Abstract: A mobile communications network includes a plurality of cells and cell sectors in each cell. Carrier frequencies for carrying beacon control signaling, such as a broadcast control channel (BCCH), are assigned from the entire band of available carrier frequencies. The same carrier frequencies are assigned to carry traffic channels. This arrangement enables the use of one carrier frequency to communication beacon control signaling in one cell segment, while also allowing the use of the same one carrier frequency to communicate bearer traffic in another cell segment, thus affording substantial increases in network capacity that has heretofore not been possible in networks in the absence of significant infrastructure buildout or modification.

Abstract: A device is switched from a first physical interface on the device to a second physical interface on the device based on information in an interface redundancy group. The information in the interface redundancy group identifies the first physical interface as a primary interface for the device and the second physical interface as a secondary interface for the device.

Abstract: At a master controller of a space switch in a node in a data network, a request is received from a source node that requests a connection to be established through the space switch. This request is compared to other such requests so that a schedule may be established for access to the space switch. The schedule is then sent to the source nodes as well as to a slave controller of the space switch. The source nodes send data bursts which are received at the space switch during a short guard time between successive reconfigurations of the space switch. Data bursts are received at the space switch at a precisely determined instant of time that ensures that the space switch has already reconfigured to provide requested paths for the individual bursts. The scheduling is pipelined and performed in a manner that attempts to reduce mismatch intervals of the occupancy states of input and output ports of the space switch.

Abstract: A method for reducing interference in a wireless system, and a system for performing the method. The wireless system should include at least two, and preferably four, beam formers and a plurality of mobile units. The method includes the steps of transmitting beams B1, B2, B3 and B4 into first, second, third and fourth beam areas, respectively. At least two sub-areas are defined within each of the first, second, third and fourth beam areas based upon the degree of overlap with adjacent beam areas, whereby each of the beam areas includes at least one overlapping sub-area and at least one non-overlapping sub-area. The method further includes coding signals of the beams B1, B2, B3 and B4 for receipt by a particular mobile unit based upon which one of the sub-areas that the particular mobile unit is located within.

Abstract: A frame structure that is ordinarily optimized for providing variable high data rates also includes the flexibility to efficiently carry lower data rate, lower latency frames using sub-framing. Superframes, each comprised of a predetermined number of frames, carry voice and data communications at one or more variable data rates. The size of a superframe is limited, such as by the delay tolerance for voice transmission, typically 20 ms. Each voice customer is allotted one or more frames or portions of frames within the superframe, called sub-frames, as is needed to deliver the lower data rate, low latency voice communication. The allocation for the voice customers is not fixed, but varies as the data rate varies over time. Any bits in a frame that are not needed to carry voice communication are assigned to carry data having compatible data rate requirements. Additionally, the sub-framing concept may be extended to include ATM cells.

Abstract: A flow of packet or cell-based communications traffic is monitored by: setting a first time interval over which measurements are to be made; counting number of packets flowing during that time interval and using the count to derive parameters which are indicative of the traffic meeting a sustained cell rate (SCR) requirement. Use of this cell counting method rather than a per-cell computation of a generic cell rate algorithm (GCRA) reduces computation requirements in monitoring traffic. Preferably the cell count is used to derive a running difference between the counted number of packets and an expected number of packets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for triggering data-path conversion utilizing PCM bit robbing signalling. The method and apparatus permits the pass-through of compressed voice packets over a PCM stream between dissimilar interconnected networks or dissimilar payload specifications in the interconnected networks, and also provides the capability to convert the packets to a different payload specification between the networks. Once a voice path is established between the two networks, the incoming PCM data stream is monitored for a voice synchronization pattern which appears periodically in a predetermined bit position in the PCM samples. Upon detection of a matching voice synchronization pattern, a pass-through mode for the voice data between the networks is initiated. A data or payload conversion operation may also be initiated on detection of the matching voice synchronization pattern.

Abstract: To communicate in a press-to-talk (PTT) session, a message for requesting a right to talk in the PTT session is sent over a wireless link between a mobile station and a base station system. The message for requesting the right to talk in the PTT session is sent in wireless signaling over the wireless link. An acknowledgment of the wireless signaling carrying the message is received, with the acknowledgment sent by the base station system in response to the control signaling. An indication is provided at the mobile station of the right to talk in response to the acknowledgment.

Abstract: To communicate information relating to an application over a wireless link, application control information and application data information are communicated over the wireless link between a mobile station and a base station system. The application data information is communicated over a traffic flow over the wireless link, and the application control information is communicated in a wireless control message carried in wireless signaling associated with the traffic flow.

