Handover in Heterogeneous Networks Using Systematic Imbalance Thresholds

The patent changes the parameter of handover decision-making from always using uplink information to conditionally using it based on systematic imbalance thresholds. By monitoring the systematic imbalance parameter between downlink and uplink and comparing it against a threshold, the system dynamically adjusts whether to incorporate uplink measurements, thus improving handover performance only when necessary and reducing signaling overhead when not needed.

The patent introduces dynamic adaptation in the handover mechanism by making the use of uplink information flexible rather than static. The system continuously monitors systematic imbalance conditions and adapts its handover decision process accordingly, switching between downlink-only and combined uplink-downlink modes based on real-time network conditions, thereby optimizing the balance between performance and complexity.

The patent applies local quality by recognizing that different base stations in the heterogeneous network have different systematic imbalance characteristics. Instead of using a uniform handover approach for all base stations, the system tailors the handover decision process to each base station's specific characteristics by monitoring its individual systematic imbalance levels and applying appropriate thresholds, thus maintaining measurement precision across diverse network conditions.

The patent addresses the systematic imbalance issue by introducing parameter-based adaptation where the handover mechanism adjusts its behavior based on the systematic imbalance parameter specific to each base station pair. By comparing systematic imbalance differences against configured thresholds, the system compensates for the variations introduced by heterogeneous base station deployments, maintaining accurate handover decisions despite differences in coverage and capacity characteristics.