Method and system for optimizing inter-frequency handoff in wireless coverage areas
First Claim
1. In a radio access network (RAN) that radiates to define a plurality of wireless coverage areas each operating on a plurality of carrier frequencies, a method comprising:
- the RAN identifying a set of the wireless coverage areas in which to transmit inter-frequency search directives, wherein identifying the set of wireless coverage areas comprises (i) determining which of the wireless coverage areas each have threshold weaker wireless performance on one carrier frequency of the coverage area than on another carrier frequency of the coverage area and (ii) deeming to be members of the set only the determined wireless coverage areas; and
for each wireless coverage area of the identified set, the RAN (i) identifying one or more wireless communication devices (WCDs) operating in the coverage area that are operating on the coverage area'"'"'s carrier frequency that has the weaker wireless performance and (ii) based at least in part on the identifying of each of the one or more WCDs, sending to each identified WCD an inter-frequency search directive to cause the WCD to scan for and report to the RAN a measurement of wireless coverage on one or more carrier frequencies other than that on which the WCD is operating.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A radio access network (RAN) may be configured to identify a set of wireless coverage areas in which to transmit inter-frequency search directives. Identifying the set of coverage areas may involve determining which of the coverage areas defined by the RAN have threshold weaker coverage on one carrier frequency than on another carrier frequency of that coverage area. For each coverage area of the set, the RAN may identify one or more WCDs operating in the coverage area that are operating on the coverage area'"'"'s carrier frequency that has the weaker coverage. Based on the identifying of the WCDs, the RAN may send to each identified WCD an inter-frequency search directive to cause the WCD to scan for and report to the RAN a measurement of coverage on one or more carrier frequencies other than the carrier frequency on which the WCD is currently operating.
13 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. In a radio access network (RAN) that radiates to define a plurality of wireless coverage areas each operating on a plurality of carrier frequencies, a method comprising:
-
the RAN identifying a set of the wireless coverage areas in which to transmit inter-frequency search directives, wherein identifying the set of wireless coverage areas comprises (i) determining which of the wireless coverage areas each have threshold weaker wireless performance on one carrier frequency of the coverage area than on another carrier frequency of the coverage area and (ii) deeming to be members of the set only the determined wireless coverage areas; and for each wireless coverage area of the identified set, the RAN (i) identifying one or more wireless communication devices (WCDs) operating in the coverage area that are operating on the coverage area'"'"'s carrier frequency that has the weaker wireless performance and (ii) based at least in part on the identifying of each of the one or more WCDs, sending to each identified WCD an inter-frequency search directive to cause the WCD to scan for and report to the RAN a measurement of wireless coverage on one or more carrier frequencies other than that on which the WCD is operating. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
-
9. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions executable by a processing unit of a radio access network (RAN) to cause the RAN to perform functions, the RAN radiating to define a plurality of wireless coverage areas each operating on a plurality of carrier frequencies, the functions comprising:
-
identifying a set of the wireless coverage areas in which to transmit inter-frequency search directives, wherein identifying the set of wireless coverage areas comprises (i) determining which of the wireless coverage areas each have threshold weaker wireless performance on one carrier frequency of the coverage area than on another carrier frequency of the coverage area and (ii) deeming to be members of the set only the determined wireless coverage areas; and for each wireless coverage area of the identified set, (i) identifying one or more wireless communication devices (WCDs) operating in the coverage area that are operating on the coverage area'"'"'s carrier frequency that has the weaker wireless performance and (ii) based at least in part on the identifying of each of the one or more WCDs, sending to each identified WCD an inter-frequency search directive to cause the WCD to scan for and report to the RAN a measurement of wireless coverage on one or more carrier frequencies other than that on which the WCD is operating. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A radio access network (RAN) entity comprising:
-
at least one wireless communication interface; at least one processor; a data storage; and program instructions stored in the data storage, wherein the program instructions are executable by the at least one processor to perform a set of functions, the set of functions comprising; identifying a set of wireless coverage areas in which to transmit inter-frequency search directives, wherein identifying the set of wireless coverage areas comprises (i) determining which of the wireless coverage areas each have threshold weaker wireless performance on one carrier frequency of the coverage area than on another carrier frequency of the coverage area and (ii) deeming to be members of the set only the determined wireless coverage areas; for each wireless coverage area of the identified set, (i) identifying one or more wireless communication devices (WCDs) operating in the coverage area that are operating on the coverage area'"'"'s carrier frequency that has the weaker wireless performance, and (ii) based at least in part on the identifying of each of the one or more WCDs, sending to each identified WCD an inter-frequency search directive to cause the WCD to scan for and report to the RAN entity a measurement of wireless coverage on one or more carrier frequencies other than that on which the WCD is operating; and based on the measurement reported to the RAN entity by each identified WCD, sending to the WCD a handoff directive to cause the WCD to hand off from the carrier frequency on which the WCD is operating to another carrier frequency. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification