Methods and systems for handover using increased probability for fast ranging success

• US 9,026,113 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2008
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Park, Jong Ro, Lee, Chun Woo, Lee, Kuo-Chun
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Peaches, Randy
• Application Number:
  US12/260,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20100103903A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,379 Days
• Field of Search: 455/436, 455/439
• US Class Current: 455/436
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/364 Delay profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 17/382 for resource allocation, admission control or handover
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/0033 with transfer of context information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 36/08 Reselecting an access point
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0015 one node acting as a reference for the others
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0045 compensating for timing error by altering transmission time
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 56/0065 using measurement of signal travel time

Abstract

Techniques presented herein disclose handover using increased probability of the fast ranging success. Propagation delay of the RF signal transmitted from an MS to a target BS may be estimated based on a known propagation delay to a current serving BS and a relative difference in propagation delays to the current serving BS and the target BS, for example, as indicated by different receive times of preamble sequences transmitted from the current serving BS and the target BS.

Claims

1. A method for synchronizing with a target base station (BS), comprising:

calculating a relative time difference in radio frequency (RF) signal propagation delays associated with a serving BS and the target BS;

estimating the RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS based on the calculated relative time difference and a known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS;

calculating an uplink starting time for the target BS based on a start time of a frame transmission from the target BS, a downlink sub-frame duration, and a downlink to uplink guard time; and

adjusting a starting time of a ranging request (RNG-REQ) transmitted to the target BS, based on the estimated RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS, wherein the adjustment to the starting time of the RNG-REQ is determined at least in part by deducting the estimated RF signal propagation delay from the calculated uplink starting time for the target BS.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein calculating the relative time difference in RF signal propagation delays associated with the serving BS and the target BS comprises:

calculating a time difference between reception of preamble sequences transmitted from the target BS and the serving BS.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising obtaining the known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS by at least one of:

initial ranging operations with the serving BS; and

periodic ranging operations with the serving BS.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the serving BS and the target BS are time-synchronized, such that each starts frame transmissions at substantially the same time as the other.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an adjustment to a transmission power of the uplink signal based on a received signal strength of a transmission from the target BS, a maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power value, and a base station effective isotropic radiated power value.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the starting time of the RNG-REQ is adjusted so that arrival of the RNG-REQ at the target BS is aligned to a scheduled orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundary of the uplink starting time within a specified tolerance.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is performed by a mobile station.

8. An apparatus for synchronizing with a target base station (BS), comprising:

a processor;

memory coupled to the processor;

instructions stored in the memory, the instructions being executable by the processor to calculate a relative time difference in radio frequency (RF) signal propagation delays associated with a serving BS and the target BS;

estimate the RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS based on the calculated relative time difference and a known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS;

calculate an uplink starting time for the target BS based on a start time of a frame transmission from the target BS, a downlink sub-frame duration, and a downlink to uplink guard time; and

adjusting a starting time of a ranging request (RNG-REQ) transmitted to the target BS, based on the estimated RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS, wherein the adjustment to the starting time of the RNG-REQ is determined at least in part by deducting the estimated RF signal propagation delay from the calculated uplink starting time for the target BS.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

calculate a time difference between reception of preamble sequences transmitted from the target BS and the serving BS.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to obtain the known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS by at least one of:

initial ranging operations with the serving BS; and

periodic ranging operations with the serving BS.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the serving BS and the target BS are time-synchronized, such that each starts frame transmissions at substantially the same time as the other.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the instructions are executable by the processor to:

determine an adjustment to a transmission power of the uplink signal based on a received signal strength of a transmission from the target BS, a maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power value, and a base station effective isotropic radiated power value.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the starting time of the RNG-REQ is adjusted so that arrival of the uplink signal at the target BS is aligned to a scheduled orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundary of the uplink starting time within a specified tolerance.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is part of a mobile station.

15. An apparatus for synchronizing with a target base station (BS), comprising:

means for calculating a relative time difference in radio frequency (RF) signal propagation delays associated with a serving BS and the target BS;

means for estimating the RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS based on the calculated relative time difference and a known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS;

means for calculating an uplink starting time for the target BS based on a start time of a frame transmission from the target BS, a downlink sub-frame duration, and a downlink to uplink guard time; and

means for adjusting a starting time of a ranging request (RNG-REQ) transmitted to the target BS, based on the estimated RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS, wherein the adjustment to the starting time of the RNG-REQ is determined at least in part by deducting the estimated RF signal propagation delay from the calculated uplink starting time for the target BS.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the means for calculating the relative time difference in RF signal propagation delays associated with the serving BS and the target BS comprises:

means for calculating a time difference between reception of preamble sequences transmitted from the target BS and the serving BS.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising means for obtaining the known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS by at least one of:

initial ranging operations with the serving BS; and

periodic ranging operations with the serving BS.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the serving BS and the target BS are time-synchronized, such that each starts frame transmissions at substantially the same time as the other.

19. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising:

means for determining an adjustment to a transmission power of the uplink signal based on a received signal strength of a transmission from the target BS, a maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power value, and a base station effective isotropic radiated power value.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the starting time of the RNG-REQ is adjusted so that arrival of the uplink signal at the target BS is aligned to a scheduled orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundary of the uplink starting time within a specified tolerance.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the apparatus is part of a mobile station.

22. A computer-program product for synchronizing with a target base station (BS), comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

instructions for calculating a relative time difference in radio frequency (RF) signal propagation delays associated with a serving BS and the target BS;

instructions for estimating the RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS based on the calculated relative time difference and a known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS;

instructions for calculating the uplink starting time for the target BS based on a start time of a frame transmission from the target BS, a downlink sub-frame duration, and a downlink to uplink guard time; and

instructions for adjusting a starting time of a ranging request (RNG-REQ) transmitted to the target BS, based on the estimated RF signal propagation delay associated with the target BS, wherein the adjustment to the starting time of the RNG-REQ is determined at least in part by deducting the estimated RF signal propagation delay from the calculated uplink starting time for the target BS.

23. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions for calculating the relative time difference in RF signal propagation delays associated with the serving BS and the target BS comprises:

instructions for calculating a time difference between reception of preamble sequences transmitted from the target BS and the serving BS.

24. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions further comprise instructions for obtaining the known RF propagation delay associated with the serving BS by at least one of:

initial ranging operations with the serving BS; and

periodic ranging operations with the serving BS.

25. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein the serving BS and the target BS are time-synchronized, such that each starts frame transmissions at substantially the same time as the other.

26. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein the instructions further comprise:

instructions for determining an adjustment to a transmission power of the uplink signal based on a received signal strength of a transmission from the target BS, a maximum equivalent isotropic radiated power value, and a base station effective isotropic radiated power value.

27. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein the starting time of the RNG-REQ is adjusted so that arrival of the uplink signal at the target BS is aligned to a scheduled orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol boundary of the uplink starting time within a specified tolerance.

28. The computer-program product of claim 22, wherein the computer-program product is part of a mobile station.