Claims
- 1. In a wireless communication system, a method for soft handoff between base stations using different frame formats, comprising:
signaling to a mobile station, a change of revision in protocol data unit format revision; communicating, during soft handoff, at a protocol data unit format revision supported by all of the base stations involved in the soft handoff; and communicating, after the soft handoff is complete, at a protocol revision determined by the base station supporting the communication.
- 2. In a wireless communication system, a method for soft handoff between first and second base stations using different signaling frame formats, comprising:
initiating a soft handoff from a first base station to a second base station, wherein a protocol data unit format revision in use by the first base station is lower than a protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station; configuring the second base station to communicate at the lower protocol data unit format revision of the first base station; directing a mobile station to upgrade, at an action time, to a mobile protocol data unit format revision associated with the higher protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station before configuration; completing the soft handoff to the second base station; reconfiguring the second base station to communicate at the higher protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station before configuration; and exchanging signaling frames between the mobile station and the second base station using the higher protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station before configuration.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the action time is an explicit action time specifying the exact time for the mobile station to begin using the upgraded mobile protocol data unit format revision.
- 4. The method of claim 2 wherein the action time is an implicit action time specifying that the mobile station begin using the upgraded mobile protocol data unit format revision as soon as possible.
- 5. In a wireless communication system, a method for soft handoff between first and second base stations using different signaling frame formats, comprising:
initiating a soft handoff from a first base station to second base station, wherein a protocol data unit format revision in use by the first base station is higher than a protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station; directing a mobile station to downgrade, at an action time, to a mobile protocol data unit format revision associated with the lower data protocol unit format revision in use by the second base station; configuring the first base station to communicate at the lower protocol data unit format revision of the second base station; completing the soft handoff to the second base station; reconfiguring the first base station to communicate at the higher protocol data unit format revision in use by the first base station before configuration; and exchanging signaling frames between the mobile station and the second base station using the lower protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station.
- 6. The method of claim 5 wherein the action time is an explicit action time specifying the exact time for the mobile station to begin using the upgraded mobile protocol data unit format revision.
- 7. The method of claim 5 wherein the action time is an implicit action time specifying that the mobile station begin using the upgraded mobile protocol data unit format revision as soon as possible.
- 8. A mobile station for soft handoff between base stations using different signaling-frame-formats comprising;
a modem, a transmitter, and an antenna for establishing a wireless connection to a wireless network; a control processor; and a memory coupled to the control processor having code or instructions for directing the control processor to upgrade or downgrade a mobile protocol data unit format revision in use during soft handoff according to received messages.
- 9. A base station comprising:
a control processor; and a memory coupled to the control processor having program code or instructions for directing the control processor to access instructions in the memory to:
signal to a mobile station, a change of revision in protocol data unit format revision; communicate, during a soft handoff, at a protocol data unit format revision supported by all of the base stations involved in the soft handoff; and communicate, after the soft handoff is complete, at a protocol data unit revision determined by the base station supporting the communication.
- 10. A base station comprising:
a control processor; and a memory coupled to the control processor having program code or instructions for directing the control processor to access instructions in the memory to:
initiate a soft handoff to a second base station, wherein a protocol data unit format revision in use is lower than a protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station; initiate configuration of the second base station to communicate at the lower protocol data unit format revision of the first base station; direct a mobile station to upgrade, at an action time, to a mobile protocol data unit format revision associated with the protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station; and complete the soft handoff to the second base station.
- 11. A base station comprising:
a control processor; and a memory coupled to the control processor having program code or instructions for directing the control processor to access instructions in the memory to:
downgrade, during soft handoff, a protocol data unit format revision to provide backward compatibility with a base station using a lower protocol data unit format revision.
- 12. A base station comprising:
a control processor; and a memory coupled to the control processor having program code or instructions for directing the control processor to access instructions in the memory to:
initiate a soft handoff to second base station, wherein a protocol data unit format revision in use is higher than a protocol data unit format revision in use by the second base station; direct a mobile station to downgrade, at an action time, to a mobile protocol data unit format revision associated with the data protocol unit format revision in use by the second base station; communicate, during the soft handoff, with the mobile station at the lower protocol data unit format revision of the second base station; and complete the soft handoff to the second base station.
CROSS REFERENCE
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/303,261, filed Jul. 5, 2001 entitled “Method and Apparatus for Soft Handoff Between Base Stations Using Different Frame Formats.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60303261 |
Jul 2001 |
US |