Abstract: A configuration of base stations and sectors within cells of a CDMA wireless communication network provide greater call handling capacity. By optimally configuring sectors of a cell controlled by multiple base stations, fewer channel elements are required to implement the desired service and a resultant system has improved signal demodulation, lower power requirements, improved performance, and lower cost for a service provider. The base stations are configured to support "N" sectored cells to ensure that each cell has a maximum amount of capacity for all mobile users therein. This method involves configuring the sectors serviced by a same base station adjacent to one another. By configuring the sectors associated with base stations in this manner, there are fewer instances of soft handoff and more instances of softer handoff. Furthermore, configuring the sectors to be adjacent to one another ensures optimal power collection by each of the sectors during the communication process.

Abstract: In an enhanced partial packet discard (PPD) methodology, if an end-of-packet cell is discarded for non-PPD reasons, all non-end-of-packet cells of the immediately following packet are discarded. When an end-of-packet cell may validly be discarded, a switch faced with an end-of-packet cell may discard that cell if the last cell admitted to the buffer was an end-of-packet cell. To reduce the likelihood of having to drop end-of-packet cells, a buffer is configured to include a partial packet discard threshold such that the buffer space between that threshold and the end of the buffer is reserved for use by end-of-packet cells.

Abstract: A system for normalizing a Dual-Tone Multi-Frequency ("DTMF") tone is provided for use in a digital wireless telecommunications system. The normalization system has an electronic memory with normalization parameter variable that stores a redefinable value. A programmable DTMF tone generator circuit is coupled to the electronic memory. The tone generator circuit has an input terminal for receiving a DTMF message packet. A program, executable on the DTMF tone generator, normalizes the DTMF message packet by substituting the redefinable value of the parameter variable in the DTMF message packet such that a normalized DTMF tone is transmitted through an output terminal of the DTMF tone generator circuit.

Abstract: A wireless communication system constructed according to the present invention assigns mobile units to equalize loading among a plurality of mobile switching centers. The wireless communication system includes the plurality of mobile switching centers and a base station system which includes a plurality of base station controllers, each of which couples to a plurality of base stations. A plurality of mobile units served by the system are assigned to the mobile switching centers so that loading is equalized. In one particular construction of the wireless communication system, a dispatching switch couples the base station system to the plurality of mobile switching centers and performs the assignments of the mobile units. In an example of operation, upon attachment of a mobile unit, the dispatching switch determines loading of each of the mobile switching centers.

Abstract: A DPD (digital phase error) circuit for measuring the phase skew between a first and a second clock signal for use in a variety of control systems and more particularly for use in DPLL (digital phase-locked loop) synchronizers. The DPD includes an ROG (ring oscillator generator) which has a string of inverter gates forming an RO (ring oscillator) and a ring counter. The ring counter operates to monitor the time elapsed from the occurrence of a reset clock signal edge by recording the number of oscillation periods of the RO. The RO and ring counter are coupled to an ROC (ring oscillator capture) unit which operates to capture the state of the RO and ring counter for every occurrence of a respective first clock signal edge and second clock signal edge so as to accurately evaluate the time elapsed since the occurrence of the preceding reset clock signal edge.

Abstract: A call answering system or device for a telephone network provides a mechanism for an outbound message (typically a greeting in a call answering scenario) to be identified as semi-interruptible. An attempt to skip over a semi-interruptible message activates a warning message to alert the caller of the special status of the message. The caller may then choose to resume listening to the original message, or confirm their decision to skip it.

Abstract: A test generation method and apparatus for generating an executable testcase from a high-level functional description that is generated from functional description data relating to a target system. Provided is a computer system with a knowledge base stored on an electronic memory storage device. The knowledge base has a set of functional description data that relates to the target system on which a software function is to be tested. Through a user interface, a high-level testcase request is made for a certain function of the target system. A testcase generation program accepts as an input argument the output file and generates an executable testcase based on the set of functional description data maintained in the knowledge base.

Abstract: The allophonic text-to-speech generator (ATTG) 10 includes a CPU 100. The CPU has a random access memory 102 and a read only memory 104 for holding the operating system, application programs, and data for the CPU 100. A keyboard 110 provides a user with control over the CPU 100. A database 130 holds phonetic transcritps of words. Such databases are well-known in the field of telephone directory assistance. A second database 140 maps allophonic text to parse and pre-recorded allophones. The CPU 100 converts a phonetic transcript of a word into an allophonic text string in accordance with a rules program 120. Then the CPU 100 extracts the audio allophone files of the allophonic string and concatenates the audio files to form the new word in the same voice as the other words fromed from the allophones in database 140.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a switching node for use in a synchronous optical network ring, where the ring is transporting data divided into first size blocks, for example OC-192 optical signals, characterized by data blocks of size 192. The switching node includes several primary receive and send connections, for receiving and transmitting inter-ring optical signals divided into second size blocks, for example OC-48 optical signals, characterized by data blocks of size 48. The switching node further includes a secondary receive and send connection for receiving and transmitting intra-ring optical signals divided into first size blocks. A critical component of the switching node is the main controller, responsible for routing incoming intra-ring first size blocks towards a primary send connection.

