Out-of-band radio for supporting compressed mode in a femto deployment

Abstract

Systems, methods, devices, and computer program products are described for using communications over an out-of-band (OOB) link to support compressed mode communications by user equipment (UE) in a femto deployment. Typically, UEs must tune away from an active communications channel to make inter-frequency and/or inter-RAT measurements. When making these measurements, data communications may be compressed to allow time to tune away for those measurements. Embodiments integrate an OOB proxy with the femtocell to provide OOB link capability to supplement WWAN link resources. According to various techniques, the OOB link is used to compensate for reductions in data rate and/or quality resulting from compressed mode operation. For example, the OOB link is used to communicate compressed mode signaling data, retransmissions, and/or other compensatory data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method as described in the foregoing description. 
     
     
         2 . User equipment as described in the foregoing description. 
     
     
         3 . A processor as described in the foregoing description. 
     
     
         4 . A computer program product residing on a processor-readable medium and comprising processor-readable instructions, which, when executed, cause a processor to perform steps, as described in the foregoing description. 
     
     
         5 . A system as described in the foregoing description. 
     
     
         6 . A femto-proxy system as described in the foregoing description.