Abstract: An efficient and safe procedure to limit the number and concentration of attempts to rescue communication connections from dropping is disclosed. One embodiment limits the number of rescues per connection. Another embodiment allows a rescue only if a certain amount of time has passed since the last rescue. Yet another embodiment limits the total number of rescues per predetermined amount of time. In addition, combinations of these rescue limitations may be employed. In other embodiments, a mobile station (MS) keeps track of the percentage of good frames that were received over some period of time and checks it against a threshold to determine if it is too low to maintain a conversation. Alternatively, if a certain number of number of failed retransmissions of a message requiring acknowledgments are detected, or a certain number of bad frames are detected, or generally a poor connection is detected based on any other indicator, subsequent failures may not be rescued.

Abstract: A forward rescue procedure (FRP) for preventing loss of signal and dropped connections between a mobile station and the infrastructure in a wireless telecommunications network is disclosed. The FRP allows wireless systems to recover from forward link failures at the mobile station that would otherwise result in dropped connections. Examples of failure scenarios that can be overcome using the FRP include forward link Layer 2 acknowledgement failures and loss of forward link signal due to a fade that causes loss of signal for a period of time exceeding a threshold value. In response to a potential connection drop situation, a mobile station will autonomously add base station pilot channels to the active set of its rake receiver in order to rescue the connection in danger of dropping. Concurrently, the wireless network infrastructure will initiate transmission on alternative forward link channels that are likely to be monitored by the mobile station during an FRP.

Abstract: An improved method is provided for disseminating information in an ad hoc wireless network. The method includes: receiving an incoming message at a recipient node of the network; scheduling a retransmission of the message, where the schedule time for the retransmission is proportional to a signal strength at which the message was received by the recipient node; and canceling the retransmission of the message when the same message is received from a different node in the network prior to the schedule time for the retransmission. The effect is reduced network traffic on the network with minimized latency.

Abstract: A method of determining handoff timing for a wireless device is provided. The method includes selecting a call characteristic. The call characteristic is evaluated to determine if it is relevant to current conditions. If the call characteristic is relevant, an adapted value for handoff timeout is determined based on the call characteristic. The handoff timeout is set to the adapted value.

Abstract: A collaborative nomination algorithm is provided for disseminating information amongst a plurality of collaborating vehicles in an inter-vehicle communication network. The method includes: receiving an incoming vehicle communication message at a recipient vehicle from one of the collaborating vehicles; nominating one of the collaborating vehicles identified in the incoming vehicle communication message to broadcast a subsequent vehicle communication message; and transmitting an outgoing vehicle communication message from the recipient vehicle, where the outgoing vehicle communication message identifies the vehicle nominated to broadcast the subsequent vehicle communication message.

Abstract: A wireless station and associated method is provided for communicating digital messages. A first transceiver tunes to a first radio frequency. A digital controller enables the first transceiver to transmit on the first radio frequency during intermittent periods of varying durations. The intermittent periods are separated by a fixed duration.

Abstract: A wireless communication system wherein wireless infrastructure adapts access parameters and manages channel resources based on detailed reconnection information obtained from individual mobile stations. Mobile stations transmit particular reconnection attempt status information to the wireless infrastructure. The reconnection attempt status information, along with the aggregate statistics of other mobile stations, is used by the infrastructure to adapt access parameters to increase or decrease the likelihood of successful access. This allows the infrastructure to tune access parameters to particular mobile station information and it also allows the infrastructure to provide better resource management for both traffic channel assignments and access channel usage.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining an efficient and reliable power level for the MS's transmitter for reverse link communications during a rescue procedure to rescue dropped calls quickly and with a high success rate is disclosed. A mobile station's mean rescue transmission output power level is computed by first determining the mobile station's mean receive input power level when the mobile station transmits during a connection rescue procedure. This mean receive input power level is then adjusted using up to four parameters. These four variables include (1) a pre-rescue power delta, (2) a rescue interference delta, (3) a rescue delay compensation value, and (4) a pre-determined value.

Abstract: A wireless communication system wherein wireless infrastructure adapts access parameters and manages channel resources based on detailed reconnection information obtained from individual mobile stations. Mobile stations transmit particular reconnection attempt status information to the wireless infrastructure. The reconnection attempt status information, along with the aggregate statistics of other mobile stations, is used by the infrastructure to adapt access parameters to increase or decrease the likelihood of successful access. This allows the infrastructure to tune access parameters to particular mobile station information and it also allows the infrastructure to provide better resource management for both traffic channel assignments and access channel usage.

Abstract: An improved method is provided for identifying road sections in a navigation database. The method includes: receiving a database update identifying at least one road intersection; constructing a logical representation of the road topology surrounding the at least one road intersection; and identifying the at least one road intersection in the navigation database by comparing the logical representation to a logical representation of the navigation database.