초록 ▼

A wireless communication system facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit within a respective service area. The wireless communication system includes a mobile switching center and a plurality of base stations. Each base station couples to the mobile switching center and provides wireles

A wireless communication system facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit within a respective service area. The wireless communication system includes a mobile switching center and a plurality of base stations. Each base station couples to the mobile switching center and provides wireless communication within a respective cell or within a plurality of respective sectors. Each base station provides a pilot signal that may be received by the wireless mobile unit. With multiple sectors, a pilot signal is provided for each sector. The mobile unit may wirelessly connect to any of the base stations' cells and sectors. A determination of whether to be connected to a particular base station cell and/or base station sector is based upon the relative strengths of pilot signals received by the wireless mobile unit. The mobile unit may evaluate the relative strengths of received pilot signals and simply request a connection to a base station or a disconnection therefrom based upon the evaluation. However, the mobile unit may also notify the mobile switching center of strengths of received pilot signals with the mobile switching center taking action. In such case, the mobile switching center may determine thresholds and pass the thresholds to the mobile unit for later use, the thresholds based upon the relative strengths of the pilot signals. A corresponding method includes steps for operating a wireless communication system.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [24.] A method of operating a wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the method comprising:broadcasting a plurality of pilot signals, each of pilot signals corresponding to a respective one of

[ We claim:] [24.] A method of operating a wireless communication system that facilitates wireless communication with a mobile unit operating within a respective service area, the method comprising:broadcasting a plurality of pilot signals, each of pilot signals corresponding to a respective one of a plurality of base stations;receiving, by the mobile unit, a plurality of received pilot signals;measuring strengths of the received pilot signals, the received pilot signals including a strongest pilot signal and at least one weaker pilot signal; anddetermining whether to establish a connection between the mobile unit and a base station corresponding to a weaker pilot signal based upon the difference in strength between the strongest pilot signal and the corresponding weaker pilot signal.