System and method for using a handoff threshold associated with a slot cycle index to determine whether to perform an access terminal handoff

摘要

A method and system for using a handoff threshold associated with a slot cycle index to determine whether to perform access terminal handoff from a current pilot signal to a target pilot signal. The determination may be conditioned on whether the current pilot signal and target pilot signal are transmitted from base stations within a common subnet. If the base stations are within a common subnet, handoff of the access terminal is based on a default handoff threshold. On the other hand, if the base stations are not within a common subnet, then the determination of whether to perform access terminal handoff from a current pilot signal to a target pilot signal may be made based on the handoff threshold associated with the slot cycle index. As a result, ping-ponging of the access terminal from one subnet to another may be reduced or prevented.

主权项

1. A method comprising:
storing, within a data storage device, correlation data that comprises (i) a plurality of slot cycle indices including at least a first slot cycle index and a second slot cycle index that differs from the first slot cycle index, and (ii) a plurality of handoff thresholds including at least a first handoff threshold and a second handoff threshold that differs from the first handoff threshold, wherein the correlation data associates each slot cycle index of the plurality of slot cycle indices with a handoff threshold of the plurality of handoff thresholds, and wherein the first slot cycle index is associated with the first handoff threshold that differs from the second handoff threshold and the second slot cycle index is associated with the second handoff threshold that differs from the first handoff threshold; an access terminal operating at a particular slot cycle index of the plurality of slot cycle indices, wherein the access terminal uses the particular slot cycle index to determine how often to monitor overhead messages from a base station serving the access terminal; querying the correlation data to determine, from among the plurality of handoff thresholds, a handoff threshold associated with the particular slot cycle index; the access terminal making a first determination of whether a signal strength of a target pilot signal received at the access terminal exceeds a signal strength of a current pilot signal received at the access terminal by the determined handoff threshold associated with the particular slot cycle index the access terminal uses to determine how often to monitor overhead messages from the base station serving the access terminal; if the access terminal determines that the signal strength of the target pilot signal exceeds the signal strength of the current pilot signal by the determined handoff threshold, the access terminal thereafter handing off to the target pilot signal, and if the access terminal determines that the signal strength of the target pilot signal does not exceed the signal strength of the current pilot signal by the determined handoff threshold, then the access terminal thereafter idling on the current pilot signal.