Abstract: A novel and improved method for implementing a high-transmission-rate over-the-air interface is described. A transmit system provides an in-phase channel set and a quadrature-phase channel set. The in-phase channel set is used to provide a complete set of orthogonal medium rate control and traffic channels. The quadrature-phase channel set is used to provide a high-rate supplemental channel and an extended set of medium rate channels that are orthogonal to each other and the original medium rate channels. The high-rate supplemental channel is generated over a set of medium rate channels using a short channel code. The medium rate channel are generated using a set of long channel codes.

Abstract: A method for reducing call dropping rates in a multi-beam communication system. The multi-beam communication system includes a user terminal, a gateway, and a plurality of beam sources, where each beam source projects a plurality of beams, and where a communication link between the user terminal and the gateway is established on one or more beams. The method according to the present invention relies on a messaging protocol between the gateway and the user terminal. Based on messages sent from the user terminal to the gateway, preferably on a preselected periodic basis, the gateway can determine the more desirable beam(s) for transmitting data or information to the user terminal. The messages sent from the user terminal to the gateway contain values representing beam strengths as measured at the user terminal. The gateway uses the user terminal measured beam strengths to select the beams that should be used for transmitting data or information to the user terminal.

Abstract: A novel and improved method for implementing a high-transmission-rate over-the-air interface is described. A transmit system provides an in-phase channel set and a quadrature-phase channel set. The in-phase channel set is used to provide a complete set of orthogonal medium rate control and traffic channels. The quadrature-phase channel set is used to provide a high-rate supplemental channel and an extended set of medium rate channels that are orthogonal to each other and the original medium rate channels. The high-rate supplemental channel is generated over a set of medium rate channels using a short channel code. The medium rate channel are generated using a set of long channel codes.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for determining when a vehicle has arrived or departed from a planned or an unplanned stop, while minimizing or completely eliminating driver intervention. The apparatus comprises a mobile communication terminal located onboard a vehicle for receiving destination information, generally using wireless means, from a central facility or hub. A speedometer also located onboard the vehicle determines the speed of the vehicle and a position sensor onboard the vehicle determines the vehicle position. The vehicle speed and position are provided to a processor, also located onboard the vehicle, which uses the speed and position information to determine a vehicle arrival or departure from a planned or unplanned stop. The processor generates an indication of the event, either arrival or departure, directly to the central facility, to the vehicle operator, or both.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for time division duplex (TDD) repeating a spread spectrum signal, where spread spectrum signal is comprised of a series of code symbol modulated with a pseudonoise (PN) sequence. The TDD repeater receives intermittently the spread spectrum signal at a location remote from a source supplying the spread spectrum signal. The TDD repeater amplifies and delays the received spread spectrum signal by a predetermined amount. The TDD repeater transmits intermittently the delayed amplified received spread spectrum signal such that the TDD is not receiving the spread spectrum signal when it is transmitting the signal energy.

Abstract: A novel and improved method for implementing a high-transmission-rate over-the-air interface is described. A transmit system provides an in-phase channel set and a quadrature-phase channel set. The in-phase channel set is used to provide a complete set of orthogonal medium rate control and traffic channels. The quadrature-phase channel set is used to provide a high-rate supplemental channel and an extended set of medium rate channels that are orthogonal to each other and the original medium rate channels. The high-rate supplemental channel is generated over a set of medium rate channels using a short channel code. The medium rate channel are generated using a set of long channel codes.

Abstract: A system and method for reducing radio frequency interference arising in connection with pulsed transmission over time division multiplexed communication channels. In a first embodiment, a subscriber station is nominally assigned all of the slots of each frame of a first transmit channel. By transmitting RF energy substantially continuously, the subscriber station reduces interference arising from pulsed transmission. In a second embodiment, a subscriber station is nominally assigned one or more slots of each frame of a primary channel for conventional transmission of useful information, and is also instructed to continuously transmit RF energy over an auxiliary channel at times other than during the assigned primary channel slots. In this way, interference generated in the vicinity of the subscriber station is reduced due to the substantially continuous transmission of RF energy by the subscriber station.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for canceling echo is disclosed. The echo canceller of the present invention compensates for the existence of quantization error in the echo signal that does not exist in the reference signal by introducing the quantization effects into the reference signal. The quantization effects are typically companding quantization errors caused by the A-law and .mu.-law quantizers prevalent in digital communications equipment.

