Abstract: A carrier recovery method and apparatus using multiple stages of carrier frequency recovery are disclosed. A receiver uses multiple frequency generation sources to generate carrier signals used to downconvert a received signal. An analog frequency reference having a wide frequency range and coarse frequency resolution is used in conjunction with a digital frequency reference having a narrow frequency range and fine frequency resolution. The multiple carrier signals are multiplied by a received signal to effect a multi-stage downconversion, resulting in a baseband signal. A frequency tracking module measures the residual frequency error present in the baseband signal. The measured residual frequency error is then used to adjust the frequencies of the carrier signals generated by the multiple frequency generation sources.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are presented for transmitting data packets in a wireless network over a multi-access channel involving sequentially sending a plurality of medium access control (MAC) data packets from a transmitter over the multi-access channel, using a physical layer protocol based on a standard physical layer protocol having a short interframe spacing (SIFS), wherein the plurality of MAC data packets includes at least a first data packet and a second data packet separated by a reduced interframe spacing that is less than SIFS, attempting to receive the plurality of MAC data packets at a receiver using the physical layer protocol, including the first data packet and the second data packet separated by the reduced interframe spacing, and sending from the receiver a single acknowledgement packet associated with attempting to receive the plurality of MAC data packets.

Abstract: A method for minimizing search time and disruption of current service on an originating frequency during a frequency search excursion to a target frequency as part of an inter-frequency hard handoff between cells on different RF CDMA channels. Disruption of service on the current frequency during the frequency search excursion to the target frequency is minimized by increasing the amount of power allocated to other symbols of two consecutive frames impacted by the search excursion as a function of the search excursion time. The mobile station tunes to a target frequency and collects chip samples, which are stored in a memory buffer. The mobile station returns to the originating frequency to process the collected samples.

Abstract: A modified preamble is used by extended devices that operate at higher rates, MIMO or other extensions relative to strict 802.11a-compliant devices. The extended devices might use multiple antenna techniques (MIMO), where multiple data streams are multiplexed spatially and/or multi-channel techniques, where an extended transmitter transmits using more than one 802.11a channel at a time. Such extensions to IEEE 802.11a can exist in extended devices. The modified preamble is usable for signaling, to legacy devices as well as extended devices, to indicate capabilities and to cause legacy devices or extended devices to defer to other devices such that the common communication channel is not subject to unnecessary interference. The modified preamble is also usable for obtaining MIMO channel estimates and/or multi-channel estimates.

Abstract: Techniques to time-share a common channelization code among multiple terminals for compressed mode transmissions. Each terminal is initially assigned a respective channelization code used to channelize data transmitted in non-compressed frames for the terminal. A common channelization code used to channelize data transmitted in compressed frames for the terminals is also selected. Each compressed frame includes one or more compressed transmissions and all or a portion of a transmission gap. The compressed frames for the terminals are scheduled such that the compressed transmissions for the compressed frames do not overlap. Thereafter, non-compressed frames for each terminal are channelized with the channelization code assigned to the terminal, and compressed frames for the terminals are channelized with the common channelization code.

Abstract: Techniques for reducing the time required for frequency scan in acquisition are disclosed. In one aspect, received power measurements are made at one or more of the possible carrier frequencies and system search is performed on one or more of those frequencies when the power measurement exceeds a threshold. In another aspect, the power is measured at one or more frequencies in a band of frequencies surrounding a frequency at which the measured power exceeded a threshold. If the measured power at one or more of the frequencies in the band exceeds a second threshold, a system search is performed at one or more of those frequencies. In yet another aspect, frequencies meeting certain criteria are sorted in order of measured power prior to system search or further power measurement, and subsequent processing is performed in order of descending measured power. Various other aspects are also presented.

Abstract: System, base station and method for supporting frequency domain equalization for frequency domain equalization-capable mobile stations and supporting improved channel estimation for both time domain and frequency domain equalization-capable mobile stations on the forward link without the necessity of modifications to an air-interface specification of a legacy communication system. A first signal sequence is generated according to a first format and an offset vector is also generated. The first signal sequence and the offset vector are combined to form a second signal sequence according to a second format. The second signal sequence of said second format supports frequency domain equalization in one or more frequency domain-capable mobile stations. The second signal sequence maintains compatibility with one or more legacy mobile stations.

Abstract: Techniques to filter pilot symbols for a pilot in an “adaptive” manner to provide an improved estimate of the response of a communication channel. A received signal may experience different channel conditions at different times, and different multipaths may also experience different channel conditions even when received close in time. A pilot filter with an adaptive response is used to provide an improved estimate of the channel response. Various adaptive pilot filtering schemes may be used. In a first scheme, the channel conditions are estimated based on the quality of the received pilot. In a second scheme, the channel conditions are estimated based on the quality of the pilot estimates (i.e., the filtered pilot symbols). For each scheme, a particular filter response is selected based on the estimated quality of either the received pilot or the pilot estimates.

Abstract: A MIMO transmitter including an interleaving system for parsing encoded bits to a plurality of spatial streams and a plurality of interleavers to interleave bits for spatial streams such that at least a first spatial stream uses a first stream interleaver that interleaves with a pattern distinct from a second stream interleaver interleaving for a second spatial stream.

Abstract: The performance of a Single Code Word (SCW) design with low complexity MMSE receiver & rank prediction is similar to the Multiple Code Word (MCW) design with successive interference cancellation (SIC). A method of rank prediction comprises calculating MIMO channel matrices corresponding to layer transmissions for each tone, calculating signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) for each tone based on the MIMO channel matrices, mapping the SNR for each tone to generate effective SNRs for each layer transmission, calculating additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) capacities corresponding to the effective SNRs and maximizing an over-all spectral efficiency based on the AWGN capacities; and selecting a rank based on maximizing the over-all spectral efficiency.

