Patent ID: 8917713

Claim:
A method of operating a communication system, comprising: establishing a wireless device release time interval for a wireless device release timer at an access node upon establishing an initial network connection between a wireless device and the access node, wherein the wireless device release timer is indicative of storing context information of the wireless device at the access node; performing an initial synchronization process between the wireless device and the access node; determining a synchronization time duration for completing a successful synchronization process between the wireless device and the access node; initiating a communication session between the wireless device and the access node; sending an unsolicited synchronization message by the access node to the wireless device during the communication session and after detecting a degradation of signal quality between the wireless device and the access node; starting the wireless device release timer after sending the unsolicited synchronization message; performing a second synchronization process; sending a success status synchronization response message by the access node to the wireless device; receiving a synchronization confirmation message at the access node from the wireless device, wherein the synchronization confirmation message comprises an identifier corresponding to the identity of the wireless device; modifying the wireless device release time interval based upon the synchronization time duration and a time duration for receiving a request for a wireless device context from a second access node; and canceling the wireless device release timer.