Mobile radio communication system

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

0001This invention relates to a mobile radio communication system of the cellular system wherein a base station and a mobile station are connected to each other, and more particularly to a mobile radio communication system wherein soft hand-off processing is performed with regard to a forward link transmission signal when a mobile station moves between cells.

0002In a cellular system of the direct spread CDMA (Code Division Multiplex Access) system, in order to maximize the communication capacity for reverse link transmission signals, transmission power control of mobile stations is usually performed to avoid a near-far problem. To this end, in a descending channel, a base station transmits transmission power control signals to mobile stations. On the other hand, in a cellular system of the direct spread CDMA system, each of a base station and a mobile station has a plurality of demodulators so that it may perform separation of multi-path components and soft hand-off processing.

0003The soft hand-off processing is performed because, as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref>, when a mobile station <b>103</b> moves from a cell <b>101</b> to another cell <b>102</b> and comes to a position in an overlapping portion <b>104</b> between the two cells <b>101</b> and <b>102</b>, deterioration of the quality of a signal which the mobile station <b>103</b> receives from a base station <b>105</b>a of the cell <b>101</b> occurs. Thus, as the soft hand-off processing, substantially same signals are transmitted from the base station <b>105</b>a and another base station <b>105</b>b of the cell <b>102</b> to the mobile station <b>103</b> so that the mobile station <b>103</b> may demodulate and compose the signals from the two base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b to obtain a signal of an improved signal quality. Also with regard to a reverse link, a signal transmitted from the mobile station <b>103</b> is de modulated and composed by the base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b to improve a signal quality.

0004In this instance, transmission power control signals from the base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b are each generated independently by the base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b, respectively. This is because, when a transmission power control signal is transmitted only from the base station <b>105</b>a to the mobile station <b>103</b> provided the mobile station <b>103</b> performs such processing as described above to control the transmission power, so that the base station <b>105</b>a can receive the signal of an optimum level and then performs transmission with the controlled transmission power, there is the possibility that the signal transmitted from the mobile station <b>103</b> may be an unexpected signal and may be a significant disturbance to the other base station <b>105</b>b. Then, the mobile station <b>103</b> demodulates the transmission power control signals from the two base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b independently of each other and composes the demodulated transmission power control signals. More particularly, the mobile station <b>103</b> increases its transmission power only when, for example, the transmission power control signals from both of the base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b exhibit “up”, but when the transmission power control signal from at least one of the base stations <b>105</b>a or <b>105</b>b exhibits “down”, the mobile station <b>103</b> decreases the transmission power. The mobile station <b>103</b> transmits a reverse link signal with an appropriate transmission power to the base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b by receiving and demodulating the transmission power signals from the base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b independently of each other in this manner.

0005As described above, for a cellular system which adopts the direct spread CDMA system, transmission power control of a mobile station is an essentially required technique. Further, in the cellular system, in order to maximize the communication capacity of the entire system, interference must be suppressed to the minimum. To this end, in the cellular system, soft hand-off processing is performed. Upon such soft hand-off, the mobile station <b>103</b> must perform transmission power control by demodulating and composing different transmission power control signals from the two base stations <b>105</b>a and <b>105</b>b.

0006In this instance, if the threshold level of the communication quality with which soft hand-off is to be started is set at a lower level, then the number of mobile stations which must perform soft hand-off when a communication resource for a plurality of channels is used increases, and this gives rise to a problem that the communication capacity of the entire system decreases.

0007On the contrary if the threshold level of the communication quality with which hand-off is to be started is set at a higher level, then since the probability that the mobile station <b>103</b> may be present in a region in which hand-off is to be performed decreases, the frequency of soft hand-off can be decreased, and thus the communication capacity of the entire system can be increased. However, the possibility that a communication signal to the adjacent base station <b>105</b>b may be disturbed increases, and this gives rise to a problem that not only the capacity of the entire system is decreased due to the interference, but also the stability of the entire system is deteriorated.

