Candidate system search and soft handoff between frequencies in a multi-carrier mobile communication system

In a wireless communication system, a method of communicating between a mobile station and at least one base station, said method comprising:

• receiving first signals at a first frequency from a first base station;
• while receiving the first signals, receiving second signals from one of a second base station and a second sector of the first base station, wherein the second signals are at a second frequency that is different from the first frequency;
• searching the first signals for the existence of a structured waveform within the first signals;
• demodulating the first signals to remove structured waveforms from the first signals;
• transmitting first outgoing signals to the first base station;
• while searching and demodulating the first signals and transmitting the first outgoing signals, searching for pilots at the second frequency and;
• establishing a communication link with the second base station at the second frequency wherein the mobile station is in at least one of soft handoff and softer handoff between the first and second frequencies with the first base station and the second sector of the first base station.

A mobile station comprising:

• a transmitter for transmitting outgoing signals from the mobile station;
• a receiver for receiving incoming signals, said receiver coupled to said transmitter and having N subreceivers, wherein N is an integer greater than one and each of said N subreceivers is capable of being independently tuned to a desired frequency, and wherein said N subreceivers include at least one of:
• (a) a first subreceiver and a second subreceiver tuned to frequency bands having equal frequency widths;
• (b) a third subreceiver and a fourth subreceiver tuned at a first frequency band and a second frequency band, respectively, and said first frequency band is two times as wide in the frequency domain as said second frequency band;
• and
• (c) a fifth subreceiver and a sixth subreceiver tuned to a third frequency band and a fourth frequency band, respectively, and said third frequency band is three times as wide in the frequency domain as said fourth frequency band.