Method of handing off and a wireless communication device

Claim 1

A method of autonomously handing off a wireless communication device operating in an idle state slotted mode, the wireless communication device storing, prior to entering slotted mode, an Active Set including an active pilot, a Neighbor Set including a plurality of neighbor pilots, and an assigned slot for the wireless communication device to monitor a Paging Channel therein, the method comprising the steps of: a) measuring a signal strength of the active pilot prior to the assigned slot; b) measuring a signal strength of at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots during the assigned slot; c) if the signal strength of the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots is greater than the signal strength of the active pilot, determining whether the signal strength of the active pilot is of acceptable strength or quality; d) if the signal strength of the active pilot is not of acceptable strength or quality, continuing to measure the signal strength of the plurality of neighbor pilots beyond the assigned slot; e) if the signal strength of the active pilot is of acceptable strength or quality, discontinuing measuring the signal strength of the plurality of neighbor pilots; and f) replacing the active pilot with a one of the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots that has a measured signal strength that is greater than the measured signal strength of the active pilot.

Claim 2

A method of autonomously handing off a wireless communication device operating in an idle state slotted mode, the wireless communication device storing, prior to entering slotted mode, an Active Set including an active pilot, a Neighbor Set including a plurality of neighbor pilots, and an assigned slot for the wireless communication device to monitor a Paging Channel therein, the method comprising the steps of: a) measuring a signal strength of the active pilot prior to the assigned slot; b) measuring a signal strength of at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots during the assigned slot; c) if the signal strength of the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots is greater than the signal strength of the active pilot, determining whether the signal strength of the active pilot is of acceptable strength or quality; d) if the signal strength of the active pilot is not of acceptable strength or quality, continuing to measure the signal strength of the plurality of neighbor pilots beyond the assigned slot; e) if the signal strength of the active pilot is of acceptable strength or quality, discontinuing measuring the signal strength of the plurality of neighbor pilots; and f) replacing the active pilot with a one of the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots that has a measured signal strength that is greater than the measured signal strength of the active pilot.

Claim 11

A method of autonomously handing off a wireless communication device operating in an idle state slotted mode, the wireless communication device storing prior to entering slotted mode, an Active Set including an active pilot, a Neighbor Set including a plurality of neighbor pilots, and an assigned slot to monitor a Paging Channel therein, the wireless communication device includes at least one receiver searcher and a plurality of receiver fingers, the method comprising the steps of: prior to the assigned slot: a) assigning the at least one receiver searcher to scan the active pilot; b) scanning the active pilot; c) assigning the at least one receiver searcher to scan at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots after scanning the active pilot; d) assigning at least one of the plurality of receiver fingers to monitor the Paging Channel of the active pilot; e) assigning the receiver fingers that are not assigned to monitor the Paging Channel to assist the at least one receiver searcher in scanning the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots during the assigned slot; during the assigned slot: f) monitoring the Paging Channel of the active pilot; g) scanning the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots; and after the assigned slot: h) replacing the active pilot in the Active Set with a one of the scanned at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots that has a signal strength that is greater than the measured signal strength of the active pilot.

Claim 12

A method of autonomously handing off a wireless communication device operating in an idle state slotted mode, the wireless communication device storing prior to entering slotted mode, an Active Set including an active pilot, a Neighbor Set including a plurality of neighbor pilots, and an assigned slot to monitor a Paging Channel therein, the wireless communication device includes at least one receiver searcher and a plurality of receiver fingers, the method comprising the steps of: prior to the assigned slot: a) assigning the at least one receiver searcher to scan the active pilot; b) scanning the active pilot; c) assigning the at least one receiver searcher to scan at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots after scanning the active pilot; d) assigning at least one of the plurality of receiver fingers to monitor the Paging Channel of the active pilot; e) assigning the receiver fingers that are not assigned to monitor the Paging Channel to assist the at least one receiver searcher in scanning the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots during the assigned slot; during the assigned slot: f) monitoring the Paging Channel of the active pilot; g) scanning the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots; and after the assigned slot: h) replacing the active pilot in the Active Set with a one of the scanned at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots that has a signal strength that is greater than the measured signal strength of the active pilot.

Claim 13

A method of autonomously handing off a wireless communication device operating in an idle state slotted mode, the wireless communication device storing prior to entering slotted mode, an Active Set including a active pilot, a Neighbor Set including a plurality of neighbor pilots, and an assigned slot to monitor a Paging Channel therein, the wireless communication device includes at least one receiver searcher and a plurality of receiver fingers, the method comprising the steps of: prior to the assigned slot; a) determining a Hot Neighbor Set that includes a subset of the plurality of neighbor pilots, the subset of the plurality of neighbor pilots of the Hot Neighbor Set called hot neighbor pilots, and the neighbor pilots in the Neighbor Set but not in the Hot Neighbor Set called cold neighbor pilots; b) assigning the at least one receiver searcher to scan the active pilot; c) scanning the active pilot; d) assigning at least one of a plurality of receiver fingers to monitor the Paging Channel of the active pilot; e) assigning the at least one receiver searcher and the plurality of receiver fingers not assigned to monitor the Paging Channel to scan as time permits during the assigned slot, first the hot neighbor pilots and then the cold neighbor pilots; during the assigned slot: f) monitoring the Paging Channel of the active pilot; g) scanning the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots; after the assigned slot: h) re-determining the Hot Neighbor Set according to the scan results of the active pilot, the hot neighbor pilots, and the cold neighbor pilots; i) replacing the active pilot in the Active Set with a one of the scanned hot neighbor pilots that has a measured signal strength that is greater than the measured signal strength of the active pilot; and j) repeating steps b) through I) while the wireless communication device is in the slotted mode.

Claim 14

A method of autonomously handing off a wireless communication device operating in an idle state slotted mode, the wireless communication device storing prior to entering slotted mode, an Active Set including a active pilot, a Neighbor Set including a plurality of neighbor pilots, and an assigned slot to monitor a Paging Channel therein, the wireless communication device includes at least one receiver searcher and a plurality of receiver fingers, the method comprising the steps of: prior to the assigned slot; a) determining a Hot Neighbor Set that includes a subset of the plurality of neighbor pilots, the subset of the plurality of neighbor pilots of the Hot Neighbor Set called hot neighbor pilots, and the neighbor pilots in the Neighbor Set but not in the Hot Neighbor Set called cold neighbor pilots; b) assigning the at least one receiver searcher to scan the active pilot; c) scanning the active pilot; d) assigning at least one of a plurality of receiver fingers to monitor the Paging Channel of the active pilot; e) assigning the at least one receiver searcher and the plurality of receiver fingers not assigned to monitor the Paging Channel to scan as time permits during the assigned slot, first the hot neighbor pilots and then the cold neighbor pilots; during the assigned slot: f) monitoring the Paging Channel of the active pilot; g) scanning the at least one of the plurality of neighbor pilots; after the assigned slot: h) re-determining the Hot Neighbor Set according to the scan results of the active pilot, the hot neighbor pilots, and the cold neighbor pilots; i) replacing the active pilot in the Active Set with a one of the scanned hot neighbor pilots that has a measured signal strength that is greater than the measured signal strength of the active pilot; and j) repeating steps b) through I) while the wireless communication device is in the slotted mode.