Modified finger assignment algorithm for high data rate calls

A method of assigning a plurality of fingers to a plurality of demodulation paths comprising:

• measuring said plurality of signals;
• creating list of survey paths corresponding to said plurality of signals;
• matching a list of demodulation paths to said list of survey paths;
• assigning said plurality of fingers to the paths in said list of survey paths in order to establish cell diversity and based on path strength;
• re-assigning a finger to a demodulation path based on whether any finger is demodulating a supplemental channel to insure that at least one finger demodulates a supplemental channel;
• and
• assigning said plurality of fingers to the paths in said list of survey paths in order to establish path diversity.

A method of assigning fingers to a plurality of demodulation paths comprising:

• creating a survey list of said demodulation paths;
• assigning said fingers to said demodulation paths in said survey list based on path strength;
• re-assigning a finger to a demodulation path under consideration if there is more than one finger assigned to a cell containing said demodulation path under consideration;
• and
• if each cell is assigned a single finger, reassigning a finger to said demodulation path under consideration if no fingers are already demodulating supplemental channels and if a sector containing said demodulating path under consideration supports supplemental channels.

A communication system comprising:

• at least one base station;
• a mobile station transmitting and receiving communications signals to and from said at least one base station;
• a control system which assigns fingers to demodulate communication signals received by said mobile station, said control system determining after all said fingers have been assigned to demodulate communication signals whether any of the fingers are demodulating communication signals on supplemental channels;
• said control system reassigning a finger to demodulate said supplemental channel if no fingers assigned are demodulating communication signals on said supplemental channel.

In a mobile station, a method of assigning a plurality of fingers comprising:

• creating a list of survey paths corresponding to a plurality of demodulation paths;
• assigning fingers to demodulation paths corresponding to the list of survey paths based on path strength;
• determining whether any fingers are demodulating a supplemental channel;
• and
• if the weakest finger demodulating a supplemental channel is not the only finger demodulating a supplemental channel, re-assigning a non-weakest finger demodulating supplemental channels to the path.

A method of assigning fingers to a plurality of demodulation paths comprising:

• creating a survey list of said demodulation paths;
• assigning said fingers to said demodulation paths in said survey list based on path strength;
• re-assigning a finger to a demodulation path under consideration if:
• there is more than one finger assigned to a cell containing said demodulation path under consideration;
• each cell is assigned a single finger and if a sector containing said demodulating path under consideration supports supplemental channels;
• each cell is assigned a single finger, at least one finger is already demodulating supplemental channels, and the weakest finger is not the only one supporting supplemental channels;
• or
• each cell is assigned a single finger, at least one finger is already demodulating supplemental channels, the weakest finger is the only one supporting supplemental channels, and a sector containing said demodulation path under consideration supports supplemental channels.

A method of assigning fingers to a plurality of demodulation paths comprising:

• creating a survey list of said demodulation paths;
• assigning said fingers to said demodulation paths in said survey list based on path strength;
• reassigning a finger to a demodulation path under consideration if:
• the weakest finger is assigned to the cell containing said demodulation path under consideration and the weakest finger is not the only one demodulating supplemental channels;
• or
• the weakest finger is assigned to the cell containing said demodulation path under consideration and the weakest finger is the only one demodulating supplemental channels and the sector containing said demodulation path under consideration supports supplemental channels.

A method of assigning a plurality of fingers to a plurality of demodulation paths comprising:

• creating list of survey paths corresponding to a plurality of demodulation paths;
• assigning said plurality of fingers to the demodulation paths in said list of survey paths in order to establish cell diversity and based on path strength;
• beginning with the weakest finger, determining whether there are multiple fingers assigned to each finger's cell, re-assigning the demodulation path to a new finger if a plurality of fingers are assigned to said each finger's cell;
• if a single finger is assigned to each cell, re-assigning a finger to a demodulation path based on whether any finger is demodulating a supplemental channel to insure that at least one finger demodulates a supplemental channel, and if no finger reassignment is made:
• assigning said plurality of fingers to the demodulation paths in said list of survey paths in order to establish path diversity;
• re-assigning a finger to a demodulation path under consideration if:
• the weakest finger is assigned to the cell containing said demodulation path under consideration and the weakest finger is not the only one demodulating supplemental channels;
• or the weakest finger is assigned to the cell containing said demodulation path under consideration and the weakest finger is the only one demodulating supplemental channels and the sector containing said demodulation path under consideration supports supplemental channels.