Methods and apparatus of improving inter-sector and/or inter cell handoffs in a multi-carrier wireless communications system

An apparatus, comprising:

• circuitry configured to cause a base station transmitter to:
• transmit ordinary signaling into a first frequency band during a first period of time having a first duration, wherein the base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band during the first period of time;
• and
• transmit a beacon signal into the second frequency band during a second period of time having a second duration that is shorter than the duration of said first period of time, wherein the beacon signal is transmitted at higher power than the ordinary signaling;
• wherein the first and second periods of time repeat at periodic intervals.

A method, comprising:

• transmitting, from a base station transmitter, ordinary signaling into a first frequency band during a first period of time, wherein the base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band during the first period of time;
• and
• transmitting, from the base station transmitter, a beacon signal into the second frequency band during a second period of time that is shorter than the first period of time, wherein the beacon signal is transmitted at higher power than the ordinary signaling;
• wherein the first and second periods of time repeat at a fixed periodicity.

A computer-program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions thereon, the instructions comprising:

• code for causing a base station transmitter to transmit ordinary signaling into a first frequency band during a first period of time, wherein the base station transmitter does not transmit into a second frequency band during the first period of time;
• and
• code for causing the base station transmitter to transmit a beacon signal into the second frequency band during a second period of time that is shorter than the first period of time, wherein the beacon signal is transmitted at higher power than the ordinary signaling;
• wherein the first and second periods of time repeat at a fixed periodicity.