SCANNING AND HANDOVER OPERATION IN MULTI-CARRIER WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

摘要

A comprehensive solution is provided for multi-carrier scanning and handover operations in OFDM wireless systems. A multi-carrier scanning is any scanning operation that involves multi-carrier radio frequency carriers. In one embodiment, a mobile station communicates with a servi ng base station over a primary carrier, and performs scanning over one or more determined carriers. A multi-carrier handover is any handover operation that i nvolves multiple radi o frequency carriers. In a first embodiment, a break-before-entry (B BE) handover procedure with fast synchronization is provided. In a sec ond embodiment, an entry-before-break (EBB) handover procedure through unav ailable intervals is provided. In a third embodiment, EBB handover procedures for both inter-FA and intra-FA using multiple carriers are provided. Finally, in a fourth embodi ment, intra-BS handover procedures are provided. The multi-carrier ha ndover procedures may be app lied to 2-to-2 or N-to-N carriers handover situation. The overall scanning time and handover interruption time may be reduced throug h the provided procedures.