (speed) of travel, and current location of the mode of transportation, as well as the presence and coverage areas of the donor access nodes along the known route.

Abstract: According to aspects of the present disclosure, a method and system are provided for wireless communication between a user equipment device (UE) and a base station using carrier aggregation and transmission time internal (TTI) bundling. The base station serves the UE with carrier aggregation on multiple carriers and determines, per carrier, a respective bundling size for transmitting a wireless communication between the UE and the base station with transmission TTI bundling on that component carrier. The determined bundling size for at least one of the plurality of component carriers is different than the determined bundling size for another one of the plurality of component carriers. While serving the UE with carrier aggregation on the multiple carriers, the base station invokes TTI bundling to transmit the wireless communication between the UE and the base station on each carrier with the respectively determined bundling size for that component carrier.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing carrier aggregation for a wireless device proximate to an antenna system. An uplink signal may be received at an access node from a wireless device in communication with the access node. It may be detected that the wireless device is proximate to an antenna system, wherein the antenna system does not comprise the access node. It may be then determined that carrier aggregation should be triggered for the wireless device based on the detecting. And carrier aggregation may be performed for the wireless device by transmitting data from the access node to the wireless device over a primary carrier and a secondary carrier.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for performing beamforming during carrier aggregation. It may be determined that conditions at an access node and a first wireless device meet a beamforming criteria, wherein the access node and the first wireless device communicate using carrier aggregation including a first frequency band comprising a primary carrier and a second frequency band comprising a component carrier. Data may be communicated between the access node and a second wireless device over the second frequency band, wherein the second wireless device is proximate to the first wireless device. Beamforming signal conditions may be determined for the first wireless device on the first frequency band and the second wireless device on the second frequency band.

Abstract: Example methods and an example controller for controlling a bit rate at which a media server streams media content to a UE are provided. The example controller includes at least one processing unit and data storage having instructions executable by the processing unit to carry out operations. The operations include determining an extent to which the UE provides wireless backhaul connectivity between its serving base station and at least one device other than the UE. Further, the operations include, based on the determined extent, (i) establishing the bit rate and (ii) causing the media server to stream a portion of media content to the UE at the established bit rate.