0008Further, when the mobile station <b>103</b> is positioned in the region in which hand-off is to be performed, if the communication capacity of the base station <b>105</b>b of the destination of the hand-off has reached its limit value, then soft hand-off is not performed, but hard hand-off by which the frequency channel is changed is performed. In this instance, if a communication channel is transmitted from the mobile station <b>103</b> in a reverse link in a frequency channel which has been used before the hard hand-off is performed, this gives an unexpected significant disturbance to communication signals being handled by the base station <b>105</b>b, presenting a problem that communication of other mobile stations is disturbed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

0009It is an object of the present invention to provide a mobile radio communication system which assures a maximum capacity of the entire system while performing soft-hand off and performs control of the mobile station transmission power appropriately to secure the safety of the entire system.

0010In order to attain the object described above, according to the present invention, there is provided a mobile radio communication system, comprising at least two adjacent base stations, a mobile station movable between cells formed by and connectable to the base stations, and means for performing transmission power control such that, at least with regard to a control signal, soft hand-off control wherein the mobile station and the base stations are connected simultaneously to each other is performed, but with regard to any signal other than the control signal, hard hand-off control is performed.

0011In the mobile radio communication system, when hand-off processing is to be performed, since each of the base stations performs soft hand-off control for connecting the base stations simultaneously to the mobile station at least with regard to a forward link control signal but performs hard hand-off control with regard to any signal other than the forward link control signal, the communication capacity of the entire system is increased when compared with an alternative system wherein each base station performs soft hand-off control with regard to both a forward link control signal and an information signal representing voice and so forth other than the forward link control signal. Further, with the mobile radio communication system, since at least a forward link control signal is transmitted to the mobile station, the stability of the entire system can be maintained. Furthermore, with the mobile radio communication system, even if the communication capacity of the entire system is used fully, since the base station of the destination of hand-off transmits only a forward link control signal to the mobile station to perform soft hand-off processing in order to minimize possible interference which may be had on the other communications, the base station of the destination of hand-off is prevented from receiving a reverse link signal of an unexpected transmission power, and consequently, the safety of the system can be augmented.

0012The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts or elements are denoted by like reference symbols.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

0013<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1A</figref> is a schematic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from a first base station to a mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in a first region;

0014<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1B</figref> is a schematic view illustrating forward link signals transmitted from the first base station and a second base station to the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in an overlapping region;

0015<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1C</figref> is a schematic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from the second base station to the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in a second region;

0016<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref> is a diagram illustrating reception powers of the first and second base stations when the mobile station moves from the first region to the overlapping region and then to the second region;

0017<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3A</figref> is a schematic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from the first base station to the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in the first region;

0018<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3B</figref> is a schematic view illustrating forward link signals transmitted from the first and second base stations to the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in the overlapping region and the number of connected mobile stations to the second base station is equal to or larger than a threshold value Nth;

0019<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3C</figref> is a schematic view illustrating forward link signals transmitted from the first and second base stations to the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in the overlapping region and the number of connected mobile stations to the second base station is equal to or smaller than the threshold value Nth;

0020<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3D</figref> is a schematic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from the second base station to the mobile station when the mobile station is positioned in the second region;

0021<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4A</figref> is a diagrammatic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from the second base station to the mobile station when soft hand-off is performed only for a control signal;

0022<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4B</figref> is a diagrammatic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from the second base station to the mobile station in accordance with the related art IS-<b>95</b> system;

0023<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4C</figref> is a diagrammatic view illustrating a forward link signal transmitted from the second base station to the mobile station with its transmission power increased when soft hand-off is performed only for a control signal; and

0024<figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 5</figref> is a schematic view illustrating hand-off processing in a related art cellular system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

0025An explanation of embodiments of the present invention will be given with reference to the drawings as follows.

0026Referring first to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1(a) to 1(c)</figref>, there is shown a mobile radio communication system to which the present invention is applied. The mobile radio communication system is a cellular system which includes a plurality of base stations <b>2</b> (<b>2</b>a and <b>2</b>b) and a plurality of mobile stations <b>3</b> being interconnected by a direct spread CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access) system. In the present embodiment, only a relationship among the first base station <b>2</b>a, a mobile station <b>3</b> and the second base station <b>2</b>b is described for simplified description.

