Reduced noise interference during handoff

Claim 2

A receiver which reduces noise interference during communication handoff, the receiver having a switched audio path to convey at least an audio signal to a destination telephone system, the receiver comprising: means for accepting a desired radio frequency signal having at least the audio signal and a coverage area identification value modulated thereon; means for demodulating said desired radio frequency signal to produce signals representing at least the audio signal and said coverage area identification value; means for determining a signal quality value of said desired radio frequency signal; means for providing a predetermined coverage area value; means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to said predetermined coverage area value; means for determining when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means for disabling said switched audio path when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; and means for enabling said disabled switched audio path responsive to said means for determining a signal quality value and said means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 3

The receiver of claim 1 wherein said means for determining a signal quality value of said radio frequency signal further comprises means for determining a signal strength value of said radio frequency signal.

Claim 4

The receiver of claim 2 wherein said means for determining a signal quality valve further comprises means for providing at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 5

The receiver of claim 3 wherein said means for enabling further comprises means for enabling the switched audio path when said signal strength value is greater than said at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 6

The receiver of claim 1 wherein said means for enabling further comprises means for enabling the switched audio path when said demodulated coverage area identification value essentially equals said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 7

The receiver of claim 1 wherein said means for comparing further comprises means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to one of at least a first, second, and third predetermined coverage area values.

Claim 8

The receiver of claim 6 wherein said first predetermined coverage area value is 5970 Hz, said second predetermined coverage area value is 6000 Hz, and said third predetermined coverage area value is 6030 Hz.

Claim 9

A base-station employing a receiver which reduces noise interference during communication handoff, the base-station employed in a radiotelephone system, the receiver having a switched audio path to convey at least an audio signal to a destination telephone system, the base-station comprising: means for receiving a desired radio frequency signal having at least the audio signal and a coverage area identification value modulated thereon; means for demodulating said desired radio frequency signal to produce signals representing at least the audio signal and said coverage area identification value; means for determining a signal quality value of said desired radio frequency signal; means for providing a predetermined coverage area value; means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to said predetermined coverage area value; means for determining when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means for disabling the switched audio path when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; and means for enabling said disabled switched audio path responsive to said means for determining a signal quality value and said means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 10

A base-station employing a receiver which reduces noise interference during communication handoff, the base-station employed in a radiotelephone system, the receiver having a switched audio path to convey at least an audio signal to a destination telephone system, the base-station comprising: means for receiving a desired radio frequency signal having at least the audio signal and a coverage area identification value modulated thereon; means for demodulating said desired radio frequency signal to produce signals representing at least the audio signal and said coverage area identification value; means for determining a signal quality value of said desired radio frequency signal; means for providing a predetermined coverage area value; means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to said predetermined coverage area value; means for determining when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means for disabling the switched audio path when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; and means for enabling said disabled switched audio path responsive to said means for determining a signal quality value and said means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 11

The base-station of claim 8 wherein said means for determining a signal quality value of said radio frequency signal further comprises means for determining a signal strength value of said radio frequency signal.

Claim 12

The base-station of claim 9 wherein said means for determining a signal quality value further comprises means for providing at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 13

The base-station of claim 10 wherein said means for enabling further comprises means for enabling the switched audio path when said signal strength value is greater than said at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 14

The base-station of claim 8 wherein said means for enabling further comprises means for enabling the switched audio path when said demodulated coverage area identification value essentially equals said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 15

The base-station of claim 8 wherein said means for comparing further comprises means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to one of at least a first, second, and third predetermined coverage area values.

Claim 16

The base station of claim 13 wherein said first predetermined coverage area value is 5970 Hz, said second predetermined coverage area value is 6000 Hz, and said third predetermined coverage area value is 6030 Hz.

Claim 17

A radiotelephone system having reduced noise interference during communication handoff, the radiotelephone system having a source base-station communicating with a subscriber unit in a first coverage area, the source base-station having a source audio path to convey an audio signal, the subscriber unit requiring communication handoff from the source base-station to a target base-station in a second coverage area, the target base-station having a target audio path to convey an audio signal, the radiotelephone system comprising: means, at the target base-station, for receiving a desired radio frequency signal having at least a coverage area identification value modulated thereon; means, at the target base-station, for demodulating said desired radio frequency signal to produce at least one signal representing said coverage area identification value; means, at the target base-station, for determining a signal quality value of said desired radio frequency signal; means, at the target base-station, for providing a predetermined coverage area value; means, at the target base-station, for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to the predetermined coverage area value; means, at the target base-station, for determining when said target audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means, at the target base-station, for disabling the target audio path when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means, at the target base-station, for enabling said disabled target audio path responsive to said means for determining a signal quality value and said means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to the predetermined coverage area value; and means for coupling said source audio path to said enabled target audio path.

