Abstract: The present invention encompasses various embodiments that provide convenient message callback for users in multi-service communication systems (e.g., 100). One set of embodiments enables users leaving messages to provide the callback number or address. This allows the calling party to indicate what communication service is preferable for callback. Another set of embodiments enables users retrieving messages to select the communication service they prefer for callback. The message server (114) provides this functionality by determining the callback number or address of the preferred type from the callback information provided by the original calling party. The present invention also provides for automatic callback once the called communication unit (102) receives the callback number or address.

Abstract: A wireless communication unit (200) and corresponding method (500) selectively routes calls originated in one wireless communication network (105) through another wireless communication network (104, 108, 110). The communication unit comprises a transceiver (203) suitable to support an air interface with a first wireless communication network and with a second wireless communication network; a user interface (211) operable to initiate a call to a number of a target unit; and a controller (209), coupled to the transceiver and the user interface, and operable, responsive to the call initiation and when the wireless communication unit is operating in the second wireless communication network, to selectively hairpin the call through the first communication network.

Abstract: To address the need for reducing audio overhang in wireless communication systems (e.g., 100), the present invention provides for the deletion of silent frames before they are converted to audio by the listening devices. The present invention only provides for the deletion of a portion of the silent frames that make up a period of silence or low voice activity in the speaker's audio. Voice frames that make up periods of silence less than a given length of time are not deleted.

Abstract: To address the need for an apparatus and method of economically synchronizing base sites (110–113) in wireless communication systems, the present invention provides a GPS-based solution for synchronizing slave sites (111–113) to a regional master site (110). In general, the master site reports to the slave sites information indicating the timing variance of GPS satellites (101–105). The slave sites then use this information in combination with information they collect from the same satellites to periodically resynchronize their clocks to the master clock.

Abstract: The need to reduce the cost associated with signaling mobiles (120) across multiple cells (101–108) is addressed by embodiments of the present invention. A targeted MS is initially paged only in those cells in which the paging channel loading level is below a particular paging threshold. Similarly for short messaging, the RAN transmits the short messaging to the MS only in those cells in which the paging channel loading level is below a short messaging threshold. Therefore, the MS can be signaled in under-loaded cells first, were the effect on system capacity and performance is negligible. When successful, the MS signaling is achieved at a lower cost to the system than when loaded cells are involved.

Abstract: A subscriber unit (104) is gracefully migrated from a selected base transceiver station (108) to an alternate base transceiver station (108) by attenuating the communication signals transmitted by the selected base transceiver station (108). A subscriber unit (104) communicatively coupled to the selected base transceiver station (108) compares the attenuated communication signal strength to communications signals generated by alternate base transceiver stations (108) until an alternative communication signal having greater signal strength is identified. The subscriber unit (104) then migrates to the base transceiver station (108) transmitting the alternative communication signal. The rate of active data packet transmissions to a subscriber unit (104) is increased by using all available traffic channels to transmit data packet.

Abstract: The present embodiments address the need for an apparatus and method that provides additional orthogonal codes without trading off RF capacity. When a system is operating near its RF capacity and running out of available orthogonal codes, one or more channels are allocated using a new radio configuration (510) that utilizes longer orthogonal codes. This new radio configuration increases the number of available orthogonal codes without sacrificing RF capacity. Instead, it reduces the peak data rate such a channel can provide.

Abstract: To address the need for a communication infrastructure and method to speed uplink data setup, the present invention provides for the assignment of uplink packet data resources by basestation transceiver systems (BTSs) without the need to communicate with any packet control unit (PCUs) first. The present invention accomplishes this by reserving packet data resources before they are needed or requested and providing them to BTSs for assignment. Thus, BTS-PCU communication occurs in the period before an uplink connection is needed and after uplink data is established, effectively eliminating the BTS-PCU delay from uplink data setup. Moreover, the present invention provides for the transmission of transmit allowance messages before an uplink request is made by the communication unit, further reducing uplink data setup time.

Abstract: To address the need for a high availability system (100) and method of initializing that address failures that lock up common communication buses (109) in these systems, the present invention avoids powering-up peripheral components (e.g., 102-103) that have previously locked up the bus. It accomplishes this by storing indicators of successful initializations in memory (105), and then subsequently powering-up components only if such an indicator was stored for that component's last power-up.

Abstract: To address the need for an apparatus and method for CDMA-dispatch soft handoff, the present invention enables base-initiated soft handoff for dispatch calls. A mobile station (120) in a dispatch call establishes an individual inbound link (137) with the serving base site (111). The serving base site and one or more adjacent base sites (e.g., 110 and 112) determine the signal quality of the inbound link transmissions of the mobile station. The adjacent base site with the highest received inbound link signal quality is selected as the target soft handoff site. The serving base site then transmits the handoff information to enable the mobile station to begin a soft handoff with the target site.

