Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide techniques which provide for interaction between an adjunct system whose primary function is to provide terminal unit location information and the radiocommunication system. For example, the location information generated by the adjunct system can be used by the radiocommunication system for other purposes, e.g., dynamic channel allocation.

Abstract: The handling of emergency calls, e.g., 911 calls, should be performed on an expedited basis. Various techniques are described herein to expedite system access to radiocommunication systems when processing an emergency call. For example, control channel locking, origination message content, and retransmission rules are modified to reduce access time.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the efficiency of the packet data channel by interrupting transmissions from or to a first mobile station so as to allow a short message to be communicated between the communication system and a different mobile station. The packet channel feedback information includes several flags: Received/Not Received (R/N); Partial Echo (PE); and Partial Echo Qualifier (PEQ). The PEQ allows the communication system to interrupt the transmission to one mobile station to send a short message to another mobile station. By setting the PEQ to various values, a mobile station can determine whether subchannel ownership has been temporarily interrupted and reassigned to another station.

Abstract: A method for determining the position of a mobile radio telephone in a satellite communication system is disclosed. First, a mobile radio telephone scans a plurality of paging channels and measures the signal strength of the paging channels. The mobile radio telephone then selects the paging channel with the strongest signal strength and decodes the information broadcasted on the selected channel. The information contained in the paging channel can include frequencies or timeslots of paging channels in surrounding spot beams. The mobile station then measures the signal strength of paging channels in surrounding spot beams and quantizes the measurements to determine a coarse position of the mobile radio telephone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing over-the-air activation for wireless communications service subscriptions within a wireless communications system. The method includes providing a plurality of subscription modules each having a unique identifier that corresponds to a plurality of non-activated service subscriptions. An activation period is established for each of the non-activated service subscriptions within which the corresponding subscriptions must be activated or deleted from the system. A list of unique identifiers and their associated activation periods is stored in the wireless communications system. To activate the subscription, a subscription module is mated with a mobile equipment device. An over-the-air activation request is transmitted to the wireless communications system that includes the unique identifier associated with said selected subscription module.

Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide techniques which pass the mobile unit's phone number along to an appropriate emergency service centers in addition to location information. This information can be made available to an adjunct monitoring system by either changing the mobile station identity used to package (Layer 2) an access attempt or by commanding a mobile or base station to explicitly transmit the mobile unit's dialable number during an emergency access so that the adjunct system can read and forward this number.

Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Independent or quasi-independent systems, sometimes referred to as adjunct systems, can be provided to monitor remote unit transmissions and derive location information for mobile units making emergency access therefrom. Techniques for determining which channels each adjunct receive shall monitor are described herein, as well as specific monitoring techniques. Moreover, the adjunct system can use the received information to provide a second speech path to an emergency service center.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for improving the efficiency of the packet data channel by providing means for interrupting transmissions from or to a first mobile station so as to allow a short message to be communicated between the communication system and a different mobile station. The packet channel feedback information includes several flags: Received/Not Received (R/N); Partial Echo (PE); and Partial Echo Qualifier (PEQ). The PEQ allows the communication system to interrupt the transmission to one mobile station to send a short message to another mobile station. By setting the PEQ to various values, a mobile station can determine whether subchannel ownership has been temporarily interrupted and reassigned to another station.

Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide improved techniques for using a system of monitoring or adjunct stations to provide this location information to the emergency service centers. For example, received signal strength measurements in conjunction with path loss models, alone or in conjunction with either time of arrival (TOA) or time difference of arrival (TDOA) techniques can be selectively used to process received signals and provide location information. Techniques for improving timing estimates are also disclosed.

Abstract: A communications system in which information is transmitted in successive time slots grouped into a plurality of superframes which are, in turn, grouped into a plurality of hyperframes. A remote station is assigned to one of the time slots in each of the superframes for paging the remote station, each hyperframe including at least two superframes, and the information sent in the assigned time slot in one superframe in each hyperframe is repeated in the assigned time slot in the other superframe(s) in each hyperframe. Each superframe can include a plurality of time slots used for sending paging messages to remote stations, grouped into a plurality of successive paging frames, and the time slot to which the remote station is assigned is included once in every paging frame. Also, each superframe may include time slots comprising a logical channel for broadcast control information and time slots comprising a logical paging channel.

Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention facilitate the provision of this information by reducing a number of monitoring stations needed to track terminal location based upon control channel access. First, mobile units placing emergency calls can be forced to used designated control channels which may differ from control channels to which they are currently listening. Second, mobile units may be required to transmit at greater than specified power levels so that monitoring stations receive their emergency call access.

Abstract: The handling of emergency calls, e.g., 911 calls, should be performed on an expedited basis. In radiocommunication systems, knowledge by the mobile unit that an emergency call is being placed can be used to expedite and optimize emergency call handling. Various techniques are described herein to identify emergency calls when placed by a mobile user. Moreover, the provision of auxiliary alarm functions for the mobile unit are also described.

