INTER-EXCHANGE SOFT HANDOFF IN A CELLULAR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

摘要

A CDMA cellular telecommunications system comprising mobile exchanges (MSC) base stations (BS) and mobile stations (MS). The mobile exchanges are capable to both intra-exchange and inter-exchange soft handoffs. Thereby a seamless soft handoff with signal diversity combining is obtained amoung base stations connected to different mobile exchanges throughout the cellular service area. The invention comprises a method and a system for relaying user information signals from a mobile station via base stations to a first mobile exchange. A connection to a second mobile exchange is established and diversity combining is performed at the first mobile exchange, thereby offering the combined user information signal to another system user. This procedure of inter-exchange soft handoff is also applicable to cellular TDMA and FDMA systems.