Abstract: A full duplex wireless communication system (100) one or more wireless communication devices (101) and fixed infrastructure equipment that includes at least a transcoder (201), a router (203) and a base transceiver site (BTS, 103). To reduce delays of information packets communicated between the transcoder and the BTS, the transcoder, router and BTS employ a unique synchronization-based priority scheme. In accordance with the priority scheme, an indication of the status of synchronization between the transcoder and the BTS is included in an information pace to guide the router's processing of the packet. In the event that the router stores the packet the router preferably inserts a time-delay indication into a portion of the packet. The BTS uses the time-delay indication to determine a desired transcoder transmission time, and communicates an indication of the desired transcoder transmission time to the transcoder.

Abstract: To address the need to provide power control for listening participants of CDMA dispatch services, the concept of “shared channel signaling windows” for shared traffic channels (e.g., 110) is described. In one embodiment, the beginning of a signaling window is announced on the traffic channel and the remote units (e.g., MS 120) with the highest frame error rates compute the shortest transmit delays. For the duration of the window, remote units transmit their power control signaling according to their transmit delays. Thus, listening participants are given an opportunity, according to need, to perform power control signaling on the group traffic channel.

Abstract: To address the need for an apparatus and method for handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network (WLAN, e.g.), the present application describes an access gateway (214) and a dual mode mobile station (201) that enable such handoffs. The MS provides information to the access gateway so that it can initiate a handoff with the serving cellular MSC (251). By triggering handoffs in this manner, cellular networks need not have special information about non-cellular networks to support handoffs. Instead, dual mode MSs can determine when a handoff to a non-cellular network is preferred and request a handin (302) from the non-cellular network.

Abstract: In general, the present invention discloses a method and an apparatus that provide a dispatch patch service in a CDMA communication system (100). A communication unit (103) involved in a dispatch call requests a base site (101) to patch a patch target (105), either a dispatch group or an individual, into the present call. By providing the CDMA long-code mask being used for the present call to the patch target and the dispatch identifier of the patch target to at least the communication unit, a new CDMA long-code mask can be generated and used for the dispatch call going forward.

Abstract: To address the need for an apparatus and method for quickly establishing a CDMA dispatch call, the present invention provides for paging mobile stations (e.g., 120-123) to inform them of the call and then starting the dispatch call without waiting for page responses from the call participants. The dispatch call is first transmitted by base sites (e.g., 110-112) of all the service coverage areas (e.g., 101-103) that may have call participants, and then discontinued at those base sites where no page responses are received within a period of time. Thus, the dispatch call is established while “call setup” effectively continues.

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed provide a manner of transmitting voice information that strikes an improved balance between voice quality and RF capacity in a CDMA dispatch environment. In general, two half-rate vocoder frames (201 and 202) are assembled into a single full rate transmit frame (200) to enable the transmission of alternating full-rate frames. Additionally, an individual CRC (203 and 204) is provided for each half-rate frame within the transmit frame to allow for partial recovery when frame corruption or erasure occurs. In this manner, system capacity is improved, particularly in the CDMA dispatch environment, while preserving voice quality.

Abstract: To address the need to provide interurban dispatch services, embodiments supporting interurban dispatch private call and dispatch call alert services are disclosed. Call control in the local network equipment (110-131) manages the dispatch service in both the local urban area (101) and the remote urban area (151). Call flow embodiments that enable this local management of private call and call alert services across urban area boundaries are described in detail.

Abstract: To address the need for an apparatus and method for handoff from a cellular wireless network to a non-cellular wireless network (WLAN, e.g.), the present application describes an access gateway (214) and a dual mode mobile station (201) that enable such handoffs. Dual mode MSs can determine when a handoff to a non-cellular network is preferred and request a handin (302) from the non-cellular network. The access gateway provides information to the MS (304) so that it can initiate a handoff through the serving cellular network. Triggering handoffs in this manner, allows cellular networks to handle handoffs to non-cellular networks in much the same way they handle inter-MSC handoffs today, i.e., source initiated.

Abstract: To address the need to provide listening participants of CDMA dispatch services soft handoff signaling capability, the concept of “shared channel signaling windows” for shared traffic channels (e.g., 110) is described. In one embodiment, the base site (105) announces the beginning of a signaling window for the traffic channel, allowing remote units (e.g., MS 120) that need to send handoff signaling an opportunity. In response to such signaling, the base site directs soft handoff information to the signaling remote units via the traffic channel. However, all the remote units that share the traffic channel can store this soft handoff information and later use the information to initiate soft handoffs without needing to exchange handoff messaging with the base site. Thus, a CDMA-dispatch, shared-channel implementation is enabled by providing soft handoff signaling windows and the over-the-air, soft-handoff messaging required for dispatch services is reduced.

Abstract: A CDMA base site provides dispatch group call service to members of a dispatch group by using a first long-code mask. The base site also repeatedly transmits the group call's channel assignment so that a scanning communication unit can detect that the call is active. In order for the scanning communication unit to decode the dispatch communication once the call is detected, it requests a long-code mask transition from the base site. The base site then transmits a new long-code mask and begins encoding the dispatch communication using the new mask. Thus, the scanning communication unit is able decode the communication and thereby join the active CDMA dispatch group call.