MXPA98003042A - Apparatus and methods for measuring the intensity of the signal in a communication system inalambr - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and devices for measuring signal intensities by mobile stations in a wireless communication system. More specifically, while transmitting and receiving on a channel, measurements of signal strength can be requested. For example, the intensity of the signal received from the information slots transmitted at the start of a super frame can be measured at predetermined times for several carriers. However, the mobile station can be busy performing tasks of reception or transmission of information. According to an exemplary embodiment, measurements of signal strength can be delayed when the mobile is transmitting and receiving on a channel, and then more frequent signal strength measurements can be made when there is no communication. In other words, measurements of signal strength do not have to occur uniformly over time, but can be done more frequently if they have been delayed. In an alternative mode, the mobile station can "steal" one or more time slots to carry out the measurements of the signal strength by ignoring its tasks of receiving and / or transmitting information.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR MEASURING THE INTENSITY OF THE SIGNAL IN A WIRELESS COMMUNICATION SYSTEM BACKGROUND Applicants' invention relates generally to telecommunication, and more particularly, to wireless communication systems, such as cellular and satellite radio systems where measurements of signal strength are made. In the United States, digital access and multiple access techniques such as TDMA are currently provided by a digital cellular telephone system known as digital advanced mobile telephone service (D-AMPS), some of which are specified in the standard. internal TIA / EIA / IS-54-B, "Mobile Station Compatibility Standard-Dual Mode Base Station", published by Telecommunications Industry Association and Electronic Industries Association (TIA ELA). In a TDMA cellular radio system, each radio channel is divided into a series of timeslots, each of which contains a burst of information from a data source, for example a digit-coded portion of a conversation of voice. The time slots are grouped into successive TDMA frames that have a predetermined duration. The number of time slots in each TDMA frame is related to the number of different users that can simultaneously share the radio channel. If each slot in a TDMA frame is assigned to a different user, the duration of a TDMA frame is the minimum amount of time between the successive time slots assigned to the same user. The successive time slots assigned to the same user, which are usually not consecutive time slots in the radio carrier, constitute the digital traffic channel of the user, which can be considered a logical channel assigned to the user. As described in more detail below, digital control channels (DCCH) can also be provided to communicate control signals, and a DCCH is a logical channel formed by a succession of normally non-consecutive time slots in the radio carrier . In only one of the multiple possible modes of a TDMA system as described above, the TIAEIA / IS-54-B standard states that each TDMA frame consists of six consecutive time slots and has a duration of 40 milliseconds (msec). In this way, each radio channel can carry from 3 to 6 DTCs (for example, from 3 to 6 telephone conversations), depending on the source speeds of the encoders / voice codecs used to digitally encode conversations . These voice codes can work at full speed or at half speed. A full-speed DTC requires twice as many time slots in a given period of time as a medium-speed DTC, and in the TIA / EIA / IS-54-B, each full-speed DTC uses two slots in each TDMA frame , that is, the first and fourth, second and fifth or third and sixth of the six slots of a TDMA frame. Each half-speed DTC uses a time slot of each TDMA frame. The double and triple speed communications can also be provided as illustrated in the following table. Number of slots Slots used Speed 1 1 average 2 1,4 complete 4 1,4,2,5 double 6 1,4,2,5,3,6 triple In cellular communication systems, users are allowed to move from one cell to the next during a call. To maintain the quality of the call the user is served from different base stations, depending on the base station (s) better enabled to support radio communications with this specific user. As a result, there are control mechanisms to handle the call without operator intervention from one base station to the next, whose mechanisms usually require switching from one communications channel to the other. Traditionally, these control mechanisms depend on the information obtained from the energy of the channel or the measurements of the signal strength made at the base stations using a sweeping receiver to determine when the hands-off functions should be performed. Since some of the first cellular systems used FDMA access schemes, the sweep receiver scans different frequencies and makes measurements of signal strength. The measurements of the multiple base stations were then examined at a central control point in the telecommunication network to determine when and where the hands-off functions should occur. These measurements were made only for a communication channel link, that is, the user's uplink to the base station. Recently, digital cellular systems have been developed in which measurements are also made in the downlink, that is, in the transmissions from the base station to the user. These measurements are made by the user's equipment and the communication is returned to the base station through a control channel. These measurements are known as mobile hands-assisted measurements (MAHO), MAHO measurements are economically feasible because these digital cellular systems are mixed FDMA / TDMA. In this way, the mobile station would usually receive its downlink signal during a time slot and transmit its uplink signal during another time slot. However, each TDMA frame in these systems usually has more than two time slots, for example, 6 or 8 time slots per frame. These other time slots are usually assigned for use as different communication channels, as described above. In this way, a mobile station that is connected in this way to a FDMA / TDMA system will be vacant for several time slots during each frame. These vacant time slots are available to make the MAHO measurements. In this way, the same receiving equipment in the mobile station is used both to receive the downlink signal and to make the MAHO measurements. In addition to voice or traffic channels, cellular radio communication systems also provide paging / access or control channels for carrying call preparation messages between the base stations and the mobile stations. For example, when in a vacant state (i.e., on but not making or receiving a call), a mobile station tunes to and then regularly monitors a control channel (in general, the control channel of the cell in which the station mobile is located at that time) and can receive or initiate a call through the corresponding base station. When moving between cells while in the vacant state, the mobile station will eventually "lose" the radio connection in the control channel of the "previous" cell - and tune to the control channel of the "new" cell. The initial tuning and subsequent retune to the control channels are both carried out automatically by sweeping all available control channels at their known frequencies to find the "best" control channel, for example, the control channel that it is received with greater intensity. When a control channel with good reception quality is found, the mobile station remains tuned to this channel until the quality deteriorates again. In this way, the mobile stations remain "in contact" with the system. To accommodate this functionality, mobile stations can also periodically measure the strength of the signal received from the various control channels.

