System for fast macrodiversity switching in mobile wireless networks

A method comprising:

• receiving, at a host zone manager, measurement information from a corresponding transceiver and from one or more assistant host zone managers;
• the host zone manager processing the measurement information to determine preferred ones of a plurality of transceivers to be used in providing dedicated channels for communication with a mobile station, wherein communication over said dedicated channels includes the use of a first radio resource, and wherein the plurality of transceivers includes the corresponding transceiver and one or more additional transceivers each associated with a corresponding one of the one or more assistant zone managers;
• and
• the host zone manager dynamically switching, based on said processing, said dedicated channels between said preferred ones of the plurality of transceivers during communication with the mobile station over said dedicated channels, wherein said dynamic switching is performed without changing the first radio resource.

A communications station comprising:

• a transceiver including one or more broadcasters and one or more collectors, wherein the broadcasters are configured to transmit downlink signals to a mobile station, and wherein the collectors are configured to receive uplink signal from the mobile station, wherein the transceiver is one of a plurality of transceivers in a communications system;
• a zone manager coupled to the transceiver, wherein the zone manager is configured to act as a host zone manager for communications with the mobile station, and wherein the zone manager is configured to:
• receive measurement information from the transceiver and from each of one or more additional zone managers acting as assistant zone managers, wherein each of the additional zone managers is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of transceivers;
• process the measurement information in order to determine preferred ones of the plurality of transceivers to provide dedicated channels for communication with the mobile station wherein communication over said dedicated channels includes the use of a first radio resource;
• and
• dynamically switch said dedicated channels between said preferred ones of the plurality of transceivers during communication with the mobile station over said dedicated channels, wherein said dynamic switching is performed without changing the first radio resource.

A zone manager comprising:

• first means for receiving measurement information from one or more additional zone managers and from a corresponding transceiver when said zone manager is acting as a host zone manager for a mobile station, said mobile station being configured to transfer uplink signals to and receive downlink signals from a plurality of transceivers including the corresponding transceiver, and wherein at least one of the one or more additional zone managers acts as an assistant zone manager, and wherein each of the one or more additional zone managers is associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of transceivers;
• second means for processing said measurement information to determine preferred ones of a plurality of transceivers to provide dedicated channels for communication with the mobile station, wherein communication over said dedicated channels includes the use of a first radio resource;
• and
• third means for dynamically switching said dedicated channels between said preferred ones of the plurality of transceivers during communication with the mobile station over said dedicated channels, wherein said dynamic switching is performed without changing the first radio resource.

A communications system comprising:

• a plurality of transceiver stations positioned at macrodiverse locations, wherein each of the plurality of transceivers is configured to transmit downlink signals to and receive uplink signals from one or more mobile stations;
• a plurality of zone managers, wherein each of the zone managers corresponds to one of the plurality of transceiver stations, wherein each of the plurality of zone managers includes:
• an interface unit coupling the zone manager to its corresponding transceiver and one or more other ones of the plurality of zone managers;
• a processing unit configured to process measurement information received via the interface unit in order to determine preferred ones of a plurality of transceivers to provide dedicated channels for communication with a particular one of the one or more mobile stations, wherein communication over said dedicated channels includes the use of a first radio resource;
• and
• a control unit configured to dynamically switch said dedicated channels between said preferred ones of the plurality of transceivers during communication with the mobile station over said dedicated channels, wherein said dynamic switching is performed without changing the first radio resource.