0027When the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in a first region <b>4</b> as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1A</figref>, the first base station <b>2</b>a communicates a reverse link signal and a forward link signal with the mobile station <b>3</b>. The first base station <b>2</b>a transmits a forward link signal including a control signal such as a transmission power control signal for the mobile station <b>3</b> and so forth and an information signal such as voice data to the mobile station <b>3</b>.

0028Similarly to the first base station <b>2</b>a described above, the second base station <b>2</b>b communicates a reverse link signal and a forward link signal with the mobile station <b>3</b> when the mobile station <b>3</b> is within a second region <b>5</b>.

0029A transmission power control signal is a signal for adaptively varying the transmission power level of a reverse link signal, so that the mobile station <b>3</b> can transmit the reverse link signal with a suitable power level to the first base station <b>2</b>a or the second base station <b>2</b>b.

0030When the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the first region <b>4</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1A</figref>, it receives a forward link signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a and transmits a reverse link signal to the first base station <b>2</b>a. In this instance, the reception power of the mobile station <b>3</b> is such that, as seen from a region A in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>, the reception power of the forward link signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a is equal to or higher than a threshold value a and the reception power of the forward link signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b is equal to or lower than another threshold value b. Accordingly, the mobile station <b>3</b> receives and demodulates only the forward link signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a.

0031On the other hand, when the mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the first region <b>4</b> toward the second region <b>5</b> and comes to a position within an overlapping region <b>6</b> between the first region <b>4</b> and the second region <b>5</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1B</figref>, hand-off is required and a soft hand-off state is entered wherein forward link signals are transmitted from both of the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b. In this instance, the reception power of the mobile station <b>3</b> from the second base station <b>2</b>b reaches the threshold value b at time t1 as seen in a region B of <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 2</figref>. Then, the mobile station <b>3</b> receives the forward link signals from both of the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b. As the mobile station <b>3</b> further moves from the first base station <b>2</b>a toward the second base station <b>2</b>b, the reception power of the forward link signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b soon becomes higher than the reception power of the forward link signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a, and then at time t2, the reception power from the first base station <b>2</b>a reaches the other threshold value a. Thereafter, the mobile station <b>3</b> does not receive the forward link signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a any more, but receives the forward link signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b. In other words, in the region B where time shifts from t1 to time t2, the mobile station <b>3</b> is entered in a soft hand-off state wherein it receives and demodulates the forward link signals from both of the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b.

0032Then, when the mobile station <b>3</b> further moves from the overlapping region <b>6</b> to the second region <b>5</b> and is positioned in the second region <b>5</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1C</figref>, the mobile station <b>3</b> receives the forward link signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b and transmits its reverse link signal to the second base station <b>2</b>b. In this instance, as described hereinabove, as the mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the first base station <b>2</b>a toward the second base station <b>2</b>b, the reception power of the mobile station <b>3</b> varies such that the reception power of the forward link signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b becomes equal to or higher than the threshold value b while the reception power of the forward link signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a becomes equal to or lower than the threshold value a. Accordingly, the mobile station <b>3</b> receives and demodulates only the forward link signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b.

0033It is to be noted that the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> may alternatively adopt another system (Mobile Assisted Hand Off: MAHO) wherein, when the mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the first region <b>4</b> into the overlapping region <b>6</b>, an instruction to enter hand-off processing is outputted from the mobile station <b>3</b> side, or may adopt still another system wherein an instruction to enter a hand-off state is issued from the base stations <b>2</b> side. Thus, for the process of transition to a hand-off state from an ordinary state wherein the mobile station <b>3</b> is connected to the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b, any system may be employed. Also, the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> may adopt any system for the process of transition from a hand-off state to an ordinary state.

0034Now, an example of different hand-off processes performed in response to different kinds of signals when a mobile station successively moves from the first region <b>4</b> to the overlapping region <b>6</b> and to the second region <b>5</b> as described hereinabove with reference to <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIGS. 1(a)</figref>, <b>1</b>(b) and <b>1</b>(c) is described. It is to be noted that, in the following description, hand-off processes for an information signal and a control signal, particularly a transmission power control signal, are described.

