Methods and apparatus for managing mobile handover

• US 8,509,782 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Ali, Syed Hussain, Wijayanathan, Maiyuran, Naqvi, Noushad
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US13/529,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20120258714A1
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 455/517, 455436-444, 379/390, 379/90.9, 709/239
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0061 of neighbour cell information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0066 of control information between different types of networks in order to establish a new radio link in the target network

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to manage mobile handover are disclosed. An example mobile station includes hardware and software stored on a tangible computer readable medium that, during operation, cause the mobile station to receive from a network controller a response to a network registration request, wherein the response includes an indicator to indicate a type of cell that may be reported by the mobile station during a handover procedure and send a handover message indicating cells permitted by the indicator.

Claims

1. A method for a mobile station, the method comprising:

receiving from a network controller a response to a network registration request, wherein the response includes an indicator to indicate a type of cell that shall not be reported by the mobile station during a handover procedure; and

sending a handover message indicating cells permitted by the indicator.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the handover message includes a report of identities of cells to which the mobile station could be handed over.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the handover message includes a list of candidate cell identifiers.

4. A method as defined in claim 3, wherein the response is an ACCEPT message.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the handover message includes a second list of candidate cell identifiers that identifies an additional type of cells.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the indicator indicates that at least two types of cells may be reported.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising measuring cells of the type indicated by the indicator and generate a measurement report.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the handover message includes the measurement report.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the handover message includes cell information for the cells of the type indicated by the indicator.

10. A method as defined in claim 9, wherein the cell information includes a received signal level for the cells of the type indicated by the indicator.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein network registration request is a generic access network registration request.

12. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the response includes a second indicator that indicates at least one of a second type of cell may be reported or the second type of cell shall not be reported.

13. A mobile station including hardware and software stored on a tangible computer readable medium that, during operation, cause the mobile station:

receive from a network controller a response to a network registration request, wherein the response includes an indicator to indicate a type of cell that shall not be reported by the mobile station during a handover procedure; and

send a handover message indicating cells permitted by the indicator.

14. A mobile station as defined in claim 13, wherein the handover message includes a report of identities of cells to which the mobile station could be handed over.

15. A mobile station as defined in claim 13, wherein the handover message includes a list of candidate cell identifiers.

16. A mobile station as defined in claim 15, wherein the response is an ACCEPT message.

17. A mobile station as defined in claim 16, wherein the handover message includes a second list of candidate cell identifiers that identifies an additional type of cells.

18. A network equipment comprising:

a cell support determiner to transmit to a mobile station a response to a network registration request, wherein the response includes an indicator to indicate a type of cell that shall not be reported by the mobile station during a handover procedure; and

a component to receive a handover message from the mobile station indicating cells permitted by the indicator.

19. A network equipment as defined in claim 18, wherein the handover message includes a report of identities of cells to which the mobile station could be handed over.

20. A network equipment as defined in claim 18, wherein the handover message includes a list of candidate cell identifiers.