Inter-Radio Access Technology Measurement System and Method

• US 20090093251A1
• Filed: 10/08/2007
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: WU, Wei, YOUNG, Gordon Peter, SUZUKI, Takashi, CAI, Zhijun, WOMACK, James Earl
• Granted Patent: US 8,089,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/10 Scheduling measurement reports ; Arrangements for measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0085 Hand-off measurements
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/045 using private Base Stations, e.g. femto Base Stations, home Node B
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A macrotechnology-based system is provided. The system includes a processor configured to promote macrotechnology-based transmission to a multi-mode user equipment of a signal including a plurality of data portions and a plurality of gaps between one or more of the plurality of data portions, at least one of the gaps used by the multi-mode user equipment for measurement of a signal strength of a microtechnology-based network.

Claims

1. A macrotechnology-based system, comprising:

a processor configured to promote macrotechnology-based transmission to a multi-mode user equipment of a signal including a plurality of data portions and a plurality of gaps between one or more of the plurality of data portions, at least one of the gaps used by the multi-mode user equipment for measurement of a signal strength of a microtechnology-based network.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the gap is generated based upon a request received from the multi-mode user equipment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor promotes assigning the plurality of gaps by one of:

defining a new common measurement gap pattern usable by both a microtechnology and a macrotechnology;

using a gap previously designated for macrotechnology-based signal strength measurement to perform the microtechnology-based signal strength measurement;

using idle time within a data portion of the data transmission, discontinuous reception (DRX) period, to make the microtechnology-based pilot signal strength measurement; and

increasing a size of a previously existing gap to allow for both the microtechnology-based signal strength measurement and the macrotechnology-based signal strength measurement.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the microtechnology is one of:

a Wireless Fidelity network,

a wireless local access network using a home base station,

a wireless local access network using a home Enhanced Node B, and

a Wireless Local Area Network; and

and wherein the macrotechnology is one of;

a Long Term Evolution (LTE) network,

a Ultra Mobile Broadband (UMB) network;

a Code Division Multiple Access 2000 network;

a Universal Mobile Telecommunications System Terrestrial Radio Access Network;

a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) network;

a GSM EDGE Radio Access Network; and

a 1×

Evolution-Data Optimized network.