Abstract: A data communications system includes a server router (102), such as an access controller gateway, operably coupled to at least one client router (104), such as a base radio controller, by an asynchronous link, such as a LAN (106). The client router forwards data received from the server router and stored in the client router's outbound queue (110) synchronously to a device, such as a mobile station (202). The client router's outbound queue is maintained between a lower queue limit and an upper queue limit so as to both reduce the occurrence of data starvation and reduce the amount of data lost should the mobile station hand off to a new serving site. The server router calculates an optimum average send rate and transmits data in bursts at regular intervals, and adjusts the average send rate in response to changes in the outbound rate of the client router.

Abstract: In a contactless charging system charging energy is transferred across an inductive coupler to charge a battery (21) of a portable device, such as a two-way radio, cellular phone, paging device, or wireless communicator. The inductive coupler also provides a way for communicating at least one signal, such as to improve the charging process and the transfer of charging energy. Charging efficiency is improved by voltage regulation using feedback through the inductive coupler, or via a wireless RF link, and a controller (11) in-circuit with the primary side (12) of the inductive coupler. The controller (11) may communicate information signals via inductive coupling, or via a wireless RF link, for communicating with other devices such as smart cards and microphones or for control or data transfer.

Abstract: A base station (106) is connected to several communication servers (114, 116, 118) by a corresponding number of communication links (128). Should one or more of the connections fail, the base station comprises a base mobile radio (210) for scanning one or more neighbor cells (108-113) to determine their current service status. The neighbor cells have overlapping coverage with serving cell, but on different frequencies. The base station broadcasts a fault message along with the updated neighbor cell information to mobile stations (102), allowing the mobile stations to choose the most appropriate cell for the desired communication activity.

Abstract: The RF section of a communication device (100) includes a receiver (106), a transmitter (108), first injection frequency generation circuit (120), and an intermediate frequency (IF) generation circuit (124). The IF generation circuit has a shared output coupled to both the receiver and transmitter, as well as a control circuit (118) for feedback control purposes. The IF generation circuit is used to generate IF for both the receiver and transmitter, thus using fewer components that two separate IF generation circuits. It includes two differently tuned voltage controlled oscillators (202, 204) which are selectively and exclusively powered by first and second power switches (234, 236), respectively. The control circuit provides a single control voltage corresponding to a desired frequency pair to both VCOs at a common control input, then selects the appropriate VCO depending on whether the communication device is receiving or transmitting.

Abstract: A communication device (102) has a serving and neighbor list (202) and a bandmap (204, 206). Upon losing communication service (402) the device begins alternately scanning the serving and neighbor list (SNL) and subsections (302, 304, 306, 308) of the bandmap. If an appropriate carrier is found while scanning the SNL, the device reconnects to the serving system. While scanning the subsections of the bandmap, the device creates and maintains a list (312) of suitable carriers. If no carriers are found corresponding to the SNL, a serving cell is selected from the list (312).

Abstract: A mobile communication device containing voice recognition capability is first enabled to perform voice recognition (102). The user then speaks the name of the party the user wishes to call (104), the name corresponding to a record the user has programmed into a memory of the mobile communication device. The mobile communication device then uses the output (106) of the voice recognition process to search the memory for a corresponding record (108). The record contains at least two calling numbers, each associated with a different mode of communication, such as dispatch and telephone communication. For a brief period of time after locating the record, the mobile communication device waits (118) for the user to initiate a call in the first communication mode (120) by, for example, pressing a dispatch call button (124). If, after a preselected duration of time has passed and no input is received from the user, the mobile communication device defaults to a second communication mode and makes a call (122).

Abstract: A digital signal processor (100) receives a digitally vocoded signal (102), and calculates a staggered average value (404) from the frame energy of each received frame, or the product of the frame energy and a voicing value. While the staggered average value is above a threshold voice indicator value, speech is declared present.

Abstract: In a communication device, a decoded audio signal is evaluated by a detection function (112). Two portions of the decoded audio signal spectrum are evaluated, a ringback band (206), and the remaining band(s). The signal strength in the ringback band is measured against a preselected ringback energy threshold level and the non-ringback signal strength is measured against a voice energy threshold level. Only if the ringback energy is above the ringback energy threshold level and the non-ringback band energy is below the voice energy threshold level will a ringback filter be applied to the audio signal.

Abstract: In a mobile communication system (400) where a handover results in a momentary interruption of a signal between the mobile communication device (402) and the fixed network equipment(404, 410), the effect of muted portion (306) of the signal can be reduced by storing a segment (308) of the signal that is received just prior to the occurrence of the handover, and re-using the stored segment by attenuating the segment, playing the segment, and repeating the attenuating and playing (208, 210) until the handover is complete.

Abstract: A communication device (100) contains a plurality of bandmaps in a memory (102). Upon powering up the device, the device first scans frequencies listed in a learned bandmap (104). If no suitable carrier signals are detected, the device scans the frequencies listed in a present regional bandmap (106), and this scan may be repeated several times. Upon failing to detect a suitable carrier at any of the frequencies listed in the present regional bandmap, the device alternates between scanning the present regional bandmap and segments of a world wide bandmap (108), which is a comprehensive list of all possible frequencies at which the device may operate. If a carrier is detected indicating the device is in a new region, the regional bandmap corresponding to the new region is set to be used as the present regional bandmap.

