Management of carriers to help ensure QoS for single-carrier UEs

1. A method comprising:

serving by a base station one or more first user equipment devices (UEs) on just a first carrier;

determining by the base station that each of the one or more first UEs being served on just the first carrier is receiving, from the base station on the first carrier, a quality of service level that is lower than a threshold quality of service level; and

responsive to the determining, (i) selecting by the base station one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier and one or more other carriers and, (ii) based on the selecting, discontinuing by the base station serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base station has a radio-link layer connection respectively with each first UE and with each second UE, wherein the base station's radio-link layer connection with each first UE encompasses just the first carrier, and the base station's radio-link layer connection with each second UE encompasses the first carrier and one or more other carriers, and

wherein discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises removing from the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE the first carrier while maintaining one or more other carriers in the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the base station has a radio-link layer connection respectively with each first UE and with each second UE, wherein the base station's radio-link layer connection with each first UE encompasses just the first carrier, and the base station's radio-link layer connection with each second UE encompasses the first carrier and one or more other carriers, and

wherein discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises discontinuing scheduling and communicating with each selected second UE on the first carrier, though maintaining the first carrier in the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting by the base station one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier and one or more other carriers comprises:

selecting the one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

after discontinuing by the base station serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers, making a further determination that at least one of the first UEs being served on just the first carrier is still receiving, from the base station on the first carrier, a quality of service level that is lower than the threshold quality of service level;

in response to making the further determination, (i) further selecting an additional one or more second UEs based on the selected additional one or more second UEs being served by the base station with carrier aggregation service using (a) the first carrier as a primary carrier and (b) one or more other carriers as secondary carriers and, (ii) based on the further selecting, discontinuing by the base station serving the selected additional one or more second UEs on the first carrier while continuing to serve the selected additional one or more second UEs on one or more other carriers.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein discontinuing by the base station serving the selected additional one or more second UEs on the first carrier while continuing to serve the selected additional one or more second UEs on one or more other carriers comprises:

causing the base station to serve the selected additional one or more second UEs with carrier aggregation service using another carrier as primary carrier; and

after causing the base station to serve the selected additional one or more second UEs with carrier aggregation service using another carrier as primary carrier, discontinuing the serving of the selected additional one or more second UEs on the first carrier.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality of service level is defined based at least in part on a metric selected from the group consisting of throughput, packet loss, jitter, and voice quality.

8. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions executable by a processor to cause a base station to perform operations comprising:

serving one or more first user equipment devices (UEs) on just a first carrier;

determining that each of the one or more first UEs being served on just the first carrier is receiving, from the base station on the first carrier, a quality of service level that is lower than a threshold quality of service level; and

responsive to the determining, (i) selecting one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier and one or more other carriers and, (ii) based on the selecting, discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers.

9. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the base station has a radio-link layer connection respectively with each first UE and with each second UE, wherein the base station's radio-link layer connection with each first UE encompasses just the first carrier, and the base station's radio-link layer connection with each second UE encompasses the first carrier and one or more other carriers, and

wherein discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises removing from the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE the first carrier while maintaining one or more other carriers in the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE.

10. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the base station has a radio-link layer connection respectively with each first UE and with each second UE, wherein the base station's radio-link layer connection with each first UE encompasses just the first carrier, and the base station's radio-link layer connection with each second UE encompasses the first carrier and one or more other carriers, and

wherein discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises discontinuing scheduling and communicating with each selected second UE on the first carrier, though maintaining the first carrier in the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE.

11. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein selecting one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier and one or more other carriers comprises:

making a determination of whether the base station is serving at least one UE of the one or more second UEs with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier;

if the determination is that the base station is serving at least one UE of the one or more second UEs with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier, then, responsive to making the determination, selecting the at least one UE based on the at least one UE being served by the base station with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier; and

if the determination is that that the base station is not serving at least one UE of the one or more second UEs with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier, then, responsive to making the determination, instead selecting at least one other UE of the one or more second UEs based on the at least one other UE being served by the base station with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a primary carrier and (ii) one or more other carriers as secondary carriers.

12. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the discontinuing of serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises:

if the determination is that that the base station is not serving at least one UE of the one or more second UEs with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier, then, responsive to making the determination, (a) causing the base station to serve each selected second UE with carrier aggregation service using another carrier as primary carrier and (b) after causing the base station to serve each selected second UE with carrier aggregation service using another carrier as primary carrier, discontinuing the serving of each selected second UE on the first carrier.

13. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 8 , wherein the quality of service level is defined based at least in part on a metric selected from the group consisting of throughput, packet loss, jitter, and voice quality.

14. A wireless communication system comprising:

a base station; and

a controller configured to cause the base station to perform operations comprising:

serving one or more first user equipment devices (UEs) on just a first carrier frequency;

determining that each of the first UEs being served on just the first carrier frequency is receiving, from the base station on the first carrier frequency, a quality of service level that is lower than a threshold quality of service level; and

responsive to the determining, (i) selecting one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier frequency and one or more other carrier frequencies and, (ii) based on the selecting, discontinuing serving of each selected second UE on the first carrier frequency while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carrier frequencies.

15. The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein the base station has a radio-link layer connection respectively with each first UE and with each second UE, wherein the base station's radio-link layer connection with each first UE encompasses just the first carrier, and the base station's radio-link layer connection with each second UE encompasses the first carrier and one or more other carriers, and

wherein discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises removing from the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE the first carrier while maintaining one or more other carriers in the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE.

16. The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein the base station has a radio-link layer connection respectively with each first UE and with each second UE, wherein the base station's radio-link layer connection with each first UE encompasses just the first carrier, and the base station's radio-link layer connection with each second UE encompasses the first carrier and one or more other carriers, and

wherein discontinuing serving each selected second UE on the first carrier while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carriers comprises discontinuing scheduling and communicating with each selected second UE on the first carrier, though maintaining the first carrier in the radio-link layer connection of each selected second UE.

17. The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein selecting by the base station one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier and one or more other carriers comprises:

selecting the one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station with carrier aggregation service using (i) the first carrier as a secondary carrier and (ii) another carrier as a primary carrier.

18. The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform operations comprising:

after discontinuing serving of each selected second UE on the first carrier frequency while continuing to serve each selected second UE on one or more other carrier frequencies, initiating a timer defining a duration of time for which the base station should discontinue serving each selected second UE on the first carrier frequency;

detecting expiration of the timer; and

in response to detecting expiration of the timer, causing the base station to again serve each selected second UE on both the first carrier frequency and one or more other carrier frequencies.

19. The wireless communication system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to perform operations comprising:

after causing the base station to again serve each selected second UE on both the first carrier frequency and one or more other carrier frequencies, making a determination of whether each of the first UEs being served on just the first carrier frequency is still receiving, from the base station on the first carrier frequency, a quality of service level that is lower than the threshold quality of service level;

if the determination is that each of the first UEs being served on just the first carrier frequency is no longer receiving, from the base station on the first carrier frequency, a quality of service level that is lower than the threshold quality of service level, then, responsive to making the determination, resuming the serving of each selected second UEs on both the first carrier frequency and one or more other carrier frequencies; and

if the determination is that at least one of the first UEs being served on just the first carrier frequency is still receiving, from the base station on the first carrier frequency, a quality of service level that is lower than the threshold quality of service level, then, responsive to making the determination, (i) additionally selecting one or more second UEs based on the one or more second UEs being served by the base station on both the first carrier frequency and one or more other carrier frequencies and, (ii) based on the selecting, discontinuing serving of each additionally selected second UE on the first carrier frequency while continuing to serve each additionally selected second UE on one or more other carrier frequencies.

20. The wireless communication system of claim 14 , wherein the quality of service level is defined based at least in part on a metric selected from the group consisting of throughput, packet loss, jitter, and voice quality.