Method and system for overcoming handover failures between mini macros

1. A method of managing handovers between a plurality of relay access nodes, the method comprising:

monitoring a latency of a donor access node communicating with the plurality of relay access nodes;

determining that a quality of service corresponding to a wireless device communicating with a relay access node of the plurality of relay access nodes meets a quality of service criteria;

determining a handover condition of the wireless device meets a handover criteria based on the latency of the donor access node meeting a threshold and the quality of service meeting the quality of service criteria;

in response to the determination that the handover condition is met, instructing the relay access node to handover the wireless device to a target access node;

identifying candidate target access nodes by identifying relay access nodes served by the donor access node and excluding the relay access nodes served by the donor access node from serving as the target access node, thereby preventing the excluded relay access nodes from serving the wireless device;

selecting the target access node from remaining access nodes not served by the donor access node; and

instructing the relay node to hand the wireless device over to the target access node.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting a plurality of candidate access nodes.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising selecting the plurality of candidate access nodes by identifying multiple access nodes not served by the donor access node.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

determining at least one of a load, a latency, and a reference signal strength for each of the plurality of candidate access nodes.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

comparing the determined at least one of the load, latency, and reference signal strength for each of the plurality of candidate access nodes with a handover criteria; and

selecting from the plurality of candidate access nodes the target access node meeting the handover criteria.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the quality of service criteria corresponds to a guaranteed bit rate, voice call traffic, or real-time traffic.

7. A system for managing handovers between a plurality of relay access nodes, the system comprising:

a donor access node for providing network services to an end-user wireless device;

a first relay access node for relaying the network services between the donor access node and the end-user wireless device; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the donor access node, the processor configured to:

monitor a latency of the donor access node;

determine a quality of service corresponding to the end-user wireless device meets a quality of service criteria;

determine a handover condition of the wireless device meets a handover criteria based on the latency of the donor access node meeting a threshold and the quality of service meeting the quality of service criteria; and

instruct the first relay access node to handover the end-user wireless device to a target access node in response to the determination that the handover condition is met, wherein the target access node is the donor access node, a neighboring access node, or a second relay access node served by the neighboring access node; and

identify candidate target access nodes by identifying relay access nodes served by the donor access node and excluding the relay access nodes served by the donor access node from serving as the target access node, thereby preventing the excluded relay access nodes from serving the wireless device;

select the target access node from remaining access nodes not served by the donor access node; and

instruct the first relay access node to hand the wireless device over to the target access node.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the donor access node is a macro-cell access node.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to select a plurality of candidate access nodes.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to select the plurality of candidate access nodes by identifying multiple access nodes not served by the donor access node.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine at least one of a load, a latency, and a reference signal strength for each of the plurality of candidate access nodes.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

compare the determined at least one of the load, latency, and reference signal strength for each of the plurality of candidate access nodes with handover criteria; and

select from the plurality of candidate access nodes the target access node meeting the handover criteria.

13. The system of claim 7 , wherein the quality of service criteria corresponds to a guaranteed bit rate, voice call traffic, or real-time traffic.

14. An access node comprising:

a processor programmed to perform steps including:

monitoring a latency of a donor access node communicating with a plurality of relay access nodes;

determining that a quality of service corresponding to a wireless device communicating with a relay access node of the plurality of relay access nodes meets a quality of service criteria;

determining a handover condition of the wireless device meets a handover criteria based on the latency of the donor access node meeting a threshold and the quality of service meeting the quality of service criteria; and

in response to the determination that the handover condition is met, instructing the relay access node to handover the wireless device to a target access node;

identifying candidate access nodes by identifying relay access nodes served by the donor access node and excluding the relay access nodes served by the donor access node from serving as the target access node, thereby preventing the excluded relay access nodes from serving the wireless device;

selecting the target access node from remaining access nodes not served by the donor access node; and

instructing the relay node to hand the wireless device over to the target access node.

15. The access node of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further programmed to select a plurality of candidate access nodes.

16. The access node of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further programmed to select the plurality of candidate access nodes by identifying multiple access nodes not served by the donor access node.

17. The access node of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

determine at least one of a load, a latency, and a reference signal strength for each of the plurality of candidate access nodes.

18. The access node of claim 17 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

compare the determined at least one of the load, latency, and reference signal strength for each of the plurality of candidate access nodes with handover criteria; and

select from the plurality of candidate access nodes the target access node meeting the handover criteria.

19. The access node of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further configured to instruct the relay access node to handover the wireless device to a second donor access node.