A MULTIMEDIA CONFERENCING SYSTEM FOR USE DURING CELLULAR NETWORK HANDOVER AND METHOD OF USING SAME

摘要

A multimedia conferencing terminal (300) for use in a cellular multimedia network utilizing a plurality of multimedia modes of transmission includes a transceiver (315) for transmitting and receiving a multimedia communications signal. A control channel processor (327) is used for providing status information concerning both currently used cells and candidate cells available for use in a cell handover. A media requirement and priority processor (329) supplies requirement information about each media currently in use during a multimedia call. A selection processor (325) is used for selecting a multimedia cell for handover and scheduling the hadover of the individual modes based on the status information and the mode requirement information such that only one or more modes may be handed over and the selection processor may store and forward selective multimedia communications modes to other cells at a later time.