METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CONFIGURING FEMTOCELL DEVICES FOR PERFORMING HANDOFFS IN A COMMUNICATION SYSTEM

摘要

Methods and apparatus for configuring femtocell devices for performing handoffs in a communication system. A mobile node transmits a registration message to a femtocell device. The femtocell device forwards the registration message and geographical location information for the femtocell device to a wireless softswitch. The wireless softswitch determines which one of a plurality of macrocell base stations covers the macro cell where the femtocell device is disposed, in dependence upon the received geographical location information for the femtocell device and the stored geographic coverage area information for each of the plurality of macrocell base stations. Then, the wireless softswitch forwards the registration message to the macrocell base station determined.