Method and apparatus for fast cell search

Abstract

The GCL sequence index of each cell/sector is assigned so that a difference of the indices between adjacent cells/sectors is more than N, where N≧1. During GCL index detection, the adjacent N−1 indices of an index with the largest magnitude can be deleted from handoff candidate cell indices.

1 . A method for fast cell search, the method comprising the steps of: 
 receiving an over-the-air communication;    determining powers of a plurality of GCL indices from the over-the-air communication;    determining a GCL index having a maximum power;    eliminating GCL indices surrounding the GCL index having the maximum power; and    determining handoff candidate cell indices based on the powers of a plurality of GCL indices excluding the eliminated GCL indices.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the step of: 
 determining a minimum number (N) of GCL sequence indices between any two sectors/cells; and    wherein the step of eliminating is based N.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of receiving the over-the-air communication, comprises the step of receiving a plurality of GCL reference sequences.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of: 
 determining a GCL index having a second largest power; and    eliminating GCL indices surrounding a GCL index having the second largest power.    
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a GCL sequence index detector outputting a plurality of GCL indices and their power;    masking circuitry determining a GCL index with a maximum power, eliminating adjacent indices, and outputting a plurality of GCL indices and their associated power, excluding the eliminated adjacent indices.    
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the masking circuitry eliminates adjacent indices based on a minimum number (N) of GCL sequence indices between any two sectors/cells.  
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5  further comprising a receiver receiving an over-the-air communication comprising a plurality of GCL reference sequences.  
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the masking circuitry additionally determines a GCL index having a second highest power and eliminates GCL indices surrounding the GCL index having the second highest power.  
     
     
         9 . A base station comprising: 
 a transmitter transmitting a first GCL reference signal in a first sector; and    a second transmitter transmitting a second GCL reference signal in a second sector, wherein a GCL sequence index of the first GCL reference signal is more than N indices from a sequence index of the second GCL reference signal.