Determining a handoff metric

Abstract

A method and apparatus of determining a hand-off metric is disclosed. One method includes a subscriber receiving identifications of a neighboring set of base stations from a serving base station. From the neighboring set, the subscriber determines an active set of base stations. The active set is determined by the subscriber measuring received signal power from each of the base stations of the neighboring set at first discrete points in time, averaging the received signal power for each of the base stations of the neighboring set, and selecting the active set based on the average received signal power of the base stations of the neighboring set. Determining the at least one hand-off metric further includes the subscriber measuring at second discrete points in time an excess received signal power for each base station of the active set, wherein the excess received signal power includes signal power received by the subscriber in excess of power received from the base station. The subscriber averages the excess received signal power. The subscriber calculates the hand-off metric by calculating a ratio of average receive signal power to average excess received signal power, for each base station of the active set.