The telecommunication systems described above, for example, those specified by the TIA / EIA / IS-54-B and TIA / EIA / IS-136 standards, are circuit-switched technology that is a type of communication "oriented to the connection "that establishes a physical connection of the call and maintains this connection as long as the final communication systems have data to exchange. The direct connection of a circuit switch serves as an open pipe, allowing the end systems to use the circuit when they deem appropriate. Although circuit switched data switching may be well suited for constant bandwidth applications, it is relatively inefficient for low bandwidth and "over amplification" or burst applications. Packet-switched technology, which can be connection-oriented (for example, X.25) or "offline" (for example, the Internet Protocol "IP"), does not require the establishment and separation of a physical connection, which is a marked contrast with the technology switched by circuits. This increases the efficiency of a channel in the handling of relatively short, bursts or interactive transactions multiplexing multiple users. A switched network in packets, without connection, distributes routing functions to multiple routing sites, thereby avoiding possible traffic bottlenecks that could occur when using a central switching center. The data is "packaged" with the address of the appropriate final system and then transmitted in independent units along the data path. Intermediate systems, sometimes referred to as "routeadore =", stationed between the final communication systems make decisions about the most appropriate route to take on a per-packet basis. Routing decisions are based on a number of features, including: the least cost route or cost metric; the capacity of the link; number of packages waiting for transmission; security requirements for the link; and operating state of the intermediate system (node). The transmission of packets along a path that takes into account the path metric, unlike the preparation of a single circuit, offers flexibility of application and communications. This is also the way in which most of the local area networks (LAN) and the wide area networks (AN) standard in the corporate environment have evolved. Packet switching is suitable for data communications because many of the applications and devices used, such as keypad terminals, are interactive and transmit data in bursts. Instead of a channel being vacant while a user enters more data into the terminal or waits to think about a problem, packet switching interleaves multiple transmitions of various terminals on the channel. The packet data provides more robustness to the network due to the independence of the path and the ability of the routers to select alternative paths in the case of failure in the network node. The switching in packets, therefore, allows the most efficient use of the lines of the network. Packet technology offers the option to bill end users based on the amount of data transmitted instead of the connection time. If the end-user application has been designed to make efficient use of an air link, then the number of transmitted packets will be minimal. If each individual user traffic is kept a minimum, then the service provider has efficiently increased the capacity of the network. Packet networks, such as the Internet or a corporate LAN, are integral parts of today's business and communications environments. As mobile computing is introduced into these environments, wireless service providers such as those using TIA / EIA / IS-136 are better placed to provide access to these networks. However, the data services provided by, or proposed for, cellular systems are generally based on circuit-switched modes of operation, using a dedicated radio channel for each active mobile user. For conventional "connection-oriented" voice or data radio or packet data radiocommunication, it may be desirable for a mobile station to receive or transmit information at a rate that occupies its transceiver during all or most of the available time slots in a table, for example, the double or triple speed communication described above. During these periods, it is not possible to perform the periodic measurements of the signal intensity that have been requested for the purpose of reselecting MAHO or the cell. In this way, techniques and mechanisms are necessary to provide the system with the requested signal strength information, while high bandwidth communication is also accommodated.

