Method and system for station location based neighbor determination and handover probability estimation

• US 9,503,954 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Interdigital Technology Corporation (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Inventors: Olvera-Hernandez, Ulises, Carlton, Alan G.
• Primary Examiner(s): WASHINGTON, ERIKA ALISE
• Application Number:
  US14/610,462
• Publication Number:
  US 20150148045A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/00835 Determination of neighbour cell lists
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/322 by location data
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/36 by user or terminal equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/003 locating network equipment

Abstract

The present invention is a method and system for station location based neighbor determination and handover probability estimation. A serving access point determines the location and movement measurements of a station (STA). Neighboring access points report coordinates of cell fringes of the neighboring access points. The STA sends a request for system information to the current access point along with current location of the STA. The current access point provides the system information, and the STA utilizes the system information to determine best handover candidate from among neighboring access points and an estimate of the time for handover.

Claims

1. A method performed by a wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) for location based neighbor determination;

the method comprising;

sending a request for information regarding the location of neighboring access points (Aps) to a base station, wherein the request includes geographic coordinates of the WTRU;

receiving a network map, wherein the network map includes the geographic coordinates of neighboring APs;

wherein the network map includes an expected time until the WTRU will reach a neighboring AP.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for information further includes a speed that the WTRU is traveling.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the request for information further includes a direction that the WTRU is traveling.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

traveling towards the geographic location of one of the APs identified on the network map; and

connecting to the AP.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the network map is received from a base station of a first technology, and the neighboring APs are a second technology.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first technology is a cellular technology, and the second technology is an 802.11 technology.

7. A wireless transmit/receive unit (WTRU) comprising:

a transmitter configured to transmit a request for information regarding the location of neighboring access points (Aps) to a base station, wherein the request includes geographic coordinates of the WTRU;

a receiver configured to receive a network map, wherein the network map includes the geographic coordinates of neighboring APs;

wherein the network map includes an expected time until the WTRU will reach a neighboring AP.

8. The WTRU of claim 7 wherein the request for information further includes a speed that the WTRU is traveling.

9. The WTRU of claim 7 wherein the request for information further includes a direction that the WTRU is traveling.

10. The WTRU of claim 7, wherein the network map is received from a base station of a first technology, and the neighboring APs are a second technology.

11. The WTRU of claim 10 wherein the first technology is a cellular technology, and the second technology is an 802.11 technology.

12. The WTRU of claim 7 further comprising a display, wherein the display is configured to display the network map to a user.

13. A method of providing a network map, the method comprising:

receiving reports from a plurality of WTRUs, wherein each report includes a geographic location of the WTRU, and an ID associated with an access point (AP);

maintaining a network map including the geographic location of a plurality of APs based on the plurality of reports; and

providing the network map to a WTRU in response to receiving a request for information regarding a location of neighboring access points, wherein providing the network map to a WTRU includes an expected time until the WTRU will reach a neighboring AP.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the reports from a plurality of WTRUs are received through a cellular radio access technology (RAT) and the plurality of APs are 802.11 technology.

15. A network node configured to provide a network map, the method comprising:

a receiver configured to receive reports from a plurality of WTRUs, wherein each report includes a geographic location of the WTRU, and an ID associated with an access point (AP);

a processor and memory configured to maintain a network map including the geographic location of a plurality of APs based on the plurality of reports; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the network map to a WTRU in response to receiving a request for information regarding a location of neighboring access points, wherein transmitting the network map to the WTRU includes transmitting an expected time until the WTRU will reach a neighboring AP.

16. The network node of claim 15 wherein the reports from a plurality of WTRUs are received through a cellular radio access technology (RAT) and the plurality of APs are 802.11 technology.