Abstract: A planar electromagnetic device, such as a planar transformer or planar inductor, is provided with features for cooling that are formed integrally with the windings of the planar device. In a preferred embodiment the planar device uses winding layers (200) having fin portions (116). In a first alternative embodiment a helical winding (500) is formed from a winding stamping (400) having fin portions (412). In a second alternative embodiment, tube portions (802) are formed in a winding stamping (700) used to form a helical winding.

Abstract: In a portable communication device (100) operated in a speakerphone mode, when no speech is present in either the outbound signal received from a communication system, the speaker (114) of the communication device is muted and the microphone (120) activated. When speech is detected in an inbound signal (202, 204, 206), and speech is also subsequently detected in the outbound signal (214), the speaker is left inactivated and the microphone kept in an activated state. To determine if speech is present in the inbound signal, the inbound signal is voided, providing a succession of frames (206), each frame having a frame energy parameter and a background noise parameter (208). If the frame energy of a given frame sufficiently exceeds the an average background noise value for the given frame, then speech is declared present.

Abstract: A communications system infrastructure (100), such as an integrated services radio system, is provided with a hold processor (126). The hold processor is operably coupled to at least one base station controller (114). If a mobile subscriber unit (102) is actively engaged in a first communication service, such as a telephone interconnect call, and desires to use a second communication service, such as making or responding to a dispatch call, the mobile subscriber unit request the first service to be held. The base station controller then switches the first service to the hold server, which in turn generates an identifier for transmittal to the mobile subscriber unit for storage and call retrieval at a later time.

Abstract: A mobile communication device (116) establishes a network connection with a server (120) and searches a database (122) for calling information associated with a party the user of the mobile communication device desires to call. Once the information is located, it is formatted (508) by the server so that it is in a browsable format, suitable for displaying on the mobile communication device. The server transmits (510) the formatted information to the mobile communication device, where calling options are displayed (512) to the user. The user then selects (514) one of the options, and the mobile communication device configures (516) itself to perform the desired communication activity.

Abstract: In a portable communication device (104) that is able to operate in a speakerphone mode, a user interface such as a keypad (120) and display (122) are provided to allow the user to select (1104) an enhanced mode so that leading fricatives of speech are more likely to be detected as speech, and played over a speaker (214). Upon selecting the enhanced mode of operation, the voicing value of each frame of vocoded speech received is increased, thus making it more likely for energetic fricative frames to be detected as speech.

Abstract: A digital communications system (10) includes a transmitting apparatus (12) and a receiving apparatus (14). In addition to a primary information signal (16), messages and control signals (24) are communicated for use by the equipment. To avoid the use of dedicated frequency spectrum, control channel time slots, or the degradation of forward error correction of the encoded information signal, the transmitting apparatus determines the occurrence of a silence period (28) in the information signal, then inserts the message or control signal information into the silence period. The resulting composite signal is transmitted to the receiving apparatus where message and control information is removed for use by the receiving equipment, leaving the information signal intact.

Abstract: A communications system (100) has a TDMA signal (110) accessed by one or more mobile stations (104). The TDMA signal carries both circuit switched and packet data service. A packet channel is defined within a packet data frame (208) by assigning time slots not used by other services during the packet data frame to the packet channel. A packet data seed channel (204) is used to anchor the packet channel and steer a mobile station to the packet channel. In the packet data seed channel a dynamic allocation protocol (DCAP) slot (206) appears and carries the packet channel slot assignments for the next occurring packet data frame.

Abstract: A power amplifier stage includes a linear radio frequency (RF) power amplifier (106), having a bias port and a supply port. The bias port receives a DC amplifier bias potential (142) for controlling the power gain of the RF amplifier stage and the supply port receives a power supply. A bias control (202) switchably provides the DC amplifier bias potential (142) at the bias port while a supply control switchably provides the power supply (210) in response (160) to the bias control (202) at the supply port.

Abstract: A belt clip assembly (100) attaches to a communication device (103) to be worn by a user. The belt clip assembly (100) includes an attachment base (104) and a spring loaded cantilever slide (106). The attachment base (104) includes a bracket (116) having first (123) and second (124) opposed retaining ends integrally connected to a slim strip (122). The first opposed retaining end has a hook (123) and the second opposed retaining end has a receptacle (128) for receiving the spring loaded cantilever slide (106). The cantilever slide (106) is comprised of a fulcrum (108) that has a pair of teeth (110) integrally attached to the fulcrum (108) for forming a protruding cover (111) for the receptacle and slidably positioned on top of the slide casing wall (112). The fulcrum (108) supported teeth (110) attaches to a communication device housing (101) via a pair of receiving slots (120) while the hook end (123) of the bracket wraps around the other end of the housing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for biasing the voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) (110) of a Phase Locked Loop (PLL) (100) includes a bias circuit (114) providing a peak minimum/maximum voltage detector (202) tied to the control line (116) of the PLL (100). During operation, the detector (202) detects a minimum or maximum voltage on the VCO control line (116) as the bias control voltage (118) applied to the VCO (110) is varied. Detection of such a minimum or maximum voltage is equivalent to the detection of a minimum or a maximum frequency, which in turn equates to the detection of an optimal bias condition for noise.