Patent ID: 8606219

Claim:
A method of managing transmission of access probes in a wireless communication system, the method comprising: determining at a processing unit that an external impact event has occurred, the external impact event not involving operation of the wireless communication system; and responsive to the determining, wirelessly broadcasting from one or more base stations of the wireless communication system a control signal that causes a proper subset of wireless communication devices served by the one or more base stations to suppress wireless transmission of access probes to the wireless communication system, while allowing one or more other wireless communication devices served by the one or more base stations to wirelessly transmit access probes to the wireless communication system, wherein the control signal specifies a silent-period throughout which the proper subset of wireless communication devices should suppress transmission of access probes to the wireless communication system, and wherein the control signal causes the proper subset of wireless communication devices to suppress transmission of access probes to the wireless communication system throughout the specified silent-period.