Abstract: A wireless communication system infrastructure services wireless communications within a service coverage area. A digital enclosure includes a plurality of wireless communication processing components that perform digital processing functions. A plurality of radio enclosures couple to the digital enclosure via communication links and each service wireless communications within a corresponding geographic area of the service coverage area. During operation of the wireless communication system infrastructure, two radio enclosures of the plurality of radio enclosures share a communication processing component of the digital enclosure while jointly servicing a single wireless communication. The two radio enclosures reside at respective geographic locations that are separated by a geographic distance such that each of the radio enclosures services a respective cell. Each of the radio enclosures may service a plurality of sectors that form the cell.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for regulating the transmission power of a transmitter generating a CDMA signal. The CDMA signal is transported over a main channel which includes a plurality of sub-channels, each sub-channel associated with a particular sub-signal of the CDMA signal. The apparatus includes primarily an SNR estimator functional bloc and a logical functional bloc. The SNR estimator functional block receives as input the sub-signals and is responsible for commuting an estimate of the ratio of the total signal energy in the sub-signals to the total noise energy in the sub-signals. The logical functional bloc generates a control signal in dependence of the SNR estimation computed by the SNR estimation functional bloc. This control signal is sent back to the transmitter generating the CDMA signal, and is indicative of either a power-up or power-down command for regulating the transmission power of the transmitter.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for limiting a voltage to a specified value (e.g., a rail voltage) without clipping thereby includes a pair of MOSFETs that turn on when a specified bias voltage is reached to either add to or sink current from the input node of the resistive load responsive to fluctuations in current going through the output resistive load to maintain a constant current through it. A plurality of biasing circuits is provided that control the turn on voltage levels for the MOSFETs to achieve the desired operation. The biasing circuits include circuit components that are matched to circuit components within the circuitry that adds and drains current to the output resistive load including a resistive load that matches the output resistive load.

Abstract: A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention includes an originating mobile switching center (MSC), a home location register (HLR), a serving MSC and supporting infrastructure for each MSC. Such supporting infrastructure includes a plurality of base station controllers (BSC) and a plurality of base stations. The base stations support wireless communications within respective cells to service mobile units operating in the cells. When a call is received by the originating MSC intended for the mobile unit, the originating MSC determines whether the call originated from a private branch exchange. Such determination is made based upon whether the call was incoming on a designated trunk line or from a caller ID assigned to the private branch exchange. If the call originated from the private branch exchange, the call is competed and a distinctive ringing is provided to the mobile unit to indicate that the call originated at the private branch exchange.

Abstract: An Analog-to-Digital-Converter (ADC) converts an analog signal to digital data. The ADC includes a modulator, a decimation filter, and a time dither clock reduction circuit. The modulator receives the analog signal and a feedback signal and, based there upon, produces a modulated signal at a modulator clock rate. The decimation filter couples to the modulator, receives the modulated signal, and decimates and filters the modulated signal to produce the digital data. The time dither clock reduction circuit receives the modulated signal and provides the feedback signal to the modulator. The time dither clock reduction circuit applies both clock reduction and time dithering to the modulated signal to produce the feedback signal. At each modulator clock cycle, the time dithering clock reduction circuit considers modulated signals for a dithering factor, N, previous modulator clock cycles and a modulated signal for a current modulator clock cycle.

Abstract: An integrated oscillator that may be used as a time clock includes circuitry that oscillates about an RC time constant, which RC time constant is adjustable to provide a desired frequency of oscillation. More specifically, the oscillator includes a capacitor array that has a plurality of capacitors coupled in parallel wherein each capacitor may be selectively included into the RC time constant or selectively excluded there from. Rather than setting the capacitance values to a desired capacitance value, a system for adjusting the time constant includes circuitry for measuring an output frequency and for comparing that to a certified frequency source wherein the time constant is adjusted by adding or removing capacitors from the capacitor array until the frequency of the internal clock matches an expected frequency.

Abstract: A wireless communication system and a mobile station employ at least one threshold to evaluate the quality of transmissions from a serving base station to determine when the mobile station enters a Dead Zone adjacent a border cell of the system. Such thresholds not only consider the ratio of carrier energy (Ec) to interference (Ec/Io) but also consider the energy of the carrier itself. When the relevant measured (or calculated) carrier energy Ec and/or carrier energy to interference ratio Ec/Io are passed, the mobile station performs system reselection, attempting to acquire a different system/carrier. The thresholds employed may be passed from the base station to the mobile station in the System Parameters message, for example.

