US 10,314,051 B1 · Control of UE voice call communication mode based on air interface load in view of TDD frame configuration

Abstract

In a wireless system in which a base station provides a time division duplex (TDD) air interface having a TDD frame configuration, a method and system for controlling whether a user equipment device (UE) operates in a first mode in which the UE sets up and engages in voice call communication via the base station or rather operates in a second mode in which the UE tunes away from the base station to set up and engage in voice call communication via another base station, such as under a different air interface protocol. The method involves determining whether traffic demand for the air interface exceeds a threshold level, and if so, causing the UE to operate in the second mode rather than in the first mode. Further, the method involves setting the threshold level based on the TDD frame configuration of the air interface.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method operable by a first base station that provides a first air interface, the first air interface being time division duplex (TDD) and having a TDD frame configuration, the method comprising:

serving by the first base station, via the first air interface, a user equipment device (UE) that has two mutually-exclusive modes for setting up and engaging in voice call communication, a first mode in which the UE sets up and engages in voice call communication via the first base station and first air interface, and a second mode in which the UE tunes away from the first base station to a second base station that provides a second air interface and the UE sets up and engages in voice call communication via the second base station and second air interface;
controlling by the first base station which of the first and second modes the UE operates in, wherein the controlling is based at least on a determination of whether traffic demand for the first air interface exceeds a threshold level;
and
setting the threshold level based on the TDD frame configuration of the first air interface.

1 more element

A first base station configured to control operation of a user equipment device (UE) served by the first base station, the first base station comprising:

wireless communication components, including a radio, a power amplifier, and an antenna structure, for providing an air interface, wherein the air interface is time division duplex (TDD) and has a TDD frame configuration;
and
a controller for controlling operation of the UE when the UE is served by the first base station via the air interface,
wherein the controller is configured to (i) make a determination of whether traffic demand for the air interface exceeds a threshold level and (ii) based on the determination, control whether the UE operates in a first mode in which the UE is configured to set up and engage in voice call communication via the first base station or rather in a second mode in which the UE is configured to tune away from the first base station to a second base station to set up and engage in voice call communication, and
wherein the controller is further configured to set the threshold level based on the TDD frame configuration of the air interface.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Control of UE voice call communication mode based on air interface load in view of TDD frame configuration

Life of this patent

Control of UE voice call communication mode based on air interface load in view of TDD frame configuration

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20