0035When the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the first region <b>4</b> as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1A</figref>, it receives a transmission power control signal as a forward link control signal and an information signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a. The mobile station <b>3</b> demodulates the received transmission power control signal and the information signal. The mobile station <b>3</b> controls its transmission power, with which a reverse link signal is to be transmitted to the first base station <b>2</b>a, based on the transmission power control signal obtained by the demodulation.

0036Further, when the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1B</figref>, it enters a hand-off mode, in which forward link signals of substantially same contents are transmitted from both the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b to the mobile station <b>3</b>. In this instance, to the mobile station <b>3</b>, both a transmission power control signal and an information signal are transmitted from the first base station <b>2</b>a, and only a transmission power control signal is transmitted from the second base station <b>2</b>b. In other words, in the overlapping region <b>6</b>, the mobile station <b>3</b> is in a soft hand-off state wherein it is connected to the first base station <b>2</b>a, and the second base station <b>2</b>b with regard to a transmission power control signal. Thus, the mobile station <b>3</b> receives and demodulates the transmission power control signal and the information signal transmitted from the first base station <b>2</b>a and the transmission power control signal transmitted from the second base station <b>2</b>b separately from each other. Further, when the mobile station <b>3</b> receives the transmission power control signal transmitted from the first base station <b>2</b>a and the transmission power control signal transmitted from the second base station <b>2</b>b, it compares contents of the transmission power control signal received from the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b with each other and then determines an operation to be performed based on a result of the comparison. With regard to a transmission power control signal, the mobile station <b>3</b> determines an operation to be performed based on a result of a combination of the control signal from the first base station <b>2</b>a and the transmission power control signal from the second base station <b>2</b>b.

0037More particularly, the mobile station <b>3</b> normally controls the transmission power of a reverse link signal thereof to be transmitted to the first base station <b>2</b>a or the second base station <b>2</b>b such that it increases its transmission power of the reverse link signal only when the transmission power control signals transmitted from both the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b indicate “up”. Otherwise, the mobile station <b>3</b> maintains or decreases the transmission power to control the transmission power of a reverse link signal to be transmitted to the first base station <b>2</b>a or the second base station <b>2</b>b. It is to be noted that, when transmission power control signals are transmitted to the mobile station <b>3</b> in other combinations or in a different combination where a plurality of base stations and mobile stations <b>3</b> are present, the transmission power may be controlled in accordance with a system conforming to the IS-<b>95</b> of Qualcomm.

0038It is to be noted that, with regard to a control signal other than a transmission power control signal, the mobile station <b>3</b> demodulates the control signals transmitted from the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b and adopts the modulation signal which exhibits a higher reception power. Further, in the case where forward link signals transmitted include error correction codes, amplitude values of the forward link signals should be added simply thereto and inputted to a soft decision decoder. By this operation, the mobile station <b>3</b> can reduce the error rate of the control signals and can augment the response performance to a command given by the first base station <b>2</b>a or the second base station <b>2</b>b.

0039The mobile station <b>3</b> enters into an ordinary state from a hand-off state in the overlapping region <b>6</b> when it moves from the overlapping region <b>6</b> to the second region <b>5</b> as shown in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 1C</figref>. Thereupon, a forward link signal including a transmission power control signal and an information signal is transmitted from the second base station <b>2</b>b to the mobile station <b>3</b>. Then, similarly as in the case wherein the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the first region <b>4</b> described hereinabove, the mobile station <b>3</b> receives and demodulates the forward link signal and controls the transmission power with which a reverse link signal is to be transmitted to the second base station <b>2</b>b based on the transmission power control signal.

0040As described above, in the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, when the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> and is to be put into a hand-off state, transmission power control signals are transmitted from both of the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b to the mobile station <b>3</b>. Consequently, the mobile station <b>3</b> enters a soft hand-off state for controlling the transmission power based on a combination of the control signals from both of the base stations <b>2</b>. On the other hand, with regard to an information signal of voice information and so forth, the mobile station <b>3</b> enters a hard hand-off state wherein it receives an information signal from only one of the base stations.

