Patent ID: 8614990

Claim:
A method of coordinating a handoff of a wireless communication device from a first access node to a second access node, the method comprising: monitoring, by the first access node, a signal strength level at the wireless communication device for wireless communications transferred from each of the first access node and the second access node; determining, by the first access node, a loading factor of the first access node, a loading factor of the second access node, a mobility factor of the wireless communication device, and an application type of user communications between the wireless communication device and the first access node; processing, by the first access node, a service level agreement of the wireless communication device in combination with the loading factor of the first access node, the loading factor of the second access node, the mobility factor of the wireless communication device, and the application type of user communications between the wireless communications device and the first access node to determine a handoff threshold; coordinating, by the first access node, the handoff of the wireless communication device from the first access node to the second access node based on the handoff threshold, when a difference between the signal strength levels reaches the handoff threshold; initiating, at the first access node, a handoff timer after the signal strength levels reach the handoff threshold and the handoff of the wireless communication device from the first access node to the second access node is coordinated; and performing the handoff of the wireless communication device from the first access node to the second access node when the handoff timer expires.