Abstract: The present invention relates to a cellular and PCS enhanced roaming arrangement for assuring that a roaming mobile station is serviced outside its home service market be a preferred service provider. A mobile station outside its home market, when attempting to register or initiate a call, will attempt to connect to a remote service provider in the geographic region where it is located in the same manner as it would in the home market. The remote service provider will contact the home service provider seeking, among other things, service information and account status. In the event that the home service provider has more favorable arrangements with another service provider in the geographic region where the mobile station is located, the home service provider will transmit redirection instructions to the remote service provider which is transmitted to the mobile station.

Abstract: A communication system includes a voice subsystem and a multimedia subsystem. The voice subsystem couples to the PSTN and services a voice communication received by the communication system from a caller. The multimedia subsystem couples to the voice subsystem, supports multimedia communications and provides a multimedia interface to the caller upon receipt of the voice communication from the caller. When the call originates from a phone that supports multimedia communications, the multimedia subsystem directs the multimedia interface to the phone but, when the call originates from a phone that does not supports multimedia communications, the multimedia interface is directed to an associated multimedia enabled device. The voice subsystem provides call processing and routing functions as well as messaging functions and extended services. The multimedia subsystem includes an information posting subsystem and an information access subsystem that allow callers to post information and to access information.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol (IP) telephony system cross-references transport addresses of Gatekeepers using a domain name of the IP telephony system. The IP telephony system is serviced by at least one Gatekeeper and the transport address for each Gatekeeper is stored on a Domain Name Server (DNS). An A record or other suitable record may be employed within the DNS to index the transport addresses of the Gatekeepers to the IP telephony system domain name. A calling endpoint first queries the DNS for the transport address of a Gatekeeper servicing the IP telephony system. The DNS address retrieves at least one transport address for the Gatekeeper(s) and returns the transport address(es) to the calling endpoint. When querying the DNS, the calling endpoint may use an identifier such as subscribername@Gatekeeper.ABC.domain where the user name of the called endpoint is “subscribername” and the domain name of the IP telephony system is ABC.domain.

Abstract: A wireless communication system facilitates wireless communication with a subscribing unit operating within a respective service area. At least one base station supports wireless communication within the service area in a plurality of frequency bands and according to a plurality of communication protocols. In a broadcast message, a transmitting base station indicates to the subscribing unit the plurality of frequency bands and the plurality of communication protocols available. The subscribing unit receives the broadcast message and communicates with the base station on one of the plurality of frequency bands according to one of the plurality of communication protocols. In another embodiment, the system includes a plurality of base stations providing overlying coverage within the service area. In such systems, multiple broadcast message may provide information regarding the overlying coverage provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transmitting data over a multi-channel CDMA system are disclosed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention wherein the system includes an encoder for encoding a data stream with error correction, an interleaver for interleaving the data stream, a multiplexor for multiplexing a plurality of power control symbols onto the data stream, and an inverse-multiplexor for inverse-multiplexing the data stream onto multiple different communication channels. The system may also include additional error correction encoding and interleaving steps.

Abstract: A method for managing subscriber load within a terrestrial cellular wireless communication system includes organizing a plurality of cells that form a service area into a plurality of corridors and managing accessibility within each corridor. Each of the plurality of corridors includes a plurality of cells/sectors that have similar loading patterns and that form a contiguous portion of the service coverage area. Periodically, corridor load is determined for each corridor. Further, access rules for the plurality of base stations forming the corridor are determined, these access rules determining which subscribers may access the plurality of base stations forming the corridor. When a loading level for any of the base stations within the corridor-compares unfavorably to a respective loading threshold, access rules for all of the plurality of base stations forming the particular corridor are altered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cellular and PCS enhanced roaming arrangement for assuring that a roaming mobile station is serviced outside its home service market be a preferred service provider. A mobile station outside its home market, when attempting to register or initiate a call, will attempt to connect to a remote service provider in the geographic region where it is located in the same manner as it would in the home market. The remote service provider will contact the home service provider seeking, among other things, service information and account status. In the event that the home service provider has more favorable arrangements with another service provider in the geographic region where the mobile station is located, the home service provider will transmit redirection instructions to the remote service provider which is transmitted to the mobile station.

