Abstract: After a base station (101) receives a communication initiation request from a remote unit (113), the base station determines (101) those base stations (101–103) that are capable of supporting communication with the remote unit (113). The eligible base stations (Active Set) are instructed to “listen” for communication from the remote unit (113), and the remote unit (113) is provided the Active Set. Once the remote unit (113) receives the Active Set of base stations, the remote unit then determines the base station (103) having the best radio environment characteristics, and begins communication with that base station (103).

Abstract: A pilot signal enters a first MMSE receiver (201) and a second signal enters a second MMSE receiver (202). The first MMSE receiver (201) performs a channel estimate for the received pilot signal, determines a mean-square error of the pilot signal, and operates to minimize the mean-square error of the pilot estimate by constantly updating a weighting vector. An estimate of the pilot channel exits the first MMSE receiver (201). The MMSE weighting vector (206) is also fed into the second MMSE receiver (202) and is applied to the second channel. Symbol estimates (or in other embodiments, chip estimates) exit the second MMSE receiver (202) and enter channel circuitry (204), where normal channel processing occurs.

Abstract: The invention provides for path optimization for routing of a communication session in a network having a plurality of core networks coupled to a plurality of access networks. Both a core network and an access network perform the path optimization by determining a plurality of possible paths to a plurality of target access points to form a target matrix, determining a corresponding route preference factor for each possible path of the target matrix, and selecting, from the target matrix, a possible path having an optimal route preference factor. An overall or complete path, for routing of the communication session, is then determined either by combining the selected possible paths, or by selecting one possible path as a complete path.

Abstract: A method for adjusting an OLT for power control, which is capable of closely tracking a low tFER. The OLT is adjusted based on frame quality indicator FQI and channel quality metrics. FQI and channel quality metrics are generated at the receiver of a base transceiver station after reception of a frame. If FQI equal to a logic zero was generated, the OLT is adjusted upwards using a first stepsize. If FQI equal to a logic one was generated for a certain amount of consecutive frames, the OLT is adjusted downwards using a second stepsize. The OLT is also fine-tuned during the intervals between the transitions caused by applying the first stepsize or second stepsize. The first and second stepsizes and the amount of consecutive frames of FQI=1 before OLT is adjusted downwards are determined adaptively according to time-varying channel conditions and received frame quality indicator.

Abstract: Information is retrieved from a list of members of a group call group. Based on the retrieved information, a group call is established between first and second mobile stations (MS). The first MS is served by a first base station controller (BSC) and the second MS is served by a second BSC. Voice data for the group call is transmitted in a multicast session. Based on a history of group calls between two points in a mobile communications network, a determination is made as to whether to establish a multicast session between the two points, e.g., in anticipation of a future group call.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing Mobile/IP handoff between different access technologies. Associated with each access technology are two thresholds, a Low Water Mark and a High Water Mark. The method uses these water marks to its access technology selection in a particular environment. Using the method, a mobile node 102 remains on its preferred network when the signal strength on the preferred network (interface) is above the low water mark. When the signal strength on the preferred network drops below the high water mark, the method calculates the low water mark for the network. When the signal strength on the preferred network drops below the low water mark (LWM), the method initiates handoff to the next available network that meets certain conditions. The method initiates handoff back to the preferred network when the signal strength measurement on the preferred network is again above the high water mark.

Abstract: A method of performing packet level transmission scheduling in a communications systems including a plurality of cells, each cell including a base station and plurarity of mobile stations. The method performs scheduling while considering radio resource allocation at the wireless access node. In a schedule plan phase of the method, average power and average effective data rate are determined for all mobile stations in the system. In addition, the planned fractions of frames ? that each mobile in the system will transmit is determined so that resources are allocated fairly. In the actual schedule phase of the method, current power and effective data rate values are compared to the average power values. This information along with the ? values is used to determine the actual schedule of packet transmissions for all mobiles in a particular cell.

Abstract: A method of enhancing a communication capability of a communication unit (112), operating in a communication system (100) that facilitates communication to and/or from a plurality of communication units. The method includes the step of operably coupling a first communication unit (112) to one or more neighboring communication units (114, 116) such that said communication unit is able to utilize at least one operational capability of one or more of its neighboring communication units to enhance communication to and/or from said first communication unit.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optimizing the transition of a Mobile Station (MS) between states of operation for packet data service. An RF connection is established between the MS and Base Site Equipment (BS) for the transmission of data packets. After a period of inactivity of transmission, the RF connection is released and the BS provides the MS with the equipment identifier of the network element that will maintain the connection with a PDSN. The MS retains the identifier while in the Dormant state and a new Semi-Dormant state and sends the identifier to the BS when requesting reactivation. In the Dormant state, the network element maintaining the connection to the PDSN is the PCF. In the Semi-Dormant state, the network element maintains the connection between to the PDSN is the SDU. When the BS has data to transmit to a MS in the Semi-Dormant state, it channel assigns the MS into the Active state according to pilots reported in RF Measurement Report Messages previously received from the MS.

Abstract: The present invention provides linear MMSE equalization with parallel interference cancellation for symbol determination in a forward link of a CDMA communication system which has a plurality of code channels in use. Use of the linear MMSE equalization with parallel interference cancellation of the present invention provides significantly increased performance. The preferred method linearly filters a received signal to form a first filtered signal (410), despreads and demodulates the first filtered signal (415, 420) and provides a plurality of symbol estimates for all corresponding code channels (430). An estimated transmitted signal is generated from the plurality of symbol estimates (435), and with a channel estimate (405), an estimated received signal is generated (440).

