Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

In a cellular communications system, the quality of a signal transmitted over a first two-way connection from a mobile station via a first base station is compared with a threshold to determine whether a handoff is to be performed to a second, adjacent base station. When the quality of the transmitted signal becomes lower than the threshold, a second two-way connection is established from the mobile station to the second base station, and a switching request signal and an information-bearing signal are sent from the mobile station over both connections to a switching exchange. In response to the request signal, one directional path of the first connection is cleared to prevent a version of the signal passing through the first connection from reaching the destination station, and a first switching complete signal is sent through the other path of the first connection to the mobile station to allow it to clear the first connection and return a second switching complete signal. The other path of the first connection is then cleared in response to the second switching complete signal, leaving the second connection between the mobile station and the second base station.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim