Communication system with a mobile terminal supporting mobile assisted signal strength measurements for a plurality of networks and methods for operating the same
First Claim
1. A method for communicating between a mobile terminal and both a first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network, the method comprising the following steps performed by the mobile terminal:
- receiving over a control channel of the first wireless communication network an identification of a candidate channel for handoff;
determining an associated signal strength of the candidate channel;
transmitting the determined associated signal strength of the candidate channel to the first wireless communication network;
receiving over a control channel of the second wireless communication network an identification of a plurality of interference channels;
determining associated signal strengths for the plurality of interference channels; and
transmitting the determined associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels to the second wireless communication network.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Communication systems and methods are provided allowing a single mode mobile terminal to support mobile assisted signal strength measurement operations in both a fixed frequency reuse based communication network and an adaptive channel allocation based communication network. Candidate base station signal strength measurements are requested by a fixed frequency reuse type network, measured by the mobile terminal and provided to the fixed frequency reuse type network which is seeking to identify a strongest signal for mobile assisted handover operations. In addition, interference signal strength measurements are requested by an adaptive channel allocation type network, measured by the mobile terminal and provided to the adaptive channel allocation type network by the mobile terminal. No redundant circuitry is required in the mobile terminal. Instead, the mobile terminal executes the same operations using the same hardware regardless of whether the requested measurement is of a candidate signal strength or an interference signal.
59 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method for communicating between a mobile terminal and both a first wireless communication network and a second wireless communication network, the method comprising the following steps performed by the mobile terminal:
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receiving over a control channel of the first wireless communication network an identification of a candidate channel for handoff;
determining an associated signal strength of the candidate channel;
transmitting the determined associated signal strength of the candidate channel to the first wireless communication network;
receiving over a control channel of the second wireless communication network an identification of a plurality of interference channels;
determining associated signal strengths for the plurality of interference channels; and
transmitting the determined associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels to the second wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
transmitting the identification of a plurality of candidate channels;
receiving the transmitted associated signal strengths; and
selecting one of the selected base stations of the first wireless communication network to provide communication support for the mobile terminal based on the received associated signal strengths.
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11. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of selecting comprises the step of selecting a one of the selected base stations of the first wireless communication network having the strongest associated signal strength to provide communications service for the mobile terminal.
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12. The method of claim 10 further comprising the following steps performed by the second wireless communication network:
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transmitting the identification of a plurality of interference channels;
receiving the transmitted associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels; and
selecting a channel of the second wireless communication network to provide communications service for the mobile terminal based on the received associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels.
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13. A communication system, comprising:
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a first wireless communication network comprising;
a plurality of base stations;
means for transmitting an identification of a plurality of candidate channels associated with the plurality of base stations;
means for receiving associated signal strengths of the plurality of candidate channels from a mobile terminal; and
means for selecting one of the plurality of base stations of the first wireless communication network to provide communication support for the mobile terminal based on the received associated signal strengths of the plurality of candidate channels; and
a second wireless communication network comprising;
means for transmitting an identification of a plurality of interference channels;
means for receiving associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels from the mobile terminal; and
means for selecting a channel of the second wireless communication network to provide communication support for the mobile terminal based on the received associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels; and
a mobile terminal comprising;
means for receiving over a control channel of the first wireless communication network the identification of a plurality of candidate channels associated with the plurality of base stations;
means for determining the associated signal strengths of the plurality of candidate channels;
means for transmitting the determined associated signal strengths of the plurality of candidate channels to the first wireless communication network;
means for receiving over a control channel of the second wireless communication network the identification of a plurality of interference channels;
means for determining the associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels; and
means for transmitting the associated signal strengths of the plurality of interference channels to the second wireless communication network. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification