Robust and fast inter-ebs handoff mechanism

A computer program product, comprising at least one machine readable medium and executable code transported by the at least one machine readable medium, wherein execution of the code by at least one programmable processor of a wireless communication system causes the at least one programmable processor to perform functions in support of connecting a mobile device to a destination base station in the wireless communication system, the functions comprising:

• a function which receives a mobile device measurement report, wherein the measurement report includes at least a plurality of possible target base stations and a plurality of signal strengths of possible target base stations measured by the mobile device;
• a function which transfers context information from a serving base station to the plurality of possible target base stations, wherein the context information includes at least a mobile device identification and a transfer request;
• a function which receives admission control information from the plurality of possible target base stations;
• a function which forms a ranking matrix of parameters with respect to the plurality of possible target base stations, wherein the parameters include at least:
• a neighbor listing of the plurality of possible target base stations, and
• the signal strengths from the mobile device measurement report;
• a function which calculates a ranking value of the plurality of possible target base stations based upon the parameters in the matrix, and
• a function which calculates a priority list of the plurality of possible target base stations according to their respective ranking values;
• a function which sends the priority list to the mobile device;
• a function which commands the mobile device to select and attempt to connect to at least one of the plurality of possible target base stations, according to the priority list;
• and
• a function which receives a release message from one of the plurality of possible target base stations to which the mobile device has successfully established a wireless connection, wherein the release message allows for releasing resources of the serving base station dedicated to the serving mobile device.