Gregory Jason Greene

US Patent:

59267631, Jul 20, 1999

Filed:

Aug 9, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/694961

Inventors:

Gregory A. Greene - Seffner FL
Robert L. Littler - Norcross GA
Michael E. Nail - Lutz FL
Kevin M. Graham - Nashville TN
Alan B. Jennison - Zephyrhills FL

Assignee:

GTE Mobile Communications Service Corporation - Atlanta GA

International Classification:

H04Q 720

US Classification:

455450

Abstract:

A cellular communication system (10) includes any number of land stations (12), each of which controls a cell (14). When channels are assigned to cells (14), a figure of merit which predicts potential voice quality, such as C/I, is determined (34) for each channel/cell assignment. The assigned channels and associated figures of merit are distributed to corresponding land stations (14) to make channel-to-cell assignments. When a call arises in a cell (14) a channel is selected for assignment to the call. The channel is selected from channels assigned during the channel-to-cell assignment phase. A channel assignment algorithm (68) ensures that potentially lower quality channels (20) are the least used channels at the cell (14). When potentially lower quality channels (20) are assigned to calls, the calls are handed off to potentially higher quality channels (18) as soon as potentially higher quality channels (18) become available.