Method and system for component carrier selection based on content type

A method operable by a base station while the base station is serving a user equipment device (UE) over an air interface connection between the base station and the UE, wherein the base station is arranged to operate on a plurality of carrier frequencies, the method comprising:

• the base station determining a type of content that will be transmitted between the base station and the UE over the air interface connection;
• the base station starting to provide the UE with carrier aggregation service;
• the base station using the determined type of content as a basis for (i) determining which carrier frequency of the plurality to use as a primary component carrier (PCell) for the carrier aggregation service and (ii) determining which carrier frequency of the plurality to use as a secondary component carrier (SCell) for the carrier aggregation service;
• and
• responsive to using the determined type of content as a basis for determining which carrier frequencies to use as the PCell and the SCell, the base station modifying the air interface connection to encompass the PCell and the SCell, wherein the PCell and the SCell are aggregated together so as to provide the UE with the carrier aggregation service through the air interface connection, and wherein control signaling for communications on both the PCell and the SCell occurs on the PCell.

A base station comprising:

• an antenna structure for radiating to define a coverage area, wherein the coverage area operates on a plurality of carrier frequencies that are available for use in providing service to user equipment devices (UEs) on an air interface;
• and
• a controller comprising at least one processing unit, data storage, and program instructions stored in the data storage and executable by the at least one processing unit to carry out operations, the operations comprising:
• while the base station is serving a UE on the air interface:
• determining (i) a first type of content that will be transmitted between the base station and the UE and (ii) a second type of content that will be transmitted between the base station and the UE;
• starting to provide the UE with carrier aggregation service;
• using the determined types of content as a basis for determining, for each type of content, (i) which carrier frequency of the plurality to use as a primary component carrier (PCell) for serving the UE with communication of the respective type of content when providing the UE with the carrier aggregation service and (ii) which carrier frequency of the plurality, different from the PCell, to use as a secondary component carrier (SCell) for serving the UE with communication of another type of content, different from the respective type of content, when providing the UE with the carrier aggregation service;
• and
• responsive to using the determined types of content as a basis for determining which carrier frequencies to use as the PCells and the SCells, providing the UE with the carrier aggregation service using the PCells and the SCells, wherein control signaling for communications on the PCells and the SCells occurs on the PCells.