Method for supporting fast base station switching in a wireless communication system using multiple frequency bands

A method for performing fast base station switching in a mobile station capable of using multiple frequency assignments in a wireless communication system having base stations each managing at least two frequency assignments, the method comprising:

• receiving neighbor base station information including a frequency assignment (FA) list of a neighbor base station from a serving base station;
• scanning total frequency assignments using the FA list;
• determining a target frequency assignment according to a result of the scanning and transmitting a switch indication including information about the selected target frequency assignment to the serving base station;
• switching to the target frequency assignment;
• receiving overlay mode information in the target frequency assignment;
• notifying a base station managing the target frequency assignment that the mobile station will operate in an overlay mode;
• and
• transmitting and receiving signals in the target frequency assignment and another frequency assignment of the base station managing the target frequency assignment.

A method for supporting fast base station switching in a serving base station that provides a service to a mobile station in a wireless communication system having base stations each managing at least two frequency assignments, the method comprising:

• exchanging frequency assignment (FA) lists with neighbor base stations;
• transmitting neighbor base station information including the FA lists to the mobile station;
• exchanging information indicating whether the mobile station supports an overlay mode and information about a service level that the mobile station wants with the neighbor base stations;
• and
• notifying, upon receipt of a switch indication including a target frequency assignment from the mobile station, a base station managing the target frequency assignment of the target frequency assignment.

A method for supporting fast base station switching in a neighbor base station in a wireless communication system having base stations each managing at least two frequency assignments, the method comprising:

• exchanging frequency assignment lists with a serving base station and other neighbor base stations;
• receiving from the serving base station a signal indicating that a mobile station will perform fast base station switching to a target frequency assignment managed by the neighbor base station;
• performing switching with the mobile station in the target frequency assignment;
• transmitting overlay mode information to the mobile station in the target frequency assignment, the overlay mode information including information about a primary frequency assignment and a secondary frequency assignment for use in signal transmission and reception to and from the mobile station;
• and
• transmitting and receiving signals to and from the mobile station in the primary frequency assignment and the secondary frequency assignment.