Abstract: The invention is a system for programming wireless subscriber terminals (WST's) using a broadcast channel of a wireless communication system. In accordance with the invention, a control program, for controlling operation of the WST, is updated using a series of messages transmitted from a base station over a broadcast control channel to one or more WST's simultaneously. Each message in the series contains a segment of the control program, and the series of messages is interleaved with other control data on the broadcast control channel in order to avoid interference with other call activities. When a WST identifies a message as containing a control program segment, the WST stores the segment. Once a complete control program has been received, control of the WST can be transferred to the new control program. Receipt of the broadcast transmission is subject to interruption for a variety of reasons, e.g.

Abstract: A method and telecommunication system for tracking the carrier phase of a received signal includes the addition of a pilot signal to the data component of the signal prior to modulation and transmission. The pilot signal is specified to have a frequency equal to the inverse of twice a data symbol interval with zero crossings positioned at the midpoint of each symbol interval to avoid interference with the data. The received signal is demodulated to produce a complex data signal from which the pilot signal is detected to provide an estimate of the phase error in the complex data signal. The elimination of the phase error from the complex data signal is accomplished through a corrective phase shift that is equal and opposite to the estimated phase error. A sample timing estimate may also be obtained in a similar manner.

Abstract: Metering pulses from a local exchange are received by a wireless local loop (WLL) which computes the metering pulse rate. A value indicative of the metering pulse rate is then placed into a message which is transmitted from the WLL to a wireless public office (PCO), also referred to as a village public telephone. The wireless PCO reads the message to determine the metering pulse rate value and then generates PCO metering pulses at the metering pulse rate value. Advantageously, once the wireless PCO has properly received the metering pulse rate value, no additional metering pulse information is required to be sent to the PCO unless the metering pulse rate value changes during the call. Therefore, there are no further interruptions to the speech or data on the forward voice channel in order to transmit metering pulse information to the PCO.

Abstract: A cellular subscriber modem for receiving CCITT-type quadrature amplitude modulated (QAM) signals. The cellular modem includes a novel symbol detector that converts received symbol information to polar notation. The detector's constellation thresholds include a circular threshold having a radius greater than the magnitude of the innermost symbols, but less than the magnitude of the outermost symbols, and radially spaced thresholds, which further discriminate between the outermost symbols. As a result, special cellular-compatible modem equipment need not be connected between the public-access switched telephone network and the computer equipment at the other end, which means that a CCITT-compatible cellular subscriber modem can then be treated as any other type of CCITT-modem. The detector may be implemented in the software of a standard modem processor, or as several analog comparator circuits.

Abstract: Capacitive microphones are fabricated using etch-release of sacrificial silicon by an isotropic dry etchant. The process allows the production of a microphone largely from CVD processes with flexibility in materials selection. The dry etch chemistry does not require freeze-drying after release. The etchant does not attack electrodes or metallized circuitry and so allows the placement of the electrodes between the backplate and diaphragm dielectric layers. Diffusion barrier layers between the sacrificial and electrode layers protect both materials from interdiffusion during device fabrication. The process is especially fitting for a microphone comprising silicon nitride dielectric layers with aluminum electrodes.

Abstract: A cellular telephone system includes a packet-switched digital data communication subsystem overlaying a circuit-switched (e.g., voice) communication subsystem, with voice and data services sharing the same voice channels. The voice communication subsystem provides voice services independently of the operation of the data communication subsystem. On the other hand, the data communication subsystem monitors use of the voice channels for voice communication, and, in response thereto, temporarily allocates one or more of the available voice channels for data service. In a preferred embodiment, each data basestation transmits, from time to time, an available-channel signature to identify those, if any, of the data-allocated channels that are not then being used to transmit voice or data.