# US 2008/0188228 A1 · Bandwidth-based cell selection in a cellular network > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2008/0188228 A1 - Document ID: US20080188228A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 11/701,550 - Filed: 2007-02-02 - Published: 2008-08-07 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-02 - Assignees: Reseach In Motion Limited - Inventors: Mark Pecen; Matthias Wandel; Atul Asthana - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080188228A1 ## CPC - H04W 48/18: Selecting a network or a communication service - H04W 48/12: using downlink control channel - H04W 88/06: adapted for operation in multiple networks {or having at least two operational modes}, e.g. multi-mode terminals - H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72) ## Abstract A method of cell selection in a wireless cellular network having a plurality of radio system cells involves determining a bandwidth indication for data communication through each of a serving cell and at least one neighbouring cell to the serving cell. The bandwidth indication comprises an indication of the capacity for data communication through each cell. One of the cells is then selected for packet-based communication in accordance with the determined bandwidth indications. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of cell selection in wireless mobile communication station operable in a wireless cellular network having a plurality of radio system cells, the method comprising the steps of: determining a bandwidth indication for data communication through each of a serving one of the radio system cells and at least one neighbouring cell to the serving cell, each said bandwidth indication comprising an indication of a capacity for data communication through each said cell; and selecting one of the cells for packet-based communication in accordance with the determined bandwidth indications. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of radio system cells includes radio system cells of one or more radio access technologies. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method according to claim 2, wherein the bandwidth indications comprise signal strength measurements and the capacity indications for each said cell, and the selecting step comprises choosing the one cell based on the capacity indications and the signal strength measurements. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method according to claim 3, wherein each said bandwidth indication comprises a product of the capacity indication and the signal strength measurement for the associated cell, the bandwidth determining step comprises calculating the product for each said cell, and the choosing step comprises selecting the one cell having a maximum one of the calculated products. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method according to claim 4, wherein for each of the plurality of radio system cells, the capacity indication comprises the capacity of a wireless link between the mobile station and a base station serving each said cell. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method according to claim 5, wherein the capacity indication further comprises the capacity of a backhaul and a core network associated with each said cell. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method according to claim 6, further comprising: receiving the capacity indication for the serving cell and the at least one neighbouring cell from the base station, wherein the bandwidth indication for each said cell is determined from the received capacity indications. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method according to claim 7, wherein the received capacity indication comprises, for each said cell, a product of the received wireless link capacity, the backhaul capacity and the core network capacity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method according to claim 8, wherein the mobile station receives the capacity indications over a control channel of the wireless network. ### Claim 10 A wireless mobile communication station configured for communication within a wireless cellular network having a plurality of radio system cells, the mobile station comprising: bandwidth determining means for determining a bandwidth indication for data communication through each of a serving one of the radio system cells and at least one neighbouring cell to the serving cell, each said bandwidth indication comprising an indication of a capacity for data communication through each said cell; and cell selecting means in communication with the bandwidth determining means for selecting one of the cells for packet-based communication in accordance with the determined bandwidth indications. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The mobile station according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of radio system cells includes radio system cells of one or more radio access technologies. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The mobile station according to claim 11, wherein the bandwidth indications comprise signal strength measurements and the capacity indications for each said cell, the mobile station includes measuring means for measuring the signal strength for each said cell, and the cell selecting means is configured to choose the one cell based on the determined capacity indications and the signal strength measurements. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The mobile station according to claim 12, wherein each said bandwidth indication comprises a product of the capacity indication and the signal strength measurement for the associated cell, the bandwidth determining means is configured to calculate the product for each said cell, and the cell selecting means is configured to choose the one cell by selecting the one cell having a maximum one of the calculated products. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The mobile station according to claim 13, wherein for each of the plurality of radio system cells, the capacity indication comprises the capacity of a wireless link between the mobile station and a base station serving each said cell. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The mobile station according to claim 14, wherein the capacity indication further comprises the capacity of a backhaul and a core network associated with each said cell. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The mobile station according to claim 15, further configured to receive from the base station the capacity indications for the serving cell and the at least one neighbouring cell, and the bandwidth determining means is configured to determine the bandwidth indication for each said cell from the received capacity indications. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The mobile station according to claim 16, wherein the mobile station receives the capacity indications over a control channel of the wireless network. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A computer-readable medium carrying processing instructions for a mobile station, the processing instructions when executed by computer processing means of the mobile station causing the mobile station to perform the method according to claim 1. ### Claim 19 A base station subsystem for directing cell reselection within a wireless cellular network having a plurality of radio system cells, the base station subsystem comprising: a radio transceiver configured to provide a wireless link with a mobile station camped on one of a plurality of neighbouring radio system cells; a network interface configured to interface the base station subsystem with a core network of the cellular network; and a network capacity analyzer coupled to the radio transceiver and the network interface, the network capacity analyzer being configured to determine for each neighbouring cell an indication of a capacity of a wireless link between the mobile station and the base station subsystem and to initiate transmission of the capacity indications to the mobile station. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The base station subsystem according to claim 19, wherein the plurality of radio system cells includes radio system cells of one or more radio access technologies. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The base station subsystem according to claim 20, wherein the network capacity analyzer is further configured to receive backhaul capacity metrics indicative of the capacity of a backhaul between the base station subsystem and the core network, and to generate the capacity indication indicative of the capacity of the wireless link and the backhaul. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The base station subsystem according to claim 21, wherein the network capacity analyzer is further configured to receive from the core network core network capacity metrics indicative of the capacity of the core network, and to generate the capacity indication indicative of the capacity of the wireless link, the backhaul and the core network. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The base station subsystem according to claim 22, wherein the network capacity analyzer is configured to generate the capacity indication for each said cell from a product of the associated wireless link capacity, the backhaul capacity and the core network capacity. ### Claim 24 A method of directed cell selection in a wireless cellular network having a plurality of radio system cells, the method comprising the steps of: determining an indication of a capacity for data communication through each of a plurality of neighbouring radio system cells; and transmitting over each of the neighbouring radio system cells the capacity indications for each neighbouring cell, a mobile station camped on one of the neighbouring cells being configured to receive the transmitted capacity indications and to select one of the neighbouring cells for packet-based communication in accordance with the received capacity indications. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The method of claim 24, wherein the plurality of radio system cells includes radio system cells of one or more radio access technologies. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method according to claim 25, wherein the mobile station is configured to select the one cell based on the capacity indications and signal strength measurements for each said cell. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method according to claim 26, wherein the mobile station is configured to calculate for each said cell a product of the capacity indication and the signal strength measurement for the associated cell, and to select the one cell having a maximum one of the calculated products. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method according to claim 27, wherein the cellular network includes a base station serving each said cell, and the capacity indication comprises for each said cell the capacity of a wireless link between the mobile station and the base station. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method according to claim 28, wherein the capacity indication further comprises the capacity of a backhaul and a core network associated with each said cell. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method according to claim 29, wherein the received capacity indication comprises, for each said cell, a product of the received wireless link capacity, the backhaul capacity and the core network capacity. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method according to claim 30, wherein the mobile station receives the capacity indications over a control channel of the wireless network. ### Claim 32 (depends on 24) A computer-readable medium carrying processing instructions for a base station subsystem operating in a wireless cellular network, the processing instructions when executed by computer processing means of the base station subsystem causing the base station subsystem to perform the method according to claim 24.