0041In this manner, with the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, when the mobile station <b>3</b> is in a hand-off state, it is entered in a soft hand-off state wherein an information signal from only one of the base stations <b>2</b> is transmitted to the mobile station <b>3</b> and transmission power control signals are transmitted from both of the base stations <b>2</b>. Consequently, when compared with an alternative system wherein a soft hand-off state is established by transmitting information signals and transmission power control signals separately from each other from both of the base stations <b>2</b>, possible interference with the other mobile stations <b>3</b> included in the system can be reduced because information signals are transmitted from a plurality of the base stations <b>2</b> toward the mobile station <b>3</b>. Further, with the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, since control signals arc transmitted from the plurality of base stations to the mobile station <b>3</b> when the mobile station <b>3</b> is in a hand-off state, when compared with another system wherein hard hand-off is performed in the overlapping region <b>6</b>, the reliability of the control signals can be augmented. Particularly with regard to a transmission power control signal, since the mobile station <b>3</b> is in a soft hand-off state, it is also possible to control the transmission power of the mobile station <b>3</b> from the second base station <b>2</b>b described above, and it can be prevented that a reverse link signal is transmitted from the mobile station <b>3</b> with a transmission power which cannot be anticipated by the second base station <b>2</b>b.

0042Further, with the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, when the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b>, since the mobile station <b>3</b> is put into a soft hand-off state with regard to a control signal, but is put into a hard hand-off state with regard to an information signal, the communication capacity of the entire system can be augmented. For example, even if the communication capacity of the second base station <b>2</b>b in the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> is fully used, since only a transmission power control signal is required to be transmitted from the second base station <b>2</b>b to the mobile station <b>3</b>, the influence upon the other mobile stations <b>3</b> in transmission of an information signal or a control signal can be reduced. Accordingly, with the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, interference with signals communicated by the second base station <b>2</b>b can be suppressed, and when the mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the first region <b>4</b> into the second region <b>5</b>, hard hand-off can be performed such that an information signal is communicated between the second base station <b>2</b>b and the mobile station <b>3</b> finally using a frequency channel different from the frequency channel which has been used in the first region <b>4</b>.

0043Now, an example where the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b have such a threshold value as specified in Table 1 below is described.

0044<tables id="TABLE-US-00001" num="00001"><table frame="none" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="3"><colspec colname="offset" colwidth="14pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="1" colwidth="84pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="119pt" align="left" /><thead><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" rowsep="1">TABLE 1</entry></row><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row><row><entry /><entry>Connected number</entry><entry>Operation mode of second base</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>to second base station</entry><entry>station</entry></row><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></thead><tbody valign="top"><row><entry /><entry>Nfull</entry><entry>Hard hand-off is performed between</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>frequencies after soft hand-off</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>state is entered with regard only</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>to transmission power control signal</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>Nfull to Nth</entry><entry>Only transmission power control</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>signal is transmitted to establish</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>soft hand-off state, but no</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>information signal is transmitted</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>Nth to Nempty </entry><entry>Transmission power control signal</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>and information signal are</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>transmitted to establish soft hand-</entry></row><row><entry /><entry /><entry>off state with regard to both of them</entry></row><row><entry /><entry namest="offset" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0045This Table 1 is stored, for example, in memories built in the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b and is read, for example, by a CPU so that the CPU may perform processing based on the threshold value. This Table 1 illustrates an example of hand-off processing of the base station <b>2</b>a or the base station <b>2</b>b for the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> described above when the connected number of mobile stations <b>3</b> is stored as a threshold value Nth.

0046According to Table 1, when the connected number of mobile stations <b>3</b> to the second base station <b>2</b>b reaches a peak value Nfull, the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> between the first base station <b>2</b>a and second base station <b>2</b>b is put into a soft hand-off state with regard to a transmission power control signal. On the other hand, with regard to an information signal, hard hand-off is performed using a frequency channel different from that of the first base station <b>2</b>a.

0047When the connected number of mobile stations to the second base station <b>2</b>b is within a range from the peak value Nfull to the threshold value Nth, the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> between the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b is put into a soft hand-off state only with regard to a transmission power control signal. On the other hand, the second base station <b>2</b>b does not transmit an information signal to the mobile station <b>3</b>.

