Patent ID: 7489929
Filing Date: 2009-02-10
Classification: H04W

Abstract:
1. A method of communicating between a mobile station, a serving base station and a target base station comprising: establishing a new link between the target base station and the mobile station before releasing an existing link between the mobile station and the serving base station while having only the existing link in an active set for the mobile station before releasing the existing link by (A) determining if a handoff is desired between the serving base station and the target base station; (B) initiating the new link between the mobile station and the target base station; (C) transmitting an active set update message to the mobile station using the existing link between the serving base station and the mobile station; (D) achieving uplink synchronization for the target base station to communicate with the mobile station; (E) receiving at least one signal over the new link indicating that the mobile station has processed the transmitted active set update message; and (F) releasing the existing link responsive to the at least one signal of step (E).