Measurement techniques for diversity and inter-frequency mobile assisted handoff (MAHO)

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• wherein:
• said second reception state includes receiving said signal on a second antenna;
• said step of switching further comprises the step of switching from said first antenna to said second antenna;
• said step of making at least one measurement further comprises the step of measuring a second received signal strength on said second antenna;
• said step of determining further comprises the step of comparing said second received signal strength on said second antenna to a first received signal strength on said first antenna;
• and
• further comprising the steps of:
• storing rake tap positions and values from said first antenna prior to switching to said second antenna;
• and
• reloading said rake tap positions and values if said first reception state is established by said step of establishing.

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• wherein said step of making at least one measurement occurs during the last eight bits of a subframe, said subframe comporting with the IS-95 wireless communications standard.

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• further comprising the step of erasing bits from a processed version of said signal, the erased bits being those that are not received while switching from said first reception state to said second reception state.

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• wherein:
• said first reception state further includes receiving on a first frequency;
• said second reception state includes receiving on said first antenna on a second frequency;
• said step of switching further comprises the step of switching from said first frequency to said second frequency;
• said step of making at least one measurement further comprises the step of measuring a second received signal strength on said second frequency;
• said step of determining further comprises the step of comparing said second received signal strength on said second frequency to a first received signal strength on said first frecquency;
• and
• wherein said step of switching is scheduled to coincide with the occurrence of multiple subframes with invalid power control bits.

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• wherein:
• said first reception state further includes receiving on a first frequency;
• said second reception state includes receiving on said first antenna on a second frequency;
• said step of switching further comprises the step of switching from said first frequency to said second frequency;
• said step of making at least one measurement further comprises the step of measuring a second received signal strength on said second frequency;
• said step of determining further comprises the step of comparing said second received signal strength on said second frequency to a first received signal strength on said first frequency;
• and
• further comprising the step of responding to a command to lower a transmission rate irrespective of speech activity.

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• wherein:
• said first reception state further includes receiving on a first frequency;
• said second reception state includes receiving on said first antenna on a second frequency;
• said step of switching further comprises the step of switching from said first frequency t o said second frequency;
• said step of making at least one measurement further comprises the step of measuring a second received signal strength on said second frequency;
• said step of determining further comprises the step of comparing said second received signal strength on said second frequency to a first received signal strength on said first frequency;
• and
• further comprising the step of issuing a command to lower a transmission rate irrespective of speech activity.

A method for establishing a preferred reception state in a continuous reception receiver, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna according to a first reception state, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal with a receiver chain;
• switching receiving from said first reception state to a second reception state;
• making at least one measurement while receiving according to said second reception state;
• determining whether said first reception state is superior to said second reception state;
• establishing receiving according to a superior reception state based on said step of determining;
• and
• further comprising the step of lowering a transmission rate for measurement purposes by considering how multiple subframes with invalid power control bits will occur.

A method for implementing antenna pre-detection selection diversity in a continuous transmission wireless communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal on a first antenna, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal as received on said first antenna with a receiver chain;
• storing a set of rake taps for said first antenna;
• switching to a second antenna;
• receiving said signal on said second antenna;
• processing said signal as received on said second antenna with said receiver chain;
• determining a second parameter of said signal on said second antenna;
• comparing a first parameter of said signal on said first antenna with said second parameter of said signal on said second antenna;
• selecting one of said first and second antennas for subsequent reception based on said step of comparing;
• and
• further comprising the step of:
• if said first antenna is selected in said step of selecting, then restoring said set of rake taps and continuing reception with said first antenna and said set of rake taps.

A method for making measurements for the purpose of inter-frequency mobile assisted handoff in a continuous reception wireless communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a signal at a first frequency, said signal including at least one power control bit;
• processing said signal as received at said first frequency with a receiver chain;
• receiving a command from a base station to lower a transmission rate;
• lowering said transmission rate responsive to reception of said command;
• switching reception from said first frequency to a second frequency;
• making a second received signal strength measurement at said second frequency;
• switching reception from said second frequency to said first frequency;
• transmitting a report to said base station, said report including said second received signal strength measurement;
• and
• further comprising the step of:
• raising said transmission rate after said step of switching reception from said second frequency to said first frequency.

A method for sacrificing the reception of at least one lower priority bit class on a selected receive antenna in a continuous reception wireless communications system, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a first class of bits, said first class of bits having a first reception priority;
• determining a second class of bits, said second class of bits having a second reception priority, said first reception priority being higher than said second reception priority;
• determining a period in which no bits of said first class of bits are scheduled to be received;
• and
• inhibiting reception of at least a portion of said second class of bits on said selected receive antenna.