Abstract: Apparatus and method for allocating communication resources in a data radio communication system, such as an MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset) communication system, e.g., a communication system that provides for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data services. A multi-carrier radio resource control logic element includes an analyzer that analyzes communication resource requirements to carry out a communication service. A resource allocator allocates communication resources to be used by which to communicate the data. The communication resources are allocated across a plurality of radio carriers such that resources are allocated, during a particular time period, upon a single radio carrier of the plurality of radio carriers.

Abstract: A system and method for communicating wirelessly from a mobile device to a remote receiver station is disclosed. The system includes a controller configured to monitor a status of the mobile device and, upon an initiation event, initiate a data transfer process to wirelessly communicate data to the remote receiver station. The system also includes a voice-band modem that, upon initiation of the data transfer process is configured to receive data for transfer to the remote receiver station, divide the source data into a collection source packets, and encode the data using a fountain code encoding protocol to form a series of encoded packets. The voice band modem is also configured to transmit the series of encoded packets to the remote receiver station as a burst including all of the source data and repeatedly transmit the encoded packets until receiving an indication that the series of packets including all of the source data has been received at the receiving station.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for allocating communication resources in a data radio communication system, such as an MAIO (Mobile Allocation Index Offset) communication system, e.g., a communication system that provides for Enhanced Data for GSM Evolution (EDGE) data services. A multi-carrier radio resource control logic element includes an analyzer that analyzes communication resource requirements to carry out a communication service. A resource allocator allocates communication resources to be used by which to communicate the data. The communication resources are allocated across a plurality of radio carriers such that resources are allocated, during a particular time period, upon a single radio carrier of the plurality of radio carriers.

Abstract: A method, and associated apparatus, facilitates the communication of data of a radio block by a sending station to a receiving station, within a single time frame. Communication resources are allocated within a single time frame across a plurality of radio carriers. And, the data corresponding to a radio block is scheduled for communication, and is communicated, within the single time frame. Reduced levels of latency relative to conventional operations is provided.

Abstract: A filter for reducing co-channel interference within a communications receiver may include a multi-channel, space-time filter circuit that filters n signal parts that have been split from a communications signal by jointly estimating space-time filter weights and multi-channel impulse responses (CIRs). The filter may further include a multi-channel, matched filter circuit that receives multi-channel signals from the multi-channel, space-time filter circuit and has a filter response that is provided by a channel impulse response estimation from the space-time filter circuit.

Abstract: A receiver and associated method estimates a channel impulse response of the communications signal. A communications signal is received as a burst of transmitted symbols, including a known training sequence. The joint estimation of timing offset and initial channel impulse response is determined based on the cross-correlations of the known transmitted symbols and received communications signal. A constant modulus interference removal iteration is applied to improve the initial channel impulse estimation.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for estimating a bit error rate of data communicated to a receiving station of a digital communications system, such as a GSM/EDGE cellular communication system. Soft decision values, indicative of confidence levels that decided values have been correctly decided are compared with threshold values by a comparator. A count is accumulated by a counter to whose counted value is representative of decided data values having associated therewith low levels of confidence that the decided values are correct. The count value is used in the formulation of the BER estimation.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein that make use of a lost frame concealment method for processing data frames received from transmission over a communications channel. The method involves determining whether a current data frame is a bad frame, performing source decoding on the current data frame with one or more parameters that are limited by a first set of one or more values if the current data frame is a bad frame, and performing source decoding on the current data frame with one or more parameters that are not limited if the current data frame is a good frame.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for the receive part of a receiving station, such as a mobile station or other transceiver of a cellular communication system. Selection is made of filter characteristics to be exhibited by an adaptive, input noise whitening filter. A noise estimator estimates a noise component of a noise sequence. An autocorrelation estimator estimates the noise-component autocorrelation. A determination is made as to whether the autocorrelation exceeds a threshold. If so, filter characteristics are selected to cause the input noise whitening filter to operate to inject whitening noise into the received sequence.

Abstract: A receiver and associated method estimates a channel impulse response of the communications signal. A communications signal is received as a burst of transmitted symbols, including a known training sequence. The joint estimation of timing offset and initial channel impulse response is determined based on the cross-correlations of the known transmitted symbols and received communications signal. A constant modulus interference removal iteration is applied to improve the initial channel impulse estimation.

