SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF USING SUPPLEMENTAL UPLINK

1 . A method, comprising:

identifying, by a wireless communication device, a frequency band for communicating via a supplemental uplink according to a characteristic of the wireless communication device for wireless communication;

transmitting, by the wireless communication device to a wireless communication node, a first message comprising an identification of the frequency band and a request to access the frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink;

receiving, by the wireless communication device from the wireless communication node responsive to the first message, a second message comprising a configuration for the supplemental uplink corresponding to the frequency band; and

communicating, by the wireless communication device, traffic via the supplemental uplink in the frequency band, according to the configuration.

2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

concurrently communicating, by the wireless communication device, a first portion of the traffic via the supplemental uplink in the frequency band and a second portion of the traffic via a second uplink in a second frequency band higher than the frequency band.

3 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

determining, by the wireless communication device, the characteristic comprising at least one of: a device characteristic of the wireless communication device, a usage characteristic of the wireless communication device, or traffic stored in a buffer of the wireless communication device; and

selecting, by the wireless communication device, the frequency band from a plurality of frequency bands according to the characteristic.

4 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

identifying, by the wireless communication device, a plurality of frequency bands as candidates for the supplemental uplink;

performing, by the wireless communication device, a ranking of the plurality of frequency bands according to the characteristic; and

identifying, by the wireless communication device, the frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands according to the ranking.

5 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

transmitting, by the wireless communication device to the wireless communication node, the first message identifying the frequency band and the second frequency band; and

receiving, by the wireless communication device from the wireless communication node responsive to the first message and in accordance with a network optimization criterion by the wireless communication node, the configuration for the supplemental uplink in accordance with the frequency band.

6 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

transmitting, by the wireless communication device, the first message via a first radio resource control (RRC) message comprising characteristics of the network traffic to be communicated via the supplemental uplink; and

receiving, by the wireless communication device, the second message comprising one of a second RRC message or a downlink control information (DCI) message.

7 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

receiving, by the wireless communication device, from the wireless communication node via one of a radio resource control (RRC) message or a downlink control information (DCI) message, one or more frequency bands supported by the wireless communication node; and

selecting, by the wireless communication device, according to the characteristic, the frequency band from the one or more frequency bands.

8 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

detecting, by the wireless communication device, a change in the characteristic of the wireless communication device;

identifying, by the wireless communication device responsive to the change, a second frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink;

transmitting, by the wireless communication device to the wireless communication node, a third message comprising an identification of the second frequency band and a second request to access the second frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink; and

receiving, by the wireless communication device from the wireless communication node responsive to the third message, a fourth message comprising a second configuration for the supplemental uplink wireless communication in accordance with the second frequency band.

9 . The method of claim 1 , comprising:

detecting, by the wireless communication device, that an antenna of the wireless communication device has a first efficiency for the frequency band and a second efficiency for a second frequency band; and

transmitting, by the wireless communication device, to the wireless communication node, the first message comprising the request responsive to the first efficiency being greater than the second efficiency.

10 . A wireless communication device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to:

identify, according to a characteristic of the wireless communication device for wireless communication, a frequency band for communicating via a supplemental uplink;

transmit, via a transceiver to a wireless communication node, a first message comprising an identification of the frequency band and a request to access the frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink;

receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication node responsive to the first message, a second message comprising a configuration for the supplemental uplink corresponding to the frequency band; and

communicate, via the transceiver, traffic via the supplemental uplink in the frequency band, according to the configuration.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

concurrently communicate, via the transceiver, a first portion of the traffic via the supplemental uplink in the frequency band and a second portion of the traffic via a second uplink in a second frequency band higher than the frequency band.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

determine the characteristic comprising at least one of: a device characteristic of the wireless communication device, a usage characteristic of the wireless communication device, or traffic stored in a buffer of the wireless communication device; and

select the frequency band from a plurality of frequency bands according to the characteristic.

13 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

identify a plurality of frequency bands as candidates for the supplemental uplink;

perform a ranking of the plurality of frequency bands according to the characteristic; and

identify the frequency band from the plurality of frequency bands according to the ranking.

14 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

transmit, via the transceiver to the wireless communication node, the first message identifying the frequency band and the second frequency band;

receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication node responsive to the first message and in accordance with a network optimization criterion by the wireless communication node, the configuration for the supplemental uplink in accordance with the frequency band.

15 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

transmit, via the transceiver, the first message via a first radio resource control (RRC) message comprising characteristics of the network traffic to be communicated via the supplemental uplink; and

receive, via the transceiver, the second message comprising one of a second RRC message or a downlink control information (DCI) message.

16 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication node via one of a radio resource control (RRC) message or a downlink control information (DCI) message, one or more frequency bands supported by the wireless communication node; and

select, according to the characteristic, the frequency band from the one or more frequency bands.

17 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

detect a change in the characteristic of the wireless communication device;

identify, responsive to the change, a second frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink;

transmit, via the transceiver to the wireless communication node, a third message comprising an identification of the second frequency band and a second request to access the second frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink; and

receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication node responsive to the third message, a fourth message comprising a second configuration for the supplemental uplink wireless communication in accordance with the second frequency band.

18 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to:

detect that an antenna of the wireless communication device has a first efficiency for the frequency band and a second efficiency for a second frequency band; and

transmit, via the transceiver to the wireless communication node, the first message comprising the request responsive to the first efficiency being greater than the second efficiency.

19 . A non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions for causing at least one processor of a wireless communication device to:

identify, according to a characteristic of the wireless communication device for wireless communication, a frequency band for communicating via a supplemental uplink;

transmit, via the transceiver to a wireless communication node, a first message comprising an identification of the frequency band and a request to access the frequency band for communicating via the supplemental uplink;

receive, via the transceiver from the wireless communication node responsive to the first message, a second message comprising a configuration for the supplemental uplink corresponding to the frequency band; and

communicate traffic via the supplemental uplink in the frequency band, according to the configuration.

20 . The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 19 , wherein the program instructions can be configured to cause the at least one processor to:

determine the characteristic comprising at least one of: a device characteristic of the wireless communication device, a usage characteristic of the wireless communication device, or traffic stored in a buffer of the wireless communication device;

select the frequency band from a plurality of frequency bands according to the characteristic; and

concurrently communicate, via the transceiver, a first portion of the traffic via the supplemental uplink in the frequency band and a second portion of the traffic via a second uplink in a second frequency band higher than the frequency band.