Database Assisted Handoffs Application Notes R 16.

Version 1.0

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DAHO Application Notes

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 DAHO Application Notes ___________________________________________________ 3 1.1 Introduction__________________________________________________________ 3 1.2 DAHO Criteria and Techniques _________________________________________ 3 1.2.1 DAHO Criteria ____________________________________________________ 3 1.2.2 DAHO Techniques _________________________________________________ 4 1.3 DAHO Implementation ________________________________________________ 4 1.3.1 Border sectors _____________________________________________________ 5 1.3.2 Border detection ___________________________________________________ 5 1.3.3 Most likely source sector ____________________________________________ 6 1.3.4 Handoff Target Selection, Source______________________________________ 6 1.3.5 Handin Carrier Selection_____________________________________________ 6 1.4 Database Parameters __________________________________________________ 6

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DAHO Application Notes

DAHO Application Notes

1.1 Introduction This section is an application note for Database Assisted Handoff (DAHO) operation within a CDMA system. Any CDMA provider which does not have a ubiquitous system, a multi-carrier system, or require uninterrupted service, should implement DAHO. DAHO is specifically created to provide a means to transition (handoff) a mobile to another frequency band and /or air interface, in a sector near the edge of CDMA coverage, without loss in service. Since normal CDMA Mobile Assisted Handoff (MAHO) handoff detection methods cannot be used to determine a suitable target, database-stored information concerning fully overlapping handoff targets (sectors) is used to carry out the handoff process. When a certain number of the active Forward Traffic Channels (i.e. legs) are indicated (via the database) to be DAHO sectors (each forward traffic channel corresponds to a sector) a handoff is triggered to the DAHO sector with the best signal strength. 1.2 DAHO Criteria and Techniques

1.2.1 DAHO Criteria The MM determines if a DAHO handoff is required by analyzing the total number of pilots and the number of pilots that are border cells. In addition, if there are two active pilots and only one is a border cell, whether or not they belong to the same cell site is also taken into account. Table 1 provides the exact majority criteria used when determining if a DAHO handoff should be attempted

Table 1: DAHO Handoff Validation Table

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DAHO Application Notes

1.2.2 DAHO Techniques When CDMA frequency coverage is not ubiquitous, or where CDMA coverage ends, DAHO methods can be used for handoff to analog or to another CDMA carrier. The following sub-sections explain handoff to CDMA DAHO techniques. Handoff to CDMA This method uses a rough geographic estimation of where the mobile is at, using cell sectors designated as DAHO, and coverage between the source and target must be complete. In fact, one of the best uses of this method is to use it to handoff from one carrier (frequency) to another carrier within the same cell/sector. This is useful when the MS is traveling towards the end of coverage of a particular carrier, but there exists continuous coverage of another carrier. An example is given in Figure 1 below. A MS on carrier Z is traveling from left to right. As it travels it is able to soft handoff from BTS 1 to BTS 2. Carrier Zs coverage ends in BTS 2. When the MS is within majority DAHO coverage of the right-most sectors of BTS 2 (shown as shaded), a hard handoff is performed to carrier X. As the mobile passes from BTS 2 to BTS 3 it can now do so using soft handoff.

Figure 1 DAHO Scenario

1.3 DAHO Implementation DAHO is specifically created to provide a means to transition (handoff) a mobile to another frequency band and /or air interface, in a sector near the edge of CDMA coverage, without loss in service. Since normal CDMA Mobile Assisted Handoff (MAHO) handoff detection methods cannot be used to determine a suitable target, databasestored information concerning fully overlapping handoff targets (sectors) is used to carry out the handoff process. When a Mobile Station (MS) is in an active call approaching the border region, the border detection, section 1.3.2, is activated by noting that the MS has at least one border sector active. Border detection will then determine when a majority of

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DAHO Application Notes

active pilots at the MS are identified as border sectors, section 1.3.1. When the most likely source sector, section 1.3.3 is determined, and there is a single sector that totally overlaps that sector from the target side, the target sector is identified via the database. The carrier to which the MS is to be handed is then determined by a carrier selection process. Since a non-border (non-DAHO) pilot /sector may be dropped shortly after a mobile arrives in a DAHO sector (thereby triggering the handoff), it is important that the targets coverage area completely overlap that of the source sector. In cases where an idle mobile is not redirected, and where a mobile is handed into the system (i.e.CBSC hard handoff), a hysteresis timer is employed to give the system time to perform any soft or soft adds or drops which might result in the mobile remaining in the CDMA system. A method of increasing the Erlang capacity of the cell is to suppress the handoff by keeping non-DAHO sectors in the active set (of pilots) of the mobile as long as possible. This can be accomplished by raising the drop timer value (T_TDROP) and lowering the pilot drop threshold (T_DROP) for the DAHO (hand-out) and adjacent sector/cells. As the mobile approaches the hand-out cells from the adjacent cells, it becomes harder to drop pilots, thus delaying the handoff until the mobile is more fully within the coverage zone of the DAHO capable sectors. 1.3.1 Border sectors The border sectors are defined as non-contiguous sectors that form the border in the source CBSCs. For the border definition of the identified border sectors on both sides of the border the Target System must provide a single sector or cell that totally covers the area of each facing sector of the Source system. The cells are of approximately equal size on each side of the border, and target BTS sites are directly opposite those of the source side. Also the total overlap in coverage area of the adjacent source cells at the border must be adequate to allow high quality signal coverage until the MS has progressed well into the region of target cell overlap.

