Patent ID: 9549350
Date: 2017-01-17
CPC Classifications: H04W

Claim:
1. An apparatus comprising: at least one processor; memory storing a program of instructions; wherein the memory storing the program of instructions is configured to, with the at least one processor, cause the apparatus to at least: receive a preparation request from a base station to handover a user device, wherein the preparation request message comprises a physical cell identifier and a carrier frequency, wherein the physical cell identifier is used by a first home base station and at least one additional home base station, both detected on the carrier frequency by the user device; based on information provided by the preparation request, identify which of the home base stations using the physical cell identifier is the first home base station; configure a preparation request message for transmission to the first home base station, wherein the preparation request message comprises information preparing the first home base station for a user device connection handover for the user device; cause transmission of a preparation request message to at least one additional home base station, wherein the preparation request message comprises information usable by the at least one additional home base station to which the preparation request message is addressed to prepare the at least one additional base station for a connection re-establishment from the same user device, wherein the at least one additional home base station is prepared for the connection re-establishment using radio resource control signaling; receive a preparation acknowledgement message comprising information from the at least first home base station; and cause transmission of a preparation acknowledgement message to the base station comprising information usable by the base station to request the user device to perform a handover towards a selected home base station; wherein the selected home base station is one of the first home base station or the at least one additional home base station and the preparation request message and the preparation acknowledgement message are communicated via an X2 interface.