Abstract: To take advantage of hierarchical cell layers, an inter-layer handoff system determines a cell layer for servicing a wireless unit at least as a function of the duration that the wireless unit is in a cell or set of cells of a cell layer. For example, as a function of the duration that the wireless unit is in the cell or set of cells for a first cell layer, a determination is made as to whether the wireless unit should be serviced by a cell or set of cells of a second cell layer. As such, wireless units moving at higher speeds which will be handed off frequently in a smaller cell layer(s) are serviced by a larger cell layer(s). Thus, the hierarchical cellular communications system can have the increased capacity provided by the smaller cell layer(s) while reducing the number of handoffs which would occur of the faster moving wireless units in the smaller cell layer(s).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting a burst of data over a supplemental channel on just one leg of a handoff by changing at least one of the parameters of the data to be transmitted over the supplemental channel as a function of the future and/or current characteristics of the communication link of the leg(s) of the handoff. This controlled parameters of the data can include the maximum allowed burst duration, and the type and/or amount of error coding of the data. The data is then transmitted over just one leg of handoff using the parameter. By changing the parameters of the data, the data may still be acceptably received at the mobile terminal over just one leg of the soft handoff even when the strength of the pilot signal used for the supplemental channel changes significantly. The invention thus, advantageously, delays or possibly obviates the need to establish a supplemental channel over additional legs of the soft handoff.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for utilizing SCH resources more efficiently for supplemental channels (SCH) by minimizing gaps between data bursts due to overhead delays. Such gaps are minimized using a supplemental channel sharing algorithm to prospectively assign SCH resources supporting existing SCHs and to schedule future issuance of DNRs such that currently unavailable SCH resources may be prospectively assigned based on states of the SCH resources, wherein an existing SCH is a SCH over which a data burst is currently being transmitted.

Abstract: The present invention is a method for selectively providing, on demand, a Quality of Service level to an end user's data transmitted from a base station to a mobile station of a High Data Rate system. In the disclosed method, a data base is established which contains the Quality of Service level selected by a mobile user from a plurality of levels for data to be transmitted from the base station to the mobile station. Using the reverse link, an end user at a mobile notifies the base station that it is ready to receive data and specifies the rate at which the data is to be sent. Upon receipt of the request for data from the mobile terminal, the base station accesses and runs a scheduler which determines which user's data is to be transmitted next. For each end user, the scheduler divides the requested data rate by the average rate of data received by the mobile during a specific interval and then combines by adding or multiplying the result with the Quality of Service level requested by the end user for data.