Abstract: A wireless communication system measures (602) a traffic load of ones of a plurality of fixed communication stations (102, 202) and transmits (606) from at least one of the stations information describing a location of the at least one of the stations and locations of nearby other stations, along with traffic loads corresponding to the stations. A portable communication unit (104) within communication range of the station conveys (608) the information, thereby assisting the user of the portable communication unit to find a fixed communication station having sufficient capacity available for handling a desired communication.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system (100) affinity groups to which a mobile station (114) belongs are identified (504). Historical affinity strengths between the mobile station and the affinity groups are then determined (506). For each of a plurality of communication resources (102) serving members of the affinity groups, a total affinity strength between the mobile station and the members served by the communication resource is calculated (508). The mobile station is then assigned (522) to the communication resource having a highest total affinity strength with the mobile station.

Abstract: A two-way communication system is used for performing dynamic channel control. The two-way communication system comprises a base transceiver (102) and a plurality of selective call transceivers (122). The base transceiver (102) includes a plurality of base stations (116) controlled by a controller (112). The base transceiver (102) transmits query signals to the selective call transceivers (122) to prompt communication. The selective call transceivers (122) measure the signal quality of signals transmitted by the two-way communication system and transmit in return signal quality measurement data to the base transceiver (102) for analysis. The base transceiver (102) dynamically adjusts the signal quality of signals to be received by the selective call transceivers (122) in order to substantially reduce the noise interference that the selective call transceivers (122) experience.

Abstract: A subscriber unit (122) in a wireless messaging system records (404) a message sequence number corresponding to a message received, and an indication of whether the subscriber unit acknowledged the message. Upon registration with a two-way portion (104) of the wireless messaging system, the subscriber unit reports (532, 526), to the two-way portion, information of a type selected from (a) missing message sequence numbers, and (b) message sequence numbers corresponding to messages received and not acknowledged, the type selected (524) being that which generates a smaller amount of inbound traffic.

Abstract: An analog to digital converter (200, 300, 400) comprises a sink current circuit (200, 438, 440, 442) responsive to an input voltage for generating at least two sink currents. A source current circuit (300, 404, 406, 408, 418, 420, 422, 456, 458, 460) for generating at least three weighted source currents is coupled to the sink current circuit at summing nodes (424, 426, 428) in order to produce at least two digital output signals (D0, D1, D2). A switching circuit (444, 446, 448) is coupled to the source current circuit for enabling selected source currents in response to the digital output signals.

Abstract: A communication system (10) includes a selective call receiver (12) for receiving transmitted information coupled to a telephone answering machine (44) via a fiber optic cable (48). The fiber optic link (48) transfers information from the selective call receiver (12) to the telephone answering machine (44), thereby allowing messages to the selective call receiver (12) to be accessed from any world-wide, conventional telephone system.