Abstract: A system and method for adaptively sectorizing channel resources within a digital cellular communication system is disclosed herein. The system includes an antenna arrangement for providing at least first and second electromagnetic beams for receiving a first information signal transmitted by a specific one of a plurality of users, thereby generating first and second received signals. A first set of beam-forming signals are then generated from the first and second received signals. A demodulating receiver is provided for demodulating at least first and second beam-forming signals included within the first set of beam-forming signals, thereby producing first and second demodulated signals. The system further includes a tracking network for tracking multipath information signals, received from various positions and angles of incidence, based on comparison of the first and second demodulated signals.

Abstract: A linear coverage area antenna system for use within a CDMA communication system is described. In a preferred implementation, two linear coverage area antenna structures are positioned in parallel and coupled to a base station. Within the base station, a transmitter generates remote user directed spread spectrum signals, these signals being provided to the first and second linear coverage area antenna structures through an antenna interface. The antenna interface includes a time delay element for introducing a predetermined time delay between components of the remote user directed spread spectrum signals transmitted by the first and second linear coverage area antenna structures, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus that automatically adjusts the adaptation block size for a least-mean square (LMS) adaptive filter depending on the input signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is disclosed. The apparatus monitors the instantaneous SNR and continually adjusts the block size to provide high noise immunity, thereby increasing the convergence speed of the filter and decreasing the asymptotic mean-square error. An exemplary embodiment of the present invention is presented in the context of acoustic echo cancellation, though it is noted that the adaptive filter of the present invention is useful in any environment in which the noise characteristics are subject to change.

Abstract: A distributed antenna system is utilized in a system for providing multipath signals which facilitate signal diversity for enhanced system performance. Each node of the antenna comprises more than one antenna. Each antenna at a common node provides a path having a different delay to the base station.

Abstract: A distributed antenna system is utilized in a system for providing multipath signals which facilitate signal diversity for enhanced system performance. Each node of the antenna comprises more than one antenna. Each antenna at a common node provides a path having a different delay to the base station.

Abstract: A code division multiple access (CDMA) communication system in which cellular techniques are utilized in a wireless Private Branch Exchange (PBX) environment. A microcellular arrangement is defined in which a base station communicates user information signals using CDMA communication signals with subscriber terminals. A distributed antenna system is utilized in the system to provide multipath signals which facilitate signal diversity for enhanced system performance.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for providing communication of information between a truck tractor and trailer via existing truck wiring. At least one transmitter is located in each trailer for generating a unique identification signal representative of trailer identification information corresponding to the trailer in which the transmitter is located, modulating the identification signal, and providing the modulated identification on an existing truck power bus coupling the tractor and trailer. A receiver is located in the tractor for receiving each modulated identification signal on the power bus, demodulating each modulated identification signal and providing each demodulated identification signal to a mobile communications terminal located in the tractor for transmission to a central facility. The system may further include the transmission of trailer status or load status information by the transmitter to the receiver in a similar manner as the identification information.

Abstract: A message communication system employing one or more centralized communication stations transferring messages through Earth orbit repeater satellites to or from mobile terminals with at least one central communication station having a first transceiver for transmitting a first communication signal to one or more mobile terminals and at least one mobile terminal having a second transceiver for receiving the first communication signal and demodulating it, and for transmitting at a predetermined duty cycle of the second transceiver, a second communication signal to at least one of the central communication stations. The preferred duty cycle over which the second communication signal is transmitted is about fifty percent of the second transceiver duty cycle. The communication system uses Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) communication signals using a number of channels as designated address channels with the remainder being used for data transfer.

Abstract: A message communication system employing one or more centralized communication stations transmitting messages through Earth orbit relay satellites to mobile receivers utilizing Time Division Multiplexed (TDM) communication signals having signal time frames divided into a series of transmission channels. A predetermined number of the channels are designated as address channels with the remainder being used for data transfer. Information transmitted on the address channels is used by receivers to determine both the presence of a message and its corresponding data transmission channel. Each system receiver scans, and tracks only the communication signal address channels until a message addressed to that receiver is detected, at which time the selected receiver changes channels to the designated data channel for reception of the message.

Abstract: A decoding system capable of outputting Viterbi-decoding-algorithm-decoded data at a predetermined rate that is greater than a given rate at which coded data is processed in accordance with said algorithm to produce the decoded data. The system includes a data input bus; a data output bus; a ring of decoders, with each decoder being coupled to the input bus for receiving coded data from the input bus and coupled to the output bus for providing decoded data onto the output bus. Each of the decoders in the ring includes an input buffer, timing controller, decoding processor and output buffer. The input buffer responds to a start-input signal from a preceding decoder in the ring by buffering a block of the received coded data. The timing contoller provides a start-input signal to a succeeding decoder in the ring at such time as to cause the succeeding decoder to receive a block of coded data from the input bus that overlaps the block of coded data received from the input bus by the instant said decoder.