Abstract: A loopback module includes a plurality of signal paths and is designed to mix an incoming phone signal with a signal from a signal generator to produce a loopback signal at the receive frequency of the phone. The loopback signal is applied to the phone's antenna. The phone then evaluates the loopback signal to determine the appropriate offset for the transmitter chain at that frequency and power level. This process is iterated until the desired number of frequencies and power levels are tested for proper calibration. The offsets are stored in memory for later use by the phone.

Abstract: A method of broadcasting commercial FM services in a digital format in at least one bitstream comprises time-division multiplexing the bitstream(s) into one or more channels comprising a data frame, and frequency modulating the data frames around a single carrier frequency into a commercial FM broadcast signal. The modulation may comprise GMSK or 8-PSK, and multiple data frame types may be interleaved. The signal is transmitted on a commercial FM broadcast station such that substantially the entire spectrum of the transmission comprises the digital data frames. The bit rate(s) of the digital bitstream(s) may be monitored, and the bitstream(s) may be reallocated to channels in the data frames based on changes in the bit rate(s). Analog and digital formats may be broadcast simultaneously on non-adjacent commercial FM broadcast carrier channels. A receiver is operative to extract and decode content from a digital format FM broadcast signal.

Abstract: A method for controlling the transmit power level of a mobile terminal in a satellite communication system includes both a closed-loop element and an open-loop element. For the closed-loop element, the base station calculates the mobile terminal's power setting based on the strength of the signals received from the mobile terminal. The base station takes into account the propagation delays of the satellite system in determining the mobile terminal's transmit power setting. The open-loop element of the power control method allows the mobile terminal to adjust its own transmit power level from frame to frame based on the strength of the received signals from the base station. The strength of the signal received from the base station in each frame is compared to the strength of the signal received in the previous frame. The transmit power level of the mobile terminal is then adjusted inversely in accordance with variations in the observed signal strength.

Abstract: A mobile communication unit for a private system including a transceiver adapted to communicate with a plurality of private wireless office systems, a memory storing user group information, and a processor adapted to selectively initiate transmission of the user group information in the memory by the transceiver. The user group information identifies a location register storing information relating to access rights of the mobile communication unit on the private wireless office system with which the transceiver is then communicating, and transmission of the user group information initiates determination of access rights with the private wireless office system with which the transceiver is then communicating.

Abstract: Methods and systems for a transceiver to acquire synchronization to a channel in a TDMA communications system by identifying a known synchronization word in a burst received at the transceiver over the channel are provided. Pursuant to these methods and systems a first uncertainty window and a second uncertainty window are defined within a burst that is received over the channel. The transceiver may search in these uncertainty windows for the known synchronization word, where the first uncertainty window is smaller than the second uncertainty window. The first uncertainty window is first searched for the known synchronization word. It may then be determined if the known synchronization word has been located within the first uncertainty window. If it has not been, the second uncertainty window is then searched for the known synchronization word.

Abstract: Emergency call handling may, in the near future, require terminal unit location information to be provided to emergency service centers. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide techniques which provide for interaction between an adjunct system whose primary function is to provide terminal unit location information and the radiocommunication system. For example, the location information generated by the adjunct system can be used by the radiocommunication system for other purposes, e.g., dynamic channel allocation.

Abstract: A telecommunications system and method is disclosed for notifying a called subscriber of call terminating treatment applied by the network to calls unable to be completed to the called subscriber at the terminal associated with the originally dialed called party number. When a call to a called subscriber is not completed to the called subscriber, the network logs call information, such as the calling party number, calling party name (if available) and the date and time the call was received. In addition, the network also logs call treatment information, such as the called party number that the call was forwarded to, an indication of whether or not the call was completed to the forwarded to number, an indication that the network was busy or an indication that the called mobile subscriber could not be located. This call information and call treatment information is later provided to the called subscriber.

Abstract: A satellite communications system uses multiple ground stations and one or more satellites for communicating between mobile subscribers and a land-based communications network, such as the PSTN or the Internet. Multiple ground stations geographically dispersed minimize toll charges incurred routing calls from a mobile subscriber through the land network by reducing the need for long-distance calling. Further, because each ground station communicates with a given satellite using the same frequency spectrum, the subscriber capacity of the system increases and/or bandwidth requirements for the communications link between ground stations and satellites may be reduced. The present system uses ground-based beamforming techniques enabling each satellite to transmit signals in multiple transmission beams, each beam supporting one or more mobile subscribers. Each beam may reuse the same frequency spectrum, thereby increasing the number of subscribers supported by each satellite.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and arrangements enable a mobile equipment (ME) to provide notification when a preselected number is called. In accordance with certain embodiments, upon the calling of a preselected number, the ME sends a notification to the network in addition to setting up a voice call to the dialed number. Preselected number(s) may include emergency numbers (e.g., “911”), portal-defined numbers, etc. The notification may include dialed digits, time of call, and/or location information originating from the ME. When location information is included with the notification, the location information may be forwarded to the portal for further processing and possible additional transmission. Also, location information from the notification can reduce response time and signaling capacity usage when the network responds to an inquiry regarding location from an emergency service provider.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide prioritized access to a shared communication medium which utilizes a contention based access arbitration mechanism and a contention-free arbitration mechanism. A first time duration during which the communication medium must be idle for a station to access the communication medium is associated with the contention based mechanism and a second time duration during which the communication medium must be idle to access the communication medium is associated with the contention-free mechanism. The first time duration is greater than the second time duration. Priority access to the shared communication may be provided by determining a priority time duration between the second time duration and the first time duration and accessing the shared communication medium if the shared communication medium is idle for the priority time duration.

