Methods and systems for concurrent data and signaling methodology for WiMAX handover

A method for wireless communications by a mobile station, comprising:

• transmitting a handover request message to a serving base station;
• receiving a parameter t from the serving base station that indicates a time to suspend a first set of one or more service flows between the serving base station and the mobile station during a handover procedure and continue data exchange for a second set of one or more service flows between the mobile station and the serving base station during the handover procedure;
• suspending the first set of one or more service flows during the handover procedure based on the parameter t, wherein the first set of one or more service flows does not support Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) in a media access control (MAC) layer;
• and
• continuing the handover procedure while continuing data exchange for the second set of one or more service flows, wherein the second set of one or more service flows supports ARQ in a MAC layer.

An apparatus for wireless communications by a serving base station, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• receive a handover request message from a mobile station;
• and
• transmit a parameter t to the mobile station to indicate a time to suspend a first set of one or more service flows between the serving base station and the mobile station during a handover procedure and continue data exchange between the mobile station and the serving base station for a second set of one or more service flows during the handover procedure, wherein the first set of one or more service flows does not support Automatic Repeat Requests (ARQ) in a media access control (MAC) layer and wherein the second set of one or more service flows supports ARQ in a MAC layer;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors.

An apparatus for wireless communications by a mobile station, comprising:

• one or more processors configured to:
• transmit a handover request message to a serving base station;
• receive a parameter t from the serving base station that indicates a time to suspend a first set of one or more service flows between the serving base station and the mobile station during a handover procedure and continue data exchange for a second set of one or more service flows between the mobile station and the serving base station during the handover procedure;
• suspend the first set of one or more service flows during the handover procedure based on the parameter t, wherein the first set of one or more service flows does not support Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) in a media access control (MAC) layer;
• and
• continue the handover procedure while continuing data exchange for the second set of one or more service flows, wherein the second set of one or more service flows supports ARQ in a MAC layer;
• and
• a memory coupled to the one or more processors.

An apparatus for wireless communications by a mobile station, comprising:

• means for transmitting a handover request message to a serving base station;
• means for receiving a parameter t from the serving base station that indicates a time to suspend a first set of one or more service flows between the serving base station and the mobile station during a handover procedure and continue data exchange for a second set of one or more service flows between the mobile station and the serving base station during the handover procedure;
• means for suspending the first set of one or more service flows during the handover procedure based on the parameter t, wherein the first set of one or more service flows does not support Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) in a media access control (MAC) layer;
• and
• means for continuing the handover procedure while continuing data exchange for the second set of one or more service flows, wherein the second set of one or more service flows supports ARQ in a MAC layer.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium for wireless communications by a mobile station, the non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions being executable by one or more processors and the instructions comprising:

• instructions for transmitting a handover request message to a serving base station;
• instructions for receiving a parameter t from the serving base station that indicates a time to suspend a first set of one or more service flows between the serving base station and the mobile station during a handover procedure and continue data exchange for a second set of one or more service flows between the mobile station and the serving base station during the handover procedure;
• instructions for suspending the first set of one or more service flows during the handover procedure based on the parameter t, wherein the first set of one or more service flows does not support Automatic Repeat Request (ARQ) in a media access control (MAC) layer;
• and
• instructions for continuing the handover procedure while continuing data exchange for the second set of one or more service flows, wherein the second set of one or more service flows supports ARQ in a MAC layer.