Abstract: Air interface protocols under the numerous wireless communication standards allow use of a quick-paging channel (QPCH) to expedite paging and call setup. When a hybrid mobile device is engaged in wireless communications under a first air interface protocol, it may periodically switch over to a second air interface protocol to check for pages on the slower standard paging channel (PCH). To increase throughput under the first air interface protocol, it would be useful to employ the QPCH under the second air interface protocol, to reduce time spent by hybrid device checking for pages under the second air interface protocol. However, the QPCH uses resources under the second air interface protocol, so it would be best to not have the QPCH activated at all times. According to the invention, the system would activate the QPCH under the second air interface protocol in response to there being more than an upper threshold number of hybrid devices active under the first air interface protocol.

Abstract: In a communication system, a wireless access node receives an access request from a wireless communication device. In response, the access node starts an access timer and transfers signaling to the communication system indicating the access request. If the access timer expires before a response to the signaling is received, then the access node provides the wireless communication device with wireless access to the communication system. The access node receives the response to the signaling. If the response is negative and is received before the access timer expires, then the access node denies the access request. If the response is negative and is received after the access timer expires, then the access node terminates the wireless access to the communication system for the wireless communication device.

Abstract: An access network may identify paging areas based on a reference location (e.g., a mobile station's last known location), where each paging area includes at least one coverage area. The access network may then determine paging-channel occupancies for coverage areas in at least identified paging area. In turn, the access network may adjust a given identified paging area based on the determined paging-channel occupancies, resulting in an adjusted paging area. For example, the access network may add coverage areas to the given identified paging area and/or remove coverage areas from the given identified paging area based on the paging-channel occupancies for those coverage areas. Thereafter, the access network may page a mobile station associated with the reference location in the adjusted paging area.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems are described that may be employed in a radio access network in order to aggregate the power-control messages from the sectors in a mobile station's active set, and provide an aggregate reverse-link power-control indication, in all active sectors. To do so, an exemplary base station may periodically determine an appropriate reverse-link power adjustment for a mobile station. However, rather than immediately send power-adjustment indications to the mobile station, each base station serving an active sector is preferably configured to send the power-adjustment indication to mobile switching center. The mobile switching center then determines an aggregate power-control indication for the mobile station. The aggregate power-control indication may then be transmitted to the mobile station in each of the mobile station's active sectors.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for interlaced control channel. When a RAN in a wireless communication system operating at least according to IS-856 determines that a delay condition exists in the transmission of control packets to access terminals, it invokes interlacing of time slots bearing control-channel data. By so doing, control packets are transmitted in interlaced fashion, thereby reducing delay in transmission compared with sequential transmission of control packets. A delay condition could correspond to a measured delay exceeding a threshold delay, a predicted delay (e.g., based on queue occupancy) exceeding a threshold number, or the number of access terminals eligible to receive control messages during a particular time interval exceeding a different threshold number.

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 system for reducing an amount of traffic on a paging channel of a wireless communications system by holding a pending page message until a subsequent re-registration request and response cycle scheduled to occur within a threshold amount of time. A radio access network (RAN) may be configured to determine whether an amount of time to a next scheduled re-registration request and response cycle is less than a threshold amount. If the amount of time is less than the threshold amount, the RAN may delay transmission of the pending page message until the next re-registration request and response cycle. By sending the pending page message in a response to a scheduled re-registration request, or by sending the pending page as the response to a received re-registration request, the amount of traffic on the paging channel of the wireless communications system may be reduced.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide dynamic determination of a control-channel bit rate. An access node provides service on a carrier comprising active and idle timeslots, active timeslots comprising a data channel for carrying a control channel at a bit rate that can be set to a lower value or a higher value, and traffic channels. The access node determines whether the number of active timeslots over a time period is less than a first threshold. If so, the access node sets the bit rate to the lower value. If not, the access node sets the bit rate to the higher value if at least one of the following is true: (a) control-channel occupancy exceeds a second threshold, (b) the amount of data in a traffic buffer exceeds a third threshold, and (c) control-channel occupancy exceeds a fourth threshold and the amount of data in the traffic buffer exceeds a fifth threshold.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving the performance of a radio access network (RAN) are presented. In particular, for a given WCD, a RAN may detect a pattern of forward link buffer occupancy and reverse link buffer occupancy that is indicative of the given WCD's reverse link data rate suffering from the effects of the WCD's forward link being congested. Accordingly, the RAN may allocate additional forward link capacity to the given WCD, so that the given WCD may be able to receive more data on the forward link. As a result, the WCD may also be able to transmit at a higher reverse link data rate.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for adjusting an access channel dormancy timer. In a particular embodiment, a method comprises wirelessly receiving a call request from a wireless communication device. In response to the call request, starting an access channel timer and transferring call set-up signaling to extend the call. If the access channel timer expires before a negative response is received to the call set-up signaling, then allocating a wireless access channel to the wireless device for the call. If the negative response is received before the timer expires, then denying the wireless access channel to the wireless device for the call. If the negative response is received after the timer expires, then releasing the wireless access channel from the wireless device. If a positive response is received before the timer expires, then allocating the wireless access channel to the wireless device for the call.

