Abstract: A wireless broadcast system that collects content for distribution over a wireless communication network. At least one content stream is received and encapsulated into a stream of transport packets that are ruggedized for broadcast over the wireless communication link. The stream of transport packets are simultaneously broadcast as part of an identical signal from a plurality of synchronized transmitters in a single frequency network. The content can include multimedia data, such as audio/video data, movies, game, audio broadcasts, television network programs, or other types of multimedia content.

Abstract: A base station can communicate resource allocation to a wireless mobile station in an uplink map information element. The base station can identify destination mobile stations using a shorthand connection identifier. The base station parses the connection identifier field into a shorthand connection identifier field and an embedded subfield data field. The shorthand connection identifier field can be sized to support a predetermined number of mobile stations. The base station can further parse the embedded subfield field into a number of sub-fields, each communicating a different set of control information. In one embodiment, the base station utilizes the embedded subfield to communicate power, timing, and frequency information to the destination mobile station.

Abstract: A method comprising encoding a plurality of signals according to a predetermined negation scheme and transmitting the plurality of signals, wherein each signal is transmitted by way of a wireless channel. The method further comprises receiving a signal, wherein the received signal is a combination of the plurality of transmitted signals, and interpolating between data in the received signal to generate a plurality of systems of equations. The method further comprises solving the plurality of systems of equations to determine a gain and phase shift applied to each of the plurality of transmitted signals by a corresponding wireless channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a time-switched preamble supplement generator for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter employing N transmit antennas wherein N is at least two. In one embodiment, the time-switched preamble supplement generator includes an initial preamble supplement formatter configured to provide a first permutation of a set of preamble supplements to the N transmit antennas during an initial time interval. The first permutation includes a single first preamble supplement and at least one second preamble supplement. The time-switched preamble supplement generator also includes a subsequent preamble supplement formatter coupled to the initial preamble supplement formatter and configured to provide (N?1) mutually exclusive further permutations of the set to the N transmit antennas during (N?1) subsequent time intervals.

Abstract: A communications receiver is provided that includes a first and second compensators a pilot tracker and a demodulator. The first compensator is operable to adjust an input signal based on both a coarse frequency offset and a fine frequency offset to produce an adjusted input signal. The pilot tracker determines an estimated residual frequency offset based on at least a portion of the adjusted input signal. The demodulator determines at least a first symbol sequence and a second symbol sequence based on the adjusted input signal. The second compensator is operable to adjust the first symbol sequence and the second symbol sequence based on the estimate residual frequency offset.

Abstract: Systems and methods of pre-allocating identifiers to wireless devices for use in requesting resources over a random access channel are described. A wireless communication system includes a random access channel over which wireless devices can anonymously send requests for resources. The base stations receiving and processing the anonymous requests reduces the probability of random access channel collisions and conserves the resources needed to support the anonymous requests by pre-allocating one or more codes to select wireless devices. The wireless devices having the pre-allocated codes can transmit a particular code over the random access channel as a request for resources that uniquely identifies the requester.

Abstract: A multi-carrier communications system with a programmable interleaver and de-interleaver that can change the interleaving rate for data transmitted and received in the communications system is presented. The programmable interleaver and de-interleaver permits a level of flexibility in determining the immunity of the communications system to errors and sources of interference. The multi-carrier communications system is able to vary the interleaving rate based on input from a user or from data that it maintains from actual network performance. The multi-carrier communications system can change the interleaving rate during the initial installation of the multi-carrier communications system or whenever the system is reset or restarted or on any individual transmission unit.

Abstract: A method for estimating carrier frequency offset (CFO) and sampling frequency offset (SFO) in an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) system having a plurality of pilot tones. The absolute phase angle for each pilot tone is measured, and estimates of the CFO and the SFO are derived using a weighted least-squares methodology. More particularly, the phase of each pilot tone is measured for a number (n) of symbol times; for each of the pilot tones, the slope of a phase angle change from symbol time to symbol time is estimated using a best least-squares fit of the measured phases to a straight line; and a weighted least-squares best-fit straight line is determined to find an estimated phase angle differential value (?(i)) for each pilot tone; wherein a slope of the best-fit straight line yields an estimate of the SFO, and an intercept with the best-fit straight line yields an estimate of the CFO.

Abstract: Detecting a boundary between training sequences in a transmission is an important operation. In many communications systems, there are no special boundaries or markers to denote the end of one sequence and the beginning of another. Correlation has been a commonly used technique to detect sequences and a fall in the correlation can be used to indicate such boundaries, but classical correlation can be slow and a significant portion of the new sequence is received prior to the boundary being detected. A method and apparatus is presented that allows rapid detection of the boundary and only a small amount of the new sequence needs to be received prior to the detection of the boundary. Additionally, the method and apparatus can be used to detect the presence of a transmission on the communications medium.

Abstract: A communications receiver is provided that includes a first and second compensators 64 and 68, a pilot tracker 60, and a demodulator 66. The first compensator 64 is operable to adjust an input signal based on both a coarse frequency offset and a fine frequency offset to produce an adjusted input signal. The pilot tracker 60 determines an estimated residual frequency offset based on at least a portion of the adjusted input signal. The demodulator 66 determines at least a first symbol sequence and a second symbol sequence based on the adjusted input signal. The second compensator 68 is operable to adjust the first symbol sequence and the second symbol sequence based on the estimate residual frequency offset.

