Patent · US Expired

Wireless communication system having hand-off based upon relative pilot signal strengths

US6038448A · kind A · utility

78Cited by
19References
41Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateJul 23, 1997
Grant dateMar 14, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateJul 23, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W16/24
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A wireless communication system facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit within a respective service area. The wireless communication system includes a mobile switching center and a plurality of base stations. Each base station couples to the mobile switching center and provides wireless communication within a respective cell or within a plurality of respective sectors. Each base station provides a pilot signal that may be received by the wireless mobile unit. With multiple sectors, a pilot signal is provided for each sector. The mobile unit may wirelessly connect to any of the base stations' cells and sectors. A determination of whether to be connected to a particular base station cell and/or base station sector is based upon the relative strengths of pilot signals received by the wireless mobile unit. The mobile unit may evaluate the relative strengths of received pilot signals and simply request a connection to a base station or a disconnection therefrom based upon the evaluation. However, the mobile unit may also notify the mobile switching center of strengths of received pilot signals with the mobile switching center taking action. In such case, the mobile switchi…

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