Patent ID: 8107961
Filing Date: 2012-01-31
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. In a wireless communication system that includes a plurality of coverage areas, and in which handoffs of access terminals between coverage areas are facilitated, at least in part, by identifiers assigned to the access terminals for communicating over air interfaces in the coverage areas, a method comprising: determining that a handoff of a first access terminal communicating on a first channel band in a first coverage area to a second coverage area is necessary; in response to determining that the handoff is necessary, determining that none of a plurality of identifiers for use in communicating on a second channel band within the first coverage area is available for facilitating the handoff; determining that a second access terminal has been assigned a particular identifier for use by the second access terminal in communicating on the second channel band within the first coverage area from among the plurality of identifiers; reallocating the particular identifier from the second access terminal to the first access terminal, thereby reassigning the particular identifier to the first access terminal for use by the first access terminal in communicating on the second channel band within the first coverage area; and performing the handoff of the first access terminal from the first coverage area to the second coverage area using the particular identifier to facilitate the handoff on the second channel band.