On handoffs in packetized wireless systems

A handoff scheme is presented for a packetized wireless system that does not require any real-time processing to determine the association of a mobile with a base station. The scheme is based on a single ALOHA-type universal signaling channel that is used to establish, update, and terminate associations between mobiles and base stations. This is achieved by semi-periodic transmission of a mobile's ID number to nearby base stations. Because of the specific database structure maintained in the base stations, the handoff mechanism is immediate, with no noticeable effect on the communication in progress. Several performance figures, such as the density of active mobiles in the scheme, are presented.