Patent ID: 7170871

Claim:
A method comprising, in connection with a wireless network that includes a first radio network controller, a second radio network controller, a first radio node, and a second radio node, establishing a first session for a first access terminal on the first radio network controller via the first radio node, establishing a second session for a second access terminal on the second radio network controller via the second radio node, communicating first packets over a first traffic channel between the first access terminal and the first radio network controller using the first radio node and without the first packets passing through the second radio network controller, maintaining the first traffic channel as the first access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first radio node to a coverage area of the second radio node, communicating second packets over the first traffic channel between the first access terminal and the first radio network controller using the second radio node and without the second packets passing through the second radio network controller while the first access terminal remains in an active state in any portion of the coverage area of the second radio node, and establishing a new session for the first access terminal on the second radio network controller or performing an inter-RNC dormant handoff from the first radio network controller to the second radio network controller when the first access terminal is in a dormant state in the coverage area of the second radio node.