Apparatus and method for terminal handover between systems using different frequency allocations

An operation method performed at a small base station for a handover of a terminal, the method comprising:

• monitoring, at the small base station, an indication signal for a handover transmitted by the terminal to inform of a presence of the terminal in a coverage of a macro base station to which the small base station is registered, upon (i) entering of the terminal into a coverage area of the macro base station which is a home base station of the small base station to which the terminal is registered and (ii) a comparison by the terminal of an identifier of the small base station with an identifier of the macro base station, the indication signal comprising identifier information of the terminal, the macro base station operating in a different frequency band than the small base station;
• and
• when detecting the indication signal, transmitting, at the small base station, a handover request message of the terminal to the macro base station;
• wherein the identifier of the small base station is compared with the identifier of the macro base station before the handover.

An apparatus for a handover of a terminal, the apparatus comprising:

• a means for checking, upon performing initial access to a macro base station which includes a coverage of a small base station within a coverage of the macro base station, whether the terminal can perform a handover to the small base station by comparing an identifier of the small base station with an identifier of the macro base station, and for transmitting an indication signal for the handover when the terminal can perform the handover to the small base station, the indication signal comprising at least identifier information of the terminal;
• and
• a means for, upon receiving a handover command message to the small base station from the macro base station, performing a handover procedure to the small base station,
• wherein the macro base station operates in a different frequency band than the small base station, and wherein the terminal is registered to the small base station in advance;
• and
• wherein the identifier of the small base station is compared with the identifier of the macro base station before the handover.

An apparatus of a small base station for a handover of a terminal, the apparatus comprising:

• a means for monitoring an indication signal for a handover transmitted by the terminal to inform of a presence of the terminal in a coverage of a macro base station to which the small base station is registered, upon (i) entering of the terminal into a coverage area of the macro base station which is a home base station of the small base station to which the terminal is registered and (ii) a comparison by the terminal of an identifier of the small base station with an identifier of the macro base station, the indication signal comprising identifier information of the terminal;
• and
• a means for, upon detecting the indication signal, transmitting a handover request message of the terminal to the macro base station, wherein the macro base station operates in a different frequency band than the small base station;
• and
• wherein the identifier of the small base station is compared with the identifier of the macro base station before the handover.