Abstract: A communication system environment estimation apparatus and method. In one embodiment, an environment estimation apparatus according to the teachings of the present invention includes a plurality of antenna elements and a receiver coupled to receive uplink signals from the plurality of antenna elements. The apparatus also includes a signal processor coupled to receive the uplink signals to select an estimation of an environment responsive to the uplink signals received from the plurality of antenna elements.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses associated with multi-phase wireless handshaking. A user terminal enters handshaking with an access point. The access point may respond to an access request of the user terminal with an access assignment, and alternatively, with a message indicating an assignment will not be presently given. The handshaking process could then be completed at a later time.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delaying or hastening the “lifespan” of a session in response to detecting (or causing) a session renewal. A “session,” refers to a particular user terminal's right of access to one or more communication channels to exchange data with the base station (and other devices/networks coupled thereto). A session renewal refers to an event or condition that delays the lapse/expiration of the session lifespan (i.e., extends the lifespan) or conversely, an event or condition that causes hastens the lapse of the session lifespan (i.e., causes an earlier lapse of the session). In one embodiment, a session represents the period of time in which a user terminal is registered with a base station and can thus access or attempt to access one or more wireless communication channels to exchange data with the base station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the spectral efficiency of communications systems by employing portions of the spectrum, which portions might otherwise be reserved as all or part of guard bands and not utilized (i.e., effectively wasted), for communicating at reduced power levels between devices that are determined to experience relatively high performance (e.g., relatively little path loss, etc.). In a communication system having a first predefined maximum system transmission power level for in-band transmissions, a method is provided for determining that communication performance between a first communication device and a second communication device exceeds a performance threshold. Based on the determination, a first band-edge channel for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device (i.e., transmission from the first device to the second device and/or visa versa) is assigned.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses for determining a parameter value for each of a plurality of communication signals received concurrently as a composite signal. The parameter value of each communication signal is within a corresponding parameter value set. Each parameter value set is disjoint from every other parameter value set. The parameter value for a particular communication signal is estimated by searching over the parameter value set corresponding to the particular communication signal. For one embodiment, the composite signal is received at a base station receiver of a SMDA/TMDA system that includes an array of spatially distributed antenna elements. To recover multiple communication signals at once, an embodiment of the invention segments the timing search window into disjoint intervals and invokes an instance of a basic receiver module for each timing search window.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for generating an identifier to facilitate delivery of enhanced data services in a wireless computing environment is presented. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a method is presented comprising receiving a request to establish a communication session between a subscriber unit in a wireless communication system and a data network access server through a basestation, and selectively generating a communication session identifier to uniquely identify the communication session from a plurality of communication sessions supported by the network access server to enable mobility management within the point-to-point communication session between the basestation and the network access server.

Abstract: Spatial and temporal characteristics of received radio signals in a multiple user radio system can be estimated based on signals received from the users. In one embodiment, the invention includes collecting measurements of radio frequency signals received at different elements of an antenna system over time, the received signals corresponding at least in part to transmissions received from a system user, collecting representations of the transmissions of the system user, and comparing the representations to the collected measurements to form a spatial characterization of the radio channel traversed by transmissions of the system user in which the elements of the spatial characterization represent forming a beam in the direction of the system user and directing nulls to interferers.

Abstract: The certificate issued by a certificate authority used in authenticating a user terminal can be scrambled prior to being set to an access point. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a user terminal having a memory in which a user terminal certificate is stored. The user terminal also has a processor coupled to the memory to scramble the user terminal certificate using a shared secret to be known only by the user terminal and an access point of the wireless access network, and a transmitter coupled to the processor to send a message to the access point, the message including the scrambled user terminal certificate.

Abstract: A data stream is transmitted between a base station and user terminal. A first resource that is available to transmit a page is selected at the base station and the page transmitted from the base station via the first resource. The page is received at the user terminal via the first resource and a second resource that is available to transmit a page response is selected at the user terminal. A page response is transmitted from the user terminal via the second resource in response to the page. A data stream is then transmitted between the base station and user terminal via a third resource. In one embodiment, the first, second and third resources utilize the same sequence of radio frequency resources that follow a hopping sequence among a set of available radio frequency resources. In one embodiment, at least two of the first, second and third resources utilize the same sequence of radio frequency resources. In yet another embodiment, the resources utilize different sequences of radio frequency resources.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that allows a training and traffic signal to be compensated for phase errors without modifying a receiver. In one embodiment, the invention encompasses an external error correction circuit having a signal input to receive training and traffic channel signals from a receive chain, a signal processing circuit to compute phase corrections to at least one of the training and traffic channel signals, and a signal generator to supply a compensation signal to effect the computed correction.

