Methods of and apparatuses for cell-differentiated handover in a mobile communications systems

A method of triggering a handover-related procedure for user equipment (200) in a cellular communications system (1), comprising the steps of:

• classifying cells (10-70) of said communications system (1) into multiple handover-related classes based on radio coverage characteristics associated with said cells (10-70);
• assigning, for each handover-related class, a unique handover parameter;
• generating a handover triggering command based on measured signal quality for a communications link between said user equipment (200) and a base station (85;
• 95) of a cell (20;
• 40) and on an assigned handover parameter associated with the handover-related class of said cell (20;
• 40);
• and
• transmitting said handover triggering command to said user equipment (200), said handover triggering command allowing said user equipment (200) to perform said handover-related procedure involving said cell (20;
• 40).

A method for modifying a list of connected cells for user equipment (200) in a cellular communications system (1), comprising the steps of:

• measuring signal quality for a communications link between said user equipment (200) and a base station (85;
• 95) of a cell (20;
• 40);
• receiving a handover parameter for said cell (20;
• 40), said handover parameter being determined based on the radio coverage characteristics of said cell (20;
• 40);
• and
• modifying said list based on measured signal quality and said received handover parameter.

A system (100) for assigning a handover parameter to a cell (20;

• 40) in a cellular communications system (1), said system (100) comprising:
• means (120) for classifying cells (10-70) of said communications system (1) into multiple handover-related classes based on radio coverage characteristics of said cells (10-70), each handover-related class being associated with a unique handover parameter;
• means (130), connected to said classifying means (120), for determining to which handover-related class said cell (20;
• 40) is associated;
• and
• means (160), connected to said determining means (130), for assigning, to said cell (20;
• 40), the handover parameter associated with said determined handover-related class.

A system (100) for triggering a handover-related procedure for user equipment (200) in a cellular communications system (1), said system (100) comprising:

• means (120) for classifying cells (10-70) of said communications system (1) into multiple handover-related classes based on radio coverage characteristics of said cells (10-70),
• means (160) for assigning, for each handover-related class, a unique handover parameter;
• means (140) for generating a handover triggering command based on measured signal quality for a communications link between said user equipment (200) and a base station (85;
• 95) of a cell (20;
• 40) and a handover parameter associated with the handover-related class of said cell (20;
• 40);
• and
• means (110) for transmitting said handover triggering command to said user equipment (200), said handover triggering command allowing said user equipment (200) to perform said handover-related procedure involving said cell (20;
• 40).

A unit for modifying a list of connected cells for user equipment (200) in a cellular communications system (1), said unit comprising:

• means (220) for measuring signal quality for a communications link between said user equipment (200) and a base station (85;
• 95) of a cell (20;
• 40);
• means (210) for receiving a handover parameter for said cell (20;
• 40), said handover parameter being determined based on the radio coverage characteristics of said cell (20;
• 40);
• and
• means (240), connected to said measuring means (220) and said receiving means (210), for modifying said list based on measured signal quality and said received handover parameter.