System and method for adaptive proactive scanning to support fast handoffs in mobile networks

A proactive scanning method for mobile node handset handoff between multiple base stations having a medium access control protocol used for forwarding Internet Protocol packets between multiple base stations and mobile nodes in voice over the Internet protocol systems on a wireless network comprising:

• multiple base stations in electrical communication with the Internet;
• one or more mobile nodes in wireless electrical communication with one of said multiple base stations;
• said multiple base stations and said one or more mobile nodes each having a medium access control protocol;
• each of said multiple base stations transmitting a beacon signal;
• said medium access control protocol having hyperframes comprised of superframes containing headers that contain provisional time slots dedicated to handing off a mobile node between a current base station a mobile node is in wireless electrical communication with and a replacement base station;
• wherein when one of said one or more mobile nodes is not in a voice session it does not scan for a beacon signal;
• wherein when one of said one or more mobile nodes and one of said multiple base stations begins a voice session said mobile node scans for a beacon signal at a fast scan rate of once per superframe for received signal strength indicators from said beacons of other said multiple base stations in mobile nodes' electrical communication range and said mobile node stores said received signal strength indicators of said multiple base stations then said mobile node begins to scan at a slow scan rate of once per hyperframe;
• wherein when said mobile node detects a threshold minimum signal strength from said current base station said mobile node scans at an intermediate scan rate of more often than once a hyperframe but less often than once a superframe for received signal strength indicators from said beacons of other said multiple base stations in mobile nodes' electrical communication range and said mobile node stores said received signal strength indicators of said multiple base stations;
• wherein when said mobile node detects an additional threshold minimum signal strength from said current base station it sends a provisional handoff request to a replacement base station that has the strongest stored received signal strength indicator;
• wherein said replacement base station receiving said provisional handoff request assigns provisional time slots to said mobile node that sent said provisional handoff request to said replacement base station;
• and,
• wherein when said mobile node detects a final threshold minimum signal strength from said current base station it sends a handoff confirm message using said provisional time slots to said replacement base station beginning wireless electrical communication with said replacement base station and also sends a connection break-off message to said current base station breaking off wireless electrical communications with said current base station and said mobile node continues to scan at the intermediate scan rate until signal strength on said replacement base station is above the threshold minimum signal strength.