Patent ID: 8355411
Filing Date: 2013-01-15
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of preparing a handover using a mobility controller in a radio access network, the radio access network comprising a source radio base station, a plurality of candidate base stations that are candidates for being selected as a destination radio base station, and a mobile terminal configured to communicate with the source radio base station, the mobile terminal further configured to switch to communicate with the destination radio base station after the handover, the method comprising the following steps during data transmission between the mobile terminal and the source base station before the handover: sending a request to each of the candidate base stations to measure and report timing alignment, wherein the timing alignment is to be used by the mobile terminal when communicating with the destination base station after the handover; receiving a report from each of the candidate base stations, the report comprising the requested timing alignment; and responsive to the destination base station being selected among the candidate base stations, sending a message to the mobile terminal to use the timing alignment received from the destination base station when communicating with the destination base station after the handover.