Methods, Systems, and Computer-Readable Media for Providing Cellular Handoff

• US 20090088157A1
• Filed: 09/28/2007
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T BLS Intelectual Property Inc (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Aaron, Jeffrey A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,974,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/22 for handling the traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/26 by agreed or negotiated communication parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/304 due to measured or perceived resources with higher communication quality

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer-readable media provide for providing cellular handoff. According to embodiments, a method for providing a cellular handoff is provided. According to the method, a first group of users is associated with a first class of service and a first cellular tower. A second group of users is associated with a second class of service. Whether to hand off the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower is determined based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users. In response to determining to hand off the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower, a handoff of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower is performed.

Claims

1. A method for providing cellular handoff, comprising:

associating a first group of users with a first class of service and a first cellular tower;

associating a second group of users with a second class of service;

determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users; and

in response to determining to hand off the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower, performing a handoff of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users comprises determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower based on a level of quality of service associated with at least one of the first class of service and the second class of service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users comprises determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower based on a load placed on at least one of the first cellular tower and the second cellular tower.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second cellular tower provides worse quality of service than the first cellular tower.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating a first plurality of users with the first group of users based on similar quality of service expectations among the first plurality of users; and

associating a second plurality of users with the second group of users based on similar quality of service expectations among the second plurality of users.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower comprises forcing the handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein performing a handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower comprises encouraging the handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

8. A system for providing a cellular handoff, comprising:

a memory for storing a program containing code for providing the cellular handoff;

a processor functionally coupled to the memory, the processor being responsive to computer-executable instructions contained in the program and operative to;

associate a first group of users with a first class of service and a first cellular tower,

associate a second group of users with a second class of service,

determine whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users, and

in response to determining to hand off the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower, perform a handoff of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein to determine whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users, the processor is further operative to:

determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower based on a level of quality of service associated with at least one of the first class of service and the second class of service.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein to determine whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users, the processor is further operative to:

determine whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower based on a load placed on at least one of the first cellular tower and the second cellular tower.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the second cellular tower provides worse quality of service than the first cellular tower.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the processor further operative to:

associate a first plurality of users with the first group of users based on similar quality of service expectations among the first plurality of users; and

associate a second plurality of users with the second group of users based on similar quality of service expectations among the second plurality of users.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein to perform a handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower, the processor is further operative to:

at least one of force and encourage the handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

14. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to provide a method for providing cellular handoff, the method comprising:

associating a first group of users with a first class of service and a first cellular tower;

associating a second group of users with a second class of service;

determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users; and

in response to determining to hand off the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower, performing a handoff of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users comprises determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower based on a level of quality of service associated with at least one of the first class of service and the second class of service.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to a second cellular tower based on real-time quality of service provided to at least one of the first group of users and the second group of users comprises determining whether to hand off one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower based on a load placed on at least one of the first cellular tower and the second cellular tower.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein the second cellular tower provides worse quality of service than the first cellular tower.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, the method further comprising:

associating a first plurality of users with the first group of users based on similar quality of service expectations among the first plurality of users; and

associating a second plurality of users with the second group of users based on similar quality of service expectations among the second plurality of users.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein performing a handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower comprises forcing the handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 14, wherein performing a handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower comprises encouraging the handoff of one or more of the first group of users from the first cellular tower to the second cellular tower.