Abstract: In methods and systems for adjusting forward link transmit power of wireless coverage areas, forward link signal strength is observed to obtain a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and/or an observed frame error rate (FER) for the received signal. A determination is made whether to request a forward link power adjustment. If the determination is that a forward link power adjustment is required, a request may be made into a radio access network (RAN) to adjust power. The RAN may select a subset of wireless coverage areas in which to adjust power. If further power adjustment is required, a further request may be made into the RAN, and the RAN may select a different subset of wireless coverage areas in which to adjust power.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods and systems for sending and/or acknowledging an access probe in a radio access network. In one aspect, a method for transmitting an access probe to a radio access network, wherein time slots available to receive communications from the radio access network are defined in control-channel periods, wherein each control-channel period comprises one or more control-channel cycles, is disclosed.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for controlling roaming of a mobile device when the mobile device is in an active mode while utilizing a roaming network. A duration of an active event for which the mobile phone utilizes the roaming network is referenced. It is determined whether the duration of the active event exceeds an event threshold. The event threshold indicates a maximum amount of time the mobile device is allowed to connect to the roaming network in association with the active event. In instances that the duration of the active event exceeds the event threshold, the mobile device is transferred from the roaming network to a home network of the mobile device.

Abstract: Exemplary methods and systems are disclosed that may help a mobile station to conserve power by reducing the number of active sectors being scanned in certain scenarios. An exemplary method involves a mobile station (a) initially operating in a first scanning mode, wherein operation in the first scanning mode comprises the mobile station scanning all sectors in an active set comprising a plurality of sectors; (b) determining signal strength of each sector in the active set; (c) selecting, from the active set, one or more transparent sectors having the lowest signal strengths relative to the other sectors in the active set; and (d) operating in a second scanning mode, wherein operation in the second scanning mode comprises the mobile station scanning a subset of the sectors in the active set, wherein the subset excludes the one or more transparent sectors.

Abstract: What is disclosed is a method of operating a wireless access control system. The method includes monitoring a first wireless access node to determine when the first wireless access node experiences wireless access congestion, where the first wireless access node broadcasts a first paging zone identifier for receipt by wireless communication devices receiving wireless access from the first wireless access node. The method also includes, in response to the wireless access congestion at the first wireless access node, instructing a second wireless access node which broadcasts a second paging zone identifier to toggle between broadcasting the first paging zone identifier and broadcasting the second paging zone identifier at a first duty cycle.

Abstract: An access terminal may be requesting from an access network data in a first coverage area at a first data rate, which is determined based on at least one signal condition of the first coverage area. The access terminal may then decide to switch from requesting data in a first coverage area to requesting data in a second coverage area. In response, the access terminal may (a) request data in the first coverage area at an increased second data rate and (b) send to the access network a notification of the decision to switch from requesting data in a first coverage area to requesting data in a second coverage area. After sending the notification, the access terminal may request data in the second coverage area at a third data rate, which is determined based on at least one signal condition of the second coverage area.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for conducting power control based on reverse-link RF conditions. In an embodiment, a base station periodically calculates a reverse noise rise (RNR), periodically calculates a collective reverse-link frame error rate (RFER), and periodically checks whether a new call-origination message has been received. If a call origination has not been received, the base station checks whether the RNR is less than a threshold. If the RNR is less than the threshold, the base station sends power-up commands to each of mobile stations. If the RNR is not less than the threshold, the base station sends power-down commands to each of the mobile stations so long as the collective RFER is less than a maximum RFER. If a call origination has been received, the base station sends power-down commands to each of the mobile stations until the collective RFER reaches the maximum RFER.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed for optimizing handoff of access terminals. In particular, when (i) a given access terminal must switch from a first channel band in a first coverage area to a second channel band in order to hand off to a second coverage area, and (ii) there are no available identifiers to assign to the given access terminal to facilitate making the switch from the first channel band to the second channel band in the first coverage area prior to handing off to the second coverage area, an appropriate identifier is advantageously reassigned from another access terminal to the given access terminal. With the reassigned identifier, the given access terminal may then switch to the second channel band in the first coverage area prior to handing off to the second coverage area.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for selecting one or more capsules in which to include a traffic channel assignment message. The method may involve: (a) receiving a request from an access terminal to engage in a communication session; (b) making a determination as to whether or not the communication session is of a type that is designated for priority service; and (c) using the determination of whether or not the requested communication session is of a type that is designated for priority service as a basis for selecting one or more capsules in which to include the traffic channel assignment message. According to an exemplary embodiment, for priority communications, the TCA message is sent in all sectors identified in a route update message from the access terminal, and for non-priority communication sessions, control channel occupancy and pilot-signal strength to select sectors for the TCA message.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for dynamically varying the amount of time a hybrid access terminal operates on a first air interface protocol between instances of temporarily switching over to scan a second air interface protocol for broadcast information such as network operational parameters or page messages. The hybrid access terminal dynamically sets a minimum interval of operation on the first air interface protocol based on how long the access terminal has tended to be temporarily switched away to scan for broadcast information on the second air interface protocol. For example, as the switch-away time increases, the access terminal may increase the interval on the first air interface protocol, and as the switch-away time decreases, the access terminal may decrease the interval on the first air interface protocol.