Method for operating a user equipment in a cellular network

1. Method for operating a user equipment in a cellular network comprising more than one radio access networks,

the user equipment camping on a base station of a first of the more than one radio access networks, hereinafter the serving base station, the first radio access network providing a plurality of frequency ranges, and the user equipment further maintaining a physical receiver sensitivity value for at least one frequency range, said method comprises the steps for the user equipment of:

determining a supported receiver sensitivity level relating to the user equipment's physical receiver sensitivity value for the at least one frequency range populated by the serving base station,

signaling to the base station the supported receiver sensitivity level,

reporting to the base station a measured reception level, relating to measured reception of downlink signals from the serving base station,

in case of determination by the base station that the measured reception level is lower than a handover threshold value considering the signaled supported receiver sensitivity level:

receiving a handover instruction from the base station,

wherein, the user equipment maintaining a normalized transmission power value, indicating the maximum transmission power of the transmitting circuitry of the user equipment,

said method further comprises the steps for the user equipment of:

receiving a predetermined sufficient power level to be achieved at the base station receiver from the base station,

deriving a pathloss value from signals received from the serving base station,

determining a signal power value out of the normalized transmission power value of the user equipment and the pathloss value,

wherein, when the determined signal power value level is lower than a predetermined sufficient power level at the base station:

performing a cell change to another base station,

wherein the user equipment further maintaining a minimum receiver sensitivity being predetermined by the cellular network, the method further comprises the step of determining the supported receiver sensitivity level comprises considering a difference between the user equipment physical receiver sensitivity and said minimum receiver sensitivity applicable for the at least one frequency range populated by the serving base station,

wherein the handover threshold value relates to the supported receiver sensitivity level plus the minimum receiver sensitivity.

2. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the minimum receiver sensitivity is provided by the serving base station.

3. Method according to claim 1 , further comprising after the step of signalling the supported receiver sensitivity level the step of sending an attach request to the base station for establishing a connection session.

4. Method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the step of determining the supported receiver sensitivity level comprises considering the physical receiver sensitivity,

and wherein the supported receiver sensitivity level relates to the minimum physical receiver sensitivity level within a given frequency range.

5. Method according to claim 1 , wherein the physical receiver sensitivity value for at least one frequency range is stored in the user equipment.

6. User equipment for operating in a cellular network comprising more than one radio access networks,

the user equipment being configured to camp on a base station of a first of the more than one radio access networks, hereinafter the serving base station, the first radio access network providing a plurality of frequency ranges, the user equipment maintaining a physical receiver sensitivity value for at least one frequency range, the user equipment is configured to:

determine a supported receiver sensitivity level relating to the user equipment's physical receiver sensitivity value for the at least one frequency range populated by the serving base station,

signal to the base station the supported receiver sensitivity level,

report to the base station a measured reception level, relating to measured reception of downlink signals from the serving base station,

in case of determination by the base station that the measured reception level is lower than a handover threshold value considering the signaled supported receiver sensitivity level,

receive a handover instruction from the base station,

wherein, the user equipment further maintaining a normalized transmission power value, indicating the maximum transmission power of the transmitting circuitry of the user equipment,

the user equipment is configured to:

receive a predetermined sufficient power level to be achieved at the base station receiver from the base station,

derive a pathloss value from signals received from the serving base station,

determine a signal power value out of the normalized transmission power value of the user equipment and the pathloss value,

when the determined signal power value level is lower than a predetermined sufficient power level at the base station,

perform a cell change to another base station,

wherein, the user equipment further maintaining a minimum receiver sensitivity being predetermined by the cellular network, the determination of the supported receiver sensitivity level comprises considering a difference between the user equipment physical receiver sensitivity and said minimum receiver sensitivity applicable for the at least one frequency range populated by the serving base station,

wherein the handover threshold value relates to the supported receiver sensitivity level plus the minimum receiver sensitivity.

7. Method for a base station of a cellular network, configured to serve at least one camping user equipment, said base station supporting at least one frequency band, comprising the steps of:

receiving from at least one of the camping user equipments a signal indicating a supported receiver sensitivity level for the supported frequency band,

when operating in connected mode:

receiving from said user equipment a signal indicating a measured reception level,

comparing the received measured reception level with the handover threshold value,

as a result of said comparison, in case measured reception level is lower than a handover threshold value considering the received supported receiver sensitivity level,

transmitting a signal to the user equipment indicating a handover instruction, wherein

the base station is further ascertaining a minimum receiver sensitivity level,

and said handover threshold value relates to the received supported receiver sensitivity level plus the minimum receiver sensitivity.

8. Method according to claim 7 , wherein the base station is further ascertaining a predetermined sufficient power level for camping user equipment,

further comprising upon reception of a signal power level value from the at least one camping user equipment performs the step of:

transmitting a signal to the user equipment indicating a redirection to another frequency, in case said received signal power level value is lower than the sufficient power level.

9. Base station of a cellular network configured to serve at least one camping user equipment, said base station supporting at least one frequency band, being configured to:

receive from at least one of the camping user equipment a signal indicating a supported receiver sensitivity level for the supported frequency band,

when operating in connected mode:

receive from said user equipment a signal indicating a measured reception level,

compare the received measured reception level with the handover threshold value,

as a result of said comparison, in case measured reception level is lower than a handover threshold value considering the received supported receiver sensitivity level,

transmit a signal to the user equipment indicating a handover instruction,

said base station being further configured to ascertaining a minimum receiver sensitivity level,

wherein said handover threshold value relates to the received supported receiver sensitivity level plus the minimum receiver sensitivity.

10. Base station according to claim 9 , further configured to ascertaining a predetermined sufficient power level for camping user equipments,

further configured, upon reception of a signal power level value from the at least one camping user equipment, to:

transmit a signal to the user equipment indicating a handover instruction, in case said received signal power level value is lower than the sufficient power level.