Radio network control

A method performed in a first radio network controller of a first subnet of a radio access network, the method comprising:

• establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and at least one sector of a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• receiving a notification from an access terminal, the notification comprising information about pilot strengths of sectors that are visible to the access terminal;
• selecting one or more of the sectors based on the information about the pilot strengths, wherein a first sector of the one or more sectors is located in the second subnet of the radio access network and has a border association with the first radio network controller;
• and
• after the border association has been established, sending a communication to the access terminal over a control channel through the first sector without the communication passing through any radio network controller of the second subnet.

A method performed at a first radio network controller of a first subnet of a radio access network, comprising:

• establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, maintaining an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the access terminal initially uses a first carrier in the first subnet that cannot be used in the second subnet.

A method, comprising:

• establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, maintaining, at a first radio network controller of a first subnet of a radio access network, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of a second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the first subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a first 1xEV-DO standard and the second subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a second 1xEV-DO standard.

A radio network controller configured to operate in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory for storing instructions that are executable by the processor to:
• establish a border association between the radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, send a communication, from the radio network controller of the first subnet of the radio access network, to an access terminal over a control channel through the second subnet of the radio access network without the communication passing through any radio network controller of the second subnet.

A radio network controller configured to operate in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory for storing instructions that are executable by the processor to:
• establish a border association between the first radio network controller and at least one sector of a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• receive a notification from an access terminal at the first radio network controller of a first subnet of a radio access network, the notification comprising information about pilot strengths of sectors that are visible to the access terminal;
• select one or more of the sectors based on the information about the pilot strengths, wherein a first sector of the one or more sectors is located in the second subnet of the radio access network and has a border association with the first radio network controller;
• and
• after the border association has been established, send a communication to the access terminal over a control channel through the first sector without the communication passing through any radio network controller of the second subnet.

A radio network controller configured to operate in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• means for establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and at least one sector of a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• means for receiving a notification from an access terminal at the first radio network controller of a first subnet of a radio access network, the notification comprising information about pilot strengths of sectors that are visible to the access terminal;
• means for selecting one or more of the sectors based on the information about the pilot strengths, wherein a first sector of the one or more sectors is located in the second subnet of the radio access network and has a border association with the first radio network controller;
• and
• means for sending, after the border association has been established, a communication to the access terminal over a control channel through the first sector without the communication passing through any radio network controller of the second subnet.

A system, comprising:

• a first subnet of a radio access network and a second subnet of a radio access network, the first subnet comprising:
• a first radio network controller configured to:
• establish a border association between the radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, send a communication, from the radio network controller of the first subnet of the radio access network, to an access terminal over a control channel through the second subnet of the radio access network without the communication passing through any radio network controller of the second subnet.

A system, comprising:

• a first subnet of a radio access network and a second subnet of the radio access network, the first subnet comprising:
• a first radio network controller configured to:
• establish a border association between the first radio network controller and at least one sector of a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• receive a notification from an access terminal at the first radio network controller, the notification comprising information about pilot strengths of sectors that are visible to the access terminal;
• select one or more of the sectors based on the information about the pilot strengths, wherein a first sector of the one or more sectors is located in the second subnet of the radio access network and has a border association with the first radio network controller;
• and
• after the border association has been established, send a communication to the access terminal over a control channel the first sector without the communication passing through any radio network controller of the second subnet.

A radio network controller configured to operated in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory for storing instructions that are executable by the processor to:
• establish a border association between the first radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, maintain, at the radio network controller of a first subnet of a radio access network, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the access terminal initially uses a first carrier in the first subnet that cannot be used in the second subnet.

A radio network controller configured to operate in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• means for establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• means for maintaining, at the radio network controller after the border association has been established, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the access terminal initially uses a first carrier in the first subnet that cannot be used in the second subnet.

A system, comprising:

• a first subnet of a radio access network, comprising:
• a first radio network controller, wherein the first radio network controller is configured to:
• establish a border association between the first radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, maintain an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio rode of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the access terminal initially uses a first carrier in the first subnet that cannot be used in the second subnet.

A radio network controller configured to operate in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• memory for storing instructions that are executable by the processor to:
• establish a border association with a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, maintain, at the radio network controller, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the first subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a first 1xEV-DO standard and the second subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a second 1xEV-DO standard.

A radio network controller configured to operated in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• means for establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• means for maintaining, after the border association has been established, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the first subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a first 1xEV-DO standard and the second subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a second 1xEV-DO standard.

A system, comprising:

• a first subnet of a radio access network, comprising:
• radio nodes, wherein at least one radio node of the radio nodes is configured to communicate with a first radio network controller;
• and
• the first radio network controller, wherein the first radio network controller is configured to:
• establish a border association between the first radio network controller and at least one sector of a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, maintain an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet of the radio access network;
• wherein the radio nodes of the first subnet comprise at least some radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a first 1xEV-DO standard and the second subnet comprises radio nodes that are configured in accordance with a second 1xEV-DO standard.

A method performed in a radio access network including a first and a second subnet, in which the first subnet includes a first radio network controller, and in which radio nodes in the first subnet are configured in accordance with one 1xEV-DO standard that comprises the 1xEV-DO Rev-A standard, and radio nodes in the second subnet are configured in accordance with another 1xEV-DO standard that comprises the 1xEV-DO Rev-0 standard, the method comprising;

• establishing a border association between the first radio network controller and at least one border radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the border radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• after the border association has been established, enabling the first radio network controller to maintain an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of the first subnet to a coverage area of the border radio node of the second subnet;
• wherein the access terminal uses a carrier in the first subnet that cannot be used in the second subnet.

A radio network controller configured to operate in a first subnet of a radio access network, the radio network controller comprising:

• means for establishing a border association between the radio network controller and a radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• means for maintaining, after the border association has been established, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of a first subnet to a coverage area of the radio node of the second subnet;
• wherein radio nodes in the first subnet are configured in accordance with a 1xEV-DO standard that comprises the 1xEV-DO Rev-A standard, and radio nodes in the second subnet are configured in accordance with another 1xEV-DO standard that comprises the 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 standard.

A system comprising,

• a packet data serving node connected to a network;
• at least two subnets, each subnet comprising:
• at least one radio network controller connected to the packet data serving node;
• and
• at least one radio node connected to a radio network controller in the same subnet;
• wherein a first radio network controller located in a first subnet is configured to:
• establish a border association between the first radio network controller and a border radio node of a second subnet, the border association being established based at least in part on a proximity of the border radio node to a subnet boundary between the first subnet and the second subnet;
• and
• maintain, after the border association has been established, an open traffic channel with an access terminal when the access terminal moves from a coverage area of a first subnet to a coverage area of the border radio node of the second subnet;
• wherein radio nodes in the first subnet are configured in accordance with a 1xEV-DO standard that comprises the 1xEV-DO Rev-A standard, and radio nodes in the second subnet are configured in accordance with another 1xEV-DO standard that comprises the 1xEV-DO Rev. 0 standard.