Vertical soft handovers in wireless networks

摘要

The present invention provides a method is provided for soft vertical handovers. The method includes requesting a handover from a first wireless network that operates according to a first protocol to a second wireless network that operates according to a second protocol, the first protocol being different than the second protocol, via a first wireless telecommunication link that operates according to the first protocol. The method also includes forming, in response to the handover request, a second wireless telecommunications link according to the first and second protocols, the second wireless telecommunications link being concurrent with the first wireless telecommunication link. The method further includes dropping the first wireless telecommunications link after forming the second wireless telecommunications link.