Abstract: To support mobile stations that are not capable of demodulating the entire bandwidth or that can be made to demodulate less than the entire bandwidth, a system, apparatus and method are provided to schedule users on less than all of the bandwidth. Further, certain users can be scheduled on more of the bandwidth than others.

Abstract: To support mobile stations that are not capable of demodulating the entire bandwidth or that can be made to demodulate less than the entire bandwidth, a system, apparatus and method are provided to schedule users on less than all of the bandwidth. Further, certain users can be scheduled on more of the bandwidth than others.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for processing forward link only (FLO) signals. A device receives a FLO signal, processes a TDM pilot comprising a TDM Pilot 1, a TDM Pilot 2, a WIC, a LIC, a Transition Pilot Channel, and a Positioning Pilot, from the FLO signal, processes an overhead information symbol (OIS) comprising a wide-area OIS and a local-area OIS, from the FLO signal, processes an FDM pilot comprising a wide-area FDM pilot and a local-area FDM pilot, from the FLO signal; and processes data comprising wide-area data and local-area data, from the FLO signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for selecting a serving sector in a high rate data (HDR) communication system are disclosed. An exemplary HDR communication system defines a set of data rates, at which a sector of an Access Point may send data packets to an Access Terminal. The sector is selected by the Access Terminal to achieve the highest data throughput while maintaining a targeted packet error rate. The Access Terminal employs various methods to evaluate quality metrics of forward and reverse links from and to different sectors, and uses the quality metrics to select the sector to send data packets to the Access Terminal.

Abstract: Techniques to more efficiently transmit pilot and signaling on the uplink in an OFDM system. With subband multiplexing, M usable subbands in the system are partitioned into Q disjoint groups of subbands. Each subband group may be assigned to a different terminal for uplink pilot transmission. Multiple terminals may transmit simultaneously on their assigned subbands. The transmit power for the pilot may be scaled higher to attain the same total pilot energy even though S instead of M subbands are used for pilot transmission by each terminal. Pilot transmissions from the terminals are received, and a channel estimate is derived for each terminal based on the pilot received on the assigned subbands. The channel estimate comprises a response for additional subbands not included in the assigned group. Subband multiplexing may also be used for uplink signaling transmission.

Abstract: A system and method for time diversity uses interleaving. To simplify the operation at both transmitters and receivers, a formula can be used to determine the mapping from slot to interlace at a given OFDM symbol time.

Abstract: A method for positioning a collection window for a Fourier transform function is disclosed. A first orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) symbol and a second OFDM symbol are received. The first OFDM symbol comprises a plurality of frequency division multiplexed (FDM) symbols. The first OFDM symbol is characterized by at least two of the following: a delay spread, a first arriving path (FAP), or a last arriving path (LAP). A channel location is estimated from a channel impulse response. A point relative to the channel location is selected. A beginning of the collection window is positioned for the second OFDM symbol at the selected point. Alternatively, a point is selected at a first location relative to the channel location using a first algorithm if a delay spread is less than a predetermined length. The selected point is chosen at a second location relative to the channel location using a second algorithm if the delay spread is greater than the predetermined length.

Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus in a hierarchically coded modulation system can use error control mechanisms generated during decoding of base layer information to predict a probability of successful demodulation of enhancement layer information. Performance in the demodulation of the base layer correlates to performance in the demodulation of the enhancement layer. The receiver can determine whether to attempt demodulation of temporally correlated enhancement layer data based in part on the predicted probability of success. If the receiver determines not to demodulate the enhancement layer, the receiver can power down the enhancement layer demodulator, or otherwise minimize the power expended in the enhancement layer demodulator.

Abstract: A method for characterizing a communication channel is disclosed. A detection window is moved through a channel profile to accumulate tap energies in the channel profile within the detection window into an accumulated energy curve. A peak at a maximum in the accumulated energy curve is determined. A band relative to the accumulated energy curve is defined. A first arriving path (FAP) is determined using a trailing edge found near a second end of a zone in the accumulated energy curve. A leading edge is found near a first end of the zone of the accumulated energy curve. The last arriving path (LAP) is determined using the leading edge. The band defines a zone of the accumulated energy curve at or near the maximum that is within the band.

