Patent · US Active

Method and system for data rate based vertical handoff

US7738427B1 · kind B1 · utility

12Cited by
3References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 6, 2009
Grant dateJun 15, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 6, 2029

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04W36/1443
  • WIPO fieldDigital communication
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method and system for using data rate as a basis to allow or deny handoff from a communication system operating under a first air interface protocol (first protocol system) to a communication system operating under a second air interface protocol (second protocol system). A base station detects that a hybrid terminal has received a threshold low forward link data rate under the first protocol for a threshold time period, and the base station responsively evaluates the second protocol system to determine if the second protocol system has sufficient resources to provide at least as good a data rate as the threshold data rate. If the base station thereby determines that the second protocol system is a good alternative, then the base station will allow a handoff to occur when the terminal seeks to handoff to the second protocol. Otherwise, the base station will not allow the handoff to occur.

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