Patent ID: 8675608
Filing Date: 2014-03-18
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. In a wireless communication system where an access network has a first allowed number of timeslots in which to complete transmission of a packet over an air interface in a first sector to an access terminal, a method comprising: determining, by an access terminal that is operating in an access network that comprises the first sector and a second sector, a first allowed number of timeslots that is allowed for the access network to transmit a given packet in the first sector; determining, by the access terminal, a second allowed number of timeslots that is allowed for the access network to transmit a given packet in the second sector; while the access terminal is receiving a first packet from the access network in the first sector, the access terminal determining a remaining number of timeslots that is allowed for the access network to transmit the first packet in the first sector, wherein the remaining number is equal to the first allowed number less a number of timeslots that are assigned to the access terminal that have elapsed since the access network initiated transmission of the first packet in the first sector; determining, by the access terminal, that the second allowed number of timeslots is less than the remaining number of timeslots; and the access terminal responsively abandoning the first packet in the first sector and handing off to the second sector to continue receiving the first packet; wherein abandoning the first packet in the first sector and handing off to the second sector comprises sending a number of null data rate control messages to the access network for the first sector, and then sending at least one data rate control message to the access network for the second sector to cause the access network to transmit to the access terminal in the second sector.