Abstract: A method for determining a communication channel location is disclosed. A first subset of a plurality of channel impulse responses is averaged over a first time period to produce a first filtered channel impulse response, and a second subset of the plurality of channel impulse responses is averaged over a second time period to produce a second filtered channel impulse response. The second time period is different from the first time period, and the second subset is different from the first subset. The communication channel location is determined using the first filtered channel impulse response and the second filtered channel impulse response.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for transmitting OFDM information via IFFT up-sampling components that transmit data at a higher sampling rate than conventional systems to simplify filter requirements and mitigate leakage between symbols. In one embodiment, an NL point IFFT is performed on a zero inserted set of frequency domain symbols. In another embodiment, the NL point IFFT is further optimized by exploiting the fact that (N?1) L of the frequency domain symbols are zero. This enables an embodiment that consists of a pre-processor that multiplies the input samples by complex phase factors, followed by L point IFFTs.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for estimating the frequency of a sleep or slow clock by selectively utilizing an estimated sleep clock frequency and an estimated change in the sleep clock frequency. The disclosed apparatus includes a sleep clock frequency estimator to output a fast clock derived sleep clock frequency estimate and a sleep clock change frequency estimator to output an estimate of a change in frequency of the sleep clock. The apparatus further includes a combiner that weights at least one of the fast clock derived sleep clock frequency estimate to obtain a weighted sleep clock frequency estimate and the estimate of the change in frequency of the sleep clock to obtain a weighted estimate of the change in frequency of the sleep clock. The combiner also determines a new estimate of the sleep clock frequency using at least one of the weighted sleep clock frequency estimate and the weighted estimate of the change in frequency of the sleep clock. Complementary methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: Dynamic channel estimation thresholds allow for determining optimal threshold values for channel estimation in a layered-modulation wireless communication system. A channel estimation threshold can be used to remove or otherwise filter out channel estimate components that may be significantly influenced by noise. The channel estimation threshold value can be used to generate a refined channel estimate that is used in decoding multiple layers of a layered modulation signal. The channel estimation threshold value can be varied based on the performance of the various signal layer decoders. The adaptive channel estimation threshold provides for decoding a base layer based on an optimal threshold value for the base layer; determining an error rate associated with decoding the base layer; and using an optimal threshold value for an enhancement layer in a channel estimation algorithm if the error rate is lower than a predetermined level.

Abstract: Conserving power for coded transmissions comprises ceasing to process parity packets once associated data packets are deemed correct or corrected. Once data packets are deemed correct or corrected, the receiving unit can shut off during the transmission of parity packets.

Abstract: A media access control (MAC) layer controller can manage base layer data and enhancement layer data in a layered modulation system. The MAC layer controller can process both base layer data and enhancement layer data and map the encoded symbols to a layered modulation constellation when both are present. If data for one of the layers terminates, then the MAC layer controller can generate and supply predetermined stuffing data to the layer lacking additional data. The MAC layer controller can send a control signal to the physical layer hardware to cause the hardware to map the layered signals having the stuffing data to a modified signal constellation. The MAC controller can also generate an overhead message that indicates the occurrence of the stuffing data. The receiver can receive the overhead message and can use the information to configure the receiver for the layered modulation constellation or the modified signal constellation.

Abstract: A decoder for a layered modulation system can be configured to independently and concurrently decode each of a base and enhancement layer. The base layer decoder and enhancement layer decoder can be configured substantially in parallel and can each operate concurrently on the same received layered modulation symbol. Each of the base and enhancement layer decoders can be configured with a bit metric module that is configured to determine a signal quality metric based on the received symbol. In systems having turbo encoded data, the bit metric module can be configured to determine a log likelihood ratio. The ratio is based in part on a channel estimate and an energy ratio used in the layered modulation constellation.

Abstract: The embodiments utilize OFDM symbols to communicate network IDs. The IDs are encoded into symbols utilizing the network IDs as seeds to scramble respective pilots that are then transmitted by utilizing the symbols. The pilots can be structured into a single OFDM symbol and/or multiple OFDM symbols. The single symbol structure for transmitting the network IDs is independent of the number of network ID bits and minimizes frequency offset and Doppler effects. The multiple symbol structure allows a much coarser timing accuracy to be employed at the expense of transmitting additional symbols. Several embodiments employ a search function to find possible network ID candidates from a transmitted symbol and a selection function to find an optimum candidate from a network ID candidate list.

Abstract: A system and method for modulation diversity uses interleaving. Code bits are placed into groups and are then shuffled within each group.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for an adaptive set management in a communication system are disclosed. Certain levels of an imbalance between a forward link and a reverse link are always present in a communication system. Although severe levels of an imbalance cause a detrimental effect on quality of communication and throughput, the imbalance is an issue only if it degrades throughput by one rate on the forward link. Consequently, an adaptive set management evaluates an imbalance among sectors in a subscriber station's list in accordance with the quality metric of the forward link and the reverse link, and removes from the subscriber station's list only a sector that causes severe imbalance. Although retaining a sector in the subscriber station's list may improve throughput, it may negatively affect other functions of the communication system, e.g., power control. Therefore, a method of power control is modified if a level of imbalance affecting the power control is detected.

Abstract: A system and method for frequency diversity uses interleaving. Subcarriers of an interlace are interleaved in a bit reversal fashion and the interlaces are interleaved in the bit reversal fashion.