Autonomous base station set up and soft handoff
View Patent ↗The invention relates to a system and method for autonomously setting up a base station. The new base station monitors signals from other base stations to determine how it relates to the other base stations. Next, the base station forms and transmits a list of other base stations with suggested handoff rankings to other base stations. Embodiments include source assisted soft handoff including the source base station requesting and forwarding information to mobile stations being handed off to a target base station.
1. A system for setting up base stations in relation to existing base stations comprising:
a first base station having a receiver, a processor, and a transmitter,
wherein said receiver receives signals from existing base stations, said processor adds said existing base stations to a list of base stations, said list of base stations includes at least two base stations, and said transmitter transmits said list to other base stations,
wherein said existing base station may or may not modify their list of base stations.
2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said list includes candidate base stations and always handoff base stations.
3. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said candidate base stations are base stations that are considered to receive some, but not all traffic between said base stations.
4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein said always base stations are base stations that are considered to receive all traffic between said base stations.
5. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said other base stations approve or disapprove of said list from said first base station.
6. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said receiver receives confirmation from said other base stations.
7. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least two base stations include said first base station and at least another base station.
8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least two base stations include a second and a third base station.
9. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said list is grouped according to one of three types of relationships between said base stations.
10. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said three types of relationships relate to an order in which said base stations are handled.
11. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said three types of relationships are based on a power level of a transmission from said base stations.
12. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said three types of relationships are based on a sync portion of a transmission from said base stations.
13. The system according to claim 9 , wherein said three types of relationships are based on a loading factor of said base stations.
14. The system according to claim 1 , wherein said list includes never handoff base stations.
15. The system according to claim 14 , wherein said never base stations are base stations that are never considered to receive traffic between said base stations.
16. A method for setting up a base station comprising the steps of:
determining neighboring base stations;
monitoring signals associated with said base stations;
determining how said signals compare with a signal generated by said base station;
ordering said base stations into a list; and,
transmitting said list to said base stations,
where said base stations may or may not modify their list of base stations.
17. A method for setting up a base station comprising the steps of:
a first base station requesting a second base station to add said first base station to said second base station's list of base stations;
said second base station accepting or rejecting said first base station's request;
responsive to said accepting or rejecting step, adding said first base station to said second base station's list of base stations;
said second base station returning said acceptance or rejection to said first base station; and,
said first base station confirming said acceptance or rejection.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein said requesting step involves sending a list of base stations from said first base station to said second base station.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein said returning step involves returning said second base station's list of base stations to said first base station.
20. The method of claim 17 , wherein said confirming step involves agreeing on a predetermined staffing time to begin soft handoff.