Abstract: An apparatus and method that optimizes the data rate for forward link data transmissions in a spread-spectrum communications system 106 is provided. The spread-spectrum communications system 106 comprises a wireless infrastructure 103, at least one wireless mobile receiving device 105, and an radio frequency (RF) forward link 104 between the wireless infrastructure 103 and the wireless mobile receiving device 105. The data rate of the RF forward link 104 is optimized in the wireless infrastructure 103 by estimating or measuring the bottleneck link speed of the data transmission and adjusting the data rate for the RE forward link 104 according to several embodiments of a data rate optimization algorithm. The algorithm creates an optimum range for the data rate of the RF wireless link 104 which maximizes system capacity and reduces transmission delays to the wireless mobile receiving device 105.

Abstract: The invention provides an apparatus and method for bulk delay insertion prior to echo cancellation, with echo suppression. The exemplary apparatus embodiment (100) bandpass filters (120) and down samples (130), by a down sampling factor, a reference signal and a combined signal that includes an echo of the reference signal. An adaptive echo delay filter (140) determines a plurality of filter coefficients, using the down sampled reference signal, and using an error signal formed as a difference between the down sampled combined signal and the adaptive echo delay filter output. When the filter coefficients have converged, an echo delay time period is determined as a product of the tap location of the maximum filter coefficient and the down sampling factor. When the echo delay time period is greater than the capacity of an associated echo canceller, an adaptive delay inserter (110) inserts the echo delay time period prior to echo cancellation.

Abstract: A method for Radio Network Controller (RNC) initiated Radio Access Bearer (RAB) negotiation or renegotiation/reconfiguration in a communication system that includes a core network and user equipment coupled to an RNC in a Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network. When the core network establishes a service (e.g. voice call, web surfing session) with the user equipment, a RAB is set up for that service. The RAB includes certain parameters that effect the quality of the service. As the RNC monitors radio conditions, it may determine that one or more of the RAB parameters need to be modified. The RNC will initiate a RAB renegotiation/reconfiguration procedure by sending a RAB Modification Request Message to the CN specifying that a modification to the RAB is needed and the manner is which the modification should be affected. The CN may send a RAB Assignment Request Message informing the RNC whether the modification is acceptable.

Abstract: A method of performing a modified RLP that reduces the transmission delay in a communications system by detecting frame erasures when they occur. The modified RLP method requests retransmission of erased frames based on pattern violations instead of sequence number violations. The method is preconditioned to expect a particular repeating pattern of frame delivery. For a system running a VSELP vocoder, the method in a receiving device expects to receive full rate or data (F) and DTX (D) frames in a repeating pattern FFDFFDFFD. For a system running an AMBE vocoder, the method in a receiving device expects to receive frames in a repeating pattern DFDFDFDD. The method detects when the pattern is violated and in desired instances immediately requests retransmission of the expected frame.

Abstract: An apparatus and method that schedules and allocates data transmissions over communication channels within a broad-band communications system is provided. Data transmissions are first scheduled with priority to data service users granted access to radio resources first, until more data transmissions require service than there are radio resources available. Then, data transmissions are scheduled according to a resource scheduling priority 135 as determined by a resource scheduling function within a resource scheduling and allocation algorithm 300, 500. The resource scheduling function considers various communications parameters (e.g., frame count, transmission time, number of data frames queued, signal/noise ratio, frame error rate (FER), bit error rate (BER), transmission delay, jitter, etc.) and can be implemented to treat data service requests proportionately (algorithm 300) or disproportionately (algorithm 500).

Abstract: A method of automatically prioritizing cells in a neighbor list of a communications system. The priority is defined as the number of times a cell in the neighbor list has been added to the active set. Cells that have been added to the active set more often are given a higher priority. Such higher priority cells are considered first for addition to the monitored set because they are more likely to successfully move from the monitored set to the active set.

Abstract: An apparatus (18) and method (100) provide RLP data checking. The apparatus (10) includes a frame serialization stage (20) and a bad frame filter (22) that detects possible bad frames and reclassifies these bad frames as erasures. In this manner, bad frame data are not passed to the RLP layer (16), and unnecessary resetting and resynchronization steps are avoided.

Abstract: An apparatus (200) and method (700) for filtering maximum length code signals in a spread spectrum communication system including a plurality of base stations (102, 110, 118) and mobile stations (104, 106, 108, 112, 114, 116, 120, 122, 124). The apparatus receives a plurality of maximum length codes and decodes them by autocorrelation producing an impulse-like form with a peak value equal to the code length and time-sidelobes equal to a non-zero value. The time-sidelobes are the autocorrelation resulsts for time-offset codes. The apparatus and method calculates weighting coefficients to be used to reduce the time-sidelobes to zero which reduces signal interference and allows an increase in system capacity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and method for operating in reduced slotted mode. Following the release of the traffic channel, a mobile station (102) and base station (108) operate with a shorter slot cycle governed by a reduced slot cycle index value. The mobile station and base station operate using the reduced slot cycle index value until a particular time occurs governed by a reduced slotted timer value or for a period of time governed by the reduced slotted timer value. The invention provides faster call setup for mobile station terminated calls, without requiring registration with a MSC (110) to change between the reduced slot cycle index value and the registered slot cycle index value.

Abstract: A receiver (300) is provided that efficiently determines what transport format combination is currently being utilized by a transmitter (200) multiplexing (201) several transport channels onto a single over-the-air channel (209). The receiver (300) estimates the transmitted sequence and, not knowing the format combination being utilized, makes estimates of the information bits for each of the possible transport format combinations. CRC metrics are determined (one for each transport or data channel) for each possible transport format combination, and these CRC metrics are combined into a single transport format combination metric for the particular transport format combination being tested.