Method for performing a soft handoff
First Claim
1. A method for performing a handoff in a wireless communication system having a plurality of base stations including a candidate base station, the method comprising the steps of:
- assigning a first communication channel to enable the candidate base station to communicate with a mobile-telephone; and
transmitting a message from the candidate base station identifying the first communication channel, the message being transmitted over a second communication channel belonging to the candidate base station and being listened to by the mobile-telephone.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention increases the success rate of soft handoffs by enhancing the ability of a mobile-telephone to receive a handoff direction message that identifies the traffic channel being assigned to enable a candidate base station to communicate with the mobile-telephone. Specifically, the aforementioned ability of the mobile-telephone is enhanced by using the candidate base station to transmit the handoff direction message on a communication channel belonging to the candidate base station and being listened to by the mobile-telephone. In situations where signals transmitted from active set base stations have a low signal-to-noise ratio at the mobile-telephone, signals transmitted from the candidate base station may have a higher signal-to-noise ratio at the mobile-telephone. In these situations, the transmission of the HD messages from the candidate base station increases the likelihood that a copy of the handoff direction message will be successfully received by the mobile-telephone, thereby enhancing the success rate of soft handoffs.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for performing a handoff in a wireless communication system having a plurality of base stations including a candidate base station, the method comprising the steps of:
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assigning a first communication channel to enable the candidate base station to communicate with a mobile-telephone; and transmitting a message from the candidate base station identifying the first communication channel, the message being transmitted over a second communication channel belonging to the candidate base station and being listened to by the mobile-telephone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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5. The method of claim comprising the additional step of:
transmitting a pilot signal from the candidate base station over a third communication channel belonging to the candidate base station.
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10. A method for performing a handoff in a wireless communication system having a plurality of base stations, wherein at least one of the plurality of base stations is in an active set of base stations, the method comprising the steps of:
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transmitting a first message from a mobile-telephone indicating a candidate base station, the first message being transmitted over a first communication channel being used to enable the mobile-telephone to communicate with a base station in the active set; and listening at the mobile-telephone to a second communication channel belonging to the candidate base station and being used by the candidate base station to transmit a second message identifying a third communication channel assigned to enable the candidate base station to communicate with the mobile-telephone. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification