Abstract: A first enhanced Node B (eNB) and method for contention-free handoff return in a wireless network are provided. The first eNB in one example embodiment includes a transceiver system configured to communicate with a User Equipment (UE) and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to receive signal strength information from the UE, with the processing system being further configured to obtain a pre-handoff CF preamble for handoff of the UE from the first eNB to the second eNB, provide the pre-handoff CF preamble to the UE, generate a post-handoff CF preamble for the UE where the UE can use the post-handoff CF preamble to return from the second eNB to the first eNB, and provide the post-handoff CF preamble to the UE.

Abstract: A method for managing access channel traffic during congested network conditions is disclosed. A wireless connection device (WCD) sends a service request to a particular base station for a particular quantity of network resources. Upon the particular base station determining that it is too loaded with network traffic to accommodate the service request, the base station saves an indication of the WCD's connection request, and responds with a communication to instruct the WCD to idle and wait for a page from the base station. The WCD, upon receiving the communication, does not send a service request for a greater quantity of network resources than the particular quantity until the WCD receives a page. Once the base station determines it has sufficient network resources to allocate to the WCD, the base station sends a page to the WCD, which causes the WCD to send another service request.

Abstract: A method and system for pre-configuring a UE with timing advance for use in communication with a handover target. When a UE is being served by a source base station, the source base station transmits to a target base station a measurement request that specifies an uplink reference signal that the UE will provide, and the target base station evaluates that uplink reference signal to determine a timing advance for the UE and reports the timing advance in a response to the source base station. As the source base station then directs the UE to hand over to the target base station, the source base station then provides the UE with an indication of the timing advance provided by the target base station. The UE may then transition to be served by the target base station and to make use of the indicated timing advance.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and software for handling circuit switch fallback (CSFB) communications are provided herein. A method of operating a wireless communication device includes wirelessly registering with the first communication network to receive a wireless data service, and after the registration with the first communication network with an enabled CSFB configuration, wirelessly registering with a second wireless communication network to receive a wireless circuit switched voice service. The method also includes identifying a service problem with the second wireless communication network, and in response, de-registering from the first wireless communication network and disabling the CSFB configuration. The method includes, after disabling the CSFB configuration, re-registering with the first wireless communication network to receive the wireless data service.

Abstract: A method and system for dynamically controlling the transmission of reverse-link control signals to help reduce interference on the reverse link. A RAN identifies a mobile device whose transmission of reverse-link control signals best represents the reverse-link air interface condition of each other mobile device in a plurality of mobile devices. Then the RAN causes each mobile device in the plurality other than the identified mobile device to not send its respective reverse-link control signal at a given time, thereby reducing the number of mobile devices that transmit reverse-link control signals at the given time.

Abstract: A method of operating a wireless communication device to facilitate cell reselection comprises achieving downlink timing synchronization with a cell associated with a wireless access node based on information broadcast by the wireless access node over a synchronization signal, and performing a number of attempts to achieve uplink timing synchronization with the cell, wherein each of the attempts includes transmitting a preamble identifier and waiting to receive a positive acknowledgement.

Abstract: A Long Term Evolution (LTE) User Equipment (UE) stores a WiFi over LTE communication priority as a current communication priority, and in response, wirelessly exchanges user data through a WiFi access point. The LTE UE also wirelessly receives and processes LTE service enhancement data from an LTE access point. In response to processing the LTE service enhancement data, the LTE UE stores an LTE over WiFi communication priority as the current communication priority. In response to the LTE over WiFi communication priority, the LTE UE wirelessly exchanges additional user data through the LTE access point using an LTE service enhancement.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing page-response intervals. When a network entity receives a paging trigger signal, the entity determines a page-response interval to use for paging the mobile station, based on one or more factors such as (i) whether the communication is to be provided to the mobile station over the same air interface and/or same air interface protocol that will carry the paging to the mobile station and/or (ii) what network, interface, or other entity the trigger signal comes from and/or what network communication module receives the trigger signal. The network entity then uses the determined page-response interval when paging the mobile station, waiting that determined period of time after each page attempt before attempting to page again or before concluding that the paging effort failed.

Abstract: A radio access network (RAN) may be configured to manage paging of a wireless communication device (WCD). The RAN may initiate a paging process to page the WCD, and the paging process may comprise the RAN transmitting to the WCD a defined sequence of page attempts until the RAN receives a page response from the WCD or the RAN has transmitted a final page attempt of the sequence. After the RAN has transmitted at least one page attempt of the sequence but before the final page attempt of the sequence has been transmitted, the RAN may determine that the RAN has not received the page response from the WCD, and that the WCD is currently engaged in active data communication, and the RAN may responsively discontinue the paging process.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are a method and a corresponding apparatus that provides a tethering alert if the apparatus is tethering data. In one example, a method for providing a tethering alert by an apparatus having a first network communication interface and a second network communication interface is disclosed. The method includes i) receiving incoming data via one of the first network communication interface and the second network communication interface, ii) sending outgoing data via the other of the first network communication interface and the second network communication interface, iii) making a determination that there is a threshold similarity between the incoming data and the outgoing data, and iv) responsive to making the determination, the apparatus providing a tethering alert indicating that the apparatus is tethering data.

Abstract: A method and system for allocating frequency bandwidth between a relay backhaul link and a donor access link, based at least in part on the PLMN(s) to which UE(s) served by the relay node subscribe. The donor base station or another controlling entity may determine the PLMN(s) to which one or more UEs currently served by the relay node subscribe and, based at least in part on the determined PLMN(s), may assign a PLMN-priority level to the relay. Based at least in part on the PLMN-priority level assigned to the relay, the controlling entity may then establish an allocation of the frequency bandwidth between the relay backhaul link and the donor access link, and the donor base station may apply that established allocation.