SUMMARY In accordance with an exemplary aspect of the invention, a method is provided for measuring the signal intensities by mobile stations in a wireless communication system that accommodates downlink, high bandwidth traffic channels and reduces complexity. . More specifically, while transmitting and receiving in a channel, the programmed measurements of the signal's inensity can also be requested. To accommodate transmission and / or reception of high bandwidth, the requested measurements of the signal strength can be programmed by a mobile station in times that reduce the interference, with the tasks of transmitting and receiving messages. For example, the programmed measurements of the signal strength can be delayed when the mobile is transmitting and receiving in a channel and then the most frequent signal strength can be made when the mobile station is subsequently vacant. In other words, measurements of signal strength do not have to occur uniformly over time, but they can be performed more frequently if they have been delayed. According to another exemplary aspect of the present invention, a mobile station can ignore its normal responsibility to receive a data frame and, instead, make measurements during the "stolen" frame. If necessary, the retransmission protocols can be invoked so that the information that the mobile station omitted during the "stolen" frame can be received later. The theft of the picture can be programmed or not programmed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The characteristics and advantages of the invention of the applicants will be understood by reading this description together with the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a block diagram of an example of cellular mobile radiotelephone system including an example of base station and mobile station; Figure 2a is an illustration of a super frame format and the use of the time slot for a double speed packet data connection; Figure 2B is an illustration of a super frame format and the use of the time slot for a triple speed packet data connection; Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of a method for performing measurements of signal strength, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and Figure 4 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of a method for performing measurements of signal strength, in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Before describing the techniques and mechanisms for measuring the signal strength, according to the present invention, a brief description of the equipment that can be used to implement a radio communication system is provided. Initially, it should be understood that various exemplary embodiments are described below, some of which primarily relate to the communication of data in packets, others of which primarily relate to the communication of non-packet data, for example, voice or data and still others that can be implemented for both types of systems. To assist the reader in understanding the types of systems that are being referenced, the following terminology is used in the present. Digital traffic (DTC) channels are used to refer to channels that are used to support non-packet data connections. Conversely, packet data channels (PDCH) are used to refer to the channels that support packet data communications. Figure 1 represents a block diagram of an example of cellular mobile radio system that includes an example of base station 110 and mobile station 120. The base station includes a control and processing unit 130 that is connected to the MSC 140, which in turn is connected to the PSTN (not shown). The general aspects of these cellular telephone radio systems are known in the art, as described in U.S. Patent No. 5,175,867 of Wejke et al., Entitled "Functions Hands Off Assisted by the Neighbor in a Cellular Communication System". The base station 110 handles a plurality of channels from time to time through a traffic channel transceiver 150 which is controlled by the control and processing unit 130. Likewise, each base station includes a control channel transceiver 160, which may be able to handle more than one control channel. The transceiver of the control channel 160 is controlled by the control and processing unit 130. The control channel transceiver 160 transmits the control information on the control channel of the base station or cell to mobiles attached or linked to this control channel. control. It will be understood that the transceivers 150 and 160 can be implemented as a single device, such as the traffic control transceiver 170, for use with the DTCs (or PDCHs) that share the same radio carrier frequency. The mobile station 120 receives the information transmitted in a control channel, in its transceiver of the traffic and control channel 170. Then, the processing unit 180 evaluates the information of the received control channel, which includes the characteristics of the cells that they are candidates for linking to the mobile station and determines the cell in which the mobile is to be linked. Advantageously, the information of the received control channel not only includes the absolute information related to the cell with which it is associated, but also contains information related to other cells next to the cell with which the control channel is associated, as described in U.S. Patent 5,353,332, to Raith et al., entitled "Method and Apparatus for Control of Communication in a Telephone Radio System". Consider an exemplary situation where a mobile station is receiving or transmitting packet data information in each time slot of different consecutive frames. That is, all 6 time slots of the various frames specified by the IS-136. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that double speed or triple speed reception or transmission may be sufficient to occupy the mobile station's transceiver for all available time slots. Also suppose that this mobile station has received a list of channels in which the signal intensities are to be measured, for example, on the control channel with which it was associated faster (FACCH). Since the mobile has no vacant time to make the necessary measurements, the known signal intensity measurement techniques can not perform the measurements of the requested signal strength using only one receiver. One possible solution for obtaining the measurements of the requested signal strength while a mobile station is busy transmitting or receiving is to provide two receivers, one or to receive packet data information on one PDCH and the other to measure the intensities of the data. signal. However, this solution is not desirable since the mobile station becomes more expensive and complex. In accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, measurements of signal intensities, by mobile stations, for purposes such as reselection of the MAHO or cell, can be controlled so that the time available in a channel is used. Optimally to transmit, receive and measure. More specifically when the mobile station is busy transmitting and receiving in a packet data channel, the measurements of the requested signal strength are programmed around the tasks of transmitting and receiving.

