Patent ID: 8285291

Claim:
A method of operating a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications device capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network when in an area with overlapping 3G and 4G coverage, the method comprising: determining a loading condition of each of a 4G base station and a 3G base station associated with the overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area; responsive to a determination that each of the 3G and 4G base stations are loaded less than a first user determined load factor, using a processor to compare one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in a memory; evaluating the comparison result with the processor to determine which of the 3G and 4G networks allows a higher data throughput; handing off the dual mode communications device to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput; and otherwise, handing off the dual mode communications device to a 3G base station associated with the 3G coverage.