Method and apparatus for delegating signal quality handover measuring of a user equipment in wireless communication to a neighbouring user equipment

A method for a first user equipment (UE) unit of a plurality of UE units delegating to other UE units measuring of signal quality for handover management between a plurality of Radio Access Technology (RAT) systems, the method comprising the acts of:

• at least one RAT system_of the plurality of RAT systems:
• receiving a request from the first user equipment (UE) unit to obtain a measurement of the signal quality in the at least one RAT system;
• finding one or more other UE units suitable to carry out the measurement;
• forwarding the request to the one or more of other UE units;
• and
• receiving the measurement reported by the one or more other UE units, wherein the received measurement approximates the signal quality of a measurement obtainable by the first UE unit,
• wherein the request includes a maximum distance between each of the one or more other UE units and the first UE unit, wherein the request further includes a required number of idle timeslots in the one or more other UE units, and wherein the finding act finds the one or more other UE units based on the maximum distance and the required number of idle timeslots.

A method for a first user equipment (UE) unit of a plurality of UE units delegating to other UE units measuring of signal quality for handover management between a plurality of Radio Access Technology (RAT) systems, the method comprising the acts of:

• the first UE unit:
• sending a request to at least one other UE unit of the plurality of UE units to obtain a measurement of the signal quality in a first RAT system of the plurality of RAT systems, wherein the request includes a maximum distance requirement that a distance between the at least one other UE unit of the plurality of UE units and the first UE unit be less than a predefined threshold, and wherein the request further includes a required number of idle timeslots in the at least one other UE unit;
• receiving the measurement from at least one other UE unit of the plurality of UE units, the received measurement approximating the signal quality of a measurement obtainable by the first UE unit;
• and
• reporting the received measurement to the first RAT system.

A User Equipment (UE) unit used for measuring signal quality for handover management between a plurality of Radio Access Technology (RAT) systems delegated by a first UE unit located nearby in a wireless communication network, the UE unit comprising:

• a receiver for receiving a request from the first UE unit to obtain a measurement;
• a processor configured to obtain the measurement according to the request, the obtained measurement approximating a measurement obtainable by the first UE unit;
• and
• a transmitter for sending the measurement to the first UE unit;
• wherein the request includes a maximum distance between the UE unit and the first UE unit, and wherein the request further includes a required number of idle timeslots in the UE unit.

A plurality of Radio Access Technology (RAT) systems including a plurality of user equipment (UE) units located nearby in a wireless communication network that delegate measuring of a signal quality for handover management between the plurality of RAT systems, comprising:

• a receiver configured to receive a request from a first UE unit of the plurality of UE units to obtain a measurement;
• a processor configured to select at least one other UE unit of the plurality of UE units to carry out the measurement for the first UE;
• and
• a transmitter for sending the request to the at least one other UE unit of the plurality of UE units selected by the processor;
• wherein the receiver is further configured to receive the measurement from the at least one other UE unit of the plurality of UE unit selected by the processor, and wherein the carried out measurement approximates a measurement obtainable by the first UE unit;
• wherein the request includes a maximum distance between the at least one other UE unit and the first UE unit, wherein the request further includes a required number of idle timeslots in the at least one other UE unit, and wherein the processor selects the at least one other UE unit based on the maximum distance and the required number of idle timeslots.