Abstract: A telephone network includes an Enhanced Call Routing (ECR) function that reroutes calls when the high usage route and fixed tandem routes are overloaded or otherwise unavailable. The ECR function tracks the operation of the telephone network on the basis of origination switches and destination switches and provides temporary network rerouting during outages and unusual loading situations. Further, the ECR function supports Local Number Portability (LNP) so that it may operate in those telephone networks that are designed and/or modified to support LNP. The ECR function resides on a signaling network element such as a Service Switching Point (SSP) and/or a Service Control Point (SCP). A call setup request is received by a Service Switching Point (SSP), an origination switch in the traffic network, and intended for a destination switch. Initial routing via a high usage route and fixed tandem route(s) are unsuccessful. The SSP sends a Network_Busy message to the STP/SCP supporting the ECR function.

Abstract: A wireless communication system determines whether an increased billing rate will be applied for an incoming call by comparing an Originating Rate Center ID for the call with a current location of a mobile unit. Based upon this determination, the wireless communication center provides a distinctive ringing alert to a serviced mobile unit when an increased billing rate will be applied. An increased billing rate may be applied when the mobile unit terminates a call outside of its Home Zone and/or outside of the Orginating rate Center of the call. The user of the mobile unit may then elect to receive the call based upon the knowledge that the call is a increased billing rate call or a regular billing rate call.

Abstract: A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention interfaces with a Service Control Point (SCP) to provide location information for a serviced mobile unit. The SCP sends a locate request to a Home Location Register (HLR) of the wireless communication system, requesting the location of the serviced mobile unit. The HLR then accesses a serving Mobile Switching Center (MSC), the serving MSC being identified by the HLR as currently servicing the mobile unit. Depending upon the particular constraints of the requested operation by the SCP (e.g., immediate locate request or most recent locate request), the serving MSC either retrieves location information for the mobile unit from its Visitor Location Register (VLR) or sends a page to the mobile unit. The mobile unit responds to the page and, based upon the cell/sector from which the mobile unit responded, the serving MSC determines an approximate location of the mobile unit.

Abstract: A wireless communication system selectively delays serviced data communications to produce a desired level of voice communications capacity. The system first determines whether the wireless communication system has sufficient voice communications capacity. If it is determined that the wireless communication system has insufficient voice communications capacity, the system determines a data communications delay that is required to provide sufficient voice communications capacity. Based upon its determination, the system then selectively delays some or all of the data communications to create the sufficient voice communications capacity. In one operation, one data communication serviced by the wireless communication system is selectively delayed to create the sufficient voice communications capacity. In another operation, a plurality of data communications serviced by the wireless communication system are selectively delayed to create the sufficient voice communications capacity.

Abstract: A voice quality performance evaluator includes an interface, memory, processing circuitry and may include a network interface. The interface is adapted to couple to a voice transmission path under test. The memory couples to the interface and is adapted to store an original voice sample and a modified voice sample. The processing circuitry couples to the interface and to the memory, retrieves the original voice sample from the memory and transmits the original voice sample to the voice transmission path under test via the interface. The processing circuitry also receives the modified voice sample via the interface from the voice transmission path under test. Finally, the processing circuitry compares the original voice sample to the modified voice sample in the frequency domain to evaluate the performance of the voice transmission path.

Abstract: A method of forming a transistor includes forming a source/drain implant in the initial processing stages just after the formation of the isolation and active regions on the substrate. A uniform nitride layer is formed over the surface of the substrate on top of a dielectric layer. A silicide metal is then deposited and reacted with the underlying silicon to form a salicide over the source and drain regions. A second dielectric layer is then formed on top of the salicide and is formed to be selective relative to the nitride layer. Thereafter, the nitride layer is removed and a final gate dielectric is then formed. Finally, a metal gate conductor is formed on top of the gate dielectric. The metal gate conductor is formed only after all annealing steps are performed to prevent the metal from spiking through the gate dielectric thereby ruining the device.