Therefore, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, when the mobile station is transmitting and receiving on a packet data channel, a technique is provided for scheduling the time to measure the intensities of the received signal. For example, at the beginning of a super frame, certain time slots that are being transmitted in a PDCH may be available to perform the measurements of the signal strength. These slots can be treated as vacant slots, because they repeat information that the mobile station has previously acquired. In a specific example for packet data, the slots of the packet transmission control channel (PBCCH) (which is a control channel multiplexed in the PDCH) can be used to perform part of the measurements of the intensity of the signal while receiving a message in the active state of the PDCH. For example, as illustrated in Figure 2a, a double speed connection provides PBCCH slots in slots 1 and 4 of the superframe. In the same way, in Figure 2B a triple speed connection also provides PBCCH slots in slots 1 and 4 of the superframe. Although this technique can be used while the mobile station is receiving, it should be noted, however, that when the mobile station is transmitting at double or triple speed, it must monitor the packet channel (PCF) feedback channel which also it is sent in the PBCCH slots. As a result, the intensities of the received signal must be measured in accordance with whether there is any transmission through the mobile station. In another exemplary embodiment of this invention related to packet data communication, programmed measurements of signal strength may be delayed and then performed more frequently during a period after they are resumed to obtain the requested number of measurements. .of the intensity of the signal. For example, the information related to the requested signal intensity measurements (such as the frequency with which the measurements are made) can be transmitted to the mobile. The communication of the data in packets tends to be of a "bursts" nature, that is, the mobile station can receive or transmit several consecutive packets, followed by a period of non-reception or transmission. Therefore, measurements of signal strength can be delayed when there is no time available to carry them out, and then more frequent signal strength measurements can be made when time is available (ie, measurements of the signal strength are packaged in a narrower way in time). As a result, the processor of a mobile station using full speed transmission, double or triple program measures the signal strength to minimize the interference with the reception of the messages by the mobile and / or the transmission of the signals. messages on the mobile. In an example of packet data, the mobile station may perform measurements of the signal strength, as set forth in section 6.3.3 of the IS-136 in an assigned PDCH, where the assigned PDCH is treated as if it were the Current DCCH. For channels other than the assigned PDCH, the mobile station can make measurements of the signal strength according to one of two techniques. In the first technique, measurements of signal strength can be made in accordance with section 6.3.3 of the IS-136 which, depending on the speed, may require another receiver. In the second technique, the measurements of the signal strength can be inhibited during a measurement interval (O), which can be preset or sent to the mobile in a message about the PBCCH, while the mobile is in the process of receiving or transmit a message for up to a maximum number, for example of 8, measuring intervals. The maximum number of measurement intervals may be a predetermined value or a value received in a PBCCH message, for example. The reader who is interested in more information related to the exemplary forms in which the measurement intervals can be determined should refer to US Pat. Nc. 5, 539.74S of Raith. During the measurement interval, when the measurements of the signal strength are recovered (which may or may not require the interruption of the transmission of the mobile station), the mobile station advantageously performs a minimum number (ß) of measurements per input in the channel measurement list, where: ß = min (4, O) for entries marked with HL_FREQ = HIGH (1) ß = min. { 2, O } for entries marked with HL_FREQ = LOW (2) For readers interested in more details related to exemplary techniques to inform the mobile station of how and when these types of measurements are to be made (including a description of the HL_FREQ), refer to U.S. Patent No. 5,539,748. The techniques for measuring the signal strength can be varied by the mobile station, as explained above, particularly for measuring the signal intensities by means of the mobile stations using double or triple speed transmission. , particularly for measuring the signal intensities by means of mobile stations using double or triple speed transmission and packet data modes. Since the transmission and reception of data in packets, usually "bursts" (not over amplifications of time slots) due to the nature of the communication in packets, usually have times available for measurements of the intensity of the signal.

