# US 12,004,030 B2 · Parallel routing for wireless handoffs > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,004,030 B2 - Document ID: US12004030B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/958,790 - Filed: 2022-10-03 - Published: 2023-01-26 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2021-03-03 - Assignees: T-Mobile USA, Inc. - Applicants: T-Mobile USA, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathan England - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12004030B2 ## CPC - H04W 40/36: due to handover - H04W 36/0011: {for data sessions of end-to-end connection} - H04W 36/0016: {Hand-off preparation specially adapted for end-to-end data sessions} - H04W 36/0077: {of access information of target access point} - H04W 36/18: for allowing seamless reselection, e.g. soft reselection - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract Systems, devices, and techniques described herein relate to parallel routing of data packets prior to and/or during a handoff event for a user equipment (UE) between cells. An example method includes determining, by a network device, that a UE is about to participate in a handoff event while the network device is transmitting data packets associated with a service to a cell currently in communication with the UE. The network device may determine a destination cell in which the UE will be performing the handoff with and may replicate the data packets and send the data packets to both of the current cell and the destination cell in parallel. When the UE performs the handoff with the destination cell, the data packets required for receiving the service will already be present and the UE will not experience any interruption in the service prior to and/or during the handoff. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A computer-implemented method, comprising: determining at least one of a probability or a triangulation of a location of a user equipment (UE) with respect to a first cell that is participating in a data session with the UE; determining an identity of a second cell based on at least one of the probability or the triangulation of the location of the UE; and routing first data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting second data packets to the first cell without a handoff notification from the UE. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: transmitting the first data packets associated with a service to the first cell that is participating in the data session with the UE; routing, prior to initiating a handoff, the first data packets and the second data packets including a same content item; and refraining from transmitting the first data packets associated with the service to the first cell after completion of the handoff. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving the handoff notification from the UE indicating the second cell and a time of a handoff; and based on receiving the handoff notification, initiating the routing of the second data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining the identity of the second cell is based at least in part on an identity of the first cell. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a time of a handoff of the data session based on at least one network metric; prior to the time of the handoff, routing the second data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell; and routing the second data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell during the handoff. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: determining a time of a handoff of the data session based on at least one network metric; determining multiple neighbor cells of the first cell; and prior to the handoff, multicasting data packets having a same content item as the first data packets and the second data packets to the multiple neighbor cells concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising: determining an identity of the second cell from among the multiple neighbor cells; and routing the second data packets to the second cell after completion of a handoff. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising receiving a neighbor list from at least one of the UE or the first cell and determining the multiple neighbor cells based at least in part on the neighbor list. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting the first data packets associated with a service to the first cell that is participating in the data session with the UE, wherein the service comprises a real-time communication service. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first data packets and the second data packets include a same content item. ### Claim 11 A system comprising: at least one processor; and memory storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: determining at least one of a probability or a triangulation of a location of a user equipment (UE) with respect to a first cell that is participating in a data session with the UE; determining an identity of a second cell based on at least one of the probability or the triangulation of the location of the UE; and routing first data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting second data packets to the first cell without a handoff notification from the UE. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, the operations further comprising: transmitting the first data packets associated with a service to the first cell that is participating in the data session with the UE; routing, prior to initiating a handoff, the first data packets and the second data packets including a same content item; and refraining from transmitting the first data packets associated with the service to the first cell after completion of the handoff. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, the operations further comprising: receiving the handoff notification from the UE indicating the second cell and a time of a handoff; and based on receiving the handoff notification, initiating the routing of the second data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, wherein determining the identity of the second cell is based at least in part on an identity of the first cell. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, the operations further comprising: determining a time of a handoff of the data session based on at least one network metric; prior to the time of the handoff, routing the second data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell; and routing the second data packets to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell during the handoff. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The system of claim 11, the operations further comprising: determining a time of a handoff of the data session based on at least one network metric; determining multiple neighbor cells of the first cell; and prior to the handoff, multicasting data packets having a same content item as the first data packets and the second data packets to the multiple neighbor cells concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, the operations further comprising: determining an identity of the second cell from among the multiple neighbor cells; and routing the second data packets to the second cell after completion of a handoff. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, the operations further comprising receiving a neighbor list from at least one of the UE or the first cell and determining the multiple neighbor cells based at least in part on the neighbor list. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1, 11) The system of claim 11, 1 further comprising transmitting the first data packets associated with a service to the first cell that is participating in the data session with the UE, wherein the service comprises a real-time communication service. ### Claim 20 A computer-implemented method, comprising: transmitting first data packets associated with a service to a first cell that is participating in a data session with a user equipment (UE); determining a second cell to receive a handoff of the data session from the first cell; routing, prior to initiating the handoff, second data packets associated with the service to the second cell concurrently with transmitting the first data packets to the first cell; and refraining from transmitting the first data packets associated with the service to the first cell after completion of the handoff.