System And Method For Non-Contention Based Handover Based On Pre-Reserved Target Cell Uplink Allocations In Communication Systems

• US 20100202402A1
• Filed: 03/06/2008
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Dalsgaard, Lars, Sebire, Benoist, Koskela, Jarkko
• Granted Patent: US 8,554,221 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/331
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0058 Transmission of hand-off measurement information, e.g. measurement reports
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

In accordance with aspects of the present invention, a method, apparatus and system for non-contention based handover based on pre-reserved target cell uplink allocations in communication systems. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a transceiver (760) configured to communicate with a source base station and a data processor (750) coupled to the transceiver (760). The data processor (750) is configured to produce a measurement report based on a signal received from the source base station, initiate transmission of the measurement report to the source base station, process a handover command received from the source base station, and enable transmission of access bursts to a target base station in a reserved window of time on an uplink shared channel.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a transceiver configured to communicate with a source base station; and

a data processor, coupled to said transceiver, configured to produce a measurement report based at least in part on a signal received from said source base station, initiate transmission of said measurement report to said source base station, process a handover command received from said source base station, and enable transmission of access bursts to a target base station in a reserved window of time on an uplink shared channel.

31. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said measurement report includes a received signal amplitude and a signal transport delay.

32. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said access bursts are a function of a cell-specific radio network temporary identifier for said apparatus, an uplink power level for said transmission provided by said target base station, or a dedicated preamble employable with a random access channel procedure in a target cell.

33. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said access bursts are transmitted in said reserved window of time with a designated starting time.

34. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said access bursts are transmitted on said uplink shared channel until one of an acknowledgement is received from said target base station, a timeout period expires and a predetermined number of access bursts has been transmitted.

2-30. -30. (canceled)

35. A computer program product comprising a computer-readable medium bearing computer program code embodied therein for use with a computer, the computer program code comprising:

code for producing a measurement report based at least in part on a signal received from a source base station;

code for initiating transmission of said measurement report to said source base station;

code for processing a handover command received from said source base station; and

code for enabling transmission of access bursts to a target base station in a reserved window of time on an uplink shared channel.

36. The computer program product according to claim 35 wherein said access bursts are transmitted on said uplink shared channel until one of an acknowledgement is received from said target base station, a timeout period expires, or a predetermined number of access bursts has been transmitted.

37. A method, comprising:

producing a measurement report based at least in part on a signal received from a source base station;

initiating transmission of said measurement report to said source base station;

processing a handover command received from said source base station; and

enabling transmission of access bursts to a target base station in a reserved window of time on an uplink shared channel.

38. The method according to claim 37 wherein said access bursts are a function of a cell-specific radio network temporary identifier for a user equipment, an uplink power level for said transmission provided by said target base station or a dedicated preamble employable with a random access channel procedure in a target cell.

39. The method according to claim 37 wherein said access bursts are transmitted in said reserved window of time with a designated starting time.

40. An apparatus, comprising:

a packet scheduler configured to determine if said apparatus has sufficient resources to accommodate user equipment and reserve a window of time on an uplink shared channel for said user equipment to transmit access bursts; and

a handover subsystem configured to transmit a message to a source base station confirming handover of said user equipment associated therewith.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said packet scheduler is configured to allocate a cell-specific radio network temporary identifier, an uplink power level to be used by said user equipment, or a dedicated preamble employable with a random access channel procedure in a target cell.

42. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said message to said source base station confirming handover of said user equipment includes pre-allocation uplink information for said user equipment.

43. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said apparatus is configured to receive said access bursts from said user equipment until one of an acknowledgement is sent to said user equipment, a timeout period expires and a predetermined number of access bursts has been transmitted.

44. The apparatus according to claim 40 wherein said packet scheduler is configured to reserve future uplink allocations for incoming handover of other user equipment.

45. A method, comprising:

determining if a target base station has sufficient resources to accommodate user equipment;

reserving a window of time on an uplink shared channel for said user equipment to transmit access bursts; and

transmitting a message to a source base station confirming handover of said user equipment associated therewith.

46. The method according to claim 45 wherein said reserving further comprises a cell-specific radio network temporary identifier, an uplink power level to be used by said user equipment, or a dedicated preamble employable with a random access channel procedure in a target cell.

48. The method according to claim 45 further comprising reserving future uplink allocations for incoming handover of other user equipment.

47. The method according to claim 54 wherein said message to said source base station confirming handover of said user equipment includes pre-allocation uplink information for said user equipment.

49. A communication system, comprising:

a source base station, including;

a measurement report handler configured to process a measurement report from user equipment, and

a handover subsystem configured to select a target base station for a handover of said user equipment and to generate a handover request for said user equipment to said target base station; and

a target base station, including;

a packet scheduler configured to determine if said target base station has sufficient resources to accommodate said user equipment and reserve a window of time on an uplink shared channel for said user equipment to transmit access bursts, and

a handover subsystem configured to transmit a message to said source base station confirming a handover of said user equipment.