Wireless communication system having hand-off based upon relative pilot signal strengths
First Claim
1. A wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the wireless communication system comprising:
- a mobile switching center;
a plurality of base stations, each base station coupled to the mobile switching center, each base station providing wireless communication and each base station providing a pilot signal that may be received by the wireless mobile unit;
the mobile unit receiving a plurality of pilot signals from the plurality of base stations and measuring the strength of the received pilot signals, the received pilot signals including a strongest pilot signal and at least one weaker pilot signal;
the mobile unit wirelessly connected to at least one of the base stations; and
a determination of whether to be connected to a particular base station corresponding to a weaker pilot signal based upon the difference in strength between the strongest pilot signal and the corresponding weaker pilot signal.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A wireless communication system facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit within a respective service area. The wireless communication system includes a mobile switching center and a plurality of base stations. Each base station couples to the mobile switching center and provides wireless communication within a respective cell or within a plurality of respective sectors. Each base station provides a pilot signal that may be received by the wireless mobile unit. With multiple sectors, a pilot signal is provided for each sector. The mobile unit may wirelessly connect to any of the base stations'"'"' cells and sectors. A determination of whether to be connected to a particular base station cell and/or base station sector is based upon the relative strengths of pilot signals received by the wireless mobile unit. The mobile unit may evaluate the relative strengths of received pilot signals and simply request a connection to a base station or a disconnection therefrom based upon the evaluation. However, the mobile unit may also notify the mobile switching center of strengths of received pilot signals with the mobile switching center taking action. In such case, the mobile switching center may determine thresholds and pass the thresholds to the mobile unit for later use, the thresholds based upon the relative strengths of the pilot signals. A corresponding method includes steps for operating a wireless communication system.
130 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the wireless communication system comprising:
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a mobile switching center; a plurality of base stations, each base station coupled to the mobile switching center, each base station providing wireless communication and each base station providing a pilot signal that may be received by the wireless mobile unit; the mobile unit receiving a plurality of pilot signals from the plurality of base stations and measuring the strength of the received pilot signals, the received pilot signals including a strongest pilot signal and at least one weaker pilot signal; the mobile unit wirelessly connected to at least one of the base stations; and a determination of whether to be connected to a particular base station corresponding to a weaker pilot signal based upon the difference in strength between the strongest pilot signal and the corresponding weaker pilot signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the wireless communication system comprising:
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a base station that provides wireless communication within a plurality of sectors that form the service area, wherein the base station may communicate with the mobile unit in more than one of the plurality of sectors and wherein the base station provides a pilot signal for each sector that may be received by the wireless mobile unit; the mobile unit receiving a plurality of pilot signals from the plurality of sectors of the base station and measuring the strength of the received pilot signals, the received pilot signals including a strongest pilot signal and a plurality of weaker pilot signals; the mobile unit wirelessly connected to at least one of the sectors of the base station; and a determination of whether to be connected to a particular sector of the base station corresponding to a weaker pilot signal based upon the difference in strength between the strongest pilot signal and the corresponding weaker pilot signal. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method of operating a wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the method comprising:
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broadcasting a plurality of pilot signals, each of pilot signals corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of base stations; receiving, by the mobile unit, a plurality of received pilot signals; measuring strengths of the received pilot signals, the received pilot signals including a strongest pilot signal and at least one weaker pilot signal; and determining whether to establish a connection between the mobile unit and a base station corresponding to a weaker pilot signal based upon the difference in strength between the strongest pilot signal and the corresponding weaker pilot signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of operating a wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the method comprising:
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broadcasting a plurality of pilot signals, each of pilot signals corresponding to a respective one of a plurality sectors provided by a base station; receiving, by the mobile unit, a plurality of received pilot signals; measuring respective strengths of the received pilot signals, the received pilot signals including a strongest pilot signal and a plurality of weaker pilot signals; and determining whether to establish a connection between the mobile unit and a sector of the base station that corresponds to a weaker pilot signal based upon the difference in strength between the strongest pilot signal and the corresponding weaker pilot signal. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
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Specification