Claim 18

A radiotelephone system having reduced noise interference during communication handoff, the radiotelephone system having a source base-station communicating with a subscriber unit in a first coverage area, the source base-station having a source audio path to convey an audio signal, the subscriber unit requiring communication handoff from the source base-station to a target base-station in a second coverage area, the target base-station having a target audio path to convey an audio signal, the radiotelephone system comprising: means, at the target base-station, for receiving a desired radio frequency signal having at least a coverage area identification value modulated thereon; means, at the target base-station, for demodulating said desired radio frequency signal to produce at least one signal representing said coverage area identification value; means, at the target base-station, for determining a signal quality value of said desired radio frequency signal; means, at the target base-station, for providing a predetermined coverage area value; means, at the target base-station, for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to the predetermined coverage area value; means, at the target base-station, for determining when said target audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means, at the target base-station, for disabling the target audio path when said switched audio path has been enabled by an undesired radio frequency signal; means, at the target base-station, for enabling said disabled target audio path responsive to said means for determining a signal quality value and said means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to the predetermined coverage area value; and means for coupling said source audio path to said enabled target audio path.

Claim 19

The radiotelephone system of claim 15 wherein said means for determining a signal quality value of said radio frequency signal further comprises means for determining a signal strength value of said radio frequency signal.

Claim 20

The radiotelephone system of claim 16 wherein said means for determining a signal quality value further comprises means for providing at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 21

The radiotelephone system of claim 17 wherein said means for enabling further comprises means for enabling the target audio path when said signal strength value is greater than said at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 22

The radiotelephone system of claim 15 wherein said means for enabling further comprises means for enabling the target audio path when said demodulated coverage area identification value essentially equals said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 23

The radiotelephone system of claim 15 wherein said means for comparing further comprises means for comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to one of at least a first, second, and third predetermined coverage area values.

Claim 24

The radiotelephone system of claim 20 wherein said first predetermined coverage area value is 5970 Hz, said second predetermined coverage area value is 6000 Hz, and said third predetermined coverage area value is 6030 Hz.

Claim 27

The method of claim 22 wherein said step of determining a signal quality value of said radio frequency signal further comprises the step of determining a signal strength value of said radio frequency signal.

Claim 28

The method of claim 23 wherein said step of determining further comprises the step of providing at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 29

The method of claim 24 wherein said step of enabling further comprises the step of enabling the switched audio path when said signal strength value is greater than said at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 30

The method of claim 22 wherein said step of enabling further comprises the step of enabling the switched audio path when said demodulated coverage area identification value essentially equals said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 31

The method of claim 22 wherein said step of comparing further comprises the step of comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to one of at least a first, second, and third predetermined coverage area values and wherein said first predetermined coverage area value is 5970 Hz, said second predetermined coverage area value is 6000 Hz, and said third predetermined coverage area value is 6030 Hz.

Claim 34

The method system of claim 28 wherein said step of determining a signal quality value of said radio frequency signal further comprises the step of determining a signal strength value of said radio frequency signal.

Claim 35

The method system of claim 29 wherein said step of determining a signal quality value further comprises the step of providing at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 36

The method system of claim 30 wherein said step of enabling further comprises the step of enabling the target audio path when said signal strength value is greater than said at least one communication handoff threshold.

Claim 37

The method system of claim 28 wherein said step of enabling further comprises the step of enabling the target audio path when said demodulated coverage area identification value essentially equals said predetermined coverage area value.

Claim 38

The method system of claim 28 wherein said step of comparing further comprises the step of comparing said demodulated coverage area identification value to one of at least a first, second, and third predetermined coverage area values and wherein said first predetermined coverage area value is 5970 Hz, said second predetermined coverage area value is 6000 Hz, and said third predetermined coverage area value is 6030 Hz.