Handover control using first and second handover control criterion, the first criterion being more stringent than the second criterion

摘要

A controller and method for deciding to initiate handover of a mobile terminal in a wireless cellular network wherein a first quality value for a wireless link between a serving base station BS and the mobile terminal is determined and assessed against a first handover control criterion (e.g. minimum quality level). One or more second quality values are determined, each second quality value being for a wireless link between the mobile terminal and a respective non-serving base station. If the first quality value does not meet the first handover control criterion (minimum quality level), each second quality value is assessed against the first handover control criterion (minimum quality level). If all of the one or more second quality values do not meet the first handover control criterion, the first quality value is assessed against a second handover control criterion (lower minimum quality level). Thus, the first handover control criterion is more stringent than the second handover control criterion. Thus, if the link with the serving BS and links with non serving BSs all fail to meet an initial stringent handover control criterion (minimum quality level), it carries out a second phase of decision making wherein the link with the serving BS is assessed against at least one less stringent criterion (lower minimum quality level) and if the criterion is met, no handover need take place.