Abstract: An improved radio deployment tool (RDT) for determining cell boundaries is disclosed. An RDT used to carry-out active deployment procedures consists of an RDT wireless handset (RDTWH) that a deployment engineer uses to generate test signals, and an RDT base station (RDTBS) that is used to measure the RSSI of the test signals sent by the RDTWH. The RDTBS factors in the impact of short-term fades and dispersion, as well as long-term fading, by measuring and processing bit error rate (BER) and received signal strength intensity (RSSI) levels. BER levels can be measured for signals whose RSSI-levels have been driven into a testing range at which signals are susceptible to short-term fades and dispersion. A sufficient resolution of BER measurements is achieved by filling the payload fields of test packets exchanged by the RDTWH and RDTBS, with BER test data. The payload fields of the test packets can be filled by pressing down the mute button of the RDTWH.

Abstract: A method for managing forward link power control within a code-division multiple access mobile telephone communication network is disclosed. A mobile telephone communication network constantly monitors for a frame erasure reported by a mobile telephone. In response to the detection of a frame erasure, the mobile telephone's digital gain assigned to the mobile telephone by the mobile telephone communication network is increased by a step-up value to close the forward link. This step-up value may be different each time depending on the speed and position of the mobile telephone. Afterwards, the digital gain is continuously reduced in an exponential manner until another frame erasure is reported.

Abstract: A handset comprising a sealed unit receiver and a loudspeaker, first apparatus for providing sound from the receiver to the ear of a user when the ear of the user is sealed to the handset, and second apparatus for providing sound from both the receiver and from the loudspeaker to the ear of the user when the ear of the user is only partly sealed to the handset.

Abstract: In a mobile telephone network, a home location register (HLR) is provided with one or more cascaded home location registers to which some of the subscribers are allocated so as to share the workload in processing the subscriber information requests that are involved in the setting up of calls. Routing of requests to the correct HLR is simplified by routing all such requests to the original or master HLR and forwarding only those requests for which data is stored on one of the back-up or cascaded HLRs. This avoids the need for changes in the existing system routing plan. In a further embodiment two HLRs may form a mutually boosting pair.

Abstract: An optical multiplexer/demultiplexer with an improved spectral characteristic is provided by two diffraction gratings (61, 60) arranged optically in tandem, the gratings being arranged to provide free spectral ranges differing by a factor of at least two, and having a coupling between them that carries over into the second grating information concerning the dispersion afforded by the first grating.

Abstract: Methods are provided which employ call redirection to provide services such as personal mobility, terminal mobility and call distribution in a packet-based network such as the Internet, or an intranet.

Abstract: This invention relates to a communications method and device which will allow a telephone connected to the Public Switch Telephone Network (PSTN) through a switching device such as a Private Branch Exchange (PBX) to transfer data between the PSTN and a closed loop digital data network. A network interface microcontroller is installed in an analog or digital telephone connected to a closed loop digital data network. The microcontroller converts the digital network data into a form suitable for transmission through the PBX to the PSTN and converts data received from the PSTN through though PBX into the digital network protocol.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel switch for use in a telecommunications network that is capable of interacting with a voice assisted services server, such as a voice activated dialing (VAD) server. The switch is configured to set-up a calling session between an originating terminal and the VAD server that creates a voice connection between the user at the originating terminal and the VAD server, the voice connection passing through the switch. The VAD server can then in response to a spoken utterance indicative of the party the user wishes to call, generate a transcription of the utterance and extract from a database the telephone number associated with this transcription. The VAD server then formulates a call session redirect message in which is embedded the telephone number of the party the user wishes to call. This call session redirect message is received by the switch and the command implemented such that the call session is redirected toward the desired location.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining the state, at any time in the past, relative to a present state, of a linear feedback shift register comprises determining a an inverse transition matrix which, if multiplied by the current state in modulo-2 arithmetic, yields the state one step into the past; and multiplying in modulo-2 arithmetic the present state of the linear feedback shift register by the inverse transition matrix N times to obtain the state N steps into the past.

Abstract: A microwave integrated circuit package is disclosed. The package consists of a package substrate, having conductive vias, at least one ground plane, and conductive transmission lines; a semiconductor die electrically and mechanically connected to the top surface of the package substrate; a continuous outer wall attached to the top surface of the package substrate and at least one interior wall at a distance from a second wall, which may be the outer wall; a lid; at least one of the transmission lines passing under the interior wall and the second wall carrying a signal of frequency F; and an impedance transformer on the transmission line between the interior wall and the second wall. In operation, the interior wall, the distance between the interior wall and the second wall and the impedance transformer cancel the discontinuity caused by the second wall whereby the reflection of the signal caused by the transmission line passing under the walls is greatly diminished.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for completing inter-switch calls using a single large trunk group connected to ATM facilities. In a first embodiment, all non-featured inter-switch calls are routed to the ATM facilities over the single large trunk groups. In a second embodiment, all inter-switch calls are routed to the ATM facilities over the single large trunk group. A call manager associated with the signaling network and the ATM facilities controls call routing. The advantage is a significant simplification in the translation and routing tables at the switches in the telephone network, resulting in significant savings related to the maintenance of a plurality of trunks groups at each switch.