Method of providing hand-off hysteresis for subnet borders

摘要

In one embodiment, at least one grouping message is broadcast from a network element. The grouping message causes an access terminal (AT) in the communications network to regard the at least first and second subnets as both being members of a same subnet group. Location information and a maximum distance parameter associated with at least one area and configured to create a buffer zone along a border between the first and second subnets are broadcasted from the network element to the AT. The AT is prevented from sending a subnet identifier request message when the AT has, as an origin area, an area of the first subnet in the buffer zone and the AT travels to an area of the second subnet in the buffer zone. Session transfers are performed outside the buffer zone triggered by distance based location update messages, thus preventing session transfer ping-ponging.

主权项

1. A method of operating a communications network including a plurality of areas divided into at least a first and second subnet, the method comprising:
broadcasting, from a network element, at least one grouping message causing an access terminal (AT) in the communications network to regard the at least first and second subnets as both being members of a same subnet group; broadcasting from the network element to the AT location information and a maximum distance parameter associated with at least one area from among the plurality of areas, the grouping message and the maximum distance parameter being configured to create a buffer zone along a border between the first and second subnets, the AT being prevented from sending a subnet identifier request message and prevented from sending a location update message when the AT travels such that an origin area of the AT is an area of the first subnet in the buffer zone, a visited area of the AT is an area within both the second subnet and the buffer zone, and a traveled distance of the AT is less than a distance indicated by the maximum distance value, the traveled distance being a distance between the origin area and the visited area, the origin area of the AT being an area the AT was attached to when a last location update was sent, from among the plurality of areas the visited area being an area the AT is currently attached to, from among the plurality of areas.