Method for automatically sorting the neighbor list of a cell in a communications system

In a communications system wherein user equipment monitors a plurality of cells in a plurality of neighbor lists for inclusion in a monitored set and subsequent promotion to an active set, a method of prioritizing the plurality of cells in the plurality of neighbor lists comprising the steps of:

• detecting when a new cell has been added to the active set;
• for each cellialready in the active set,
• determining whether the new cell is included in the neighbor list of celli;
• if the new cell is included in the neighbor list of celli, incrementing a counter in a first counter set associated with the new cell in the neighbor list of celli;
• determining whether the counter in the first counter set has reached a maximum value;
• if the counter in the first counter set has not reached the maximum value,
• incrementing a first neighbor list counter associated with the neighbor list of celli;
• determining whether the first neighbor list counter has reached a predetermined value;
• if the first neighbor list counter has reached the predetermined value, prioritizing the plurality of cells in the neighbor list of celli;
• and
• constructing the monitored set from the plurality of cells in the plurality of neighbor lists.

An apparatus for prioritizing a plurality of cells in a neighbor list of a cell in an active set comprising:

• a radio network controller;
• and
• a processor running in the radio network controller wherein the processor when operative is configured to
• for each cell of the plurality of cells, track an amount of times the cell of the plurality of cells is added to the active set;
• track an amount of times any cell of the plurality of cells is added to the active set;
• and
• when the plurality of cells have been added to the active set a predetermined amount of times, prioritize the plurality of cells in the neighbor list.