Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating location of wireless stations in a wireless communication network are provided. An estimation of a bearing angle of a wireless station from a reference point of a multi-beam antenna pattern is made based on a plurality of beaming angles of a multi-beam antenna pattern and a received signal property, at the wireless station, of each of a plurality of wireless signals transmitted on respective beams of the multi-beam antenna pattern for each of the plurality of beaming angles.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention facilitate providing wireless links with longer link ranges and/or better suppression of interference than can be provided by the integrated antennas of a typical wireless network node. While, in some cases, it is possible to install intermediate wireless network nodes to hop through long expanses between distant wireless network nodes, it is desirable for distantly spaced wireless network nodes to reach one another through a single transit link (i.e. one hop). This approach is preferable because a single transit link is capable of higher data rates and better interference suppression than multi-hop transit links. The present invention provides methods and apparatus for enhancing the link range achievable by typical wireless network nodes so that distantly spaced wireless network nodes are able to communicate with one another using only a single-transit link.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to link user requirements of data sessions to the network conditions provides an application making an advance request corresponding to a data session, which a communication device may immediately acknowledge but will attend to the request at its convenience. The data session setup is based on the actual network conditions which are either sensed by the device or provided by an agent in the network. The method may be overlaid on top of existing wireless handsets using existing technologies. Hence, all the flexibility and configurability associated with data sessions offered by the existing solutions may remain intact with added features for the customer and the operator. In various exemplary embodiments, the method may use a network load measurement capability in the device and/or a network agent.

Abstract: Security in wireless communication networks that employ relay stations to facilitate communications between base stations and mobile stations is enhanced. In one embodiment, resource information provided to one or more relay stations from a base station or another relay station is encrypted prior to being delivered to the one or more relay stations. Only authorized relay stations are allocated an appropriate key necessary to decrypt the resource information. As such, only appropriate relay stations are able to access and use the resource information to effect communications directly or indirectly between the base stations and the mobile stations. In certain embodiments, the resource information is delivered between the various base and relay stations using either unicast or multicast delivery techniques.

Abstract: Methods of performing communication among a group of user terminals in a communication network are described herein. The method includes, a first user terminal receiving at least one stream of media data packets, and the first user terminal decoding the received media data packets. Each received media data packet includes a source user terminal indicator indicating a user terminal from which the packet data stream was transmitted; The decoding includes eliminating any media data packets that include a source user terminal indicator indicating the first user terminal before decoding the received media data packets.

Abstract: Example methods and apparatus to authenticate requests for network capabilities for connecting to an access network are disclosed. A disclosed example method involves receiving a request at a first access network. The request requests network connectivity information for connecting a wireless terminal to a second access network. The example method also involves encapsulating the request in an authentication frame. The authentication frame indicates the request as a white space protocol frame. The authentication frame is sent to a database addressed in the request.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating OFDM signals are provided in which sub-carrier usage is selected and/or remapped in various manners. For example, in some embodiments remapping using a security sequence is employed; in other embodiments, decoy sub-carriers are employed; in other embodiments, mask sub-carriers are used to cover jammed portions of a channel.

Abstract: A wireless user equipment (UE) device includes a processor configured to control at least one of a plurality of subsystems to receive sensory data associated with multiple radio channels relative to one or more radio elements utilizing multiple radio access technologies in a communications network, whereby the sensory data may be processed to determine one or more reliability conditions associated with the sensory data. The processor is further configured to control at least one or more of the plurality of subsystems for communicating the sensory data and the associated reliability conditions to a network node and for processing a control message received from the network node for facilitating allocation of a radio resource to at least one of the radio elements.

Abstract: A wireless network includes a relay station (RS) for extending wireless coverage of a base station. Data is sent by the base station and relayed through the RS to a mobile station (MS), where the data is associated with a preamble that is sent directly from the base station to the MS. A transmit power of the RS is adjusted for transmitting the data from the RS to the MS to reduce a difference between a first power level of the preamble received at the MS and a second power level of the data received at the MS. The uplink transmit power of the MS for the data sent to the RS is adjusted to compensate for the difference in path loss from MS to base station and MS to RS and to compensate for the difference in noise_plus_interference level at RS compared to that of the base station.

Abstract: Methods of performing communication among a group of user terminals in a communication network are described herein. The method includes, a first user terminal receiving at least one stream of media data packets, and the first user terminal decoding the received media data packets. Each received media data packet includes a source user terminal indicator indicating a user terminal from which the packet data stream was transmitted; The decoding includes eliminating any media data packets that include a source user terminal indicator indicating the first user terminal before decoding the received media data packets.

