Contention resolution for an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing wireless access node

An orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless access node to facilitate contention resolution between wireless communication devices, the OFDM wireless access node comprising:

• a wireless communication transceiver configured to receive connection requests on a random access channel transmitted from a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device, transmit a resource allocation message comprising a same resource block to both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, and receive competing connection request messages transmitted from the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device on the same resource block;
• and
• a processing system configured to select the first wireless communication device for connection setup and responsively generate a contention resolution message comprising a contention resolution identifier associated with the first wireless communication device and direct
• the wireless communication transceiver to transfer the contention resolution message for delivery to the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device and page the second wireless communication device with a contention-free preamble, wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to determine that the contention resolution identifier received in the contention resolution message is associated with the first wireless communication device and to responsively decode connection setup information,
• and wherein the second wireless communication device is configured to monitor a channel for the contention-free preamble and utilize the contention-free preamble to request a connection.

A computer apparatus to operate an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) wireless access node to facilitate contention resolution between wireless communication devices, the computer apparatus comprising:

• software instructions configured, when executed by the OFDM wireless access node, to direct the OFDM wireless access node to receive connection requests on a random access channel transmitted from a first wireless communication device and a second wireless communication device, transmit a resource allocation message comprising a same resource block to both the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, receive competing connection request messages transmitted from the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device on the same resource block, select the first wireless communication device for connection setup and responsively generate a contention resolution message comprising a contention resolution identifier associated with the first wireless communication device, transfer the contention resolution message for delivery to the first wireless communication device and the second wireless communication device, and page the second wireless communication device with a contention-free preamble, wherein the first wireless communication device is configured to determine that the contention resolution identifier received in the contention resolution message is associated with the first wireless communication device and to responsively decode connection setup information,
• and wherein the second wireless communication device is configured to monitor a channel for the contention-free preamble and utilize the contention-free preamble to request a connection;
• and
• at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing the software instructions.