Abstract: A load management system includes a load management control center, at least one power management termination system, a plurality of power line nodes, and a plurality of load management devices. This system is operable so that the load management control center may independently, or as a group, control each of the load management devices. According to one aspect of the present invention, the load management control center accesses the load management devices across a communication network that includes a power line network. The load management devices may be addressed individually. Alternately, the load management devices may be addressed as a group or set of groups by the load management control center during load shedding operations. Load management devices may include meters that are communicatively coupled to the load management control center.

Abstract: A virtual assistant system (VAS) (102) supports call services (104), message services (106) and profile services (108) and interfaces to both a telephone network (114) and to a data network (116). The telephone network (114) may be the PSTN and/or another telephone network. The data network (116) may be the Internet, an Intranet or another data network in which communications are packet based. The call services (104) include call receipt services, call initiation services, conference calling services and other types of services in which calls are initiated, routed and/or completed and that are typically provided by a telephone company. The message services (106) include voice mail, email, Faxes, video mail, and other types of messages that include one or more types of media, e.g., audio or visual. The profile services (108) uniquely identify each subscriber and provide contact information for the subscriber. [All communications (email, voice mail, Fax, etc.

Abstract: A circuit and a method for limiting a voltage to a specified value (e.g., a rail voltage) without clipping thereby includes a pair of MOSFETs that turn on when a specified bias voltage is reached to either add to or sink current from the input node of the resistive load responsive to fluctuations in current going through the output resistive load to maintain a constant current through it. A plurality of biasing circuits is provided that control the turn on voltage levels for the MOSFETs to achieve the desired operation. The biasing circuits include circuit components that are matched to circuit components within the circuitry that adds and drains current to the output resistive load including a resistive load that matches the output resistive load.

Abstract: A method of managing inter-satellite links (ISLs) in a LEOS system. Intra-plane ISLs are established between a subject satellite and adjacent satellites in the same orbital plane. These intra-plane ISLs are generally fixed during all operations and will not be severed or reestablished once they have been initially established. Neighbor ISLs are established to minimize offset between a subject satellite and the neighboring satellites with which it has neighbor ISLs. However, satellites in the neighbor plane may be selected for neighbor ISLs which do no currently provide the minimal offset position but soon will based upon the continuing relative motion between the planes. Altering neighbor ISLs for an orbital plane is coordinated within a plane to eliminate loops and inefficient routing paths. Seam ISLs are also managed. When a satellite operates in a teardrop area (area in which the satellite provides some coverage), the satellite establishes seam ISLs to up to two seam satellites in a seam orbital plane.

Abstract: An improved method for programming a mobile telephone over the air within a mobile telephone communication network is disclosed. The mobile telephone communication network includes an over-the-air function, a customer service center, a mobile switching center, a base station controller, and multiple base transceiver stations. The over-the-air function, using the mobile switching center, the base station controller, and one of the base transceiver stations for transport, initially sends a request over the air to a mobile telephone within the mobile telephone communication network to interrogate the mobile telephone's protocol capability. In response to the request, the mobile telephone sends a protocol capability response message over the air back to the over-the-air function. The protocol capability response message includes a BAND_MODE_CAP field that describes the band and mode capability information of the mobile telephone.

