Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for estimating signal power. This is accomplished by demodulating a received communication signal to derive a stream of samples. These samples may consist of either reference samples, data samples, or a combination thereof. An estimate of the power of the received communication signal is then generated as a function of the stream of samples. The signal power estimate may, for example, be used in a power control algorithm by setting a power control indicator in response to a comparison between the signal power estimate and a predetermined threshold. Subsequently, the power control indicator is transmitted over a communication channel to another communication unit. The communication unit detects a power control indicator within a signal received from over the communication channel and adjusts a particular signal transmission power of a signal transmitter in response to the detected power control indicator.

Abstract: In a communication system having a plurality of air interfaces, one of the air interfaces is assigned for use for a desired communication by transmitting a message, having a list of air interface capabilities of the subscriber, from the subscriber to a base (12). A list of air interface capabilities of the base is then compared, at a controller, with the list from the subscriber (14). A compatible air interface, or list of compatible air interfaces, is generated by the controller and provided to the base (15, 31). The base will then direct the subscriber to access the communication system utilizing a compatible air interface (18, 35).

Abstract: A method is provided of discerning a signal of a desired user on a channel having a desired user and a plurality of interfering users, each, upon occasion, transmitting an identifiable, known pilot symbol. The method includes the steps of determining a channel response of the desired user and each of the interfering users and calculating a metric equal to the squared difference between a received signal and a sum of the products of transmitted signals and channel responses for the desired user and each of the plurality of interfering users. The method also includes the step of discerning the signal of the desired user based, at least in part, upon a minimum metric.

Abstract: A plurality of input signals are processed (75) using a Hadamard transform (52) to produce a combined Walsh covered parallel sequence which is sampled in time. The time samples are commutated (76) by a switch (53) or multiplexer to form a Walsh covered serial sequence. The Walsh covered serial sequence is then quadrature phase shift keyed (77) and transmitted (79).

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for networking satellite and terrestrial networks. It comprises: maintaining subscriber-received power levels of terrestrial network transmissions about one order of magnitude above co-channel satellite transmissions to overcome interference and maintaining subscriber transmissions to terrestrial networks at power levels about one order of magnitude of the below co-channel transmissions to satellite networks to avoid causing interference at the satellite. Such power level maintenance is provided by the network in communication with such subscriber. Moreover, a non-orbiting ("grounded") satellite cooperates as a switching node of both the satellite network and a terrestrial network to relay information between a terrestrial subscriber and the satellite radiotelephone network over a terrestrial network. The terrestrial network and the satellite network may communicate via either the inter-satellite spectrum or the terrestrial-to-satellite spectrum.

Abstract: In a time division multiple access (TDMA) system (10), a method (50, 60) of recovering a data signal of a transmission burst commences by obtaining the frequency transmission codes for the transmitters to be monitored (52, 62). The data signal is then received in separate transmission bursts from a first transmitter in a first time period (53, 65) and from a second transmitter in a second time period (56, 65). The data signal of one of the received transmission bursts is then selected or a plurality of the data signals are combined (58, 69) to be used by the receiver as the received data signal.

Abstract: The apparatus first measures the peak power of a multichannel signal, or representation thereof. The peak power is compared with one or more peak power threshold values. If the measured peak power exceeds a threshold value, the multichannel signal is attenuated prior to being processed by the linear power amplifier.

Abstract: A downlink portion consists of a multiplexer for combining several signals. The combined signal is converted to an optical signal by a laser and transmitted over an optical line to a splitter. The split signals are each transmitted to a detector which converts the optical signals back into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is then filtered to provide the desired signal from the combined signal. The desired signal is then transmitted. The uplink portion consists of a plurality of receivers which receive signals from remote units. The received signals are multiplexed and converted to optical signals in a laser. The optical signals are transmitted over optical lines to a combiner which provides a single combined optical signal. The combined optical signal is then transmitted over optical lines to a detector which converts the optical signals to an electrical signal. The electrical signal is then demultiplexed into its constituent portions.

Abstract: A system is tested by providing a canned speed signal (a signal containing known speech) from a diagnostic controller to an encoder of the communication system. The canned signal is encoded forming an encoded canned speech signal. The encoded signal is transmitted to an where it is then decoded. The decoded signal is compared with the original canned speech signal in the diagnostic controller. A report of the comparison is then provided to a maintenance facility.

