Cooperative use of secondary-node data load and UE data load as basis to control configuration of dual connectivity for UE

A first access node operable in a wireless communication system, wherein the first access provides service on a first air interface, and wherein the wireless communication system further includes a second access node that provides service on a second air interface, the first access node comprising:

• a wireless communication interface through which to engage in air-interface communication on the first air interface;
• and
• a controller, wherein the controller is configured to cause the first access node to carry out operations to control configuration of dual connectivity of a user equipment device (UE) when the UE is served by the first access node over a first air-interface connection between the UE and the first access node, wherein the configuration of the dual connectivity comprises adding for the UE a second air-interface connection between the UE and the second access node to enable concurrent service of the UE by the first access node over the first air-interface connection and the second access node over the second air-interface connection, the operations including:
• making a determination of whether both (i) the second access node is threshold highly loaded and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of data communication when served by the second access node, and
• responsive to the determination being affirmative, forgoing from adding for the UE the second air-interface connection between the UE and the second access nodes,
• wherein making the determination of whether both (i) the second access node is threshold highly loaded and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of data communication when served by the second access node comprises at least one of (a) determining whether both (i) the second access node has threshold high downlink load and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of downlink data communication when served by the second access node or (b) determining whether both (i) the second access node has threshold high uplink load and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of uplink data communication when served by the second access node.

At least one non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by at least one processor to carry out operations for controlling configuration of dual connectivity of a user equipment device (UE) in a system in which the UE is served by a first access node over a first air-interface connection between the UE and the first access node and in which the configuration of the dual connectivity comprises adding for the UE a second air-interface connection between the UE and a second access node to enable concurrent service of the UE by the first access node over the first air-interface connection and the second access node over the second air-interface connection,

• the operations comprising:
• making a determination of whether both (i) the second access node is threshold highly loaded and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of data communication when served by the second access node;
• and
• responsive to the determination being affirmative, forgoing from adding for the UE the second air-interface connection between the UE and the second access node,
• wherein making the determination of whether both (i) the second access node is threshold highly loaded and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of data communication when served by the second access node comprises at least one of (a) determining whether both (i) the second access node has threshold high downlink load and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of downlink data communication when served by the second access node or (b) determining whether both (i) the second access node has threshold high uplink load and (ii) the UE is likely to engage in a threshold high extent of uplink data communication when served by the second access node.