Abstract: Techniques for utilizing a capacity-based effective signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) to improve wireless communication are described herein. In an embodiment, a mobile terminal can determine the effective SNR from a forward link channel using pilot/data symbols. The mobile terminal can convey the effective SNR to a base station. In order to minimize transmission overhead, the mobile terminal can quantize the effective SNR prior to transmitting it to the base station. In another embodiment, the base station can determine the effective SNR from a reverse link. The base station can utilize the effective SNR to facilitate scheduling transmissions from the mobile terminal, transmitting power control commands to the mobile terminal, and determining a supporting data rate for the mobile terminal, for example. Suitable SNRs include constrained, unconstrained, average, and/or approximated effective SNRs. In addition, various filters, such as an averaging filter, can be utilized to further process the effective SNR.

Abstract: A channel estimation system comprises a filtering component that selectively scales a plurality of carriers as a function of location of the plurality of carriers within a frequency band, wherein the plurality of carriers comprises at least one data carrier and at least one pilot carrier. A component thereafter extrapolates an observation from the at least one pilot carrier, wherein a channel is estimated as a function of the extrapolated observation. The scaling of the carriers facilitates reducing a flooring effect associated with channel estimation. The filtering component can be employed at a transmitter and/or at a receiver, and can be activated and/or deactivated as a function of a sensed data packet type.

Abstract: Techniques for performing channel estimation in a multi-carrier system are described. A frequency response estimate is initially obtained for a wireless channel based on a narrowband pilot sent on different sets of subbands in different symbol periods or a wideband pilot sent on all or most subbands in the system. Spectral estimation is performed on the frequency response estimate to determine at least one frequency component of the frequency channel estimate, with each frequency component being indicative of a delay for a channel tap in an impulse response estimate for the wireless channel. A channel estimate for the wireless channel is then obtained based on the frequency component(s) determined by the spectral estimation. This channel estimate may be a channel profile, the impulse response estimate, an improved frequency response estimate, a signal arrival time, or some other pertinent information regarding the wireless channel.

Abstract: A wireless telephone without IP capability nonetheless communicates with an infrastructure that uses IP. An infrastructure component assigns the wireless telephone a temporary EP address based on the location of the telephone, and then transforms over-the-air (OTA) voice protocol packets, such as IS-95 packets, from the wireless telephone to IP packets. The IP packets are sent through the infrastructure to another communication device. In turn, IP packets representing voice communication from the communication device are sent through the infrastructure, transformed to OTA packets, and transmitted to the wireless telephone.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for computing soft decision input metrics to a turbo decoder includes circuits associated with eight-ary phase shift keyed (8PSK) modulation and sixteen-ary quadrature amplitude modulation (16QAM). In both implementations log-likelihood ratio (LLR) metrics on code symbols are estimated as products of various constant values and various combinations of the in-phase and quadrature components of a demodulated soft decision. In the implementation associated with the 16QAM modulation scheme, an estimate of the carrier-signal-to-interference (C/I) ratio is also used to estimate some of the LLR metrics. Estimates of the LLR metrics may also be obtained in association with generalized square QAM and M-ary PSK modulation schemes including, e.g., 64QAM, 256QAM, and 16PSK.

Abstract: For subband-based OFDM demodulation, a “partial” Fourier transform is performed on a sequence of N input samples for an OFDM symbol to obtain Nc received symbols for a group of Nc data subbands, where Nc·L=N and L>1. For the partial Fourier transform, the N input samples are rotated with a phasor to obtain N rotated input samples, which are accumulated (for each set of L samples) to obtain Nc time-domain values. An Nc-point FFT is performed on the Nc time-domain values to obtain the Nc received symbols. Channel gain estimates for the data subbands are also obtained, for example, by performing a partial Fourier transform to obtain received pilot symbols, an inverse FFT to obtain time-domain channel gain values, and an FFT to obtain channel gain estimates for the data subbands. The received symbols are processed with (e.g., equalized by) the channel gain estimates to obtain recovered data symbols.