Figure 3 is a flow diagram illustrating the steps of a method for performing measurements of the signal strength by the mobile station, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention. In the SIO step, the mobile station receives information or requirements related to the measurements of the signal strength from the system. In step S20, the mobile station determines whether measurements are to be made in a conventional manner during the available vacant time (according to IS-136, for example) based on factors such as the transmission speed or the design of the mobile station. When measurements of the signal strength are to be made in this way, the mobile station measures the signal strength, according to § 6.3.3 of IS-136, for example in step S30.

If the mobile station determines that the measurements are not being performed during the vacant time according to IS-136 in step S20, a counter of the measurement interval is set to 0 in step S40 and then the intensity measurements of the signal are inhibited during a measurement interval in step S50. whether the mobile station is transmitting or receiving is determined in step S60. If the mobile station is not transmitting or receiving, the minimum number of measurements of the signal strength to be made is determined by the processor of the mobile station in step S80 according to equations 1 and 2 above, by example. Then, the mobile station performs the minimum number of measurements of the signal strength in step S90.

If it is determined that the mobile station is transmitting or receiving in step S60, the counter of the range of the measurements is increased by 1 in step S70 and if the maximum number of the measurement intervals has been reached is determined in step SI00 . If the maximum number of measurement intervals has not been reached, the process returns to step S50 and inhibits the measurements of the signal strength for another range of measurements.

If the maximum number of measurement intervals has been reached, a determination is made in step S110 as if there were a sufficient amount of time to make the measurements of the signal strength. If there is not enough time to perform the measurements of the signal strength, the reception or transmission by the mobile station is inhibited in step S120 until the required signal strength measurements are completed. If a sufficient amount of time for measurements of the signal strength is determined available in step S110, the minimum number of measurements calculated in S80.