Abstract: A telephone network redirects calls intended for an Internet Service Provider (ISP) to one of a plurality of available Internet Protocol (IP) gateways operated by the ISP. A call is received by the telephone network at an originating switch from a subscriber's calling terminal, the call directed to a toll-free-number or a central number (TFN) for the subscriber's ISP. The originating switch interacts with the signaling network via a coupled service switching point (SSP) to request a Dialed Number (DN) corresponding to the TFN. A destination switch (or a Private Branch Exchange “PBX” coupled to the destination switch), instead of completing the call, redirects the call to a new IP gateway coupled to a new destination switch or coupled PBX. The call is then routed from the calling terminal to the new IP gateway via the originating switch and the new destination switch via a lowest point in the traffic network.

Abstract: A method of performing a nitride strip process step for a plurality of semiconductor wafers includes partially draining the chemical solution within a chemical bath after every nitride strip in which the oxide etch rate is within a specified range. If the oxide etch rate is above the specified range, the partial drain is performed. Once the etch rate falls within the range, the partial drain is performed every time a bath increment signal is received. If the etch rate falls below the specified range, then the bath is completely drained so that the solution may be replaced with fresh chemicals. While it is generally desirable to minimize the amount of field oxide that is removed during the nitride strip process step, the field oxide etch should be maintained at a specified level because, when below that level, the chemical solution silicon content is too high risking the possibility that the silicon will precipitate and cause undesirable effects including coating the wafers being stripped of nitride.

Abstract: A method for configuring a spread spectrum cellular network for small-cell inclusion, by providing a finite series of PN-offsets, each PN-offset is separated by a constant value that is allotted to the spread spectrum cellular network. The finite series is portioned into a first and a second set. The second set subsequent to the first set and having sufficient PN-offset elements for a PN-offset reuse pattern having a plurality of cells, each cell having similar transmission characteristics. The second set is assigned to the PN-offset reuse pattern, deploying the cellular reuse pattern for a cellular network. Small cells are insertable into the spread spectrum cellular network by assigning the first set to a PN-offset reuse pattern having a plurality of small cells arranged in a small-cell reuse pattern, and deploying the small-cell reuse pattern.

Abstract: A CDMA communication system supports underlay transmissions and direct spread overlay transmissions such that the overlay transmissions are at least partially orthogonal to underlay transmissions. A base station supports both the underlay transmissions and the overlay transmissions and includes an interface to a mobile switching center, an underlay unit, an overlay unit and at least one radio frequency (RF) unit. The interface receives communications intended for a plurality of mobile stations serviced by the base station. These communications include underlay communications intended for mobile stations (MSs) supporting underlay transmissions and overlay communications intended for MSs supporting overlay transmissions. The underlay unit receives the underlay portion of the communications and produces underlay transmissions. The overlay unit receives the overlay portion of the communications and produces overlay transmissions.

Abstract: A method for performing enhanced marketing operations upon the Internet enables a company web server to employ a client web server in its marketing efforts. An application program installs upon a client web server coupled to the Internet. An application program add-on also installs upon the client web server and becomes primarily responsible for the ongoing marketing efforts provided. During the installation process (and thereafter), client information is collected by the application program and/or the application program add-on at the client web server. The application software/application software add-on then relays this client information to the company web server across the Internet for further use. Marketing content is then downloaded from the company web server to the client web server across the Internet. After its receipt, the marketing content is supported upon the client web server to support the marketing efforts of the company.

Abstract: A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention forwards the termination access type to the serving mobile switching center (MSC) for inclusion into a call detail record and includes an originating 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 the termination access type of the call, e.g., mobile to mobile directory number access, land to mobile directory number access, remote feature control port access and roamer port access, among others. The originating MSC then sends a locate request to the mobile unit's HLR.

Abstract: A spectrum yield management (SYM) system manages available spectrum within a wireless communication system. The SYM system includes at least one computer and connections within the wireless communication system to other components of the wireless communication system. The SYM system collects real-time and potential loading information for the wireless communication system and receives system operator parameters. The SYM system may support a plurality of classes with each class having subscriber members that receives services commensurate with the class. The SYM system may also support a plurality of corridors within the wireless communication system, with each corridor including at least once cell/sector. The SYM system provides signals to the components of the wireless communication and to subscriber units to influence their operation in a manner that will realize system operator goals with respect to spectrum usage.