Patent ID: 7496069

Claim:
A method for public long code mask (PLCM) handoff management comprising: receiving, by a base station (BS), a message related to a handoff of a mobile station (MS); allocating, by the BS in response to the message, a new PLCM for use by the MS; sending, by the BS in response to the message, a response message that includes a PLCM identifier that identifies the new PLCM; sending, by the BS, a handoff required message to a mobile switching center (MSC) for a second MS; receiving, by the BS from the MSC in response to the handoff required message, a handoff command message that includes a PLCM identifier that identifies a target PLCM; and sending, by the BS in response to the handoff command message, a handoff message to the second MS that includes a PLCM identifier that identifies the target PLCM.