Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for performing a hand-off in a wireless communication system

US5392331A · kind A · utility

112Cited by
8References
18Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 31, 1994
Grant dateFeb 21, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 31, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W56/00
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a digital wireless communication system (100) controls an inter-cell hand-off. First and second fixed units (102) receive a common synchronization signal from a controller (104), and a first wireless link is established between the first fixed unit and a portable unit (120) on a first frequency. The first wireless link is synchronized to the common synchronization signal, and frame synchronization is obtained between the fixed unit (102) and the portable unit (120) during establishment of the first wireless link. Frame synchronization is maintained only by maintaining bit synchronization while transmitting user data on the first frequency. A second wireless link is established between the second fixed unit (102) and the portable unit (120) on the first frequency if the first frequency is usable therebetween. The second wireless link is synchronized to the common synchronization signal. The first wireless link is disconnected after the second wireless link is established, thereby seamlessly completing the inter-cell hand-off.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.