Abstract: A primary mobile station engaged in a communication session via a radio access network (RAN) may receive forward link communications over a forward link channel and transmit reverse link communications over a reverse link channel. If the quality of the communication session degrades, the primary mobile station may involve a secondary mobile station by establishing a short-range wireless communication link with the secondary mobile station, e.g., using Bluetooth™, IEEE 802.11, or other wireless communication protocol. The primary mobile station may then transmit reverse link communications to the RAN over the reverse link channel and also transmit the reverse link communications to the secondary mobile station, via the short-range wireless communication link, for transmission to the RAN. The RAN may receive the reverse link communications from the primary and secondary mobile stations as two distinct reverse link signals, which the RAN may combine together to achieve a diversity gain.

Abstract: During connection establishment, an access network and/or an access terminal may decide whether to transmit bearer-traffic data rather than null-traffic data based on a channel quality of a wireless link. For example, if the access network has forward bearer-traffic data ready for transmission to the access terminal during connection establishment, the access network may decide to transmit that forward bearer-traffic data rather than forward null-traffic data in response to determining that a forward-channel quality of the wireless link is sufficient to carry such data. As another example, if the access terminal has reverse bearer-traffic data ready for transmission to the access network during connection establishment, the access terminal may decide to transmit that reverse bearer-traffic data rather than reverse null-traffic data in response to determining that a reverse-channel quality of the wireless link is sufficient to carry such data.

Abstract: A method and system for circuit-switched fallback (CSFB) is disclosed. A first wireless network may receive from a wireless communication device (WCD) a report including an indication of radio frequency (RF) quality of a second wireless network. The first wireless network may make a determination of whether the reported indication of RF quality exceeds a threshold. If the determination is that the reported indication of RF quality exceeds the threshold, the first wireless network may send the reported indication of RF quality to the second wireless network. However, if the determination is that the reported indication of RF quality does not exceed the threshold, the first wireless network may direct the WCD to hand off to the second wireless network and refrain from sending the reported indication of RF quality to the second wireless network.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein may help to provide a delayed zone-update process. An exemplary method may involve a user entity, which is initially operating in a first of a plurality of multi-coverage-area zones in a radio access network (RAN), subsequently determining that the user entity has moved into a second multi-coverage-area zone of the RAN, wherein the user entity is located in a first coverage area of the second multi-coverage-area zone. In response, the user entity may refrain from sending a registration message to register in the second multi-coverage-area zone until the earlier of: (i) a threshold period of time elapsing and (ii) the user entity moving into another coverage area in the second multi-coverage-area zone that is different from the first coverage area.

Abstract: A Long Term Evolution (LTE) protocol evolved Node-B (eNB) and method for dynamic modulation change while generating a Media Access Control (MAC) Protocol Data Unit (PDU) in a LTE wireless network are provided. The eNB in one example embodiment includes a transceiver system configured to receive a packet and a Channel Quality Indicator (CQI) from a User Equipment (UE) and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to determine whether padding is needed in the MAC PDU, if padding is needed, select a slower modulation scheme and coding rate than is specified by the CQI, wherein the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate are selected so as to substantially eliminate padding in the MAC PDU, and transmit the MAC PDU using the selected slower modulation scheme and coding rate.

Abstract: A wireless network includes first-configuration sectors with a first frequency assignment and second-configuration sectors with a second frequency assignment. When served by a first-configuration sector that borders a second-configuration sector, the mobile station receives (i) a neighbor list that identifies neighbor sectors of the primary sector, including the second-configuration sector, (ii) a primary-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the primary sector and a reference point in the primary sector, and (iii) a neighbor-sector reference distance between a transmitter for the second-configuration sector and the reference point. Based on the reference distances, the mobile station calculates a border distance between the primary sector's transmitter and a border between the sectors. The mobile station compares its distance from the primary sector's transmitter to the primary-sector reference distance and/or border distance.

Abstract: An enhanced Node B (eNB) and method for interference mitigation at a cell edge region in a Long Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network are provided. The eNB in one example embodiment includes a transceiver system for communicating with a User Equipment (UE) registered with the eNB and a processing system coupled to the transceiver system and configured to receive a signal strength and an interference information from the UE via the transceiver system, with the processing system configured to determine if the UE is located at a cell edge region of the eNB, determine if the UE is experiencing interference, and allocate by Resource Elements (REs) in the communications being transferred from the eNB to the UE if the UE is located at the cell edge region and if the UE is experiencing an unacceptable level of interference.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for compelling a cell selection metric to indicate that a wireless cell is not suitable for communications. In a particular embodiment, a method provides receiving system information from a base station of a visited wireless communication network. The method further provides calculating a cell selection metric from cell selection parameters within the system information and a cell selection offset stored in the wireless communication device, wherein the cell selection offset causes the cell selection metric to indicate an unsuitable wireless cell. The method further provides receiving a request for a data connection from an application executing on the wireless communication device and, in response to the request, recalculating the cell selection metric from the cell selection parameters without the cell selection offset. The method further provides determining whether the wireless cell is suitable for communications based on the cell selection metric.

Abstract: Methods and systems for making decisions regarding handing off a user-equipment device from a serving base station to a neighboring base station. Base stations in a wireless communication network measure parameters regarding forward-links from the base stations and reverse-links to the base stations. Each base station transmits its measured parameters to its neighboring base station(s). Each base station can determine differences between the parameters it measures and the parameters measured by a neighboring base station. The differences indicate whether the quality of service provided by the serving base station is greater than the quality of service provided by a neighboring base station. The servicing base station transmits the differences to user-equipment devices served by that base station.