Patent ID: 7660583
Filing Date: 2010-02-09
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method comprising: (A) receiving a first channel burst broadcasted from a first base station of a unidirectional broadcast network on a wireless channel, wherein the first base station serves a first cell, wherein the first channel burst supports a data service, and wherein the first channel burst comprises timing information identifying a time period of a subsequent channel burst to be transmitted by the first base station; (B) determining whether a serving signal quality associated with the first cell satisfies a handover criterion; (C) in response to (B), obtaining measurements associated with a list of candidate cells, wherein the list comprises at least one candidate cell and wherein each measurement gauges a corresponding signal quality that is provided by a corresponding candidate cell, wherein (C) further comprises: if, based on the timing information, the measurements cannot be completed before receiving the subsequent channel burst: (D) if a selected signal quality is acceptable, deciding to perform a handover to a selected candidate cell, wherein the selected candidate cell is a member of the list and wherein the selected signal quality corresponds to the selected candidate cell; (E) after performing (D), receiving a final channel burst from the first base station; and (F) in response to (E), performing the handover to the selected candidate cell and receiving a new channel burst from a selected candidate base station of the unidirectional broadcast network such that the handover occurs between the final channel burst and the new channel burst, wherein the selected candidate base station is serving the selected candidate cell.