Abstract: An adaptive interference cancellation method is disclosed. In an example, when a UE is served in a first cell by a first access node, the UE detects a second cell provided by a second access node that is not serving the UE. Further, responsive to the detecting, the UE determines that both (i) a broadcast CRS of the second cell occupies air-interface resource elements that the first access node uses as part of a PDSCH of the first cell and (ii) the UE has coverage strength of the second cell that is threshold similar to coverage strength that the UE has from the first access node. And, responsive to the determining, the UE cancels from scheduled PDSCH transmission from the first access node to the UE, potential interference attributable to the broadcast CRS of the detected second cell, such as by reconstructing and subtracting the CRS from the PDSCH transmission.

Abstract: A method and system to help control connectivity of a UE served with dual connectivity by a master node and a plurality of secondary nodes. An intermediary that is disposed between a core-network gateway system and the secondary nodes tracks data flow between the gateway system and the secondary nodes and provides the master node with a data-flow report, which the master node could use as a basis to trigger release of the UE's RRC connection, and/or to control addition or removal of one or more secondary nodes for the UE's dual-connectivity service.

Abstract: Mitigating interference between access nodes in a wireless network includes determining interference caused to uplink signals received at a first access node by downlink signals transmitted from a second access node, and adjusting a guard period of a special subframe utilized by one or both of access nodes based on determining the interference, by switching special subframe formats to include a longer guard period. Overall interference is mitigated based on mutually-experienced propagation delay, and channel reciprocity. Adjustments are associated with known distances between access nodes.

Abstract: In an arrangement where an access node (e.g., a Node-B) is used in dual-connectivity service of UEs that are served by other access nodes, resources of the access node could be dynamically allocated to the UEs based at least on respective priorities designated for the other access nodes. For instance, each other access node could be prioritized based on its type, such as whether it is a macro access node, a small-cell access node, an indoor access node, an access node for a special event, or a access node for dedicated service, among other possibilities, and allocation of resources of the jointly-used access node could be defined based on these priorities, giving higher resource-allocation priority to UEs that are served by a higher priority other access node and giving lower resource-allocation priority to UEs that are served by a lower priority other access node.

Abstract: A mechanism for controlling secondary-coverage scanning for configuring dual-connectivity. A computing system establishes for a primary access node a scan list of secondary cells based on the primary access node having an X2 interface for each secondary cell and having received a threshold extent of B1 measurement reporting indicating threshold strong coverage of the secondary cell for configuration of dual-connectivity. Further, the computing system establishes for each secondary cell of the scan list a respective B1 measurement threshold based on evaluation of performance history of the secondary cell such as based on extent of secondary-access-node-addition failures involving the secondary cell and/or based on communication-quality metrics such as error rate or retransmission rate. The computing system then configures the primary access node to provide a B1 measurement object conveying the scan list with measurement thresholds.

Abstract: A cell site that has multiple first-RAT carriers will monitor a capacity demand respectively of each first-RAT carrier, with capacity demand representing an extent to which adding more service capacity could be useful in view of the state of service on the 4G carrier. Further, the cell site will dynamically allocate resources of a second-RAT carrier for use in dual-connectivity service of UEs served on various ones of the first-RAT carriers, with the allocation being based on the capacity demands of the various primary-RAT carriers. For instance, if a first first-RAT carrier has a higher capacity demand than a second first-RAT carrier, then the cell site could allocate a more resources of the secondary-RAT carrier for use in dual-connectivity service of UEs served on the first first-RAT carrier than for use in dual-connectivity service of UEs served on the second first-RAT carrier.

Abstract: Device-to-device (D2D) transmissions by a wireless device may interfere with base station reception of other signals. To mitigate this interference, the wireless device estimates the path loss between itself and the base station. The path loss and the current D2D transmission power level are used to estimate the amount of interference the base station is experiencing as a result of the D2D transmissions from the wireless device. Based on the estimated interference experienced by the base station, the wireless device increases the robustness of the MCS being used and decreases the transmission power level by a corresponding amount. By decreasing the D2D transmission power level, less interference will be experienced by the base station. By increasing the robustness of the MCS, the impact of the reduced D2D transmission power level is mitigated.

Abstract: A base station may use another base station's carrier-aggregation policy for a cell and carrier-aggregation capability information for a UE as a basis to control handover of the UE from the base station to the other base station. As one example, a first base station may receive, from a UE, a report that the UE has detected coverage of a target cell. The target cell may be provided by a second base station, and the first base station may determine whether the target cell can be aggregated with one or more other cells and whether the UE supports carrier aggregation. The first base station may then select a handover threshold based on the determination, and use the selected handover threshold as a basis to control handover of the UE from being served by the first base station to being served by the second base station.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for mitigating interference from neighbors. Interference may be monitored at a first access node, wherein the monitoring includes detecting an interference pattern over at least two monitored subframes. The interference pattern may be analyzed to identify one or more interference sources, wherein a first interference pattern indicates interference caused by a neighboring access node and a second interference pattern indicates interference caused by one or more wireless devices communicating with a neighboring access node. The identified interference sources may be instructed to adjust transmissions based on the monitored interference.

