# US 11,115,106 B1 · Selecting between MIMO and carrier aggregation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,115,106 B1 - Document ID: US11115106B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/787,684 - Filed: 2020-02-11 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-11 - Assignees: T-Mobile Innovations LLC - Applicants: Sprint Spectrum LP - Inventors: Hemanth Pawar; Krishna Sitaram; Shilpa Kowdley Srinivas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11115106B1 ## CPC - H04B 7/0814: {based on current reception conditions, e.g. switching to different antenna when signal level is below threshold} - H04B 1/005: {adapting radio receivers, transmitters andtransceivers for operation on two or more bands, i.e. frequency ranges} - H04B 7/0413: MIMO systems - H04B 7/0686: {Hybrid systems, i.e. switching and simultaneous transmission} - H04L 5/001: {the frequencies being arranged in component carriers} - H04L 5/0023: {Time-frequency-space} - H04L 5/0044: {Allocation of payload; Allocation of data channels, e.g. PDSCH or PUSCH} - H04L 5/0098: {Signalling of the activation or deactivation of component carriers, subcarriers or frequency bands} - H04W 72/0453: Resources in frequency domain, e.g. a carrier in FDMA - H04B: TRANSMISSION - H04L: TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION (arrangements common to telegraphic and telephonic communication H04M) - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Monitoring a MIMO pairing efficiency of a sector to determine whether or not to enable/disable inter-band carrier aggregation. If the pairing efficiency (whether predicted or actual) is high, inter-band carrier aggregation is disabled, and if the pairing efficiency is low, then inter-band carrier aggregation is enabled. The inter-band carrier aggregation utilizes a low-frequency carrier as a primary component carrier and a high-frequency carrier as a secondary component carrier. The MIMO mode of operation utilizes the high-frequency carrier for control transmissions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for selecting between multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation modes of operation in a wireless network, the method comprising: monitoring a MIMO pairing efficiency of a sector in the wireless network; responsive to the MIMO pairing efficiency meeting a threshold, disabling inter-band carrier aggregation in the sector, the inter-band carrier aggregation utilizing a low-frequency carrier and a high-frequency carrier; and enabling the MIMO mode of operation in the sector, the MIMO mode of operation utilizing the high-frequency carrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the MIMO pairing efficiency is based on one or more of: a quantity of MIMO-eligible wireless devices within the sector, a potential size of MIMO groups eligible to be formed within the sector, an actual size of MIMO groups within the sector, a predicted spectral efficiency of MIMO groups within the sector, an actual spectral efficiency of MIMO groups within the sector, or historical trends of MIMO pairing efficiency within the sector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising generating a MIMO pairing efficiency metric, and comparing the MIMO pairing efficiency metric to the threshold. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein in the inter-band carrier aggregation, control transmissions use the low-frequency carrier and, in the MIMO operating mode, control transmissions use the high-frequency carrier. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring the MIMO pairing efficiency is performed periodically. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, further comprising determining, after a time period, that the MIMO pairing efficiency falls below the threshold; and enabling inter-band carrier aggregation in the sector. ### Claim 7 A system for selecting between multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation modes of operation in a wireless network, the system comprising: a processing node; and a processor coupled to the processing node, the processor configured to perform operations comprising: determining that a predicted MIMO pairing efficiency of a sector in the wireless network meets a threshold, wherein inter-band carrier aggregation is enabled within the sector; responsive to determining that the predicted MIMO pairing efficiency meets the threshold, disabling inter-band carrier aggregation in the sector; and enabling the MIMO mode of operation within the sector. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the inter-band carrier aggregation utilizes a low-frequency carrier as a primary component carrier and a high-frequency carrier as a secondary component carrier. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, wherein the MIMO mode of operation utilizes the high-frequency carrier for control transmissions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the predicted MIMO pairing efficiency is based on one or more of: a quantity of MIMO-eligible wireless devices within the sector, a potential size of MIMO groups eligible to be formed within the sector, or a predicted spectral efficiency of MIMO groups within the sector. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The system of claim 7, wherein the operations further comprise, subsequent to disabling the inter-band carrier aggregation, monitoring an actual MIMO pairing efficiency in the sector. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the actual MIMO pairing efficiency is based on one or more of: a quantity of MIMO-eligible wireless devices within the sector, an actual size of MIMO groups eligible to be formed within the sector, or an actual spectral efficiency of MIMO groups within the sector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein the operations further comprise determining that the actual MIMO pairing efficiency falls below the threshold; and enabling inter-band carrier aggregation in the sector. ### Claim 14 A processing node for selecting between multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) and carrier aggregation modes of operation in a wireless network, the processing node being configured to perform operations comprising: determining that an actual MIMO pairing efficiency of a sector in the wireless network falls below a threshold, wherein inter-band carrier aggregation is disabled within the sector; responsive to determining that the actual MIMO pairing efficiency meets the threshold, enabling inter-band carrier aggregation in the sector; and disabling the MIMO mode of operation in the sector. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The processing node of claim 14, wherein the inter-band carrier aggregation utilizes a low-frequency carrier as a primary component carrier and a high-frequency carrier as a secondary component carrier. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The processing node of claim 14, wherein the actual MIMO pairing efficiency is based on one or more of: a quantity of MIMO-eligible wireless devices within the sector, an actual size of MIMO groups eligible to be formed within the sector, or an actual spectral efficiency of MIMO groups within the sector. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The processing node of claim 14, wherein the operations further comprise, subsequent to disabling the inter-band carrier aggregation, determining a predicted MIMO pairing efficiency in the sector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The processing node of claim 17, wherein the predicted MIMO pairing efficiency is based on one or more of: a quantity of MIMO-eligible wireless devices within the sector, a potential size of MIMO groups eligible to be formed within the sector, or a predicted spectral efficiency of MIMO groups within the sector. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The processing node of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise determining that the predicted MIMO pairing efficiency is below the threshold; and enabling inter-band carrier aggregation in the sector. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The processing node of claim 17, wherein the predicted and actual MIMO pairing efficiency is monitored periodically.