Figure 2 Border sectors

1.3.2 Border detection To activate the border detection, the MS must have at least one border sector active. The carrier-associated database values for each sector involved in the call is checked by the Mobility Manager to determine whether the DAHO flag is set, indicating that the sector is a border cell. In order to perform the DAHO process, majority coverage recognition is required whereby a majority of active pilots at the mobile are identified as border sectors. This condition is detected when either the only active pilot is with a border sector or when 2 of 2 or 2 of 3 active pilots are with border sectors (Table 1)

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DAHO Application Notes

1.3.3 Most likely source sector The MM looks for the most likely source sector when a majority of the active sectors involved in the call are identified by their DAHO flags as border cells. If only one sector is involved in the call, it is the most likely sector. The most likely source sector has a DAHO indicator set and is associated with the strongest pilot measurement (as reported by the MS). Once the most likely source sector is determined, and there is a single sector which totally overlaps that sector from the target side, the target sector is identified, via the database. Upon completion of a successful hard hand-in, mobile origination or mobile termination to a border sector, the MM will use the DAHO HysTimer database value to inhibit all subsequent DAHO border checks for a fixed length of time. 1.3.4 Handoff Target Selection, Source Once an external handoff has been triggered, the CBSC must select a target for the handoff. The handoff target selection process is initiated by an indication of DAHO criteria being met. When a DAHO flag is set, the sector is on a carrier/license seam(s). This means that the DAHO process should be used to assist handoff processing to other carriers or other systems. The DAHO parameter (Y, N) is used to activate/deactivate DAHO hand-offs for the source TCARRIER. The DESTINATION parameter identifies a TSECTOR as the DAHO destination target. (There is no detection target for DAHO hand-offs.) 1.3.5 Handin Carrier Selection The carrier selection process is enhanced to provide for selection by service option group (SOG) and carrier selection by air interface type (IS95 A/B or IS2000 1X). Carrier selection by service option group allows carriers to be reserved for use by certain service options. For example, one carrier, or a group of carriers, can be reserved for use by voice calls, while a second group of carriers can be designated for use by data calls. Similarly, carrier selection by air interface type allows certain carriers to be reserved for use by IS95 calls while others may be reserved for use by IS2000 calls. The process uses the type of call access (origination or hard hand-in), the service option in effect, and the radio type, together with the CBSC call distribution parameters to determine an Inward Route Index (IRI) into the INROUTE (routing) table. The output from this table is a prioritized list of target carriers (up to 12). Call originations and hard hand-ins are distributed to the carriers on this list according to the distribution method specified by the call distribution parameters.

1.4 Database Parameters The neighbor list described here and specified to the database via the ADD TSECTOR/ TCARRIER NEIGHBOR command is associated with MAHO-detected hand-offs. A single DAHO target (destination) may be specified for any source TCARRIER: EDIT TCARRIER/TSECTOR-tcbsc# -tbts# -tsector# -tcarrier# DAHOPARMS DAHO= DESTINATION= The DAHO parameter (Y,N) is used to activate/deactivate DAHO hand-offs for the source TCARRIER. The DESTINATION parameter identifies a TSECTOR as the DAHO destination target. (There is no detection target for DAHO hand-offs.) The EDIT

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DAHO Application Notes

TCARRIER-tcbsc#-tbts#-tsector#-tcarrier# DAHOPARMS command applies changes only to the parameters of the particular single carrier specified. On the other hand, the EDIT TSECTOR-tcbsc#-tbts#-tsector# DAHOPARMS command applies changes to all carriers equipped in the specified sector. hystimer - DAHO Hysterisis Timer. Used to prevent ping-pong handoffs between 2 sectors which have been marked with the DAHO Flag. After a DAHO handoff has been completed, majority border checks will be disabled for the length of this timer. Valid range 0-256 seconds. Optional parameter if skipped, uses current value. Initial standard value 10. pnhysmargin - PN Hysterisis Margin. Used in the target side of a DAHO to prevent "ping-pong" handoffs between 2 sectors which have been marked with the DAHO Flag. After a DAHO handoff has been completed, this value is added to the PhaseThold value (in DAHOPARMS). The sum of these is then used as the threshold. Valid range 0-4095 units of 100 nanoseconds. Optional parameter; if skipped, uses current value. Initial standard value 0.

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