# US 2012/0238271 A1 · Method and system for facilitating handover for a mobile device

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2012/0238271 A1
- Document ID: US20120238271A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/051,499
- Filed: 2011-03-18
- Published: 2012-09-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-03-18
- Assignees: Research In Motion Limited
- Inventors: Steven Michael Hanov
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120238271A1

## CPC

- H04W 36/302: {due to low signal strength}
- 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 and apparatus for enabling handover of a mobile device in a network supporting a single unacknowledged control block on a control channel, where if channel conditions exceed a threshold, the method sends, from a mobile device, a request or message utilizing a control channel; and if channel conditions do not exceed the threshold, the method delays the sending of the request or message to permit a handover message to use the control channel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for enabling handover of a mobile device in a network, the method comprising:
if channel conditions exceed a threshold, sending, from a mobile device, a request or message utilizing a control channel; and
if channel conditions do not exceed the threshold, delaying the sending of the request or message to permit a handover message to use the control channel.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the network supports only a single unacknowledged control block on the control channel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising checking, prior to the sending or delaying, whether the channel conditions exceed a threshold.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the mobile device is on a circuit switched call and the method is performed utilizing dual transfer mode (‘DTM’).

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the request or message is a DTM REQUEST.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the request or message is an upper layer control message.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying is for one measurement cycle.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising ending the method if a stop condition is realized, the stop condition being a handover or ending a circuit switched call.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the delaying further comprises buffering or queuing uplink data.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the checking determines if a criteria is met, the criteria being one of:
an RXQUAL_SUB level is below a threshold for two or more measurement periods;
the RXQUAL_SUB level of burst during a measurement period falls below a threshold; or
the RXQUAL_SUB level is below a threshold and a neighbor cell is stronger than a serving cell.

### Claim 11

A mobile device configured for enabling handover in a network, the mobile device comprising:
a processor;
a communications subsystem; and
memory,
wherein the processor, communications subsystem and memory cooperate to:
if channel conditions exceed a threshold, send a request or message utilizing a control channel; and
if channel conditions do not exceed the threshold, delay the sending of the request or message to permit a handover message to use the control channel.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein the network supports only a single unacknowledged control block on the control channel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The mobile device of claim 11, wherein processor, communications subsystem and memory cooperate to check and send or delay while the mobile device is on a circuit switched call, the sending utilizing dual transfer mode (‘DTM’).

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The mobile device of claim 13, wherein the request or message is a DTM REQUEST or an upper layer control message.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processor, communications subsystem and memory cooperate to delay for one measurement cycle.

### Claim 16 (depends on 11)

The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the processor, communications subsystem and memory cooperate to end processing if a stop condition is realized, the stop condition being a handover or ending a circuit switched call.

### Claim 17 (depends on 11)

The mobile device of claim 11, wherein the memory is configured to buffer or queue uplink data.

### Claim 18

A method for enabling handover of a mobile device at a network element, the method comprising:
if channel conditions exceed a threshold, sending, from the network element, a request or message utilizing a control channel; and
if channel conditions do not exceed the threshold, prioritizing a handover message over the request or message, or sending the handover message from the network element to the mobile device.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the mobile device is on a circuit switched call and the method is performed utilizing dual transfer mode (‘DTM’).

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the request or message is a DTM ASSIGNMENT, PACKET ASSIGNMENT or upper layer control message.

### Claim 21 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the prioritizing further comprising delaying to determine if channel conditions are improving or deteriorating.

### Claim 22 (depends on 18)

The method of claim 18, wherein the network supports only a single unacknowledged control block on the control channel.

### Claim 23

A network element configured for enabling handover of a mobile device, the network element comprising:
a processor;
a communications subsystem; and
memory,
wherein the processor, communications subsystem and memory cooperate to:
if channel conditions exceed a threshold, send, from the network element, a request or message utilizing a control channel; and
if channel conditions do not exceed the threshold, prioritize a handover message over the request or message, or send the handover message from the network element to the mobile device.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The network element of claim 23, wherein the mobile device is on a circuit switched call and sends data utilizing dual transfer mode (‘DTM’).

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The network element of claim 24, wherein the request or message is a DTM ASSIGNMENT, PACKET ASSIGNMENT or upper layer control message.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The network element of claim 23, wherein the processor, communications subsystem and memory further cooperate delay during prioritization to determine if channel conditions are improving or deteriorating.