Patent ID: 6430414
Filing Date: 2002-08-06
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
A method of handing off a wireless communication device between at least one serving base station and a receiving base station in a wireless communication system comprising:(a) establishing a call between the wireless communication device and the at least one serving base station; (b) monitoring a signal received from the wireless communication device by at least one base station neighboring the serving base station; (c) compiling a list of effective neighboring base stations from the at least one neighboring base station based on the monitored wireless communication device signal; and (d) monitoring the signals received at the effective neighboring base stations to accomplish a handoff between the at least one serving base station and the receiving base station, and (e) transmitting an extended handoff direction message from the base station controller to the wireless communication device autonomously, wherein monitoring the signal received from the wireless communication device by at least one neighboring base station includes monitoring the reverse pilot channel signal strength received from the wireless communication device, wherein compiling the list of effective neighboring base stations is further based on the monitored wireless communication device reverse pilot channel signal strength, wherein the list of effective neighboring base stations includes base stations neighboring the at least one serving base station which receive the wireless communication device signal at a predetermined strength, wherein transmitting the extended handoff direction message is based on the base station controller analysis of the wireless communication device signal strength detected by each neighboring base station and independent of the pilot strength measurement message generated by the wireless communication device, and wherein transmitting the extended handoff direction message based on the wireless communication device signal strength detected by each neighboring base station is performed in combination with issuing an extended handoff direction message based on a pilot strength measurement message generated by the wireless communication device.