Abstract: A system and related methods for beamforming in a multi-point communication environment is presented. According to one aspect of the invention, a method comprising identifying one or more target(s) for which a communication signal is intended, identifying one or more other target(s) which may benefit from receipt of the communication signal, and developing a multi-lobe beampattern to transmit the communication signal to the intended target(s) and the identified one or more other target(s).

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that allows beamforming to be used on a user-specific signal together with a sector-wide pilot signal in a communication system, such as a CDMA system. In one embodiment, the invention includes transmitting a pilot signal with a wide beamwidth to a remote terminal from a first array, transmitting a first traffic signal with a narrow beamwidth directed to the remote terminal from the first array, and transmitting a second diversity traffic signal with a second narrow beamwidth directed to the remote terminal from a second array. In some examples, the invention may also include transmitting a second pilot signal from the second antenna array.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the spectral efficiency of communications systems by employing portions of the spectrum, which portions might otherwise be reserved as all or part of guard bands and not utilized (i.e., effectively wasted), for communicating at reduced power levels between devices that are determined to experience relatively high performance (e.g., relatively little path loss, etc.). In a communication system having a first predefined maximum system transmission power level for in-band transmissions, a method is provided for determining that communication performance between a first communication device and a second communication device exceeds a performance threshold. Based on the determination, a first band-edge channel for communication between the first communication device and the second communication device (i.e., transmission from the first device to the second device and/or visa versa) is assigned.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described for modifying a smart antenna processing strategy determined from a set of signals received at an array of antenna elements of a wireless station, such as a set of weights for processing received antenna signals or forming a set of antenna signals for transmission. The method and apparatus uses the signatures of one or more interferers to produce a modified processing strategy that improves the nulling to the one or more interferers in that, when the modified strategy is applied on the downlink, the transmit signal strength in the direction of the one or more interferers is decreased, and, when the modified strategy is applied on the uplink, the sensitivity to signals from the direction of the one or more interferers is decreased.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that measures received radio communications signals to determine whether or what degree to use transmit diversity and beam forming. In one embodiment, the invention includes receiving a radio signal from a remote terminal at a plurality of antennas, comparing characteristics of the received signal as received at the plurality of antennas, determining whether reception of radio signals transmitted to the remote terminal is likely to be improved by diversity transmission based on the comparisons and transmitting radio signals to the remote terminal using diversity if the reception is likely to be improved.

Abstract: Spatial and temporal characteristics of received radio signals in a multiple user radio system can be estimated based on signals received from the users. In one embodiment, the invention includes collecting measurements of radio frequency signals received at different elements of an antenna system over time, the received signals corresponding at least in part to transmissions received from a system user, collecting representations of the transmissions of the system user, cross-correlating the collected measurements and the collected representations, and comparing the cross-correlation to the collected measurements to form a characterization of the radio channel traversed by transmissions of the system user.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for calculating spatial processing strategies in adaptive antenna array processing systems. Reference signal quality, intersymbol interference, data processed and received signal quality can be determined by burst type or remote device type and used to determine a synthetic signal level for use in developing a spatial processing strategy. A synthetic signal have an isotropically distributed component can be added to the antennas in the array or the diagonal elements of the received signal covariance matrix to develop uplink and downlink spatial processing strategies. Different synthetic signals at different signal levels can be used to develop different uplink and downlink spatial processing strategies. The downlink signal level can be larger than the uplink signal level. Uplink and downlink processing strategies can be developed in substantially the same way.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus implementing spatial processing in a remote unit. In general, in one aspect, the present invention provides a remote unit, that includes a plurality of antennas and a spatial processing unit coupled to the plurality of antennas. The remote unit also includes a performance determination unit to determine a performance of the remote unit and a feedback adjustment unit to adjust feedback transmitted from the remote unit to a device, wherein the adjusted feedback accounts for performance associated with the spatial processing unit.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for assigning channels in a spatial division multiple access communication network. The network includes a plurality of conventional channels some of which are configurable to be shared concurrently by plural subscribers. The method includes determining combinations of subscribers from the existing subscribers. Existing subscribers are reassigned to share channels thereby freeing resources for new subscribers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided that allows beamforming to be used on a user-specific signal together with a sector-wide pilot signal in a communication system, such as a CDMA system. In one embodiment, the invention includes a plurality of elements in a defined order to transmit spatially directed signals to specific receiving radio terminals, and a single element, substantially in the center of the ordering to transmit a single pilot signal simultaneously to a plurality of receiving radio terminals.