METHOD OF CONTROLLING HANDOVER IN MOBILE COMMUNICATION NETWORKS AND APPARATUS AND SYSTEM EMPLEMENTING THE METHOD

摘要

In a wireless communication system comprising a mobile terminal and at least two access points, each access point is configured to provide data communication with the mobile terminal within the service area of the access point via a wireless interface over a selected one of a plurality of channels. It is composed. A method of controlling the selection of an access point includes one or more additional access points having service areas adjacent or overlapping the service area of the first access point to which the first mobile terminal is associated to transmit probe request messages to the first mobile terminal. Controlling the point, and indicating the quality of the connection between the respective access point and the first mobile terminal, from a response received from the first mobile terminal in response to a corresponding probe request message for each of the one or more additional access points. Determining a respective first value. Selected ones of the one or more additional access points are controlled to accept a subsequent association request from the first mobile terminal, while the unselected access points are controlled to reject a subsequent association request from the mobile terminal.