Verizon Communications Inc.
Mobility management for airborne mobile devices

Abstract:

A radio access network (RAN) mobility management element can receive a satellite-based measurement of a geolocation of an airborne mobile device. The RAN mobility management element can determine, based on the satellite-based measurement, a distance between the geolocation of the airborne mobile device and a geolocation of a serving cell that is serving the airborne mobile device, and a respective distance between the geolocation of the airborne mobile device and a respective geolocation of each cell of a plurality of cells. The RAN mobility management element can determine whether to hand over the airborne mobile device to a cell, included in the plurality of cells, based on the distance between the geolocation of the airborne mobile device and the geolocation of the serving cell, and a distance between the geolocation of the airborne mobile device and a geolocation of the cell included in the plurality of cells.