0048When the connected number of mobile stations to the second base station <b>2</b>b is smaller than the threshold value Nth and consequently the communication capacity of the second base station <b>2</b>b has a considerable free area, the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> is put into a soft hand-off state with regard to both of a transmission power control signal and an information signal.

0049Operation of the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b when such threshold value Nth is held by both of the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b described above and when a certain mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the first region <b>4</b> into the second region <b>5</b> is described.

0050First, when the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the first region <b>4</b>, a control signal and an information signal are transmitted only from the first base station <b>2</b>a to the mobile station <b>3</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3A</figref>.

0051Then, when the mobile station <b>3</b> moves toward the second base station <b>2</b>b and is positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b>, the second base station <b>2</b>b performs hand-off processing in response to the threshold value Nth held in Table 1 above. In particular, if the connected number of mobile stations <b>3</b> in the second region <b>5</b> to the second base station <b>2</b>b is greater than the threshold value Nth, then the second base station <b>2</b>b puts the mobile station <b>3</b> into a soft hand-off state only with regard to a control signal, but puts, with regard to an information signal, the mobile station <b>3</b> into a hard hand-off state in which a signal is transmitted from only one of the base stations <b>2</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3B</figref>. Particularly with regard to a control signal, the mobile station <b>3</b> is preferably put into a soft hand-off state with regard to a transmission power control signal.

0052Further, when the connected number of mobile stations <b>3</b> in the second region <b>5</b> to the second base station <b>2</b>b is equal to or lower than the threshold value Nth, the second base station <b>2</b>b transmits a control signal and an information signal to the mobile station <b>3</b> to put the mobile station <b>3</b> into a soft hand-off state with regard to a control signal and an information signal. Here, if the connected number of mobile stations <b>3</b> to the second base station <b>2</b>b becomes greater than the threshold value Nth, then the operation returns to that for the pertaining case described hereinabove wherein the threshold value Nth is exceeded.

0053Then, when the mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the overlapping region <b>6</b> into the second region <b>5</b>, a control signal and an information signal are transmitted from the second base station <b>2</b>b to the mobile station <b>3</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 3D</figref>.

0054In this manner, with the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, when the communication capacities of both base stations have some free areas, soft hand-off processing can be performed with regard to both of a control signal and an information signal, and consequently, a high communication quality can be assured.

0055It is to be noted that, where only one value is prepared for the threshold value Nth, the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> may possibly repeat soft hand-off processing and hard hand-off processing with regard to an information signal. However, for example, a hysteresis may be provided so that soft hand-off processing and hard hand-off processing may not alternatively be repeated rapidly.

0056Subsequently, an example wherein the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b described above have such a threshold value as specified in Table 2 below is described.

0057<tables id="TABLE-US-00002" num="00002"><table frame="none" colsep="0" rowsep="0"><tgroup align="left" colsep="0" rowsep="0" cols="2"><colspec colname="1" colwidth="98pt" align="left" /><colspec colname="2" colwidth="119pt" align="left" /><thead><row><entry namest="1" nameend="2" rowsep="1">TABLE 2</entry></row><row><entry namest="1" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row><row><entry>Communication quality of</entry><entry>Operation mode of second base</entry></row><row><entry>second base station</entry><entry>station</entry></row><row><entry namest="1" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></thead><tbody valign="top"><row><entry>Qworst</entry><entry>Hard hand-off is performed between</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>frequencies after soft hand-off</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>state is entered with regard only</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>to transmission power control signal</entry></row><row><entry>Qworst to Qth</entry><entry>Only transmission power control</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>signal is transmitted to establish</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>soft hand-off state, but no</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>information signal is transmitted</entry></row><row><entry>Qth to Qbest</entry><entry>Transmission power control signal</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>and information signal are</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>transmitted to establish soft hand-</entry></row><row><entry /><entry>off state with regard to both of them</entry></row><row><entry namest="1" nameend="2" align="center" rowsep="1" /></row></tbody></tgroup></table></tables>

0058This Table 2 is stored, for example, in the memories built in the first base station <b>2</b>a and the second base station <b>2</b>b similarly to Table 1 described hereinabove and, for example, is read by a CPU so that the CPU may perform processing based on the threshold value. This Table 2 illustrates an example of hand-off processing of a base station for the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> described above when it is held as the threshold value Qth with regard to the communication quality. Here, the communication quality is a communication equality of the entire communication performed by those base stations <b>2</b> which are performing hand-off processing for a certain mobile station <b>3</b>.