According to another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, another possible solution for accommodating high bandwidth communication and channel measurement is a technique known as "slot theft", in which the mobile station "steals" a more slots of the transmission / reception time to perform the measurements of the signal strength due to a lack of vacant time sufficient to make the conventional measurements. This exemplary embodiment can be used during any connection-oriented, dedicated connection, for example, a mobile station that is connected through a DTC. In an alternative mode, this exemplary mode can also be applied to situations where a long "burst" is occurring in a PDCH.

In accordance with this exemplary embodiment, the mobile station omits the reading of its allocated traffic channel to perform measurements on other channels. Exemplary types of slot theft include "wild" theft where the mobile station autonomously decides which slot or slots to steal, and the scheduled theft where the system knows when the mobile station will skip reading its allocated traffic channel . The scheduled robbery offers the opportunity for the system to interrupt the transmission when it knows that the mobile station will not read its allocated traffic channel and can be advantageous when the channel quality is poor, ie, since the retransmission window is fully available for data that were not, received in an adequate manner. On the other hand, wild theft offers a less complicated technique to offer measurement opportunities to the channel.

Although, for wild theft, the system will not control the selection of the mobile station for specific slots or frames to steal, for measurement purposes, some measurement guidelines must be implemented to ensure that the mobile station provides accurate measurement information and timely, while at the same reduces the effect of theft in its continuous double or triple speed communication connection. For example, consider an exemplary system in which the retransmission and interleaving protocol establishes that the data transmitted in each time slot carries two radio link protocol (RLP) frames. For this system, some predetermined maximum number of RLP frames omitted by some predetermined time interval must be set to limit the impact of the retransmission window. As an example, a threshold of eight RLP frames omitted per second can be set for double speed connections, while a threshold of 16 RLP frames omitted per second could be set for triple speed connections. The double speed threshold may be lower than that provided for the triple speed threshold, if some vacant slots are available at double speed, for example if the mobile station has independent reception and transmission capabilities. Those skilled in the art will also appreciate that it may be desirable to have some criteria in the uplink as in the downlink, or that it may be desirable to establish independent criteria for the uplink and the downlink.

In accordance with this exemplary embodiment, the mobile station has an opportunity to use its receiver for measurement purposes, the theft of slots allows the specification of a minimum number of samples per entry in the channel measurement list to be established, by example, 6 measurements per channel per second if 12 or fewer channels are in the list or 4 measurements per channel per second if 13 or more channels are in the list, to ensure sufficient measurement information. In the same way, it is possible to request that the measurements be sufficiently separated in time that the impact of the Rayleigh fading is adequately averaged.

Within the limits established for a specific system, the mobile station can determine which RLP frames to steal based on their own connection details. For example, if the mobile is transmitting in the uplink in packet data modes, there may be times when no packet data is available for transmission. On these occasions, the mobile may use one or more uplink time slots to perform the downlink measurements. In the same way, if the mobile is transmitting in non-packet data mode, for example, voice, there may be periods of silence by the mobile user during which there is no "real" data to be transmitted. Although some radio communication systems may, however, require the mobile station to transmit fictitious data, for example, related to comfortable noise, the mobile station may be programmed to steal time slots in which the fictitious data would otherwise be transmitted. to perform downlink measurements. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that these are merely examples of the ways in which the mobile station can determine optimal slots for wild theft and that other techniques can also be implemented in accordance with the present invention.

An exemplary method for implementing the theft of slots or frames, according to the present invention, is illustrated in the flow chart of Figure 4. In this, in step S300, it is determined whether or not the mobile station has vacant slots during which it can make measurements of signal strength, for example, if it is operating at full speed. If so, then the flow proceeds to step S310, where the measurements of the signal strength are made during the vacant time slots. Otherwise, the flow moves to decision block S320, where it is determined whether a scheduled robbery plan is made. If so, then the mobile station makes the measurements of the signal strength during the time slots programmed in step S330. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S340, wherein the mobile station identifies one or more nearby time slots during which it will make the measurements of the signal strength in the listed channels. As described above, this determination can be made taking into account various criteria or rules specified by the system, as well as specific considerations related to the connection of the specific mobile with the system. The mobile station then makes the measurements of the signal strength in the slots identified in step S350. Of course, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the steps S320 and S330 illustrated in Figure 3, related to scheduled theft can be omitted if the system is not ready for the scheduled theft. The invention being thus described, it will be evident that it can be varied in different ways. These variations should not be considered as departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all these modifications are proposed to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (19)

