Patent ID: 8295843

Claim:
A method of cell selection based on data congestion, the method comprising the steps of: monitoring at a mobile device signaling messages sent to any mobile device within a first cell; determining at the mobile device a congestion level of the first cell based on at least one of the type and number of messages found in the monitoring step; and selecting a second cell based on the congestion level of the first cell; wherein the determining step: adjusts the congestion level of the first cell if a number of packet downlink dummy control blocks received is below a predetermined threshold; adjusts the congestion level of the first cell if a number of packet downlink dummy control blocks received is above a predetermined threshold; adjusts the congestion level of the first cell if a number of temporary flow identifiers monitored by the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold; adjusts the congestion level of the first cell if a number of mobile devices in a packet timing advance control channel monitored by the mobile device is above a predetermined threshold, or adjusts the congestion level of the first cell if an access reject or packet access reject is monitored.