System and method for soft handoff setup during system access idle handoff in a wireless network

A CDMA-based wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of wirelessly communicating with a mobile station, at least one of said plurality of base stations comprising:

• a receiver capable of receiving a system access message transmitted by said mobile station, wherein said system access message initiates in said wireless network a system access procedure operable to establish a communications channel between said mobile station and said CDMA-based wireless network;
• and
• a handoff message controller in said at least one base station, coupled to said receiver and receiving said system access message therefrom, said handoff message controller capable of transferring control over said system access procedure from said at least one base station directly through a communication line to a second selected one of said plurality of base stations in said CDMA-based wireless network, wherein said handoff message controller sends to said second selected base station a handoff control message operable to initiate in said second selected base station a handoff procedure capable of assuming control over said system access procedure.

For use in a CDMA-based wireless network comprising a plurality of base stations capable of wirelessly communicating with a mobile station, a method of performing a handoff of the mobile station from a first base station to a second base station, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a system access message transmitted by the mobile station in the first base station, wherein the system access message initiates in the wireless network a system access procedure operable to establish a communications channel between the mobile station and the CDMA-based wireless network;
• and
• in response to a receipt of the system access message in a handoff message controller in said first base station, sending to the second base station directly through a communication line a handoff control message operable to initiate in the second selected base station a handoff procedure capable of assuming control over the system access procedure.