Method, and associated apparatus, for effectuating handover of communications in a bluetooth, or other, radio communication system
AssigneeNokia Corporation
InventorsFujio Watanabe, Phong Nguyen, Takako Sanda
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Abstract
A method, and associated apparatus, facilitates handover of communications with a mobile Bluetooth device operable to communicate packet data with other Bluetooth devices. Handover of communications is effectuated between fixed-infrastructure access points or other mobile Bluetooth devices formed in a scatternet. The device to which communications are to be handed-over becomes a slave to the Bluetooth device with which communications are ongoing, thereby to permit time synchronization thereto.
Claims16
A method for handing over communications with a mobile communication device (MCD), the MCD initially operable to communicate with a communication network infrastructure via a first piconet prior to handover and with a second piconet after handover, wherein the first piconet comprises a first network access point and the second piconet comprises a second network access point and at least one second-piconet pre-handover slave device, said method comprising:
- selecting initiation of handover of communication between the MCD and the network infrastructure via the first piconet to the second piconet responsive to a communication indicia representative of communications with the MCD;
- placing the at least one second-piconet pre-handover slave device in a reduced power-level state subsequent to selecting initiation of handover;
- causing at least one second-piconet communication device to become time-synchronized with the MCD;
- and
- effectuating communications between the MCD and the network infrastructure by way of the second piconet.
Apparatus for facilitating handing over communications of a mobile communication device (MCD), initially operable to communicate with a communication network infrastructure by way of a first piconet, to communicating with the network infrastructure by way of a second piconet, the first piconet including a first network access point and the second piconet including a second network access point and at least one second-piconet pre-handover slave device, said apparatus comprising:
- a handover initiation selector coupled to receive indications of a communication indicia representative of communications with the MCD, said handover initiation selector for selecting initiation of handover of communications from the first piconet to the second piconet responsive to the indications of the communication indicia;
- and
- a time-synchronizer coupled to receive indications of selection by said handover initiation selector of selection of the initiation of handover, said time synchronizer for causing the second network access point to become time-synchronized with the MCD, wherein the time-synchronizer is further for placing the at least one second-piconet pre-handover slave device in a reduced power-level state.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.