Abstract: The scheduler in a base station needs CQI information from a terminal for all reuse sets every 5 ms. to decide on which re-use set to schedule a given terminal. For MIMO users, the problem is that the CQI cannot be reconstructed for all re-use sets, using the current design. Solution: (1) For Multiple Code Word MIMO users, a MIMO VCQI connection layer message enables the base station to reconstruct the MIMO-CQI for all reuse sets on a packet-by-packet basis. This will enable dynamic scheduling (RESTRICTIVE REUSE) gains. (2) For Single Code Word users, dynamic RESTRICTIVE REUSE can be obtained by changing the CQI reporting format, and also sending a MIMO-VCQI connection layer message. (3) For Single Code Word design, quasi-static scheduling gains can be obtained by sending a MIMO-VCQI connection layer message.

Abstract: A pruned bit-reversal interleaver supports different packet sizes and variable code rates and provides good spreading and puncturing properties. To interleave data, a packet of input data of a first size is received. The packet is extended to a second size that is a power of two, e.g., by appending padding or properly generating write addresses. The extended packet is interleaved in accordance with a bit-reversal interleaver of the second size, which reorders the bits in the extended packet based on their indices. A packet of interleaved data is formed by pruning the output of the bit-reversal interleaver, e.g., by removing the padding or properly generating read addresses. The pruned bit-reversal interleaver may be used in combination with various types of FEC codes such as a Turbo code, a convolutional code, or a low density parity check (LDPC) code.

Abstract: To select a rate for data transmission in a multi-carrier MIMO system with a multipath MIMO channel, a post-detection SNR SNRl(k) for each subband k of each spatial channel l is initially determined and used to derive a constrained spectral efficiency Sl(k) based on a constrained spectral efficiency function fsiso(SNRl(k), M) of SNR and modulation scheme M. An average constrained spectral efficiency Savg for all subbands of all spatial channels used for data transmission is next determined based on the constrained spectral efficiencies for the individual subbands/spatial channels. An equivalent SNR needed by an equivalent system with an AWGN channel to support a data rate of Savg is determined based on an inverse constrained spectral efficiency function fsiso?1(Savg, M). A rate is selected for the multi-carrier MIMO system based on the equivalent SNR. The selected rate is the highest rate among all supported rates with a required SNR less than or equal to the equivalent SNR.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of effecting hand-off of a mobile station in a first wireless communication system, which has a first mobile switching node operable with a first base station and a second mobile switching node operable with a second base station, and a second wireless communication system, is claimed. A handoff required message is received at the first mobile switching node, and sent to a second mobile switching node. A message from the second mobile switching node is sent to request allocation for a handoff. In an embodiment, this message is sent to the VLR of the second wireless communication system. In response, a handoff request acknowledge message is received by the second mobile switching node and sent to the first mobile switching node. An initial address message is sent to initiate a circuit connection between the first mobile switching node and the second mobile switching node. Then, the call is received from the first mobile switching node.

Abstract: In a data communication system capable of variable rate transmission, high rate packet data transmission improves utilization of the forward link and decreases the transmission delay. Data transmission on the forward link is time multiplexed and the base station transmits at the highest data rate supported by the forward link at each time slot to one mobile station. The data rate is determined by the largest C/I measurement of the forward link signals as measured at the mobile station. Upon determination of a data packet received in error, the mobile station transmits a NACK message back to the base station. The NACK message results in retransmission of the data packet received in error. The data packets can be transmitted out of sequence by the use of sequence number to identify each data unit within the data packets.

Abstract: To perform time synchronization using spectral estimation, a receiver obtains a frequency response estimate for pilot symbols received on each set of frequency subbands used for pilot transmission. The receiver performs spectral estimation on frequency response estimates for different sets of subbands to obtain a measured arrival time for a transmission from a transmitter. The spectral estimation determines a dominant frequency component in the frequency response estimates and derives the measured arrival time based on this dominant frequency component. A time error between the measured arrival time and a desired arrival time is computed and possibly filtered. The filtered or unfiltered time error is scaled with a fixed or adjustable gain. A time adjustment is then generated based on the scaled time error and using linear and/or non-linear functions. The time adjustment is sent to the transmitter and used to adjust the transmit timing at the transmitter.

