Inter-operation between base stations having different protocol revisions

An apparatus for wireless communications, operable in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

• a broadcaster that broadcasts a first message that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• a transmitter that transmits a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• a receiver that receives, in response to the second message, a third message from a mobile station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• a radio link establisher that establishes, with the mobile station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

A computer program product comprising a non-volatile, computer-readable medium having code stored thereupon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method of wireless communications in a wireless network, the method comprising:

• broadcasting a first message that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• transmitting a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• receiving, in response to the second message, a third message from a mobile station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• establishing, with the mobile station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

An apparatus for wireless communications, operable in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

• means for broadcasting a first message that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• means for transmitting a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• means for receiving, in response to the second message, a third message from a mobile station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• means for establishing, with the mobile station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

A method of wireless communications implemented at a mobile device in a wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving a first message from a base station that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• receiving a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating that the base station supports advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• transmitting, in response to the second message, a third message to the base station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• establishing, with the base station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

An apparatus for wireless communications, operable in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

• a first receiver that receives a first message from a base station that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• a second receiver that receives a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating that the base station supports advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• a transmitter that transmits, in response to the second message, a third message to the base station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• a radio link establisher that establishes, with the base station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

A computer program product comprising a non-volatile, computer-readable medium having code stored thereupon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method of wireless communications in a wireless network, the method comprising:

• receiving a first message from a base station that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• receiving a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating that the base station supports advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• transmitting, in response to the second message, a third message to the base station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• establishing, with the base station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

An apparatus for wireless communications, operable in a wireless network, the apparatus comprising:

• a first means for a first message from a base station that includes a protocol revision field indicating a same revision as a legacy network;
• a second means for receiving a second message over a forward link common control channel, the second message indicating that the base station supports advanced radio configuration (RC) capabilities beyond radio control capabilities implied by the protocol revision field broadcast in the first message;
• means for transmitting, in response to the second message, a third message to the base station, indicating that the mobile station supports the advanced RC capabilities;
• and
• means for establishing, with the base station, a radio link having the advanced RC capabilities.

A method of facilitating a handoff of a mobile station from a first base station operating using a first protocol revision to a second base station operating using a second protocol revision different from the first protocol revision, the method comprising:

• establishing a radio link between the first base station and the mobile station using an advanced radio configuration (RC) capability that is not supported by the second protocol revision;
• determining that the mobile station is in a coverage of the second base station;
• and
• transmitting a handoff request by including an RC capability that is compatible with the second protocol revision and different from the advanced RC capability to facilitate a handoff of the mobile station to the second base station.

An apparatus for facilitating a handoff of a mobile station from a first base station operating using a first protocol revision to a second base station operating using a second protocol revision different from the first protocol revision, the apparatus comprising:

• a radio link establisher that establishes a radio link between the first base station and the mobile station using an advanced radio configuration (RC) capability that is not supported by the second protocol revision;
• a coverage determiner that determines that the mobile station is in a coverage of the second base station;
• and
• a transmitter that transmits a handoff request by including an RC capability that is compatible with the second protocol revision and different from the advanced RC capability to facilitate a handoff of the mobile station to the second base station.

A computer program product comprising a non-volatile, computer-readable medium having code stored thereupon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method of facilitating a handoff of a mobile station from a first base station operating using a first protocol revision to a second base station operating using a second protocol revision different from the first protocol revision, the method comprising:

• establishing a radio link between the first base station and the mobile station using an advanced radio configuration (RC) capability that is not supported by the second protocol revision;
• determining that the mobile station is in a coverage of the second base station;
• and
• transmitting a handoff request by including an RC capability that is compatible with the second protocol revision and different from the advanced RC capability to facilitate a handoff of the mobile station to the second base station.

A method of facilitating advanced operation of a mobile station after a handoff, the method comprising:

• receiving a handoff request for a mobile station, the handoff request including an indication of a first radio configuration (RC) capability of the mobile station;
• causing a handoff of the mobile station from a first base station to a second base station to occur, resulting in establishment of a radio link between the mobile station and the second base station based on the first RC capability;
• and
• transmitting, after the radio link is established, a message from the second base station to the mobile station indicating that the second base station supports an extended radio configuration capability.

An apparatus for facilitating advanced operation of a mobile station after handoff, the method comprising:

• means for receiving a handoff request for a mobile station, the handoff request including an indication of a first radio configuration (RC) capability of the mobile station;
• means for causing a handoff of the mobile station from a first base station to a second base station to occur, resulting in establishment of a radio link between the mobile station and the second base station based on the first RC capability;
• and
• means for transmitting, after the radio link is established, a message from the second base station to the mobile station indicating that the second base station supports an extended radio configuration capability.

A computer program product comprising a non-volatile, computer-readable medium having code stored thereupon, the code, when executed by a processor, causing the processor to implement a method of facilitating advanced operation of a mobile station after handoff, the method comprising:

• receiving a handoff request for a mobile station, the handoff request including an indication of a first radio configuration (RC) capability of the mobile station;
• causing a handoff of the mobile station from a first base station to a second base station to occur, resulting in establishment of a radio link between the mobile station and the second base station based on the first RC capability;
• and
• transmitting, after the radio link is established, a message from the second base station to the mobile station indicating that the second base station supports an extended radio configuration capability.

A method of facilitating a handoff of a mobile station from a first base station to a second base station, the method comprising:

• establishing a radio link between the first base station and the mobile station using an extended radio configuration (RC) capability;
• acquiring knowledge, based on a neighbor cell configuration, that the second base station supports the extended RC capability;
• determining that the mobile station is in a coverage of the second base station;
• and
• transmitting, to facilitate handoff of the mobile station from the first base station to the second base station, a handoff request by indicating the extended RC capability.