Patent ID: 7020439
Filing Date: 2006-03-28
Classification: H04B,H04W

Abstract:
1. A method for selecting an access point in a wireless communication system comprising mobile terminals and access points, each access point being capable of serving the mobile terminals within a service area of the access point, the method comprising the steps of: sending at least one set of attributes from a first group of mobile terminals to the access point currently serving said group of mobile terminals, each of said mobile terminals sending a set that contains at least one attribute indicating the quality of a wireless link between the serving access point and the mobile terminal; based on the sets, forming a service report describing current service conditions in the service area of the access point; transmitting the service report to a second group of mobile terminals; in a mobile terminal belonging to said second group, examining at least one service report received; and in response to the examining step, selecting the access point to which a wireless link is to be established from said mobile terminal, wherein the forming step includes dividing the first group of mobile terminals into different categories with regard to a certain attribute and forming a service report describing current service conditions with respect to at least one of the categories.