Abstract: A method for assisting a mobile terminal in an unsynchronized wireless communications network to determine its location using a global positioning system (GPS) by providing a GPS receiver of the mobile terminal with reference time data is disclosed. The method includes, obtaining a first time signal that is substantially synchronized with the GPS time, determining a latency time indicative of least an approximate network latency for the transmission of the reference time data through the network to the mobile terminal; generating the reference time data based on the first time signal and the latency time; and transmitting at least the reference time data to the mobile terminal.

Abstract: A technique for an improved active queue management scheme which dynamically changes its threshold settings as the number of connections (and system load) changes is disclosed. Using this technique, network devices can effectively control packet losses and TCP timeouts while maintaining high link utilization. The technique also allows a network to support a larger number of connections during congestion periods.

Abstract: A scheme for multiplexing transport channels on one or several communication channels is used to operate in a normal mode and in a compressed mode which requires a lower symbol rate to provide in active periods in the communication channels. To match the symbol rate on each of the transport channels, a symbol puncturing is performed in two passes: marked symbols are introduced and are subjected, along with the other information symbols, to different operations including an interleaving, before being deleted from the transmitted sequence. Accordingly, those operations can be performed in the same manner in the normal and compressed modes, which limits the complexity of the communicating entities.

Abstract: A priority routing service is provided for a predetermined network user in a connectionless network such as an IP network. The network comprises a plurality of network elements and links therebetween and the express route comprises one or more links between two elements. Elements at each end of the express route are arranged to identify packets originating from the user and destined for a customer, or to identify data packets originating from a customer and destined for the user, and to divert data packets along the express route. This allows traffic to/from the users to avoid bottlenecks in the network.

Abstract: In a packet-switched network having a plurality of nodes interconnected by links, pre-defined protection paths provide protection of a selected plurality of links. Adjacent nodes connected by a protected link are adapted to detect a failure of the protected link, to encapsulate packets within tunnel packets, to differentiate between tunnel packets and non-tunnel packets and to exchange the tunnel packets via a protection path rather than via the failed link. This results in faster automatic protection switching of packet-based traffic. The invention is particularly suited to an Internet Protocol network.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for associating metric information with an abstracted link of an abstracted network map that includes certain network elements (NEs) of a data transport network involves computing routes through the data transport network between the NEs of the abstracted network map. The routes may be computed using the shortest widest path algorithm. The routes from an NE are exchanged with the other NEs of the abstracted network map, so that an edge NE receives the resource availability information of all optimal routes between pairs of NEs in the abstracted network map. The edge NE then transforms the resource availability of a corresponding optimal route into metric information of an abstracted link. The metric information is sent to a client associated with the abstracted network map to permit the client to make routing decisions.

Abstract: A method for improving signaling efficiency and load balancing in a non-broadcast, multiple access network environment. The standard next hop resolution protocol (NHRP) essentially is extended to provide peer to peer, i.e., source station to destination station, communication regarding resource availability and intemetwork layer address to NBMA subnetwork layer address resolution, rather than client-server communication between a source station and a server that communicates with the source station on behalf of the destination station, as is the case in standard NHRP.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention includes reducing the power level by a delta value in excess of the reduction in the bit error rate and its proportionate power reduction rate in response to a data rate change. If the bit rate is reduced to eighth, then the power transmission level can be reduced to a value of 1/(8+?) relative to FULL power. As an additional aspect of the present invention, the base station controller also generates a selectable frame error rate calculates the corresponding signal to noise ratios that will provide the commanded frame error rate. The FER may be selected according to data type or source or according to power transmission level and for data rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus in a communications system for routing a call. A call to a subscriber is received. Call routing information is identified for the subscriber. Responsive to identifying call routing information for the subscriber. A determination is then made as to whether a function has been selected for routing the call. Responsive to a determination that a function has been selected for routing the call, the call is routed using a sequence of destinations associated with the function. Responsive to an absence of a determination that the function has been selected for routing the call, the call is routed using a call routing scheduled based on time. Destinations to which calls are actually completed are monitored and the sequence in which destinations are selected and the sequence of destinations may be altered depending on the call completions made to destinations within the sequence of destinations.

Abstract: A verification system for a procedure interface is generated by using formal specifications of the procedure interface and generating test suites. The test suites are generated from the formal specifications and templates or skeletons which are used to generate an element of a verification system. The skeletons are generated based on decomposition of test suits.

Abstract: A method of detecting signal degrade in an ATM network, and a network element using such method are disclosed. Signal degrade at the ATM layer of the network is detected by monitoring signal degrade at the physical layer of the network. In response, ATM cells indicative of the signal degrade may be generated at the ATM layer, and protection switching may be effected. Preferably, signal degrade at the physical layer may be monitored by determining a bit-error-rate at the physical layer. ATM alarm indication signal (“AIS”) cells or ATM protection switching coordination protocol (“CP”) cells may be generated to effect the protection switching.