Patent ID: 7933602

Claim:
In a hybrid wireless communication system having at least a first air interface protocol and a second air interface protocol, wherein hybrid access terminals capable of operating under both air interface protocols engage in data communications with the wireless communication system, a method comprising: determining a metric indicative of a rate at which hybrid access terminals operating under the first air interface protocol are handed off to the second air interface protocol; and based at least on the metric, adjusting a time period that at least one hybrid access terminal operating under the second air interface protocol must wait before entering an operational state in which the at least one hybrid access terminal looks for service under the first air interface protocol, wherein determining the metric comprises determining a subtotal number of hybrid access terminals currently operating under the second air interface protocol that each began their current operations under the second air interface protocol following a handoff from the first air interface protocol, and computing a ratio of the subtotal number to a total number of access terminals currently operating under the second air interface protocol.