Handover preparation in a radio communications system

1. A method for identifying base station handover candidates from a plurality of base stations neighbouring a serving base station in a heterogeneous radio communications network for a mobile device, comprising:

sending, from the serving base station to each of the plurality of neighbouring base stations, a pre-handover procedure detection request for the neighbouring base station to attempt to detect the mobile device by an identity indicator of the mobile device provided by the serving base station to the neighbouring base station in the request and to return detection data representing the respective base station's ability to detect the mobile device outside of a handover procedure;

receiving, from at least a subset of said neighbouring base stations, detection data representing the respective base station's ability to detect the mobile device by the respective base station listening for a transmission made by the mobile device and attributable to the mobile device based on the identity indicator; and

sending cell identity data, from the serving base station to the mobile device, representing one or more handover candidate base stations for the mobile device to monitor for possible handover procedure initiation by measuring signal strengths of the one or more candidate base stations.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving data, from the mobile device, indicating an unsatisfactory signal level from the serving base station, the receipt of the data indicating the unsatisfactory signal level from the serving base station triggering the sending of the request, the receiving the detection data and the sending the cell identity data.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein detection data is received periodically in response to sending said request to said plurality of neighbouring bases stations.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of sending a request is carried out to each base station of a predetermined list of neighbouring base stations located in the vicinity of the serving base station.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising the step of sending identity data of a plurality of mobile devices currently served by the serving base station to said plurality of base stations, which identity data includes said identity indicator.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said cell identity data comprises data representing a value indicator, dependent on said detection data, for at least a number of said neighbouring base stations.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein said cell identity data comprises a value indicator for each neighbouring base stations of said list.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said cell identity data comprises value indicators for said subset of neighbouring base stations.

9. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

evaluating said detection data to determine suitable candidates for handover; and

sending cell identity data only for determined candidate base stations.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said cell identity data comprises a value indicator for at least some of the candidate base stations.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received detection data comprises a measurement on signal quality or signal strength, as detected by the base station sending the detection data.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein said value indicator represents a level of signal quality or signal strength.

13. A base station in a heterogeneous radio communications system, comprising:

a radio transceiver for radio communication with mobile devices,

a communications interface for communication with other base stations of the system that neighbour the base station, and

a control system configured to identify base station handover candidates for a mobile device from a plurality of said neighbouring bases stations, including controlling the base station to:

send, to each of the plurality of neighbouring base stations, a pre-handover procedure detection request for the neighbouring base station to attempt to detect the mobile device by an identity indicator of the mobile device provided by the serving base station to the neighbouring base station in the request and to return detection data representing the respective base station's ability to detect the mobile device outside of a handover procedure;

receive, from at least a subset of said neighbouring base stations, detection data representing the respective base station's ability to detect the mobile device by the respective base station listening for a transmission made by the mobile device and attributable to the mobile device based on the identity indicator, and

send cell identity data to the mobile device, representing one or more handover candidate base stations for the mobile device to monitor for possible handover procedure initiation by measuring signal strengths of the one or more candidate base stations.

14. The base station of claim 13 , configured to send the request to each base station of a predetermined list of neighbouring base stations located in the vicinity of the serving base station.

15. The base station of claim 13 , configured to send identity data of a plurality of mobile devices currently served by the serving base station to said plurality of base stations, which identity data includes said identity indicator.

16. The base station of claim 13 , wherein said cell identity data comprises data representing a value indicator, dependent on said detection data, for at least a number of said neighbouring base stations.

17. The base station of claim 13 , configured to evaluate said detection data to determine suitable candidates for handover; and to send cell identity data only for determined candidate base stations.

18. The base station of claim 13 , wherein said cell identity data comprises a value indicator for at least some of the candidate base stations.