Abstract: A coordinated signaling scheme for both uplink and downlink transmissions between a base station and a user terminal reduces the amount of time that the user terminal must turn on its receiver to listen for scheduling messages and ACK/NACK signaling. A scheduler at a base station aligns the transmission of downlink scheduling messages (e.g., downlink assignments) with uplink grants and ACK/NACK signaling for uplink transmissions. Aligning the downlink scheduling messages with uplink control signaling enables the user terminal to turn off its receiver for longer periods of time.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a wireless transceiver for establishing a wireless interface with a wireless transceiver of another device. The electronic device may further include a wake-up assembly including a permanent magnet that generates a magnet field and a sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to sensed magnetic field. A control assembly of the electronic device may be configured to control at least one of activation or deactivation of the wireless transceiver when the output from the sensor indicates that the magnetic field of the permanent magnet has been disturbed by presence of a magnet external to the electronic device.

Abstract: A portable communication device including a first wireless transceiver operable under a first communication protocol for transmitting and receiving signals and a second wireless transceiver operable under a second communication protocol for transmitting and receiving signals and a method for controlling transmission of signals from an access point to the first wireless transceiver by limiting transmission of information from the associated access point to the first wireless transceiver to time slots or sub-frames associated with the second wireless transceiver in which the second wireless transceiver does not transmit.

Abstract: Light sources are affixed at appropriate positions in a multilevel structure or in an obstructed environment. The light sources generate modulated light signals, such as controlled light-emitting diodes, which identify the positions of the light sources by their three-dimensional global positioning coordinates and/or equivalent representation that specifies their in situ locations in the environment. Mobile communication devices, upon receiving the light signals, can derive spatial positioning information and transmit such information to a remote location, such as an emergency response system.

Abstract: A mobile station is operated in a telecommunications system that includes a base station and one or more relay stations. The mobile station communicates directly with the base station via a first channel. To facilitate selection of a suitable relay station, the mobile station broadcasts a burst for receipt by a plurality of relay stations. Relay stations each measure a quality of the received burst and communicate this information to the base station, which uses the information to select a most suitable one of the relay stations for use in carrying on indirect communications between the base station and the mobile station.

Abstract: A mobile station is operated in a telecommunications system that includes a base station and one or more relay stations. The mobile station communicates directly with the base station via a first channel. To facilitate selection of a suitable relay station, the mobile station broadcasts a burst for receipt by a plurality of relay stations. Relay stations each measure a quality of the received burst and communicate this information to the base station, which uses the information to select a most suitable one of the relay stations for use in carrying on indirect communications between the base station and the mobile station.

Abstract: An electronic device may include a wireless transceiver for establishing a wireless interface with a wireless transceiver of another device. The electronic device may further include a wake-up assembly including a permanent magnet that generates a magnet field and a sensor that outputs a signal corresponding to sensed magnetic field. A control assembly of the electronic device may be configured to control at least one of activation or deactivation of the wireless transceiver when the output from the sensor indicates that the magnetic field of the permanent magnet has been disturbed by presence of a magnet external to the electronic device.

Abstract: A mobile station is operated in a telecommunications system that includes a base station and one or more relay stations. The mobile station communicates directly with the base station via a first channel. To facilitate selection of a suitable relay station, the mobile station broadcasts a burst for receipt by a plurality of relay stations. Relay stations each measure a quality of the received burst and communicate this information to the base station, which uses the information to select a most suitable one of the relay stations for use in carrying on indirect communications between the base station and the mobile station.

Abstract: A portable communication device including a first wireless transceiver operable under a first communication protocol for transmitting and receiving signals and a second wireless transceiver operable under a second communication protocol for transmitting and receiving signals and a method for controlling transmission of signals from an access point to the first wireless transceiver by limiting transmission of information from the associated access point to the first wireless transceiver to time slots or sub-frames associated with the second wireless transceiver in which the second wireless transceiver does not transmit.

Abstract: Light sources are affixed at appropriate positions in a multilevel structure or in an obstructed environment. The light sources generate modulated light signals, such as controlled light-emitting diodes, which identify the positions of the light sources by their three-dimensional global positioning coordinates and/or equivalent representation that specifies their in situ locations in the environment. Mobile communication devices, upon receiving the light signals, can derive spatial positioning information and transmit such information to a remote location, such as an emergency response system.

Abstract: A carrier frequency is selected to be used to communicate information to a transceiver in a communication system. Selecting includes, on each of one or more carrier frequencies, transmitting a probe message to the transceiver. A frequency offset between any two adjacent ones of the carrier frequencies is at least about 8 MHz. One or more response messages are received from the transceiver, wherein each of the one or more response messages is a response to a received one of the one or more probe messages. The one or more response messages are used to determine which of the one or more carrier frequencies will be used to communicate information to the transceiver. In some embodiments, each of the probe messages includes a training sequence, and information included in the one or more response messages enables selection of one of a number of possible modulation schemes to be used.