Abstract: An antenna/push-button assembly includes a first contact, a second contact movable relative to said first contact, and a button member including an integral antenna. The button member is movable to engage the second contact with the first contact. The antenna may be a patch antenna. A portable telecommunications device includes an antenna/push-button assembly comprising a button member. The button member includes an integral antenna. The button member is operable to control a function of the device.

Abstract: The ratio of the delay spread associated with a selected channel to the chip duration is used to determine the number of resolvable paths per carrier in a communication system. A desired number of paths per carrier for the selected channel may then be determined. Next, a number of carriers corresponding to the desired number of paths per carrier may be allocated to the communication signal. Alternatively, a number of carriers for a given channel may be allocated as a function.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supplying a timing signal from a central unit to at least one radio head connected to the central unit via a communications link. An external signal, typically generated by a MSC, is received at a first framer of the central unit and the first framer generates a reference clock signal based thereon. This reference clock signal is used as the transmit clock for a second framer, known as the radio head framer. The radio head framer transmits a radio head downlink signal to the radio head(s) via the communications link. The radio head downlink signal typically includes payload information and an associated timing reference signal, typically in the form of an embedded clock signal. This timing reference signal of the downlink is based on the reference clock signal from the first framer, rather than being based on a clock signal from an oscillator within the central unit.

Abstract: A method of controlling a mobile terminal allows it to search for possibly higher priority service providers in response to receiving an indication that more than the default number of service providers is available in a given service area, without dropping its current radio channel. When only the standard number of service providers is available in a given area, the mobile terminal uses standard frequency bands and corresponding radio channel allocations during scanning operations. When more than the standard number of service providers is available, the mobile terminal uses received information defining the non-standard spectrum allocation supporting the available service providers in its scanning operations. In a wireless communication system operating in accordance with TIA/EIA-136 standards, the mobile terminal may scan its current hyperband, alternate hyperband, or both the current and the alternate hyperbands (e.g., 800 MHz and 1900 MHz hyperbands), for higher priority service providers.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for adaptive channel scanning in a TDMA radio communication system (100) allows a mobile station (106) to respond to the operating environment of the radio communication system. The mobile station or handset detects the operating environment of the handset and adjusts a scan rate interval (SRI) (412) in response to the operating environment. After the scan rate interval has elapsed, the handset scans one of the predetermined subset of channels and a full set of channels of the plurality of radio channels.

Abstract: A distributed antenna system in a communication system includes a programmable band pass filter at each antenna within the distributed system. Control information from a processor associated with the base station may instruct the band pass filter as to on which channels a particular antenna should transmit. In this manner, channel reuse may be promoted and channels can be dynamically reassigned during periods of peak usage.

Abstract: Electronic messages are personalized by rendering the messages to recipients in the voice of a predetermined human speaker. This is accomplished by associating with the message payload a set of basis vectors comprising speech parameters from the predetermined human speaker for use in speech synthesis.

Abstract: A policy enables a subscriber to connect to multiple service providers simultaneously using a network address translation technique that translates an address identifying the subscriber and associated with a first service provider into an address identifying the subscriber and associated with a second service provider for a particular application. The subscriber registers with a single home service provider and connects to that single home service provider for a packet session. To connect to additional service providers that provide additional applications during the packet session, the NAT rule is downloaded from the home service provider to a router at the border between the subscriber and the access network of the home service provider. Each IP packet received at the router to or from the subscriber is filtered to determine the subscriber's address and an application identifier.

Abstract: The invention specifies various methods for the provision or calculation of a reference location for GPS-equipped mobile communications devices, specifically, GPS-equipped cellular phones. This is accomplished by providing certain GPS-related information over the cellular network, and by calculating reference locations based on various criteria, aided by actual position fixes provided by the built-in GPS receiver.

Abstract: A method of determining an encryption key used by two or more parties for encrypted communications in a manner that prohibits any of the parties from forcing the final value of the encryption key. The encryption key is determined based on numbers exchanged by the parties using a key generation function, such as the Diffie-Hellman algorithm. To prevent any party from forcing the final value of the encryption key to a desired value, a first party divides its number into a plurality of parts, which are transmitted incrementally to the another. After transmitting a first part, the first party waits for receipt of at least a part of a second exchanged number from another party before the first party transmits the remaining parts of its exchanged number.