Proactive deployment of decision mechanisms for optimal handover
AssigneeNtt Docomo, Inc.
InventorChristian Prehofer
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Abstract
To achieve optimal selection of new access points for mobile devices (10) being located in a mobile communication environment (14), according to the present invention there is provided a method of assisting handovers for a mobile device in a mobile communication environment. It is proposed to proactively deploy a handover decision mechanism in relation to a handover and in view of the operational context of the mobile device (10). This proactively deployed handover decision mechanism is then used to determine a new access point for the mobile device (10).
Claims38
A method of assisting at least one handover for a mobile device in a mobile communication environment with a plurality of access points, characterized by the steps comprising:
- determining an operational context as a profile of applications being executed in the mobile device before or at the time of pro-active deployment of a handover decision mechanism;
- proactively deploying the handover decision mechanism in relation to the at least one handover and according to an operational context into a subsystem of the mobile communication environment executing the handover;
- identifying at least one candidate access point as input to the proactively deployed handover decision mechanism using existing handover mechanisms;
- and
- determining at least one new access point for the mobile device from the at least one candidate access point using the deployed handover decision mechanism such that the at least one new access point supports the applications running on the mobile devices.
A handover assisting apparatus for a mobile device in a mobile communication environment with a plurality of access points, comprising:
- an application profile unit adapted to determine an operational context as a profile of applications being executed in the mobile device before or at the time of pro-active deployment of the handover decision mechanism;
- a pro-active deployment unit adapted to pro-actively deploying a handover decision mechanism in relation to the at least one handover and according to the operational context into a subsystem of the mobile communication environment executing the handover;
- a candidate access point determination unit adapted to identify at least one access point using existing handover mechanisms;
- and
- an access point determination unit adapted to determine at least one new access point for the mobile device from the at least one candidate access point using the deployed handover decision mechanism, such that the at least one new access point supports the application running of the mobile device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.