Abstract: A mobile tag tracking system for providing mobile security monitoring is provided. The system includes a communications facility; a communications network coupled to the communications facility; and a mobile tag coupled to an item to be monitored. The mobile tag has a processor having a memory and for controlling operation of the mobile tag; a radio communications component coupled to the processor providing at least one of wide area communications over the communications network and local communications access to wireless devices; a power supply coupled to the processor for providing power to the mobile tag; and a location tracking component coupled to the processor for determining the location of the mobile tag and providing a location signal to the processor. Information about the item coupled to the tag is stored in the memory and local communications access is enabled in response to an instruction received at the mobile tag.

Abstract: A method and system for wireless communication in which a plurality of media access control (“MAC”) packet data units (“PDUs”) corresponding to a plurality of wireless communication connections are received. The plurality of MAC PDUs is grouped into a relay packet and the relay packet is transmitted. Such grouping and transmission of the relay packet is performed by one or more relay nodes. The traffic control for the transmission can also be based on centralized or decentralized routing control and/or centralized or decentralized QoS control.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating location of wireless stations in a wireless communication network are provided. An estimation of a bearing angle of a wireless station from a reference point of a multi-beam antenna pattern is made based on a plurality of beaming angles of a multi-beam antenna pattern and a received signal property, at the wireless station, of each of a plurality of wireless signals transmitted on respective beams of the multi-beam antenna pattern for each of the plurality of beaming angles.

Abstract: A wireless network includes a base station and a relay station for extending wireless coverage of the base station. Downlink data is sent by the base station and relayed through the relay station to a mobile station, where the downlink data is associated with a preamble that is sent directly from the base station to the mobile station. A transmit power of the relay station is adjusted for transmitting the downlink data from the relay station to the mobile station to reduce a difference between a first power level of the preamble received at the mobile station and a second power level of the downlink data received at the mobile station. The uplink transmit power of the mobile station t for the data sent to the relay station is adjusted to compensate for the difference in path loss from mobile station to base station and mobile station to relay station and to compensate for the difference in noise_plus_interference level at relay station compared to that of the base station.

Abstract: A wireless communication system and method for a network having a tree topology. An initial path from a base station to an end relay node is selected. The path selection includes an active communication path and a redundant communication path. The path selection is based on at least one policy factor. The at least one policy factor is monitored and the path is updated based on a change to the monitored at least one policy factor.

Abstract: A wireless communication system and method for wireless communication in a multi-hop network. A first preamble is transmitted using a first repetition cycle. Monitoring for a second preamble is done in a second repetition cycle. The first repetition cycle is different than the second repetition cycle.

Abstract: An architecture, system and associated method for dynamic coordination of radio resource usage in a network environment. In one aspect, a relay communication method comprises detecting, by a first wireless mobile device, sensory data associated with multiple radio channels relative to at least one radio element in a sensing area of the first wireless mobile device. If the first wireless mobile device is out of range of a wide area cellular network, a short-range wireless communication path is established with a second wireless mobile device having a wide area cellular communication connection. The sensory data is transmitted by the first wireless mobile device to the second wireless mobile device for reporting to a network element via a wide area cellular network serving the second wireless mobile device.

Abstract: An architecture, system and associated method for dynamic coordination of radio resource usage in a network environment. In one aspect, a method of processing sensory reports of one or more sensing elements in a radio network comprises receiving a sensory report from a sensing element operating in multiple radio access technologies, the sensory report including sensory data associated with multiple radio channels relative to at least one radio element; identifying the sensing element's identity and determining if the sensory report has been tagged with a code generated by a predetermined code generator; responsive to the identifying and the determining, authenticating the sensory report; and correlating the sensory report from the sensing element with at least one of one or more previous sensory reports from the sensing element and one or more previous sensory reports received from another sensing element.

Abstract: A wireless network includes a base station and a relay station for extending wireless coverage of the base station. Downlink data is sent by the base station and relayed through the relay station to a mobile station, where the downlink data is associated with a preamble that is sent directly from the base station to the mobile station. A transmit power of the relay station is adjusted for transmitting the downlink data from the relay station to the mobile station to reduce a difference between a first power level of the preamble received at the mobile station and a second power level of the downlink data received at the mobile station. The uplink transmit power of the mobile station for the data sent to the relay station is adjusted to compensate for the difference in path loss from mobile station to base station and mobile station to relay station and to compensate for the difference in noise_plus_interference level at relay station compared to that of the base station.

Abstract: A method and system for achieving a link budget improvement in a diverse OFDM radio system by addressing the timing misalignment issue that can occur due to the differences in propagation time in signals between mobile stations and Radio Access Nodes. Timing misalignment is shared or split between the primary path to a primary Radio Access Node and a diverse path to a diverse Radio Access Node. The relative timing offsets between mobile stations are adjusted, the mobile stations are grouped into zones using a variety of different grouping techniques, and the transmission for each mobile station is scheduled, using one or more of a variety of scheduling techniques.