Abstract: The private/residential wireless communication system uses the code division multiple access air interface to provide communication with radiotelephones. The present invention provides support for both physical and virtual private systems. A radiotelephone monitors the broadcast channel of the public system to obtain private system information. The radiotelephone use the broadcast information together with pre-programmed stored private system information in the radiotelephone memory to acquire and register with the private systems. If the radiotelephone locates a private system that is not stored in its memory, it obtains relevant information for registering with that system. The radiotelephone then stores the information of accepting systems. This information is displayed so that a system can be chosen. The radiotelephone then registers with the chosen system.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for controlling transmission power of a mobile unit in a wireless communication system which minimizes transmission power overshoot caused by counteracting the effects of deep fading. Sets of power control bits are transmitted from the base station to the mobile unit using &pgr;/4 DQPSK modulation. A first set of the bits indicates to the mobile unit a request to increase the mobile units transmission power by a predetermined amount. A second set of the bits indicates to the mobile unit that the mobile unit should increase its transmission power by an amount which is greater than the predetermined amount. A third set of the bits indicates to the mobile unit a request to decrease the mobile units transmission power by the predetermined amount. A fourth set of the bits indicates to the mobile unit that the mobile unit should decrease its transmission power by the amount which is greater than the predetermined amount.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system manages Gatekeeper subscriber load by assigning subscriber load among a plurality of Gatekeepers during the Gatekeeper discovery and registration process. A Registration Load Management Unit (RLMU) is primarily responsible for assigning subscriber load to the plurality of Gatekeepers. In one embodiment, the plurality of Gatekeepers are organized without a hierarchy structure and are made up of a plurality of Gatekeeper service nodes and a plurality of Gatekeeper Database nodes. The Gatekeeper service nodes provide the Registration, Admission, Status, Location, Call Set Up and other operating functions of the Gatekeeper while the plurality of Gatekeeper Database nodes store subscriber information. In a second embodiment, the plurality of Gatekeepers are organized in a hierarchy with a Root Gatekeeper at the top of the hierarchy and a plurality of Gatekeepers residing below the Root Gatekeeper in the hierarchy.

Abstract: A time division multiple access cellular communication system supports a packet channel is alterable between a packet control channel configuration and a packet traffic channel configuration. In the packet control channel configuration, the packet channel may provide only control functions or a combination of control and traffic functions. The packet channel may also be configured in a packet traffic configuration so that the packet channel provides only packet traffic functions. In this configuration, another packet channel must be configured in the packet control channel configuration to provide control functions for the packet traffic only packet channel. A Digital Control Channel (DCCH) includes information relating to a Beacon Packet Control Channel (PCCH), which contains information on the allocated packet channels. The subscriber unit initiates its packet data operations within the system.

Abstract: A controller module is coupled to a plurality of application modules over a backplane. The backplane comprises a differential bus(s) having a TX and RX data signal, a differential clock signal, and a single ended collision detection line. The application modules transmit data to the controller module. The controller module retransmits a recovered version of the data back to the application modules over the collision detection line. Each application module compares the retransmitted data bits with the data bits it originally transmitted. If the data is not the same, a collision has occurred and the application module removes itself from the bus. If the data is the same as that transmitted originally, that particular application module continues to transmit on the bus. Metastability at the controller module's differential receiver enables multiple differential transmitters to be on the differential bus at the same time.

Abstract: A mouse provides multiple cursor control input devices. A first input device is a tracking ball. The second input device may be a tracking ball, a finger pad, or a joy stick, among other input devices. The second input device provides a secondary control of cursor movement that is combined with the input of the first input device to provide full cursor control. In one embodiment, the second input is scaled by a scaling factor and then combined with the first input. In another embodiment, both the first input and the second input are scaled before they are combined. In another mouse, a single input is provided that is scaled by one of a plurality of scaling factors. The scaling factor may be altered to another one of the plurality of scaling factors via mouse input, for example a button input.

Abstract: A dynamically configured user network services a plurality of network members. A metanetwork definition identifies the members of the dynamic manifest network and provides the rules by which the network members establish links among themselves and communicate. Each of the network members employs a client communication device to communicate with another network member according to the metanetwork definition. Another centrally located computer, a network friend, may assist in setting upon and managing the dynamic manifest network via creating and altering the metanetwork definition. At a minimum, each client communication device includes a network interface, a processor and an interface to a coupled computer or to a client. The client communication device may include a voice interface, a display, a disk drive (or other storage), a network interface and other components.

Abstract: A telephone network constructed according to the present invention includes call redirection functions that redirect calls intended for a toll-free-number or central number of an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to one of a plurality of available Internet Protocol (IP) gateways operated by the ISP. Call redirection may be performed within a coupled signaling network during a database lookup or Service Control Point operation, at a signal switching point of a destination switch or by a PBX operated by the ISP. The call redirection may be static or may be dynamic. In static call redirection, all calls are redirected to a single IP gateway. In dynamic call redirection, one of a plurality of available IP gateways is selected based upon operating conditions. In making such selection, IP gateway loading, IP gateway availability, telephone network loading, telephone network availability and telephone network routing costs are considered.