Wireless access node and method for signaling aggregation of a plurality of UE devices through a hub UE device

1. A method of operating a wireless communication network to perform wireless network control signaling aggregation through a signaling hub User Equipment (UE) using Carrier Aggregation (CA), the method comprising:

a wireless access node selecting the signaling hub UE to perform the wireless network control signaling aggregation for other UEs using CA;

the wireless access node directing the signaling hub UE to perform the wireless network control signaling aggregation for the other UEs using CA and allocating CA traffic channels to the signaling hub UE for the wireless network control signaling aggregation;

the wireless access node wirelessly exchanging user data directly with the other UEs;

the hub UE exchanging only the wireless network control signaling directly with the other UEs over wireless links and aggregating the wireless network control signaling;

the hub UE exchanging only the aggregated wireless network control signaling directly with the wireless access node over the CA traffic channels; and

the wireless access node exchanging only the aggregated wireless network control signaling directly with the hub UE over the CA traffic channels.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the aggregated wireless network control signaling comprises Long Term Evolution (LTE) network signaling.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the hub UE and the other UEs comprise cell phones.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the wireless access node comprises an eNodeB.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs comprises selecting the hub UE in response to a wireless network signaling load on the wireless access node.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs comprises selecting the hub UE because the hub UE already has the CA traffic channels with the wireless access node.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs comprises selecting the hub UE based on a physical proximity of the hub UE to the wireless access node.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs comprises selecting the hub UE based on a geographically centered position of the hub UE among the other UEs.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs comprises selecting the hub UE based on a signal-to-noise ratio of the hub UE.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs comprises selecting the hub UE based on available power overhead of the hub UE.

11. A wireless communication network to perform wireless network control signaling aggregation through a signaling hub User Equipment (UE) using Carrier Aggregation (CA), the wireless communication network comprising:

a wireless access node configured to select the signaling hub UE to perform the wireless network control signaling aggregation for other UEs using CA and direct the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs by using CA and allocating CA traffic channels to the signaling hub UE for the wireless network control signaling aggregation;

the wireless access node configured to wirelessly exchange user data directly with the other UEs;

the hub UE configured to exchange only the wireless network control signaling directly with the other UEs over wireless links, aggregate the wireless network control signaling, and exchange only the aggregated wireless network control signaling directly with the wireless access node over the CA traffic channels; and

the wireless access node configured to exchange only the aggregated wireless network control signaling directly with the hub UE over the CA traffic channels.

12. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the aggregated wireless network control signaling comprises Long Term Evolution (LTE) network signaling.

13. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the hub UE and the other UEs comprise cell phones.

14. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node comprises an eNodeB.

15. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node is configured to select the hub UE to aggregate the wireless network control signaling for the other UEs in response to a wireless network signaling load on the wireless access node.

16. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node is configured to select the hub UE because the hub UE already has the CA traffic channels with the wireless access node.

17. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node is configured to select the hub UE based on a physical proximity of the hub UE to the wireless access node.

18. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node is configured to select the hub UE based on a geographically centered position of the hub UE among the other UEs.

19. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node is configured to select the hub UE based on a signal-to-noise ratio of the hub UE.

20. The wireless communication network of claim 11 wherein the wireless access node is configured to select the hub UE based on available power overhead of the hub UE.