US 11,871,294 B2
Frequency band handover in dual-connectivity systems
Kun Lu, Bellevue, WA (US); Egil Gronstad, Encinitas, CA (US); Alan Denis MacDonald, Bellevue, WA (US); and Benjamin Sellers, Seattle, WA (US)
Assigned to T-Mobile USA, Inc., Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed by T-Mobile USA, Inc., Bellevue, WA (US)
Filed on Jun. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/840,474.
Application 17/840,474 is a continuation of application No. 16/846,142, filed on Apr. 10, 2020, granted, now 11,368,895.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/965,242, filed on Jan. 24, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0312294 A1, Sep. 29, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. H04W 36/36 (2009.01); H04W 36/30 (2009.01)
CPC H04W 36/36 (2013.01) [H04W 36/30 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
establishing a Long-Term Evolution (LTE) data connection between a cellular communication device and an LTE base station using a first LTE frequency band, wherein the LTE base station is associated with a New Radio (NR) base station for dual connectivity;
establishing an NR data connection between the cellular communication device and the NR base station using a first NR frequency band, wherein the LTE data connection and the NR data connection are used concurrently for dual connectivity with the cellular communication device;
receiving a signal event notification generated by the cellular communication device, wherein the signal event notification indicates that an LTE signal strength measured by the cellular communication device is greater than a threshold;
in response to receiving the signal event notification, releasing the NR data connection;
identifying a second NR frequency band that is (a) currently available for use by the cellular communication device and (b) has a greater bandwidth than the first NR frequency band; and
reestablishing the NR data connection using the second NR frequency band in response to the second NR frequency band having the greater bandwidth than the first NR frequency band.