Sprint Spectrum L.p.

Sprint Communications Comapny L.p.

Kurt M Landuyt

Siddharth S Oroskar

Maulik K Shah

John William Prock

Jasinder P Singh

Jason Peter Sigg

Anoop Kumar Goyal

Vanil Parihar

Louie E Wingo

Kevin L Butler

A method and system to control UE handover is disclosed herein. A source base station serving a UE receives from the UE a measurement report that specifies a signal strength of a neighboring target base station. The source base station sets a value of a handover threshold parameter, with the set value being based at least in part on whether the target base station is a relay base station or a non-relay base station. Further, the source base station may compare the specified signal strength of the target base station to the set value of the handover threshold parameter and determine that a handover condition is satisfied. Responsive to making such a determination, the source base station may invoke handover of the UE from the source base station to the target base station.

Controlling handover parameters based on target base station characteristics

A method and system is disclosed for inter-technology diversity. A transmitting device may concurrently transmit a communication unit, such as a data packet, on two or more different air interfaces to a receiving device. The receiving device may concurrently receive the two or more transmissions on two or more corresponding air interfaces, and may then apply forward error correction to the two or more received communication unit in order to recover an error-free version of the communication unit. The transmitting device could be a multi-modal base station (or other access element) of a wireless communication system, and the receiving device could be a multi-modal access terminal (AT) or other user equipment (UE). Additionally or alternatively, the transmitting device could be an AT or UE, and the receiving device could be a base station.

Inter-technology diversity in wireless communications

A method and system is disclosed for coordinating codec consistency based on cross-carrier assignments. When a new voice call (or other communication session) is set up between access terminals in a wireless communication system, a network device, such a base station, can determine a respective maximum coding rate supported on carrier frequencies of both an originating access terminal and a terminating access terminal. The network device can then select a coding rate that best accommodates the respective maximum coding rates. Each access terminal may then be instructed to use the selected coding rate for the new call (or communication session). Either or both access terminals may also execute a frequency handoff to a carrier frequency that supports the selected coding rate, if necessary.

Coordination of codec consistency based on cross-carrier assignment

Disclosed are a method, apparatus, and system for securing a communication link between a user equipment device (UE) and a communication network. A first wireless communication link is established between the UE and the communication network. The first wireless communication link is an unsecured communication link and is established under a first air interface protocol. A second wireless communication link is established between the UE and the communication network. The second wireless communication link is a secured communication link and is established under a second air interface protocol. An encryption key is transmitted to the UE over the second wireless communication link, the UE encrypts data using the encryption key, and the encrypted data is communicated over the first wireless communication link from the UE to the communication network.

Securing communications over a first communication link with encryption managed by a second communication link

A radio access network (RAN) determines whether transmission time interval (TTI) bundling is warranted for a wireless communication device (WCD) based on at least a power headroom report from the WCD. In response to determining that TTI bundling is warranted, the RAN selects a TTI bundle size, N, for the WCD and instructs the WCD to use the selected TTI bundle size. The TTI bundle size, N, could be selected from among a set of predefined values, such as N=2, N=3, and N=4. The selection could be based on various factors, such as a utilization of an uplink shared channel, a re-transmission rate of the WCD, and/or a remaining battery life of the WCD.

Methods and systems for selecting a TTI bundle size

A RAN includes a first coverage area and a second coverage. An access terminal, initially engaged in a call via the first coverage area, determines a call type of the call and adjusts, based on the determined call type, one or both of a first value for a first threshold and a second value for a second threshold. While engaged in the call, the access terminal determines that (i) a signal strength of a signal received from the first coverage area is less than the first threshold, and (ii) a signal strength of a signal detected from the second coverage area is greater than the second threshold. In response to making both determinations, the access terminal hands off the call from the first coverage area to the second coverage area.

Systems and methods for adjusting mobile-station hard-handoff thresholds based on call type

A radio access network (RAN) may be configured to identify a set of wireless coverage areas in which to transmit inter-frequency search directives. Identifying the set of coverage areas may involve determining which of the coverage areas defined by the RAN have threshold weaker coverage on one carrier frequency than on another carrier frequency of that coverage area. For each coverage area of the set, the RAN may identify one or more WCDs operating in the coverage area that are operating on the coverage area's carrier frequency that has the weaker coverage. Based on the identifying of the WCDs, the RAN may send to each identified WCD an inter-frequency search directive to cause the WCD to scan for and report to the RAN a measurement of coverage on one or more carrier frequencies other than the carrier frequency on which the WCD is currently operating.

Method and system for optimizing inter-frequency handoff in wireless coverage areas

Quality of Service (QoS) priority values and thresholds are defined for various service types assignable to user equipment (UE devices) including multiple bandclass devices. The QoS thresholds can be used for determining whether resources of a default or alternate bandclass should be used for a new call request or whether a timer should be initiated to wait for additional resources to become available. A default QoS priority values can be assigned to each service type and used for voice calls requested by UE devices. QoS priority values with lower priority can be used for data calls. The priority of priority values can decrease as the data rate for the data calls increases. Thresholds for blocking call requests can be increased or decreased to improve likelihood that resources for call requests with higher priority service types are granted at the expense granting resources for call requests with lower priority service types.

Methods and systems for dynamically varying quality of service for wireless communications

Systems, methods, and computer-readable media, for facilitating voice and data transmission over a single communication path during an aggregate communication event are provided. In some embodiments, the method includes aggregating voice data until a full voice frame can be transmitted or a maximum delay of voice transmission exists. A voice frame comprising the aggregated voice data is transmitted upon attaining the full voice frame or the maximum delay in voice transmission.

Growing community of inventors

Parkville, MO, United States of America

Kurt M Landuyt