Abstract: For use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter, a signal field controller, a method of controlling signal fields and a MIMO transmitter incorporating the controller or the method. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) a primary signal field mode indicator configured to cause a primary signal field to indicate a presence of a supplemental signal field and provide the primary signal field to the MIMO transmitter for transmission thereby and (2) a supplemental signal field generator coupled to the primary signal field mode indicator and configured to provide a supplemental signal field to the MIMO transmitter for further transmission thereby only when the primary signal field indicates the presence.

Abstract: The present invention provides a time-switched preamble supplement generator for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter employing N transmit antennas wherein N is at least two. In one embodiment, the time-switched preamble supplement generator includes an initial preamble supplement formatter configured to provide a first permutation of a set of preamble supplements to the N transmit antennas during an initial time interval. The first permutation includes a single first preamble supplement and at least one second preamble supplement. The time-switched preamble supplement generator also includes a subsequent preamble supplement formatter coupled to the initial preamble supplement formatter and configured to provide (N-1) mutually exclusive further permutations of the set to the N transmit antennas during (N-1) subsequent time intervals.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a time-switched preamble generator and method of generating a time-switched preamble for use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter employing first and second transmit antennas. In one embodiment, the time-switched preamble generator includes an initial preamble formatter configured to provide a first preamble to the first transmit antenna and a second preamble to the second transmit antenna during an initial time interval. The time-switched preamble generator also includes a subsequent preamble formatter coupled to the initial preamble formatter and configured to provide the second preamble to the first transmit antenna and the first preamble to the second transmit antenna during a subsequent time interval.

Abstract: For use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter, an orthogonal preamble encoder, a method of encoding orthogonal preambles and a communication system incorporating the encoder or the method. In one embodiment, the encoder includes: (1) a preamble supplement generator configured to provide a first long sequence preamble supplement to a first transmit antenna of the MIMO transmitter and (2) a preamble supplement coordinator coupled to the preamble supplement generator and configured to provide a second long sequence preamble supplement to a second transmit antenna of the MIMO transmitter, at least a portion of the second long sequence preamble supplement being a negation of the first long sequence preamble supplement.

Abstract: A preamble transmit power tailoring system for use with an Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) transmitter, a method of tailoring preamble transmit power, and an OFDM transmitter. In one embodiment, the preamble transmit power tailoring system includes (1) a peak power estimator configured to calculate, based on a payload to be transmitted by the OFDM transmitter and an associated transmit power limitation value, an available power headroom and (2) a preamble power enhancer, associated with the peak power estimator, configured to increase transmit power of at least a portion of a preamble for the payload subject to the available power headroom.

Abstract: A wireless device is provided that includes host logic (53), at least two antennas (59), and network interface logic (57). The network interface logic (57) is operable to transmit packets comprising symbols containing a plurality of data tones on at least two channels (69). The network interface logic (57) varies the number of data tones among the symbols. A first channel (69a) of packets is transmitted over a first antenna (59a) and a second channel (69b) of packets is transmitted over a second antenna (59b).

Abstract: For use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter, a signal field controller, a method of controlling signal fields and a MIMO transmitter incorporating the controller or the method. In one embodiment, the controller includes: (1) a primary signal field mode indicator configured to cause a primary signal field to indicate a presence of a supplemental signal field and provide the primary signal field to the MIMO transmitter for transmission thereby and (2) a supplemental signal field generator coupled to the primary signal field mode indicator and configured to provide a supplemental signal field to the MIMO transmitter for further transmission thereby only when the primary signal field indicates the presence.

Abstract: A method comprising encoding a plurality of signals according to a predetermined negation scheme and transmitting the plurality of signals, wherein each signal is transmitted by way of a wireless channel. The method further comprises receiving a signal, wherein the received signal is a combination of the plurality of transmitted signals, and interpolating between data in the received signal to generate a plurality of systems of equations. The method further comprises solving the plurality of systems of equations to determine a gain and phase shift applied to each of the plurality of transmitted signals by a corresponding wireless channel.

Abstract: For use with a multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) transmitter, an orthogonal preamble encoder, a method of encoding orthogonal preambles and a communication system incorporating the encoder or the method. In one embodiment, the encoder includes: (1) a preamble supplement generator configured to provide a first long sequence preamble supplement to a first transmit antenna of the MIMO transmitter and (2) a preamble supplement coordinator coupled to the preamble supplement generator and configured to provide a second long sequence preamble supplement to a second transmit antenna of the MIMO transmitter, at least a portion of the second long sequence preamble supplement being a negation of the first long sequence preamble supplement.

Abstract: A method for and wireless communications unit adapted for measuring transmission performance for a signal emanating from an antenna is discussed. The wireless communications unit includes a receiver for receiving the signal in a first and a second time interval to provide, respectively, a first and a second signal; and a channel processor for assessing a relative channel metric corresponding to the first and second signal, the relative channel metric indicative of the transmission performance of a transmission mode.