System and method for multimode device handover

摘要

Systems and methods of operating multimode 3G/4G communications devices in an overlapping 3G/4G coverage area (e.g., WiMAX or LTE/CDMA-EvDO) include determining a loading condition of the 3G and 4G base stations. If the 3G and 4G base stations are lightly loaded, one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) are compared with one or more corresponding 3G Data Rate Control (DRC) indices to determine which of the 3G and 4G networks allows a higher data throughput. The dual mode communications device is handed off to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage if the 4G network allows the higher data throughput; otherwise, the dual mode communications device is handed off to a 3G base station. User priorities, application categories, and/or MIMO and diversity modes may be used to determine handoff if the base stations are more than lightly loaded.

主权项

1. A method of operating a multimode third generation (3G) and fourth generation (4G) communications device capable of operating in either a 4G network or a 3G network when in an area with overlapping 3G and 4G coverage, the method comprising:
responsive to a determination that each of a 3G base station and a 4G base station associated with an overlapping 3G and 4G coverage area are loaded less than a first user determined load factor, comparing, using a processor, one or more 4G Channel Quality Indicators (CQI) with one or more corresponding 3 GData Rate Control (DRC) indices stored in corresponding mapping tables in a memory; and based on a result of said comparing, determining a handoff of the dual mode communications device to a 3G base station associated with the 3G coverage or to a 4G base station associated with the 4G coverage.