Abstract: A communications system in which information is transmitted in successive time slots grouped into a plurality of superframes which are, in turn, grouped into a plurality of hyperframes. A remote station is assigned to one of the time slots in each of the superframes for paging the remote station, each hyperframe including at least two superframes, and the information sent in the assigned time slot in one superframe in each hyperframe is repeated in the assigned time slot in the other superframe(s) in each hyperframe. Each superframe can include a plurality of time slots used for sending paging messages to remote stations, grouped into a plurality of successive paging frames, and the time slot to which the remote station is assigned is included once in every paging frame. Also, each superframe may include time slots comprising a logical channel for broadcast control information and time slots comprising a logical paging channel.

Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide improved techniques for using a system of monitoring or adjunct stations to provide this location information to the emergency service centers. For example, either time of arrival (TOA) or time difference of arrival (TDOA) techniques can be selectively used to process received signals and provide location information. Techniques for improving timing estimates are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method in mobile radio systems in which the responsibility for transmitting message information to a mobile station (MS1, MS2) is handed over from at least a first base station transmitter (Bma, Bmb) to at least a second base station transmitter (Bna, Bnb). In accordance with the invention, the same radio channel is used, if possible, before and after the handover for transmitting message information to the mobile station. If the same radio channel can be utilized, the handover takes place without the mobile station being informed beforehand of the handover by a special signal or order or the like. In digital mobile radio systems with digital transmission of message information by digital modulation of the radio signals, the transmission is preferably started from a second base station transmitter before the transmission is terminated from a first base station transmitter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cellular digital mobile radio system including base stations (Bm, Bn) and mobile stations (MS1, MS2) with transmitters and receivers. The invention also relates to a method of transmitting message information digitally between mobile and base stations in such a system. In accordance with the invention, at least two base station transmitters (Bma, Bmb, Pna, Bnb) at a given transmitting distance from each other are assigned to each of certain cells (Cm, Cn) within a restricted geographical area. The base station transmitters which are assigned to the same cell transmit digitally modulated radio signals within the same frequency range at least partially simultaneously to the mobile stations of the cell. The radio signals from different base station transmitters associated with the same cell are digitally modulated with the same message information to the mobile stations in the cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method in mobile radio systems in which the responsibility for transmitting message information to a mobile station is handed over from a first base station transmitter to a second base station transmitter. In this method, the same radio channel is used, if possible, before and after the handover for transmitting message information to the mobile station. If the same radio channel can be utilized, the handover takes place without the mobile station being informed beforehand of the handover by a special signal or order or the like. In digital mobile ratio systems with digital transmission of message information by digital modulation of the radio signals, the transmission is preferably started from a second base station transmitter before the transmission is terminated from a first base station transmitter. During a certain transmission time substantially the same message information is transmitted to the mobile station from both the first and second base station transmitters.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cellular digital mobile radio system including base stations (B.sub.m, B.sub.n) and mobile stations (MS.sub.1, MS.sub.2) with transmitters and receivers. The invention also relates to a method of transmitting message information digitally between mobile and base stations in such a system. In accordance with the invention, at least two base station transmitters (B.sub.ma, B.sub.mb, B.sub.na, B.sub.nb) at a given transmitting distance from each other are assigned to each of certain cells (C.sub.m, C.sub.n) within a restricted geographical area. The base station transmitters which are assigned to the same cell transmit digitally modulated radio signals within the same frequency range at least partially simultaneously to the mobile stations of the cell. The radio signals from different base station transmitters associated with the same cell are digitally modulated with the same message information to the mobile stations in the cell.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method in mobile radio systems in which the responsibility for transmitting message information to a mobile station (MS.sub.1, MS.sub.2) is handed over from at least a first base station transmitter (B.sub.ma, B.sub.mb) to at least a second base station transmitter (B.sub.na, B.sub.nb). In accordance with the invention, the same radio channel is used, if possible, before and after the handover for transmitting message information to the mobile station. If the same radio channel can be utilized, the handover takes place without the mobile station being informed beforehand of the handover by a special signal or order or the like. In digital mobile radio systems with digital transmission of message information by digital modulation of the radio signals, the transmission is preferably started from a second base station transmitter before the transmission is terminated from a first base station transmitter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method in mobile radio systems in which the responsibility for transmitting message information to a mobile station is handed over from a first base station transmitter to a second base station transmitter. In this method, the same radio channel is used, if possible, before and after the handover for transmitting message information to the mobile station. If the same radio channel can be utilized, the handover takes place without the mobile station being informed beforehand of the handover by a special signal or order or the like. In digital mobile ratio systems with digital transmission of message information by digital modulation of the radio signals, the transmission is preferably started from a second base station transmitter before the transmission is terminated from a first base station transmitter. During a certain transmission time substantially the same message information is transmitted to the mobile station from both the first and second base station transmitters.