System, method, and computer-readable medium for user equipment handoff within an IP-femtocell network

摘要

A system, method, and computer readable medium for provisioning communication services by an IP-based femtocell network is provided. Service of a user equipment may be transferred from one femtocell to another femtocell via a femtocell handoff procedure. Femtocell systems of the femtocell network perform link quality measurements and may distribute the link quality measurements to neighbor femtocells. A femtocell system may periodically evaluate the link quality with the user equipment. If an evaluation is made that the user equipment needs to be transferred to another site, the servicing femtocell site may evaluate the most recent link quality measurements received from neighboring femtocell sites and select a femtocell site for handoff. In the event that the femtocell network is deployed in an area serviced by a macrocellular network, handoff routines may provide preference for transferring the user equipment to a target femtocell system rather than a macrocell site.

主权项

1. A method, comprising:
measuring a first radio interface quality between a user equipment and a first femtocell system; measuring a second radio interface quality between the user equipment and a second femtocell system; transmitting an indication of the second radio interface quality from the second femtocell system to the first femtocell system; and invoking a handoff procedure from the first femtocell system to the second femtocell system; wherein the first femotocell and the second femtocell are connected to the internet via a same internet access device, wherein the internet access device is a packet-switched backhaul, and wherein at least one of the first femtocell system and the second femtocell system periodically transmit one or more link quality metrics to one another via the packet-switched backhaul that enables the first femtocell system and the second femtocell system to communicate with one another without communicating via the internet.