SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTIMODE DEVICE HANDOVER
First Claim
1. A method of operating a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications device capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network when in an area with overlapping 3G and 4G coverage, the method comprising:
- determining a loading condition of each of a 4G base station and a 3G base station associated with the overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area;
responsive to a determination that each of the 3G and 4G base stations are loaded less than a first user determined load factor, using a processor to compare one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in a memory;
evaluating the comparison result with the processor to determine which of the 3G and 4G networks allows a higher data throughput;
handing off the dual mode communications device to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput; and
otherwise, handing off the dual mode communications device to a 3G base station associated with the 3G coverage.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods of operating multimode 3G/4G communications devices in an overlapping 3G/4G coverage area (e.g., WiMAX or LTE/CDMA-EvDO) include determining a loading condition of the 3G and 4G base stations. If the 3G and 4G base stations are lightly loaded, one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) are compared with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices to determine which of the 3G and 4G networks allows a higher data throughput. The dual mode communications device is handed off to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput; otherwise, the dual mode communications device is handed off to a 3G base station. User priorities, application categories, and/or MIMO and diversity modes may be used to determine handoff if the base stations are more than lightly loaded.
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Citations
64 Claims
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1. A method of operating a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications device capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network when in an area with overlapping 3G and 4G coverage, the method comprising:
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determining a loading condition of each of a 4G base station and a 3G base station associated with the overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area; responsive to a determination that each of the 3G and 4G base stations are loaded less than a first user determined load factor, using a processor to compare one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in a memory; evaluating the comparison result with the processor to determine which of the 3G and 4G networks allows a higher data throughput; handing off the dual mode communications device to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput; and otherwise, handing off the dual mode communications device to a 3G base station associated with the 3G coverage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications apparatus capable of operating in either a 3G network or a 4G network when in an area with overlapping 3G and 4G coverage, the apparatus comprising:
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a 3G transceiver configured to transmit and receive information over a 3G network; a 4G transceiver configured to selectively transmit and receive data over a 4G network; a processor operatively coupled to the 3G transceiver and the 4G transceiver and which is configured to determine a loading condition of each of a 3G base station and a 4G base station associated with the overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area; and a memory device operatively coupled to the processor; wherein, responsive to a determination by the processor that each of the 3G and 4G base stations are loaded less than a first user determined load factor, the processor is configured to compare one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in the memory; wherein the processor evaluates the comparison result to determine which of the 4G and 3G networks allows a higher data throughput, wherein, if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput, the processor enables control signals that transfer or maintain communication of the dual mode communications device with a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage, and wherein, if the 3G network allows the higher data throughput, the processor enables different control signals that transfer communication of the dual mode communications device to a 3G base station associated with the 3G coverage. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A computer-readable medium comprising computer readable code physically embodied thereon which, when executed by a processor arranged in a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications device capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network mode causes the processor to carry out the functions of:
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determining a loading condition of each of a 4G base station and a 3G base station associated with an overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area; responsive to a determination that each of the 3G and 4G base stations are loaded less than a first user inputted load factor, using a processor to compare one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in a memory; evaluating the comparison result with the processor to determine which of the 4G and 3G networks allows a higher data throughput; handing off the dual mode communications device to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput; and otherwise, handing off the dual mode communications device to an 3G base station associated with the EvDO coverage.
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63. A memory for storing data for access by an application program being executed by a processor in a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications system capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network mode, the memory comprising:
a data structure stored in said memory, said data structure including information resident in a database used by said application program and including one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) mapped to one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices associated with a plurality of available data throughput rates.
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64. A method of over-the-air provisioning of program functionality and data stored in a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications device capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network mode, the method comprising:
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sending program instruction updates to the multimode device over a communications link from a base station (BS), wherein the program instruction updates include computer code that, when executed by a processor; determines a loading condition of each of a 4G base station and a 3G base station associated with an overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area, compares one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in a memory if each of the 3G and 4G base stations are loaded less than a first user inputted load factor, determines which of the 3G and 4G networks allows a higher data throughput, causes the dual mode communications device to transfer to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput or causes the dual mode communications device to transfer to an 3G base station associated with the 3G coverage if the 3G network allows the higher data throughput; sending data updates to the dual-mode device over the communications link from the BS, wherein the data updates comprise 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) mapped to one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices; and storing the program instruction updates and the data updates in a memory in the dual mode communications device.
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Specification