Mobile Handover Candidate Selection for Seamless Connectivity

The patent applies preliminary action by preparing multiple candidate base stations in advance before handover is actually needed. The source base station receives measurement reports from the UE and identifies a set of candidate base stations that could potentially serve as handover targets, rather than selecting a single candidate at the moment of handover decision. This pre-preparation ensures that if the first candidate fails, alternative candidates are already identified and ready, preventing data interruption while maintaining fast decision-making.

The patent implements beforehand cushioning by having multiple candidate base stations ready as a backup mechanism. Instead of relying on a single handover candidate, the system prepares a list of potential target base stations in advance, cushioning against the risk that the primary candidate may fail to complete the handover. This redundancy ensures continuous connectivity even when the first candidate proves unsuitable, thereby improving handover reliability without significantly increasing decision time.

The patent applies segmentation by dividing the handover procedure into distinct phases: measurement report collection, candidate base station identification, handover execution, and fallback mechanisms. By segmenting the complex multi-candidate handover process into manageable steps, the system can prepare multiple candidates without overwhelming the control logic. Each phase handles a specific aspect of the handover, making the overall complex procedure more tractable and easier to manage while maintaining high reliability.

The patent implements partial action by not requiring all candidate base stations to be fully prepared and validated before handover begins. Instead, the source base station identifies a set of potential candidates based on measurement reports, and the actual handover execution proceeds with the most suitable candidate. If that fails, alternative candidates are then considered. This partial preparation approach reduces the complexity burden compared to fully validating all candidates in advance, while still providing reliable fallback options.

The patent applies continuity of useful action by enabling the UE to maintain active connections with multiple base stations simultaneously during the handover process. Instead of breaking the connection with the source base station before establishing a new one (as in hard handover), the UE continues to utilize the source base station connection while parallel handover preparations are conducted with multiple candidate base stations. This ensures continuous data transmission without interruption while keeping the original connection productive throughout the handover procedure.

The patent uses preliminary action to perform handover preparations in advance while the current connection remains active and productive. The source base station identifies and prepares multiple candidate base stations before the handover is actually executed, allowing the UE to continue utilizing the existing connection for data transmission. This pre-preparation approach eliminates the need to maintain handover margins that would otherwise force the system to keep the original connection idle during the handover transition, thereby maintaining both connectivity continuity and connection utilization.