Systems and methods for triggering transmission bundling for participant wireless devices of an antenna system

1. A method for triggering transmission bundling for participant wireless devices of an antenna system, the method comprising:

receiving an uplink signal at the antenna system from a wireless device that is in communication with an access node over one or more of a plurality of carriers, wherein the antenna system does not include the access node;

determining that a signal level of the uplink signal received from the wireless device exceeds a signal level threshold set for the antenna system;

retrieving a signal level metric from the wireless device;

comparing the signal level metric with one of a plurality of predetermined signal level metrics that are pre-set based on the plurality of carriers;

determining that the wireless device is proximate to the antenna system in communication with one or more participant wireless devices based on a result of the comparison; and

determining to trigger transmission bundling for the participant wireless devices based on determining that the signal level of the uplink signal received from the wireless device exceeds the signal level threshold, and based on determining that the wireless device is proximate to the antenna system.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein,

the wireless device in communication with the access node is a non-participant wireless device that is not a participant wireless device of the antenna system, and

an uplink transmit power for the non-participant wireless devices is greater than an uplink transmit power for the one or more participant wireless devices of the antenna system.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising determining to trigger transmission bundling for the one or more participant wireless devices when the uplink transmit power for the non-participant wireless device meets a transmit power criteria.

4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising instructing the one or more participant wireless devices to perform transmission bundling by transmitting redundant data over a plurality of transmission time intervals.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

determining a number of non-participant wireless devices communicating with the access node that are proximate to the antenna system; and

configuring the transmission bundling based on the determined number.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein configuring the transmission bundling further comprises selecting a number of transmission time intervals for the redundantly transmitted data based on the determined number of non-participant wireless devices that are proximate to the antenna system.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the number of transmission time intervals for the redundantly transmitted data is proportional to the determined number of non-participant wireless devices to be proximate to the antenna system.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining that the wireless device is proximate to the antenna system further comprises:

determining a location for the wireless device based on signals received at the wireless device; and

detecting that the wireless device is proximate to the antenna system based on the determined location.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting, after instructing the participant wireless devices to perform transmission bundling, that the wireless device is no longer proximate to the antenna system; and

instructing the participant wireless devices to terminate transmission bundling.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting that the wireless device is no longer proximate to the antenna system further comprises:

retrieving an updated signal level metric for the wireless device; and

detecting that the wireless device is no longer proximate to the antenna system based on the retrieved updated signal level metric.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein detecting that the wireless device is no longer proximate to the antenna system further comprises:

determining an updated location for the wireless device based on signals received at the wireless device; and

detecting that the wireless device is no longer proximate to the antenna system based on the determined updated location.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the antenna system comprises a distributed antenna system and the access node comprises a macro access node.

13. A system for triggering transmission bundling for participant wireless devices of an antenna system, the system comprising:

a controller node with a processor configured to:

receive an uplink signal from a wireless device in communication with an access node over one or more of a plurality of carriers, wherein the antenna system does not include the access node;

determine that a signal level of the uplink signal received from the wireless device exceeds a signal level threshold set for the antenna system;

retrieve a signal level metric from the wireless device;

compare the signal level metric with one of a plurality of predetermined signal level metrics that are pre-set based on the plurality of carriers;

determine that the wireless device is proximate to the antenna system in communication with one or more participant wireless devices based on a result of the comparison; and

determine to trigger transmission bundling for the participant wireless devices based on determining that the signal level of the uplink signal received from the wireless device exceeds the signal level threshold, and based on determining that the wireless device is proximate to the antenna system.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein,

the wireless device in communication with the access node is a non-participant wireless device that is not a participant wireless device of the antenna system, and

an uplink transmit power for the non-participant wireless devices is greater than an uplink transmit power for the one or more participant wireless devices of the antenna system.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller node is further configured to determine to trigger transmission bundling for the one or more participant wireless devices when the uplink transmit power for the non-participant wireless device meets a transmit power criteria.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller node is further configured to instruct the one or more participant wireless devices to perform transmission bundling by transmitting redundant data over a plurality of transmission time intervals.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the controller node is further configured to:

determine a number of non-participant wireless devices communicating with the access nodes that are proximate to the antenna system; and

configure the transmission bundling based on the determined number.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein configuring the transmission bundling further comprises selecting a number of transmission time intervals for the redundantly transmitted data based on the determined number of non-participant wireless devices that are proximate to the antenna system.

19. The method of claim 5 , wherein configuring the transmission bundling further comprises selecting a number of transmission time intervals for the redundantly transmitted data based on at least one of the uplink transmit power for the non-participant wireless device and a proximity between the non-participant wireless device and the antenna system.

20. The system of claim 17 , wherein configuring the transmission bundling further comprises selecting a number of transmission time intervals for the redundantly transmitted data based on at least one of the uplink transmit power for the non-participant wireless device and a proximity between the non-participant wireless device and the antenna system.