METHOD FOR DETERMINING WHEN A COMMUNICATION DEVICE SHOULD RATE SHIFT OR ROAM IN A WIRELESS ENVIRONMENT

• US 20080279154A1
• Filed: 07/15/2008
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Palmer, Brian G., Jovanovich, Alan F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,507 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/333
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/00 Supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 28/22 Negotiating communication rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/30 by measured or perceived connection quality data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data

Abstract

Methods for improving communication performance in a wireless communication system where the wireless communication system has at least one mobile wireless communication device and a plurality of transmitter/receiver sites. The transmitter/receiver sites have a geographic area, defined as a cell, within which the mobile wireless communication devices can communicate with at least one of the transmitter/receiver sites. The methods determine when the mobile wireless communication device should rate shift or roam based on connection quality measurement data or position information such as GPS. In one method, the measurement data is subjected to configurable parameters to create a functional relationship value that is recorded. The recorded functional relationship values are trended and extrapolated to determine whether a rate shift or roam should be performed. In a second method, the measurement data taken prior to a communication connection failure is stored in at least one data vector with there being at least one data vector for each rate shift and one for roam. A functional relationship utilizing current measurements, last data rate, and the respective data vectors determines whether a rate shift or roam should be performed. In a third method, the position information for the wireless communication device is compared to at least one transmitter/receiver site and a determination is made as to the optimal transmitter/receiver site for communication.

Claims

1. A method of improving communication performance in a wireless communication system, said wireless communication system having at least one mobile wireless communication device and a plurality of transmitter/receiver sites, each of which has a geographic area, defined as a cell, within which said at least one mobile wireless communication device can communicate with at least one of said transmitter/receiver sites, said method of improving communication performance comprising the steps of:

obtaining at least one measurement related to a position of said wireless communication device;

comparing said at least one measurement related to said position of said wireless communication device relative to at least one of said plurality of transmitter/receiver sites; and

determining an optimal one of said plurality of transmitter/receiver sites for communication with said wireless communication device.

2-20. -20. (canceled)