1. A method for making measurements of the signal strength by a mobile station in a wireless communication system, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving information related to the measurements of the signal strength to be performed by the mobile station; (b) programming the measurements of the intensity of the signal at irregular intervals which evades other tasks of the mobile station of transmitting and receiving messages; and (c) making the measurements of the signal strength at irregular intervals programmed.

The method according to claim 1, wherein the step (b) of further programming comprises the step of: inhibiting the measurements of the signal strength while the mobile station is transmitting or receiving in a channel, and measuring the strength of the signal when the mobile station is not transmitting or receiving on the channel.

3. A communication terminal for use in a wireless communication system, comprising: means for receiving information related to the measurements of the signal strength to be made in the communication terminal; and a processor for programming the measurements of the signal strength at irregular intervals evading other tasks of the communication terminal of transmitting and receiving messages.

The communication terminal according to claim 3, wherein the processor inhibits the measurements of the signal strength while the communication terminal transmits and receives on a channel and measures the signal strength when the communication terminal does not transmits or receives on the channel.

5. A method for making measurements of the signal strength in a plurality of channels by a mobile station that is communicating with a wireless communication system in another channel, comprising the steps of: (a) receiving information related to the measurements of the signal strength to be made in the mobile station in another channel; (b) delay the measurements of the intensity of the signal when a mobile station is transmitting or receiving information on another channel; and (c) making the measurements of the signal strength after the mobile station has finished transmitting or recieving on another channel.

The method of claim 5, wherein the step of delaying includes the step of: delaying measurements of the signal strength during at least one frame.

The method of claim 6, wherein the frame comprises 6 time slots and 40 msec.

8. A communication terminal connected to a wireless communication system on a channel, comprising: the means for receiving information on the channel, related to the measurements of the signal strength to be made at the communication terminal on a plurality of other channels; and a processor for delaying measurements of the signal strength when the communication terminal is transmitting or receiving information in this channel.

9. The communication terminal of claim 8, the delay is at least one duration of a frame.

10. The terminal of claim 9, wherein the frame duration is 40 msec.

11. A method for making measurements of the signal strength in a plurality of channels by a mobile station that is communicating with a wireless communication system er. c: ro channel, which comprises the steps of: va, ci go information related to the measurements of the intensity of the signal that will be made in the mobile station, in another channel; (b) omit the reception or transmission on another channel during at least one slot. (c) making the measurements of the signal strength during at least one time slot

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one time slot is programmed per

13. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one timeslot is = eieeoicnated by the mvv station

14. The method of claim 12 comprises the step of: interrupting, by the system, the transmission of the information to the mobile station, during at least one time slot.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: SOLVING, by the mobile station, the retransmission of information originally transmitted by the system during at least one time slot.

Ic A communication terminal connected in a wireless communication system in a channel, which the means to receive information in the channel, related cor. the measurements of the signal strength to be performed by the communication terminal on a plurality of other channels; and a processor for omitting the reception or transmission in the channel for at least one time slot for, however, making the measurements of the signal strength in the plurality of other channels during at least one time slot.

17. The communication terminal of claim 16, wherein at least one time slot is allocated by the system.

18. The communication device of claim 16, wherein at least one time slot is selected per terminate ccm ^ n_oac? Cn.

19. The communication terminal of the claim ic acemas comprises: the means for requesting the retransmission of the internment originally transmitted by the si-t-ma during at least one slot of t_r.r.po.