Abstract: A transceiver operates in a communication environment capable of including other transceivers, wherein the transceiver sends and receives traffic in accordance with a first communications standard, and other transceivers send and receive traffic in accordance with other communication standards that are incompatible with the first communications standard such that traffic sent in accordance with any of the first and other communications standards cannot be received by a receiver operating in accordance with any other one of the first and other communications standards. The transceiver identifies a carrier frequency for use as a shared broadcast channel that is accessible by the transceiver and by the other transceivers, and broadcasts information on the shared broadcast channel, wherein the information informs the other transceivers of the presence of the transceiver.

Abstract: Whether to indicate reception of an access code in a receiver operating in a communications system is determined by receiving a signal and generating a correlation value by correlating the received signal with a reference code. A threshold level is set to a first value if the receiver is in a scan mode. The threshold level is set to a second value if the receiver is in a traffic mode, wherein the second value corresponds to a lower degree of correlation than the first value. The correlation value is compared with the threshold level. Reception of the access code is indicated only if the correlation value compares favorably with the threshold level.

Abstract: A first radio transceiver is operated in close proximity to a second radio transceiver, even when the first and second radio transceivers operate in accordance with incompatible standards. Operation in this manner includes receiving a first signal that indicates whether the second radio transceiver is idle or busy and receiving a second signal that, when the second radio transceiver is idle, indicates when the second radio transceiver must have access to a second channel. Operation includes determining whether to enable the first radio transceiver to use a first channel based at least on the first signal.

Abstract: A hop channel is selected for use in a channel hopping communication system that includes a sequence of hop channels, wherein the sequence comprises a set of forbidden hop channels and a remaining set of allowable hop channels. Selection involves selecting a hop channel from the sequence as a function of a present phase. If the selected hop channel is an allowable hop channel, then the selected hop channel is used for communication during the present phase. If the selected hop channel is a forbidden hop channel, then a time-varying parameter is used to select a substitute hop channel from the set of allowable hop channels. The substitute hop channel is then used for communication during the present phase. The time-varying parameter may, for example, be a clock value. With this strategy, the resultant hopping sequence is identical to the original hopping sequence whenever the original sequence calls for an allowable hop channel.

Abstract: A supplied analog signal is modulated by comparing the supplied analog signal with a noise signal. As a result of each comparison, an output signal is generated having a first value if the supplied analog signal is greater than the noise signal and generating an output signal having a second value if the supplied analog signal is lower than the noise signal. Such modulation is useful in applications such as analog-to-digital conversion. The transfer function of the modulator is a function of the distribution of the noise source.

Abstract: One of a number, n, of slave devices is selected for express or implicit polling by a master device in a communication system that transmits during individual ones of a number of sequentially occurring time slots. This is done by assigning a corresponding priority level to each slave device, wherein at least two slave devices are assigned different corresponding priority levels. A corresponding count parameter and a corresponding initial count value are assigned to each of the slave devices. For each of the slave devices, the corresponding count parameter is initialized to the corresponding initial count value. For each successive time slot, each of the count parameters is adjusted (e.g., by decrementing). A highest priority slave device whose corresponding count parameter has reached or passed a predetermined value is selected for polling.

Abstract: A system that uses a ping pong protocol in order to remain as flexible as possible during traffic allocation includes multiple units, each of which has a unique address. A first unit transmits a first data packet including a first length indicator toward a second unit or a third unit. Each of the second unit and the third unit is operable to receive the packet and then, upon receipt of the packet, can transmit another packet. One of the units can be assigned a master unit role and is operable to restart transmission operations using priority slots. A priority slot allows a unit to transmit a packet regardless of whether it has received a packet according to the ping-pong scheme. A selective-repeat automatic retransmission query scheme provides data integrity in an error-prone communications environment. The first unit and the second unit are operable to transmit packets that include a number of segments.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for token distribution include providing one or more nodes of a plurality of network nodes with a token machine that includes counters associated with each of other network nodes having a token machine. Each time a token possessing network node implicitly or explicitly passes the token to another network node having a token machine, counter values of each of the counters associated with each node having a token machine are adjusted. When a token is passed, the counter value of the receiving node is adjusted based, at least in part, on an initial token interval value, and counter values associated with other nodes are adjusted toward a threshold value. The decision as to where the token is passed may be based, at least in part, on the value of a counter and/or an assigned counter priority level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for radio communications which uses frequency and time diversity oriented spread spectrum modulation includes adding an additional link depending on interference characteristics. A plurality of data packets may be communicated from a transmitter to a receiver where a first radio link is established by reserving a series of time slots. The radio link, for example, may be one out of every n time slots, where n>1. A second radio link may further be established on a different one out of every n time slots such that each of the plurality of data packets is transmitted over both the first and second radio links resulting in diversity such that the receiver receives each of the data packets twice. Each radio link uses a frequency hopping channel and for each data packet, transmission over the first link occurs on a different frequency than is used for transmission over the second link.