Abstract: A method of losslessly compressing and encoding signals representing image information is claimed. A lossy compressed data file and a residual compressed data file are generated. When the lossy compressed data file and the residual compressed data file are combined, a lossless data file that is substantially identical to the original data file is created.

Abstract: A wireless communication device without IP capability nonetheless communicates with an infrastructure that uses IP. To effect call set-up, an over-the-air (OTA) origination message from the wireless communication device is received by an infrastructure component, which in turn generates IP-based messages having headers that are extended to include information related to the OTA protocol. The IP-based messages with extended headers are then used internally to the infrastructure to effect call set-up.

Abstract: Techniques to estimate the frequency response of a wireless channel in an OFDM system. In one method, an initial estimate of the frequency response of the wireless channel is obtained for a first group of subbands based on a pilot transmission received via the subbands in the first group. An estimate of the impulse response of the wireless channel is then derived based on the initial frequency response estimate. An enhanced estimate of the frequency response of the wireless channel is then derived for a second group of subbands based on the impulse response estimate. The first and second groups may each include all or only a subset of the usable subbands. Subband multiplexing may be used to allow simultaneous pilot transmissions by multiple terminals on their associated groups of subbands.

Abstract: To allow a receiving entity to derive a longer channel estimate while limiting overhead, a transmitting entity transmits a pilot on different groups of subbands in different time intervals. N subbands in the system are arranged into M non-overlapping groups. Each group includes P=N/M subbands that are uniformly distributed across the N subbands. The transmitting entity transmits the pilot on a different subband group in each time interval, and selects all M subband groups in M time intervals based on a pilot staggering pattern. The receiving entity derives (1) an initial impulse response estimate with P channel taps based on the pilot received on one subband group and (2) two longer impulse response estimates with different lengths used for data detection and time tracking. Each longer impulse response estimate may be derived by filtering initial impulse response estimates for a sufficient number of subband groups using a time-domain filter.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for transmission of information in multiple access communication system is described. Information from a plurality of access terminals is received. Alternatively, an access terminal determines what information needs to be sent to the access point. A determination is made as to whether sufficient resources, such as time, power level, or channels, are available to send an indication of acknowledgment. If sufficient resources are not available at the given time, the transmission of an indication of acknowledgment is delayed until sufficient resources are available.

Abstract: Each transmitter is assigned a time-only pilot code, a frequency-only pilot code, or a time-frequency pilot code to use for pilot transmission. The pilot codes may be pseudo-random, orthogonal, and/or cyclic-shift codes. To obtain a channel estimate for a transmitter using a time-frequency pilot code composed of a time-only code and a frequency-only code, a receiver multiplies a set of received symbols for each symbol period with a set of code values for the frequency-only code to obtain a set of detected symbols and performs an IDFT on the set of detected symbols to obtain an initial impulse response estimate. The receiver performs code matching on multiple initial impulse response estimates derived for multiple symbol periods with the time-only code to obtain a final impulse response estimate for the desired transmitter. The receiver retains the first L channel taps and zeroes out remaining channel taps, where L is the expected channel length.

Abstract: A method for performing a soft handoff, including establishing a first control channel via a network between a first BSC and a first BTS. The method also includes establishing a second control channel via the network between a second BSC and a second BTS. A call between a mobile station (MS) and the first BTS is established, and while the call continues an indication is sent to the first BSC that the MS has received a signal from the second BTS. In response to the indication, a trigger is conveyed from the first BSC to the second BTS, and, in response to receiving the trigger at the second BTS, further traffic associated with the call is directed between the MS, the second BTS, and the first BSC, without conveying the further traffic through the second BSC.

Abstract: A method of effecting handoff of a mobile station from a first base station in a first cellular communications system controlled by a first mobile switching control station to a second base station in a second, different cellular system controlled by a second mobile switching control station is described. The method comprises measuring at the mobile station a parameter of a signal transmitted by said first base station and a parameter of a signal transmitted by said second base station. When the parameters reach a predetermined condition, a signal quality message is communicated from the mobile station via the first base station to said first mobile switching control station, which responds by generating information for a channel request message for the second mobile switching control station and transmitting the same to the mobile station.