Patent ID: 6038444
Filing Date: 2000-03-14
Classification: G01S,H04B,H04W

Abstract:
A method for providing information on an imminent cellular phone handoff between cells for a mobile cellphone user, the method comprising the steps of:determining a present location vector and a present velocity vector of a cellphone used by a cellphone user;identifying a first cell on a cell map in which the cellphone is presently located;identifying a second cell that is adjacent to the first cell, where the first and second cell are separated by a cell boundary, and the cellphone will pass into the second cell if the cellphone velocity vector is unchanged;when the cellphone location vector is within the first cell and the cellphone is engaged in a cellular communication, estimating a remaining time .DELTA.t1 before the cellphone will pass into the second cell, if the cellphone velocity vector is unchanged;advising the cellphone user of the remaining time when the remaining time lies in a selected range of times, determining whether an unused cellular frequency pair is available within said second cell to provide servicing of said cellular communication in which said cellphone user is engaged;advising said cellphone user if an unused cellular frequency pair is not available within said second cell to provide servicing of said cellular communication in which said cellphone user is engaged; andadvising said cellphone user of at least one alternative action that may be taken to avoid passing into said second cell, when an unused cellular frequency pair is not available within said second cell.