0059According to Table 2, if a certain base station <b>2</b>b determines that the communication quality is the worst Qworst, then it puts the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> with another base station into a soft hand-off state only with regard to a transmission power control signal. With regard to an information signal, the second base station <b>2</b>b performs hard hand-off processing using a frequency channel different from the frequency which has been used by the first base station <b>2</b>a to which the mobile station <b>3</b> has belonged formerly.

0060If the second base station <b>2</b>b determines that the communication quality is within a range from the worst Qworst to the threshold value Qth, then it puts the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> with the other first base station <b>2</b>a into a soft hand-off state only with regard to a transmission power control signal. On the other hand, the second base station <b>2</b>b does not transmit an information signal to the mobile station <b>3</b>.

0061If the second base station <b>2</b>b determines that the communication quality is lower than the threshold value Qth, then it puts the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b> into a soft hand-off state with regard to both a transmission power control signal and an information signal.

0062Since the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> holds the threshold value Qth for the communication quality in this manner, the characteristics of the entire system, that is, the stability and the communication quality of the system, can be augmented. It is to be noted that the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> may have a threshold value Qth for the communication quality of the entire base stations <b>2</b> which perform hand-off processing and further have threshold values for the communication quality such as S/N ratios of signals transmitted from and received by the individual base stations <b>2</b>.

0063Further, with the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, since a threshold value for the connected number of mobile stations <b>3</b> or the communication quality is held in the base stations <b>2</b> and, even when the communication capacity of the system is used fully, at least a transmission power control signal can be transmitted to each mobile station <b>3</b>, the second base station <b>2</b>b of the destination of hand-off can transmit a transmission power control signal, and the second base station <b>2</b>b will not receive a signal of an unexpected transmission power from the mobile station <b>3</b>. In other words, with the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, for example, when a mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the first region <b>4</b> into the second region <b>5</b>, even if the communication capacity of the second base station <b>2</b>b is fully used, the second base station <b>2</b>b can transmit a transmission power control signal to the mobile station <b>3</b> when the mobile station <b>3</b> is positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b>. Consequently, such a situation that the level of the transmission power from the mobile station <b>3</b> is so high that it interferes with a communication signal being communicated by the second base station <b>2</b>b can be prevented, and accordingly, communication of the mobile station <b>3</b> can be optimized. Further, also when the mobile station <b>3</b> moves from the overlapping region <b>6</b> into the second region <b>5</b>, the second base station <b>2</b>b can receive an information signal from the mobile station <b>3</b> with a suitable transmission power.

0064Further, while, in the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b> described above, hand-off processing is performed by transmitting only a control signal as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4A</figref> to the mobile station <b>3</b> positioned in the overlapping region <b>6</b>, the transmission power of a control signal to be transmitted to the mobile station <b>3</b> may be made high as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4C</figref> as compared with the case wherein both a control signal and an information signal are transmitted to the mobile station <b>3</b> as seen in <figref idref="DRAWINGS">FIG. 4B</figref>. Particularly, with the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, preferably the transmission power of a transmission power control signal in a control signal is set high.

0065In this manner, with the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, when a mobile station <b>3</b> is put into a soft hand-off state only with regard to a control signal, the reception error rate of a transmission power control signal of the mobile station <b>3</b> can be reduced by increasing the transmission wave power of a control signal such as a transmission power control signal. Accordingly, with the mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, although the communication capacity is decreased a little by increasing the transmission wave power of a transmission power control signal, the stability of the entire system can be augmented. It is to be noted that, with the present mobile radio communication system <b>1</b>, even if the transmission wave power of a transmission power control signal is increased, since soft hand-off processing is performed only with regard to a control signal while hard hand-off processing is performed with regard to an information signal, even if the transmission wave power is increased, interference with another signal in the entire system can be suppressed.

0066While a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described using specific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the following claims.