Abstract: Methods for enabling floor control are performed in an endpoint terminal (140, 142, 146) and a session controller (106). The session controller: receives (410) a message requesting a session that includes an SDP packet with a requested floor control profile having a requested set of floor control parameters or a requested list of potential floor owners; accepts (410) the session; determines (420) a final floor control profile having a final set of floor control parameters and a final list of potential floor owners; and communicates at least a portion of the floor control profile within a system (100). The endpoint terminal: communicates a message requesting a session that includes an SDP packet with a requested floor control profile; and receives a message having an SDP packet with a final floor control parameter. The final floor control profile may be the same as or different from the requested floor control profile.

Abstract: A radio frequency communications system (100) includes wireless terminals (102) and base sites (104). The wireless terminals communicate with the base sites over a radio frequency channel (106). The base sites are interconnected to each other and other network elements via a packet network. The communication system has a radio frequency channel (400) with time slots (406, 408) for transmission of both delay-sensitive data, such as streaming audio and video, and non-delay-sensitive data. A method and apparatus are provided for determining whether a time slot in the radio frequency channel is to be allocated to delay-sensitive data or non-delay-sensitive data (704, 706, 708). Each packet of data transmitted over the wireless channel has a type of service field (900). The type of service field has a precedence or priority value (902) and a service type (904).

Abstract: A method for use by middleware in a communication system (100) that includes the steps of: enabling a group of behavior sets (220) for use by the middleware; operating (330) in accordance with a first behavior set from the group (220); receiving at least one trigger (342, 346); selecting (350) a second behavior set from the group (220) based upon the at least one trigger (342, 346); and operating in accordance with the second behavior set (330).

Abstract: In a system (100) including at least one mobility server (50), at least one mobile router (20) and a plurality of hosts (30,40), a method for network prefix allocation that includes the steps of: detecting a need for at least one network prefix for a mobile router (20); sending a registration request message to a mobility server (50) that includes a request to allocate the at least one network prefix to the mobile router (20); and receiving a registration reply responsive to the registration request that includes at least one allocated network prefix, wherein the at least one allocated network prefix is reserved for the mobile router (20) for a first time period.

Abstract: In a system (100) that includes at least one mobility server (40, 50), at least one edge mobility agent (60) and a plurality of mobile nodes (20, 30), a method for local routing between two mobile nodes that includes the steps of: receiving a first care-of address for a first mobile node; detecting an edge mobility agent having knowledge of the first care-of address; determining, based upon at least one condition, that the edge mobility agent can perform local routing of at least one datagram for the first mobile node; and instructing the edge mobility agent to perform local routing of at least one datagram between the first mobile node and a second mobile node that has a second care-of address that is known to the edge mobility agent.

Abstract: The present invention allows a single access point (“AP”; 100) to support a plurality of devices (102, 104) operating on different frequency bands. During a first period of time, the AP initiates a contention free period at a first frequency. The AP switches from the first frequency to a second frequency, and communicates with devices operating at the second frequency. Periodically during the first period of time, the AP temporarily ceases communication with devices operating at the second frequency to initiate a contention free period at the second frequency, switch from the second frequency to the first frequency, initiate another contention free period at the first frequency, and switch from the first frequency back to the second frequency.

Abstract: A method for data transfer includes: detecting the initiation of a primary service function being performed on an entity in a known location; responsive to the detection, establishing a communications link (150) with the entity; managing a transfer of data via the communications link (150); and terminating the data transfer when at least one condition has been met. A device for enabling a communications link to be established with an entity while it is being refueled includes: a first communications element (414) coupled to a fueling system; and a second communications element (434) coupled to the entity, wherein a communications link (150) is established with the entity when the first and second communications elements (414,434) are operatively aligned.