Abstract: A portable subscriber device that is arranged and constructed to augment and facilitate interfaces to the device includes a wireless local area transceiver; an internal user interface; and a controller coupled to the internal user interface and the wireless local area transceiver. These elements are cooperatively operable for executing the method including: detecting an external device that is capable of providing an interface to the portable subscriber device; determining whether the external device is available as an interface to the portable subscriber device; and when available as an interface, establishing a wireless link between the portable subscriber device and the external device that will support the interface.

Abstract: A wireless mobile terminal (10) and method for utilizing digital broadcast content records (204) selected digital broadcast content as received, for example, by a digital broadcast receiver (16) and provides editing of the selected digital broadcast content based on digital rights management data to generate customized clips of information. The selected digital broadcast content is edited (206) to produce mobile terminal edited digital broadcast content that may be, for example, distributed (208) by the mobile terminal to a plurality of peer devices. A broadcast content editor (24) allows for the editing of clips of content wherein the edited clips are then stored in memory as recorded clips for distribution by the mobile terminal. In another embodiment, a network element is remotely controlled by the mobile terminal to effect editing through the mobile terminal at the network element.

Abstract: A wireless communication system (10) provides unsolicited content (40) to a wireless device (12) by using a network element (14) that contains logic circuitry that sends unsolicited content for the wireless device (12), without request by the wireless device (12) and during a non-peak period of operation of the wireless communication system (10). The network element (14) logs a billing event associated with the unsolicited content (40) in response to wireless device use indication data (42) that represents that the wireless device (12) used the unsolicited content (40) at a later time.

Abstract: A method for enabling hardware and software features in wireless communications devices including (610) receiving key information and applying it to the communications device. The key information specifies one or more features of the wireless communications device that are to be enabled or disabled. Features of the wireless communications device specified by the key information are enabled (640) or disabled upon applying the key information to the device. In some embodiments, information from multiple keys is required to enable features of the device.

Abstract: A method (400) for establishing a first communication link between a communications network (105) and a network node (115) in accordance with a first wireless communications protocol. The method also can include evaluating a signal parameter for a signal transmitted between a station (110) and the network node. In response to the channel quality exceeding a threshold, the station can be signaled to establish a second communication link with the network node in accordance with a second wireless communications protocol. The network node can bridge communications between the station and the communications network.

Abstract: A method in a wireless communication device for tracking the location of the device using cookie files (104). The location of the device (102) is determined by the device (100) itself or the infrastructure (114) in communication with the device. The location cookie files are created by or transmitted to the device by the communication system and can be interrogated or queried immediately by the device, the infrastructure, or stored for later use by both. When a location cookie, or a cookie associated with a location has been stored on the device, it can be queried to determine when the device has moved to or close to the same location as stored in the location cookie. The location in the cookie can also be used to guide the device to a certain location of the location cookie. The location cookie can also be used to track the number of time the device enters a certain location.

Abstract: A communication system and a method of communicating data. A first backhaul site can be dynamically selected from a plurality of backhaul sites that are each configured to wirelessly communicate with an access point. A controller can dynamically configure a transmission parameter used to communicate a first backhaul data stream between the access point and the first backhaul site. The first backhaul data stream can be derived from a source data stream and can be wirelessly communicated between the access point and the first backhaul site. A second backhaul site also can be selected. A second backhaul data stream also can be derived from the source data stream and wirelessly communicated between the access point and the second backhaul site. The first and second backhaul data streams can be combined.

Abstract: A communication system and a method of communicating backhaul data. The communication system can include a controller. The controller can dynamically select from a plurality of backhaul sites at least a first backhaul site to establish a backhaul communication link with an access point. The controller also can generate a control signal that indicates to the access point to beam steer a backhaul signal to the first backhaul site. The access point can include a phased array that dynamically beam steers the backhaul signal in azimuth and elevation.

Abstract: A method is provided that comprises detecting, by a first user terminal of a wireless system, a second user terminal having wireless system information. The wireless system information has timely wireless system parameters. The timely wireless system parameters are collected from the second user terminal. The first user terminal communicates with a base station based on the wireless system parameters.

Abstract: A system [100] includes a base station [105] to communicate wireless data with at least one user terminal [125, 130] within a cell serviced by the base station [105]. A central backhaul access point [135] communicates wireless backhaul data with the base station [105]. At least a first portion of the wireless data and a second portion of the wireless backhaul data is communicated via Spatial Division Multiple Access (“SDMA”), and the first portion of the wireless data utilizes at least some same time-frequency resources as the second portion of the wireless backhaul data.

Abstract: A search determination module for a secondary network, wireless communication device, and corresponding method is provided for triggering the detection of a secondary network. The search determination module includes an ambient condition detector, such as a light detector, a temperature detector and/or a microphone, which is adapted to detect one or more characteristics associated with the ambient environment. The search determination module further includes a comparator for comparing at least one of the one or more detected characteristics associated with the ambient environment with a target value and producing a control signal used in the determination of triggering a search for the secondary network.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method in a multi-hop network node for reducing data traffic loading comprising the steps of storing (204) a first communication portion, of a plurality of communication portions, received at a network node in a network node memory. Then generating (206) a first communication portion checksum and forwarding (208) the first communication portion to a destination from the network node. The method in the network node also comprises storing (210) the first communication portion checksum in a table of the network node. Then receiving (302) a second communication portion and determining the second communication portion checksum. Then determining (304) that the first communication portion checksum and the second communication portion checksum are the same and determining (310) that at least one more communications portion of the plurality of communication portions, already stored at the network node, is associated with the received first communication portion.

Abstract: A method and system for assigning a carrier channel to a subscriber device (102) in an OFDM system is provided. The method includes estimating (602) a link impairment associated with the subscriber device. The method also includes assigning (604) the subscriber device to a carrier channel having a cyclic prefix that conforms to the link impairment. The link impairment is related to the delay spread of a link used by the subscriber device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for electing broadcast relay nodes (520B, H, M) in an ad hoc network (500). Each node (520A-520O) generates an attribute message including associated parameters. Each node (520A-520O) generates a weighted value (WV) based on the parameters. The WV can be included in the attribute message for that node, can provide a metric for ranking that node to be nominated to be a broadcast relay node, can alternatively provide a probability measure for that node to probabilistically elect itself as a broadcast relay node. The broadcast manager node (520C) receives the attribute messages and elects at least one nominated node as a broadcast relay node (520B, H, M) based on the attribute messages. Each node (520A-520O) can also initiate election of an intermediate broadcast relay node if that node fails to receive a test message within a predetermined time.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for allowing a node (300) in an ad hoc network to deterministically decide whether to relay broadcast information to another node in the ad hoc network. The node (300) receives broadcast information and measures received signal strength (RSS) of the broadcast information. The node (300) may determine if the measured RSS is below a low threshold, and if so, can relay the broadcast information to neighbor nodes. Otherwise, the node (300) can also determine if the measured RSS is above a high threshold, and if not, wait for a waiting period before relaying the broadcast information to the neighbor nodes. The node (300) may dynamically adjust the low threshold by decreasing the low threshold as the number of neighbor nodes increases and may dynamically adjust the high threshold by increasing the high threshold as the number of neighbor nodes decreases.

Abstract: A wide area network assisted multimedia content delivery system (200) includes a first wide area network handset (205) and a second wide area network handset (207) having one or more transceivers (208) for exchanging information over the wide band network as well as multimedia information via an ad hoc communication. A wide area base unit (201) is used for communicating with the first wide area network handset (205) and second wide area network handset (207) where a content distribution broker (203) associated with the wide area base unit (201) is used for brokering multimedia content (audio, video and text data) between the first wide area network handset (205) and the second wide area network handset (207). The transceiver (208) operates to exchange multimedia content in an ad hoc communication directly between the first wide area network handset (205) and second wide area network handset (207) when within a predetermined proximity.

Abstract: A wide area network assisted multimedia content delivery system (200) includes a first wide area network handset (205) and a second wide area network handset (207) having one or more transceivers (208) for exchanging information over the wide band network as well as multimedia content via an ad hoc communication. A wide area base unit (201) is used for communicating with the first wide area network handset (205) and second wide area network handset (207) where a content distribution broker (203) associated with the wide area base unit (201) is used for brokering multimedia content (audio, video and text data) between the first wide area network handset (205) and the second wide area network handset (207). The transceiver (208) operates to exchange content in an ad hoc communication directly between the first wide area network handset (205) and second wide area network handset (207) when within a predetermined proximity.

Abstract: Smart card security is enhanced by making the smart card a two-piece device. Both parts of the smart card contain copies of user data and a processor, which executes program instructions stored in the smart card half so as to give each part of the two-part smart card security and intelligence. Both parts must be in communication with each other for the data in either card to be accessible and useable. By separating the two pieces, data compromise is virtually impossible.

Abstract: A method and system of providing navigation information is provided. The method comprises obtaining (105) a communication requirement of a user and determining (110) at least one navigation route for the user based on the communication requirement dependent upon network considerations along the route. The method further comprises providing (115) the at least one navigation route to the user based on the communication requirement.

Abstract: A method, system and server for generating a content editing command file devoid of content. The method includes editing by at least one user of the same content so that each generates an individual content editing command file 102, transmitting the files to a server, and compiling the files to form at least one aggregated editing command file 104. Furthermore, the method includes distributing a content editing command file and/or an aggregated content editing command file devoid of content to at least one recipient 106. Separately, the content is distributed 108. The received content editing command file and content 110 are processed to generate edited-content 112.