Abstract: The system consists of a receiver which receives an input signal and first and second compressors. The compressors compress first and second portions of the input signal forming first and second compressed signals. A storage device is provided to store the compressed signals and a transfer device for directing the storage of the first and second compressed signals in first and second time slot areas of the storage device. A controller is used to sequentially read the first and second time slot areas of the storage device thereby forming a serial signal which is then transmitted by a transmitter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for controlling peak envelope power level in a power amplifier (PA) (10). The method includes the steps of measuring (101) a first peak envelope power value of an input of the PA during a first time period, comparing (102) the first peak envelope power value with a threshold value, and introducing a phase change (103) into a selected signal of a plurality of signals being amplified by the PA when the first peak envelope power value exceeds the threshold. The method further includes measuring (104) a second peak envelope power value during a second time period, comparing (105) the first and second peak envelope power values, and reversing (106) the phase change to the selected signal when the second peak envelope power value exceeds the first peak envelope power value.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for block synchronization. It comprises: predeterminally arranging synchronization words about a point of interest, transmitting such arrangement, receiving that transmission having synchronization words predeterminally arranged about that point of interest, detecting at least part of those synchronization words, and locating the point of interest with reference to the arrangement of one detected word about another and their arrangement about the point of interest.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanism for networking satellite and terrestrial networks. It comprises: maintaining subscriber-received power levels of terrestrial network transmissions about one order of magnitude above co-channel satellite transmissions to overcome interference and maintaining subscriber transmissions to terrestrial networks at power levels about one order of magnitude of the below co-channel transmissions to satellite networks to avoid causing interference at the satellite. Such power level maintenance is provided by the network in communication with such subscriber. Moreover, a non-orbiting ("grounded") satellite cooperates as a switching node of both the satellite network and a terrestrial network to relay information between a terrestrial subscriber and the satellite radiotelephone network over a terrestrial network. The terrestrial network and the satellite network may communicate via either the inter-satellite spectrum or the terrestrial-to-satellite spectrum.

Abstract: Information is displayed from an information based computer system which comprises the consolidation of information from various object instances onto a single form. Changes or corrections to data values are maintained in a historical record. When the form is displayed, options are provided indicating whether there are older or newer data values resulting from changes or corrections being made to the original data value.

Abstract: The power of a received signal is measured at a base station. This measured power is used to predict a future power level of the received signal and from that to determine the appropriate power adjustment command. The power adjustment command is then sent to the transceiver.

Abstract: The database is provided with an audit trail for the structure types of the object instances. As a component of an object instance of the database is corrected/changed, the corrected/changed component is substituted for the original component and the original component is linked to the corrected/changed component.

Abstract: A downlink portion consists of a multiplexer for combining several signals. The combined signal is converted to an optical signal by a laser and transmitted over an optical line to a splitter. The split signals are each transmitted to a detector which converts the optical signals back into an electrical signal. The electrical signal is then filtered to provide the desired signal from the combined signal. The desired signal is then transmitted. The uplink portion consists of a plurality of receivers which receive signals from remote units. The received signals are multiplexed and converted to optical signals in a laser. The optical signals are transmitted over optical lines to a combiner which provides a single combined optical signal. The combined optical signal is then transmitted over optical lines to a detector which converts the optical signals to an electrical signal. The electrical signal is then demultiplexed into its constituent portions.

Abstract: In a wireless frequency and time division multiple access (FD/TDMA) communications system having time-slotted communications channels, there is provided a method of and apparatus for hopping wireless communications. It comprises sequencing slot assignments and sequencing frequency assignments, such that a multiplicity of frequencies are thereby usable at each site of a cellular FD/TDMA system without regard to local partitioning among surrounding uses thereof. The effect would be to probablistically reduce the interference, not only by the number of hopping frequencies, but by a factor of the number of time slots per frame.

Abstract: A device has a plurality of memory portions, a first portion having an output enable and input/output connections and a second portion without output enables and having separate input and output connections. A tri-state buffer has its input coupled to the output connection of the second memory portion and its output coupled to the input connection of the second memory portion. A control connection of the buffer is coupled to the output enable of the device.