Method and system for soft handoff in mobile broadband systems

• US 8,437,760 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Senarath, Nimal, Gage, Bill, Periyalwar, Shalini, Tong, Wen
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, David Q
• Application Number:
  US13/158,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20110244868A1
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 455/442, 455/436, 370/331, 370/320
• US Class Current: 455/442
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 5/0048 Allocation of pilot signals, i.e. of signals known to the receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0072 of resource information of target access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/18 for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/20 for optimising the interference level
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/24 Reselection being triggered by specific parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/0446 Resources in time domain, e.g. slots or frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/02 Data link layer protocols

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for facilitating efficient handoff and data throughput in mobile broadband communication systems. Methods implemented by a system constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention include selectively enabled soft handoff, performing Layer 2 bearer functions at the base station and using the mobile device to coordinate soft handoff and interference avoidance without the need for a centralized coordination function.

Claims

1. A method for communication in a mobile broadband system in which a mobile device coordinates communication with a plurality of base station transceiver systems by reserving communication resources from the plurality of base station transceiver systems, the method comprising:

the mobile device transmitting a resource request to at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems;

the mobile device receiving resource availability data from each of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the resource availability data includes available resource time units and a maximum amount of usage permitted by the corresponding base station transceiver system; and

the mobile device selecting a common set of available resources of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems for transmission based on the received resource availability data.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems and the mobile device support soft handoff.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems are in the active set of base station transceiver systems for the mobile device.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the mobile device receives the resource availability data from each of the plurality of base station receiver systems in the active set as part of the inclusion process as an active set member, and wherein the method further includes storing the resource availability data in a table.

5. The method according to claim 4, further including updating the table based on resource availability data changes in a corresponding active set base station transceiver system.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resource time unit is comprised of time and bandwidth data.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the transmission for the selected common set of available resources is not made when a time corresponding to the available resource is used for interference avoidance.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising reserving resources for a communication session during session set-up.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising reserving resources dynamically based on the contemporaneous availability of the resources.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein reserving resources dynamically includes:

including a resource reservation request as part of a communication to a base station transceiver system; and

receiving the resource availability data from a base station transceiver system as part of another communication.

11. A mobile device arranged to engage in wireless communications with a plurality of base station transceiver systems, the mobile device comprising:

a transceiver for performing wireless communication with the plurality of base station transceiver systems; and

processing hardware coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processing logic is configured to implement;

transmitting a resource request to at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems using the transceiver;

receiving resource availability data from each of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems using the transceiver, wherein the resource availability data includes available resource time units and a maximum amount of usage permitted by the corresponding base station transceiver system; and

selecting a common set of available resources of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems for transmission based on the received resource availability data.

12. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems and the mobile device support soft handoff.

13. The mobile device according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems are in the active set of base station transceiver systems for the mobile device.

14. The mobile device according to claim 13, wherein the mobile device receives the resource availability data from each of the plurality of base station receiver systems in the active set as part of the inclusion process as an active set member, and wherein the method further includes storing the resource availability data in a table.

15. The mobile device according to claim 14, wherein the processing hardware is further configured to update the table based on resource availability data changes in a corresponding active set base station transceiver system.

16. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the resource time unit is comprised of time and bandwidth data.

17. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the processing hardware is further configured to reserve base station transceiver resources for a specific period of time.

18. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the processing hardware is further configured to reserve base station transceiver reserves resources for a communication session during session set-up.

19. The mobile device according to claim 11, wherein the processing hardware is further configured to reserve base station transceiver resources dynamically based on the contemporaneous availability of the resources.

20. The mobile device according to claim 19, wherein reserving resources dynamically includes:

including a resource reservation request as part of a mobile device communication to a base station transceiver system; and

receiving the resource availability data from a base station transceiver system as part of another communication.

21. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for performing communication in a mobile broadband system in which a mobile device coordinates communication with a plurality of base station transceiver systems by reserving communication resources from the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor of the mobile device to:

transmit a resource request to at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems;

receive resource availability data from each of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the resource availability data includes available resource time units and a maximum amount of usage permitted by the corresponding base station transceiver system; and

select a common set of available resources of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems for transmission based on the received resource availability data.

22. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 21, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems and the mobile device support soft handoff.

23. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 22, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems are in the active set of base station transceiver systems for the mobile device.

24. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 23, wherein the mobile device receives the resource availability data from each of the plurality of base station receiver systems in the active set as part of the inclusion process as an active set member, and wherein the method further includes storing the resource availability data in a table.

25. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 24, wherein the program instructions are further executable to update the table based on resource availability data changes in a corresponding active set base station transceiver system.

26. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 21, wherein the resource time unit is comprised of time and bandwidth data.

27. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 21, wherein the transmission for the selected common set of available resources is not made when a time corresponding to the available resource is used for interference avoidance.

28. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 21, wherein the program instructions are further executable to reserve resources for a communication session during session set-up.

29. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 21, wherein the program instructions are further executable to reserve resources dynamically based on the contemporaneous availability of the resources.

30. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 29, wherein reserving resources dynamically includes:

including a resource reservation request as part of a communication to a base station transceiver system; and

receiving the resource availability data from a base station transceiver system as part of another communication.

31. A method for communication in a mobile broadband system in which a mobile device coordinates communication with a plurality of base station transceiver systems by reserving communication resources from the plurality of base station transceiver systems, the method comprising:

the mobile device transmitting a resource request to at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems and the mobile device support soft handoff, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems are in the active set of base station transceiver systems for the mobile device;

the mobile device receiving resource availability data from each of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the mobile device receives the resource availability data from each of the plurality of base station transceiver systems in the active set as part of the inclusion process as an active set member;

the mobile device storing the resources availability data in a table; and

the mobile device selecting a common set of available resources of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems for transmission based on the received resource availability data.

32. The method according to claim 31, further including updating the table based on resource availability data changes in a corresponding active set base station transceiver system.

33. A mobile device arranged to engage in wireless communications with a plurality of base station transceiver systems, the mobile device comprising:

a transceiver for performing wireless communication with the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems and the mobile device support soft handoff, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems are in the active set of base station transceiver systems for the mobile device; and

processing hardware coupled to the transceiver, wherein the processing logic is configured to implement;

transmitting a resource request to at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems using the transceiver;

receiving resource availability data from each of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems using the transceiver, wherein the mobile device receives the resource availability data from each of the plurality of base station transceiver systems in the active set as part of the inclusion process as an active set member;

storing the resources availability data in a table; and

selecting a common set of available resources of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems for transmission based on the received resource availability data.

34. The mobile device according to claim 33, wherein the processing hardware is further configured to update the table based on resource availability data changes in a corresponding active set base station transceiver system.

35. A non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium storing program instructions for performing communication in a mobile broadband system in which a mobile device coordinates communication with a plurality of base station transceiver systems by reserving communication resources from the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the program instructions are executable by a processor of the mobile device to:

transmit a resource request to at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems and the mobile device support soft handoff, wherein the plurality of base station transceiver systems are in the active set of base station transceiver systems for the mobile device;

receive resource availability data from each of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems, wherein the mobile device receives the resource availability data from each of the plurality of base station transceiver systems in the active set as part of the inclusion process as an active set member;

storing the resources availability data in a table; and

select a common set of available resources of the at least two of the plurality of base station transceiver systems for transmission based on the received resource availability data.

36. The non-transitory, computer accessible memory medium according to claim 35, wherein the program instructions are further executable to update the table based on resource availability data changes in a corresponding active set base station transceiver system.