Abstract: A method and system to help minimize communication latency. When data is to be transmitted from a transmitting entity to a receiving entity, the transmission will be scheduled to occur in a time interval that selected based on a consideration of the delay-sensitivity of the data and based on a HARQ delay associated with the selected time interval. For instance, if the data is particularly delay-sensitive, then the transmission could be scheduled to occur in a time interval that is selected based on the time interval having a relatively low associated HARQ delay, so as to help reduce the overall delay of the communication. Whereas, if the data is not particularly delay-sensitive, then the transmission could be scheduled to occur in a time interval that has a relatively high associated HARQ delay.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for preventing premature processing during beam forming. It may be determined, at an access node, that a wireless device has received data using a beam formed transmission from the access node. A gap may be calculated between a reported signal level for the wireless device and a transmission scheme used to transmit downlink data to the wireless device. A threshold value may then be adjusted based on the calculated gap, where the threshold value is used to determine when the wireless device scans a plurality of frequency bands. The adjusted threshold value may be transmitted to the wireless device.

Abstract: Method and systems for assigning resources to user equipment devices (UEs) from a base station are disclosed. In accordance with the disclosure, the base station operates in a first mode in which the base station gives a UE a first scheduling priority level for resource assignment from the base station. The base station then makes a determination that a packet drop rate for the UE exceeds a threshold packet drop rate. Based on the determination, the base station switches from operating in the first mode to operating in a second mode in which the base station gives the UE a second scheduling priority level for resource assignment from the base station, where the second scheduling priority level is higher than the first scheduling priority level.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for mitigating interference from neighbors. Interference may be monitored at a first access node, wherein the monitoring includes detecting an interference pattern over at least two monitored subframes. The interference pattern may be analyzed to identify one or more interference sources, wherein a first interference pattern indicates interference caused by a neighboring access node and a second interference pattern indicates interference caused by one or more wireless devices communicating with a neighboring access node. The identified interference sources may be instructed to adjust transmissions based on the monitored interference.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for scheduling transmissions from an access node in a communication network. A plurality of data packets may be received at a buffer of an access node. A discard timer may be started on receipt of the data packets. When the discard packet timer expires, a number of data packets in the buffer and an associated aggregated queuing delay may be determined. The aggregated queuing delay may be compared to target block error rate (BLER). The target BLER may be modified when the aggregated queuing delay and the number of data packets exceed a target threshold. Data packets may be transmitted from the access node using the modified BLER.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for selectively muting default downlink transmission of particular reference signals in order to reduce interference experienced by user equipment devices (UEs) receiving user data. In scheduling transmission of a downlink resource block (RB), a base station may select a particular transmission mode (TM) that does not require transmission of the particular reference signal. The base station may also determine that no condition exists that requires default transmission of the particular reference signal during a time interval allocated for transmission of the RB and on sub-carrier frequencies allocated to the RB. With particular TM selected and the absence of other requirements for default transmission of the particular reference signal, the base station can then mute transmission of the particular reference signal during transmission of the downlink RB. The base station may also coordinate scheduling with a neighboring base station to achieve further interference reduction.

Abstract: When a base station is serving a user equipment device (UE) that tunes away from the base station during recurring tune-away periods, the base station will determine that the base station did not receive a communication expected to be received at a particular time from the UE. Based on the determining, the base station will estimate a first tune-away period of the UE's recurring tune-away periods to be a time period that encompasses the particular time. And based on the estimated first tune-away period, the base station will estimate times of subsequent tune-away periods. The base station will then configure itself such that it avoids communicating with the UE during the estimated times of the subsequent tune-away periods.

Abstract: UEs capable of RF relay are enabled and disabled under certain conditions. The access node can control the on and off duration of the UE functioning as an RF relay. The access node may only enable RF relay when there is a need by another UE for the RF relay. The UEs selected to relay (or to not relay) may be selected based on their location (e.g., close to a UE that is experiencing poor signal strength). In an embodiment, the RF relay function of UEs are successively turned on by the access node. This causes these UEs to relay the access node's beacon signal. If, after a period of time, the wireless network performance is not improved, these UEs are commanded to disable their RF relays. If the wireless network performance is improved, the UE may be allowed to continue as an RF relay.

Abstract: When a base station is using multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication defining multiple layers of communication to serve a user equipment device (UE) over an uplink channel, and the base station detects that its backhaul connection is threshold highly congested, the base station will responsively reduce the number of communication layers used to serve the UE over the uplink channel. In some examples, the base station could reduce the number of communication layers to a single layer, thereby transitioning from serving the UE using uplink MIMO communication to serving the UE using uplink single-input single-output (SISO) communication.

Abstract: A method and system to help manage air interface resources for communication between a user equipment device (UE) and a base station. As disclosed, a UE or base station detect a situation where a transport block that the base station would allocate to the UE would be too small to hold carry a packet that the UE would seek to transmit, and the UE and base station responsively switch to a mode of operation in which the UE will receive a multi-TTI transport block allocation rather than a single-TTI transport block allocation. Given a per-TTI limitation of available air interface resources, the allocation of a transport block spanning multiple TTIs may thus provide the UE with increased air interface capacity for transmission, thus optimally allowing the UE to transmit without a need for segmentation.

Abstract: A method of remediating wireless communication issues. The method comprises receiving a ticket by a ticket server computer that identifies a mobile communication device and identifies a service issue category, transmitting the mobile communication device identity and the service issue category to a resolution server computer, analyzing the service issue category by the resolution server computer, based on the analyzing of the service issue category, initiating a minimization of drive test (MDT), a subscriber trace, or a cell trace in a wireless communication network by the resolution server computer, where the wireless communication network provides wireless communication service to the mobile communication device and where the wireless communication network comprises a plurality of cell sites, analyzing the results of the MDT or trace by the resolution server computer; and initiating a corrective action in the mobile communication device or in the wireless communication network.