Methods and systems for temporarily modifying a macro-network neighbor list to enable a mobile station to hand off from a macro network to a femto cell
First Claim
1. In a communications system that includes a mobile station and a macro network, wherein the macro network includes at least one macro coverage area serving the mobile station, and wherein the macro network includes a neighbor list corresponding to the at least one macro coverage area, a method comprising:
- receiving, at the macro network, a signal indicating that the mobile station detected coverage of a femto coverage area;
after receiving the signal, adding the femto coverage area to the neighbor list at the macro network, thereby enabling the mobile station to hand off to the femto coverage area;
detecting, at the macro network, that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area; and
in response to detecting that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area, removing the femto coverage area from the neighbor list at the macro network.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and systems are disclosed for temporarily modifying a macro-network neighbor list to enable a mobile station to hand off from a macro network to a femto cell. A method includes receiving a signal indicating that the mobile station detected coverage of a femto cell; after receiving the signal, adding the femto cell to the neighbor list, thereby enabling the mobile station to handoff to the femto cell; detecting that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto cell; and in response to detecting that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto cell, removing the femto cell from the neighbor list.
151 Citations
20 Claims
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1. In a communications system that includes a mobile station and a macro network, wherein the macro network includes at least one macro coverage area serving the mobile station, and wherein the macro network includes a neighbor list corresponding to the at least one macro coverage area, a method comprising:
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receiving, at the macro network, a signal indicating that the mobile station detected coverage of a femto coverage area; after receiving the signal, adding the femto coverage area to the neighbor list at the macro network, thereby enabling the mobile station to hand off to the femto coverage area; detecting, at the macro network, that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area; and in response to detecting that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area, removing the femto coverage area from the neighbor list at the macro network.
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2. In a communications system that includes a mobile station and a macro network, wherein the macro network includes at least one macro coverage area serving the mobile station, and wherein the macro network includes a neighbor list corresponding to the at least one macro coverage area, a method for temporarily modifying the neighbor list to enable the mobile station to hand off from the macro network to a femto coverage area, the method comprising:
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receiving, at the macro network, a signal from the mobile station, wherein the signal identifies the femto coverage area, and wherein the femto coverage area is initially not included in the neighbor list; in response to receiving the signal, temporarily modifying the neighbor list at the macro network to include the femto coverage area; providing from the macro network to the mobile station an indication of the modified neighbor list, thereby enabling the mobile station to hand off from the macro network to the femto coverage area; receiving, at the macro network, a message indicating that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area; and in response to receiving the message indicating that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area, removing the femto coverage area from the modified neighbor list at the macro network. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for temporarily modifying a macro-network neighbor list to enable a mobile station to hand off from a macro network to a femto coverage area, wherein the macro network includes at least one macro coverage area serving the mobile station, and wherein the macro-network neighbor list corresponds to the least one macro coverage area, the system comprising, at the macro network:
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a communication interface; a processor; and data storage containing (i) the macro-network neighbor list and (ii) instructions executable by the processor to; (a) via the communication interface, receive a signal from the mobile station, wherein the signal identifies the femto coverage area, and wherein the femto coverage area is initially not included in the macro-network neighbor list; (b) in response to receiving the signal, temporarily modify the macro-network neighbor list to include the femto coverage area; (c) via the communication interface, provide to the mobile station an indication of the modified macro-network neighbor list, thereby enabling the mobile station to hand off from the macro network to the femto coverage area; (d) via the communication interface, receive a message indicating that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area; and (e) in response to receiving the message indicating that the mobile station completed handoff to the femto coverage area, remove the femto coverage area from the modified macro-network neighbor list. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification