# US 10,873,987 B1 · Use of uplink noise as a basis to control configuration of dual-connectivity service > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,873,987 B1 - Document ID: US10873987B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/431,135 - Filed: 2019-06-04 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2019-06-04 - Assignees: Sprint Spectrum L.P. - Applicants: Sprint Spectrum L.P. - Inventors: Sreekar Marupaduga; Rajveen Narendran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10873987B1 ## CPC - H04W 76/15: Setup of multiple wireless link connections - H04W 76/16: Involving different core network technologies, e.g. a packet-switched [PS] bearer in combination with a circuit-switched [CS] bearer - H04W 8/08: Mobility data transfer - H04W 52/146: {Uplink power control} - H04W 52/241: {taking into account channel quality metrics, e.g. SIR, SNR, CIR or Eb/lo} - H04W 52/243: {taking into account interferences} - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract When a first node is considering setup of dual-connectivity service for a UE, the first node will take into consideration uplink noise at one or more candidate second nodes, in order to decide whether to set up the dual-connectivity service for the UE and/or to decide which of multiple second nodes to use for the UE's dual-connectivity service. For instance, if a candidate second node has threshold high uplink noise, then, based on that fact, the first node may decide to not use that second node for dual-connectivity service of the UE. Or the first node may decide to use a given candidate second node based on the given candidate second node having lower uplink noise than one or more other candidate second nodes. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for controlling configuration of dual-connectivity service for a user equipment device (UE), wherein the dual-connectivity service comprises the UE being served concurrently over a first connection according to a first radio access technology (RAT) and over a second connection according to a second RAT, the method comprising: determining, by a first base station with which the UE has the first connection according to the first RAT, an uplink noise level at a candidate second base station; using, by the first base station, the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station as a basis to make a decision of whether to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station; and controlling, by the first base station, configuration of the dual-connectivity service for the UE in accordance with the decision. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the uplink noise level is based on energy level measured by the candidate second base station on an operating carrier of the candidate second base station in an absence of scheduled uplink data transmission to the candidate second base station. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the uplink noise level at the candidate second base station comprises receiving from the candidate second base station a report of the uplink noise level. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the uplink noise level at the candidate second base station comprises receiving an indication of the uplink noise level from a network entity to which the candidate second base station reported the uplink noise level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein determining the uplink noise level at the candidate second base station comprises predicting the uplink noise level at the candidate second base station. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein using the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station as a basis to make the decision of whether to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station comprises: making a determination of whether the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is at least predefined threshold high; if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is at least predefined threshold high, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to not configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station; and if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is not at least predefined threshold high, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein using the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station as a basis to make the decision of whether to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station comprises: making a determination of whether the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is greater than a determined uplink noise level at another candidate base station; if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is greater than the determined uplink noise level at the other candidate base station, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to not configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station; and if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is not greater than the determined uplink noise level at the other candidate base station, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, further comprising: if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station is greater than the determined uplink noise level at the other candidate base station, then, based at least on the determination, configuring the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the other candidate base station. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein controlling configuration of the dual-connectivity service for the UE in accordance with the decision comprises: if the decision is to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station, then engaging by the first base station in signaling to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station; and if the decision is to not configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station, then not engaging by the first base station in the signaling to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first RAT is 4G LTE, wherein the second RAT is 5G NR, and wherein the dual-connectivity service is EN-DC. ### Claim 11 A method for controlling configuration of dual-connectivity service for a user equipment device (UE), wherein the dual-connectivity service comprises the UE being served concurrently over a first connection according to a first radio access technology (RAT) and over a second connection according to a second RAT, the method comprising, while the UE has the first connection with a first base station: determining an uplink noise level at a candidate second base station; using the determined uplink noise level at the candidate second base station as a basis to make a decision of whether to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the candidate second base station; and controlling configuration of the dual-connectivity service for the UE in accordance with the decision. ### Claim 12 In a wireless communication system comprising a first base station configured to provide service according to a first radio access technology (RAT) and a second base station configured to provide service according to a second RAT, the first base station comprising: a wireless communication interface through which to engage in air-interface communication and provide the service according to the first RAT; a controller, wherein the controller is configured to carry out operations when a user equipment device (UE) is has a first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT, the operations including: determining an uplink noise level at the second base station, using the determined uplink noise level at the second base station as a basis to make a decision of whether to configure for the UE dual-connectivity service in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over a second connection with the second base station according the second RAT, and controlling configuration of the dual-connectivity service for the UE in accordance with the decision. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the uplink noise level is based on energy level measured by the second base station on an operating carrier of the second base station in an absence of scheduled uplink data transmission to the second base station. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein determining the uplink noise level at the second base station comprises receiving from the second base station a report of the uplink noise level. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein determining the uplink noise level at the second base station comprises receiving an indication of the uplink noise level from a network entity to which the second base station reported the uplink noise level. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein determining the uplink noise level at the second base station comprises predicting the uplink noise level at the second base station. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein using the determined uplink noise level at the second base station as a basis to make the decision of whether to configure for the UE the dual-connectivity service in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over the second connection with the second base station according the second RAT comprises: making a determination of whether the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is at least predefined threshold high; if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is at least predefined threshold high, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to not configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over the second connection with the second base station according the second RAT; and if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is not at least predefined threshold high, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over the second connection with the second base station according the second RAT. ### Claim 18 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein using the determined uplink noise level at the second base station as a basis to make the decision of whether to configure for the UE the dual-connectivity service in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over the second connection with the second base station according the second RAT comprises: making a determination of whether the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is greater than a determined uplink noise level at another base station; if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is greater than the determined uplink noise level at the other base station, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to not configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over the second connection with the second base station according the second RAT; and if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is not greater than the determined uplink noise level at the other base station, then, based at least on the determination, deciding to configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE in which the UE is served concurrently over the first connection with the first base station according to the first RAT and over the second connection with the second base station according the second RAT. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the operations further include: if the determination is that the determined uplink noise level at the second base station is greater than the determined uplink noise level at the other base station, then, based at least on the determination, configuring dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the other base station. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein controlling configuration of the dual-connectivity service for the UE in accordance with the decision comprises: if the decision is to configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the second base station, then engaging by the first base station in signaling to configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE; and if the decision is to not configure the dual-connectivity service with the UE having the second connection with the second base station, then not engaging by the first base station in the signaling to configure the dual-connectivity service for the UE.