Abstract:
When a base station encounters a trigger to reduce the number of carriers on which the base station serves a wireless commination device (WCD), the base station will responsively reduce the number of carriers but will also responsively increase the number of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) layers on which the base station serves the WCD, to help offset for the reduction in number of serving carriers.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method and system to help rectify errors in operation of a wireless communication system. When a base station detects one or more errors in operation of the system, the base station will automatically request and receive from an adjacent base station a set of one or more operational parameters that the adjacent base station is set to provide, and the base station will substitute the received operational parameters for those that the base station is set to provide to UEs. This process may thereby help to avoid recurrence of certain errors in operation of the system.
Abstract:
An example embodiment may involve determining a quality of service level for network traffic associated with a WCD. The WCD may be served by an air interface of a RAN. The air interface may include a primary signaling channel and a secondary signaling channel, where the primary signaling channel simultaneously spans all of a plurality of contiguous subcarrier frequencies and the secondary signaling channel does not simultaneously span all of the plurality of contiguous subcarrier frequencies. The example embodiment may further involve, possibly based on the quality of service level for the network traffic associated with the WCD, selecting the primary signaling channel or the secondary signaling channel for transmission of a signaling message to the WCD. The example embodiment may also involve transmitting the signaling message to the WCD via the selected signaling channel.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method and corresponding apparatus to make use of hybrid-ARQ repetition factors as a way to differentiate service quality to various mobile terminals. Depending on a mobile terminal's subscription service class, such as the mobile terminal's PLMN, the mobile terminal may be made to use a particular hybrid-ARQ repetition factor. For instance, a mobile terminal of a high service class may be made to use a low hybrid-ARQ repetition factor, which may help the mobile terminal experience less downlink transmission delay and thus a higher downlink data rate. Whereas, a mobile terminal of a low service class may be made to use a high hybrid-ARQ repetition factor, which may cause the mobile terminal to experience more downlink transmission delay and thus a lower downlink data rate, and may further free up downlink transmission resources to facilitate better service for other mobile terminals.
Abstract:
A UE may be configured to support wireless communication in two or more frequency bands. In some embodiments, the UE initiates a first wireless communication session in a first frequency band of the two or more frequency bands, and in response to initiating the wireless communication session in the first frequency band, the UE prevents itself from communicating in a second frequency band of the set of two or more frequency bands until the first wireless communication session has ended. Some embodiments further include subsequently enabling the UE to communicate in the second frequency band of the set of two or more frequency bands in response to ending the first wireless communication session in the first frequency band.
Abstract:
A method and system for assigning resources to user equipment devices (UEs) is disclosed. A communication system may include a wireless network that allocates, among a plurality of UEs, resources on a given carrier. The wireless network may support carrier aggregation using a combination of the given carrier and at least one other carrier. The method involves the wireless network making a determination that (i) a first UE is operating without carrier aggregation and (ii) a second UE is operating with carrier aggregation. The method further involves, in response to making the determination, the wireless network giving the first UE higher priority than the second UE for resource assignment on the given carrier.
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method and system for accounting for network signaling values in handover decisions. A serving base station may receive a message from a served user equipment device (UE) indicating that handover condition is met for handing over to one or more target base stations. The serving base station can determine a respective network signaling value being used by each target base station, and thereby determine how much uplink attenuation the UE would be directed to apply for each potential handover. The serving base station can also determine its downlink power and that the target base stations as measured by the UE. The serving base station can then make a handover decision taking account of a change in uplink attenuation for each potential handover.
Abstract:
A method and corresponding system and apparatus to help manage UE context records. When a network controller detects that it is at or approaching a context record storage limit, such as might be imposed by license agreement for instance, the network controller offload one or more of its stored UE context records to another network controller to be stored temporarily by the other network controller until needed, even though the other network controller is not serving the UE(s) at issue.
Abstract:
The air interface between a first node and a second node will span a frequency bandwidth defining two distinct portions, and acknowledgement message transmission such as Hybrid-ARQ message transmission will make use of those distinct portions to distinguish ACKs from NACKs. In particular, ACKs may be restricted to being transmitted within one portion of the frequency bandwidth, while NACKs may be restricted to being transmitted in different portion of the frequency bandwidth. Consequently, when the first node transmits data to the second node and receives an acknowledgement message sent in response from the second node, the first node may determine, based on which portion of the frequency bandwidth the first node received the acknowledgement message in, whether the acknowledgement message is an ACK or rather a NACK.
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.