Abstract: A method, and associated apparatus, facilitates the communication of data of a radio block by a sending station to a receiving station, within a single time frame. Communication resources are allocated within a single time frame across a plurality of radio carriers. And, the data corresponding to a radio block is scheduled for communication, and is communicated, within the single time frame. Reduced levels of latency relative to conventional operations is provided.

Abstract: Various embodiments are described herein that make use of a lost frame concealment method for processing data frames received from transmission over a communications channel. The method involves determining whether a current data frame is a bad frame, performing source decoding on the current data frame with one or more parameters that are limited by a first set of one or more values if the current data frame is a bad frame, and performing source decoding on the current data frame with one or more parameters that are not limited if the current data frame is a good frame.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for estimating a bit error rate of data communicated to a receiving station of a digital communications system, such as a GSM/EDGE cellular communication system. Soft decision values, indicative of confidence levels that decided values have been correctly decided are compared with threshold values by a comparator. A count is accumulated by a counter to whose counted value is representative of decided data values having associated therewith low levels of confidence that the decided values are correct. The count value is used in the formulation of the BER estimation.

Abstract: A method to be used with first and second devices where the first device communicates with the second device via numbered data packets where the second device needs to know the number of each received packet upon reception, the method comprising the acts of at the first device, forming a plurality of separate initial data packets, for each initial data packet, associating a unique number with the initial data packet, combining the initial data packet with its associated unique number to form a numbered packet, calculating a checksum for the numbered packet, combining the checksum with the initial data packet to form a transmission packet that fails to include the associated unique number and transmitting the transmission packet to the second device.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for the receive part of a receiving station, such as a mobile station or other transceiver of a cellular communication system. Selection is made of filter characteristics to be exhibited by an adaptive, input noise whitening filter. A noise estimator estimates a noise component of a noise sequence. An autocorrelation estimator estimates the noise-component autocorrelation. A determination is made as to whether the autocorrelation exceeds a threshold. If so, filter characteristics are selected to cause the input noise whitening filter to operate to inject whitening noise into the received sequence.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for a receiving station, such as the receive part of a mobile station, that has diversity antennas. The receiving station includes both legacy demodulators and a diversity demodulator. Calculations are made to determine signal indicia associated with the signal energy detected at the diversity antennas. Responsive to the signal indicia, selection is made as to whether to utilize demodulation data, demodulated pursuant to a diversity demodulation technique or pursuant to a legacy demodulation technique. As the characteristics of received signals change, reselection of the demodulation is correspondingly made, such as on a frame-by-frame basis of frame-formatted data.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for a receiving station, such as the receive part of a mobile station, that has diversity antennas. The receiving station includes both legacy demodulators and a diversity demodulator. Calculations are made to determine signal indicia associated with the signal energy detected at the diversity antennas. Responsive to the signal indicia, selection is made as to whether to utilize demodulation data, demodulated pursuant to a diversity demodulation technique or pursuant to a legacy demodulation technique. As the characteristics of received signals change, reselection of the demodulation is correspondingly made, such as on a frame-by-frame basis of frame-formatted data.

Abstract: A receiver and associated method estimates a channel impulse response of the communications signal. A communications signal is received as a burst of transmitted symbols, including a known training sequence. The joint estimation of timing offset and initial channel impulse response is determined based on the cross-correlations of the known transmitted symbols and received communications signal. A constant modulus interference removal iteration is applied to improve the initial channel impulse estimation.

Abstract: Apparatus, and an associated method, for a receiving station, such as the receive part of a mobile station, that has diversity antennas. The receiving station includes both legacy demodulators and a diversity demodulator. Calculations are made to determine signal indicia associated with the signal energy detected at the diversity antennas. Responsive to the signal indicia, selection is made as to whether to utilize demodulation data, demodulated pursuant to a diversity demodulation technique or pursuant to a legacy demodulation technique. As the characteristics of received signals change, reselection of the demodulation is correspondingly made, such as on a frame-by-frame basis of frame-formatted data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for cataloguing items such as maps and geospatial data sets store in a database information defining a geospatial region corresponding to each item and a size characteristic of the geospatial area. The database may be queried to identify items of interest by intersecting a search seed comprising one or more geospatial points lines or areas with the areas corresponding to the items. A result set containing items produced by a query may be ordered at least in part according to the size characteristics. In some embodiments the size characteristics comprise square roots of the areas of the geospatial regions.