Abstract: A receiver chain is provided for use in wireless data communication including a plurality of receive antennas and a vector Barker decoder or a CCK decoder. The vector Barker decoder operates on the plurality of received signals, preferably processed through a plurality of channel matched filters. The weightings of the plurality of channels can be done using a slicer variance, a PLL variance or another method.

Abstract: A low complexity digital modulator, which is particularly useful for providing Gaussian frequency shift keying (GFSK) modulation, includes a filter, an integrator and a look-up table (LUT) stage. The filter is configured to receive a series of impulses and to generate a predetermined and fixed sequence of instantaneous frequency samples in response to each received impulse. The generated instantaneous frequency samples represent a predetermined type of filtering, such as Gaussian filtering, of the series of impulses. The integrator is configured to receive and integrate the instantaneous frequency samples to generate a sequence of phase samples. The LUT stage is configured to receive the phase samples and to generate sine and cosine samples of a complex baseband signal in response to each phase sample. The LUT stage stores only one quadrant of cosine samples and calculates the other cosine samples and all of the sine samples from the stored cosine samples.

Abstract: A wireless telecommunications system includes a base station, a plurality of remote stations, a first channel for general page messages containing paging information and broadcast databurst message references, and an auxiliary channel for broadcast databurst notification indicators for the purpose of increasing standby time in remote stations configured to receive broadcast databurst messages.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transmitting broadcast information in a multi-carrier communication system. The Sync Channel of the multi-carrier system is transmitted a 1.25 MHz channel bandwidth (i.e., over a single carrier), and to specify the preferred channels for the Sync Channel transmission instead of the preferred channels for the entire multi-carrier system. The Sync Channel Message will carry additional information indicating the center frequency of a multi-carrier system within a reserved set of frequency bands and indicating the frequency of a single carrier system in the reserved set of frequency bands. Considering the A block of the PCS band again, the preferred channels for Sync Channel transmission can be selected as channels 75, 150 and 225. This selection ensures that one of the preferred channels will always be used by any multi-carrier system regardless of the location of its center channel.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for allocating tones for communications purposes in adjoining cells of an OFDM system are described. Tones used in each cell are allocated to tone hopping sequences according to a tone to tone hopping sequence allocation function. Different cells use different tone to tone hopping sequence allocation functions to minimize the number of collisions between hopping sequences of neighboring cells. Tone hopping sequence to communications channel allocation functions are used to allocate tone hopping sequences to communications channels. Communications channels are used by wireless terminals, e.g., mobile nodes, to transmit data. Over time, a wireless terminal uses the tones included in the tone hopping sequences corresponding to communications channels it is authorized to use. Accordingly, tones are assigned to communications devices by a multi-function, e.g., two level, mapping operation.

Abstract: A mobile device comprises a receiver unit that has at least two receivers to implement multi-antenna receive diversity. A control unit estimates, at the mobile, an amount of utilization by a traffic channel of the mobile of total transmission power capacity at a base station. The mobile applies multi-antenna receive diversity in the mobile device based on the power capacity utilization. The mobile estimates an amount of power a network is transmitting to the mobile relative to a pilot reference. Other indicators are based on quality of the traffic channel between the mobile and the network, capacity limiting resources, a number of sectors in a soft hand-off in a wireless system, etc. The indicators are used to control application of multi-antenna receive diversity in a mobile device.

Abstract: Carrier frequency selection and handoff initiation methods in wireless communications systems employing multiple carrier frequencies are described. Although the receiver is tuned to a single band, based on the relative energy of one or more beacon signal components corresponding to the currently used carrier and one or more beacon signal components corresponding to an alternative carrier, a carrier selection and a handoff determination is made. Mobile nodes can use a single RF chain with a controllable RF filter to receive and process a signal within a first selected carrier band including components from different transmitters, e.g., a first signal component identified with the first currently selected band and a second signal component identified with a second alternative band. The signal components, e.g., beacon signal components from different transmitters may be obtained from a signal which corresponds to multiple symbol transmission time periods.

Abstract: Receivers accommodating frequency band selection methods in wireless communications systems are described. Different frequency bands are associated with different alternative carrier frequencies and/or base station cell and/or sector transmitter connection alternatives. Mobile node receivers include two receiver chains, each chain processing signals corresponding to a carrier. In some embodiments, each receiver chain includes its own controllable RF module, and individual carrier band selection is performed in each RF module. In some embodiments, the two receiver chains share a common RF module; however, each chain includes its own controllable baseband filter. In various embodiments, the first chain has higher complexity than the second chain. In most embodiments, each chain uses the same technology, e.g., spread spectrum OFDM or CDMA.

Abstract: A multi-seal trocar system (10) includes a plurality of co-axial sealing elements (30 60,80) adapted for forming a seal with either a large or small instrument. Small and large scaling elements (45,62) are disposed in an in-line arrangement such that a single port is provided for instrument insertion. A zero seal (80) is disposed distally of the sealing elements to seal a working channel of the system and to prevent backflow when no instruments are inserted The small sealing element (45) is configured such that insertion of a large instrument automatically moves the small sealing element (45) out of its path, thereby avoiding contact with the large instrument.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for searching a list of pilot signals. A method is provided for searching a list of pilot signals in a communication network. The method includes defining a prio list that indicates an order in which the list of pilot signals will be searched, obtaining a search duration, and determining an indicator that identifies a portion of the prio list that can be searched within the search duration. The method also includes performing a search of the portion of the prio list, and updating the list of pilot signals based on the results of the search.