Neighboring cell directed handover in a wireless network
View Patent ↗A wireless network for addressing the unavailability of airlink connection resources (“resources”) is disclosed. A plurality of smaller cells are dynamically created within the coverage boundary of a macrocell, wherein each smaller cell is capable of providing the same resources available from the macrocell. The network further addresses the inefficient “push” schema for handover of services from one node to another. Nodes within each of the plurality of smaller cells continuously scan other nodes to measure resources used by the other nodes for handover using a “pull” schema. The measurement tells a node if it is capable of providing at least a minimum grade of service, and if so, the node informs the subscriber device. If the measurement is mutually valid, the current node initiates the handover to the node. After the handover, the new node continues to provide the at least minimum grade of service.
1. A method for managing a connection of a subscriber device in a wireless network having a plurality of base stations, the base stations being wireless communication stations that handle traffic and signaling of subscriber devices, the method comprising:
scanning an airlink connection resource in use by a serving base station that is providing a connection to a subscriber device, the scanning being performed by a candidate base station;
determining whether the candidate base station can provide the subscriber device with a minimum grade of service required by the wireless network; and
initiating a handover from the serving base station to the candidate base station upon determining that the candidate base station can provide the subscriber device with the minimum grade of service required by the wireless network,
wherein the determining step and the initiating step are performed by the candidate base station, and
wherein the hand over is completed upon receiving verification from the subscriber device that the candidate base station is suitable for providing the at least minimum grade of service.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
pulling information needed to provide the at least minimum grade of service to the subscriber device from the serving base station by the candidate base station.
3. A wireless communications network, comprising:
a serving base station defining a first coverage boundary;
a candidate base station defining a second coverage boundary that is smaller than the first coverage boundary and provided within the first coverage boundary, wherein the candidate base station is configured to:
scan an airlink connection resource in use by the serving base station that is providing a connection to a subscriber device;
determine whether the candidate base station can provide the subscriber device with a minimum grade of service required by the wireless network; and
initiate a handover from the serving base station to the candidate base station upon determining that the candidate base station can provide the subscriber device with the minimum grade of service required by the wireless network,
wherein the determining step and the initiating step are performed by the candidate base station, and
wherein the hand over is completed upon receiving verification from the subscriber device that the candidate base station is suitable for providing the at least minimum grade of service.
4. The wireless communications network of claim 3 , wherein the serving base station is capable of requesting the subscriber device to verify accuracy of the determination of the candidate base station with respect to providing the at least minimum grade of service to the subscriber device.
5. The wireless communications network of claim 3 , wherein a plurality of candidate base stations are provided within the first coverage boundary defined by the serving base station.
6. The wireless communications network of claim 5 , wherein the candidate base station is to receive a downlink signal from the serving base station and an uplink signal from the subscriber device.
7. The wireless communications network of claim 3 , wherein the handover includes allowing the candidate base station to pull information needed to provide the at least minimum grade of service to the subscriber device from the serving base station.
8. A non-transitory computer-usable medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon to perform a computer-implemented method for managing a connection of a subscriber device in a wireless network having a plurality of base stations, the base stations being wireless communication stations that handle traffic and signaling of subscriber devices, the computer-implemented method comprising:
scanning an airlink connection resource in use by a serving base station that is providing a connection to a subscriber device, the scanning being performed by a candidate base station;
determining whether the candidate base station can provide the subscriber device with a minimum grade of service required by the wireless network; and
initiating a handover from the serving base station to the candidate base station upon determining that the candidate base station can provide the subscriber device with the minimum grade of service required by the wireless network,
wherein the determining step and the initiating step are performed by the candidate base station, and
wherein the hand over is completed upon receiving verification from the subscriber device that the candidate base station is suitable for providing the at least minimum grade of service.
9. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 8 , wherein the determining step and the initiating step are performed by the candidate base station.
10. The non-transitory computer-usable medium of claim 9 , wherein the handover is completed upon receiving verification from the subscriber device that the candidate base station is suitable for providing the at least minimum grade of service.
11. The computer-usable medium of claim 8 , wherein the serving base station provides a first coverage boundary and the candidate base station provides a second coverage boundary, the second coverage boundary being substantially smaller than the first coverage boundary and being provided within the first coverage boundary.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the serving base station provides a first coverage boundary and the candidate base station provides a second coverage boundary, the second coverage boundary being substantially smaller than the first coverage boundary.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the second coverage boundary is within the first coverage boundary.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the determining step and the initiating step are performed by the candidate base station.