Abstract: A simple and flexible over-air protocol for use with a mobile telephone system, having hand-held telephones in a microcell or other type of cellular communication system. A method in which user stations communicate with one or more base stations to place and receive telephone calls, in which the user stations are provided a secure voice or data link and have the ability to handoff calls between base stations while such calls are in progress. Each base station has a set of "air channels" to which it transmits in sequence. The air channels supported by each base station are called that base station's "polling loop". A user station receives general polling information on an unoccupied air channel, transmits responsive information to the base station, and awaits acknowledgment from the base station. Each base station may therefore simultaneously maintain communication with as many user stations as there are air channels in its polling loop.

Abstract: A wireless communication system including a repeated pattern of cells, in which base station transmitters and user station transmitters for each cell may be assigned a spread-spectrum code for modulating radio signal communication in that cell. Radio signals used in that cell are spread across a bandwidth sufficiently wide that both base station receivers and user station receivers in an adjacent cell may distinguish communication which originates in one cell from another. Adjacent cells may use distinguishable frequencies and distinguishable codes, but it is sufficient if adjacent cells use distinguishable frequencies and identical codes. A repeated pattern of cells allows the codes each to be reused in a plurality of cells.

Abstract: A technique for modulating and demodulating continuous phase modulation (CPM) spread spectrum signals and variations thereof. A transmitter encodes M data bits using a selected spread spectrum code, divides the spread spectrum code into a plurality of chip codes (such as even chips and odd chips), independently modulates the even and odd chips with orthogonal carrier signals using CPM or a related technique, and superposes the plurality of resultants for transmission. A receiver receives the superposed spread spectrum signal and divides it into a real signal and an imaginary signal. The real signal is connected to a first correlator which divides its input into a real I signal and a real Q signal, serially correlates the real I signal with the odd chips of a chip code and the real Q signal with the even chips of the chip code, and combines the correlation signals into a real correlation signal.

Abstract: A correlation peak detector including an envelope detector, a peak-holder, a peak scaler, and a comparator detects the envelope of a correlator output signal, derives a peak threshold signal from the peak signal level produced by the correlator output signal, and compares the envelope of the correlator output signal to the peak threshold signal to produce a correlation peak detector output signal which indicates detection of a correlation peak. A minimum threshold signal is generated and provided to the comparator to inhibit detection of false peaks or noise. The comparator produces a correlation peak detector output signal which indicates occurrence of a correlation peak by producing a pulse whenever the magnitude of the envelope of the correlator output signal exceeds the sum of the magnitude of the peak threshold signal and the magnitude of the minimum threshold signal. Pulses in the correlation peak detector output signal may be used to synchronize receiver timing signals with a received signal.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for despreading a received continuous phase modulated spread spectrum signal includes a power divider for dividing a received spread spectrum signal into a real signal and an imaginary signal. A real CPM correlator demodulates the real signal into I and Q components and separately correlates the real I component and the real Q component without generating a correlation sequence, thereby performing self-synchronizing correlation. Likewise, an imaginary CPM correlator demodulates the imaginary signal into I and Q components and separately correlates the imaginary I component and the imaginary Q component without generating a correlation sequence, thereby performing self-synchronizing correlation. The real I and imaginary I correlation signals are combined into a final I correlation signal, and the real Q and imaginary Q correlation signals are combined into a final Q correlation signal.

Abstract: A technique for modulating and demodulating continuous phase modulation (CPM) spread spectrum signals and variations thereof. A transmitter encodes M data bits using a selected spread spectrum code, divides the spread spectrum code into a plurality of chip codes (such as even chips and odd chips), independently modulates the even and odd chips with orthogonal carrier signals using CPM or a related technique, and superposes the plurality of resultants for transmission. A receiver receives the superposed spread spectrum signal and divides it into a real signal and an imaginary signal. The real signal is connected to a real CPM correlator which demodulates its input into a real I signal and a real Q signal, separately correlates the real I signal with the odd chips of a chip code and the real Q signal with the even chips of the chip code, and combines the correlation signals into a real correlation signal.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum communication system in which the energy output is more smoothly distributed than the length of the pseudo-random code would otherwise indicate. A spread-spectrum communication system in which the code sequence is pseudo-randomly inverted on data-bit boundaries, so that the code sequence appears longer, for energy spreading, than it otherwise would appear.

Abstract: A spectrally efficient quadrature amplitude modulator comprising means for providing in-phase (I) and quadrature-phase shifted (Q) bit-streams from an input serial bit-stream, means for selectively suppressing the amplitudes of bits in the I and Q bit-streams in response to transition conditions for the I and Q signals, individual bit-shaping functions for the I and Q signals, and means for quadrature modulating a carrier signal with the I and Q signals. The resultant modulated carrier signal exhibits improved bandwidth efficiency and other desirable power spectral properties, including reduced spectral regrowth after amplitude limiting.

Abstract: A method for establishing communications between a master unit and a plurality of node units. Of the plurality of node units, K node units are assumed to have established communications with a master unit. A first (K+1) node unit of the plurality of node units, desires to establish communications with the master unit. The method includes transmitting from the master unit, a base-station spread spectrum signal having a common signalling chip code, transmitting from the first node unit a second spread spectrum signal with a first identification code using the common-signalling chip code, transmitting from the master unit a third spread spectrum signal with a master unit identification code, using the common-signalling chip code. The method further includes generating at the first node unit using the master unit identification signal, a master unit chip code for transmitting spread spectrum signals to the master unit.

Abstract: A surface-acoustic-wave correlator for decoding a spread-spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a plurality of chip sequences and reciprocal-chip sequences. A tapped-delay-line has a plurality of taps defining a tapped-delay-line structure matched to the chip sequence. In response to a plurality of first chips and second chips embedded in the spread-spectrum signal, the tapped-delay line generates TDL-chip sequences and inverse-TDL-chip sequences. A first transducer is acoustically coupled to the tapped-delay-line. In response to the spread-spectrum signal modulated by the chip sequence, the first transducer correlates a first group of the plurality of TDL-chip sequences and inverse-TDL-chip sequences and outputs a first correlation pulse. A second transducer is acoustically coupled to the tapped-delay-line.

Abstract: A spread-spectrum communication system in which the energy output is more smoothly distributed than the length of the pseudo-random code would otherwise indicate. A spread-spectrum communication system in which the code sequence is pseudo-randomly inverted on data-bit boundaries, so that the code sequence appears longer, for energy spreading, than it otherwise would appear.

Abstract: A wireless communication system including a repeated pattern of cells, in which base station transmitters and user station transmitters for each cell may be assigned a spread-spectrum code for modulating radio signal communication in that cell. Radio signals used in that cell are spread across a bandwidth sufficiently wide that both base station receivers and user station receivers in an adjacent cell may distinguish communication which originates in one cell from another. Adjacent cells may use distinguishable frequencies and distinguishable codes, but it is sufficient if adjacent cells use distinguishable frequencies and identical codes. A repeated pattern of cells allows the codes each to be reused in a plurality of cells.

Abstract: An apparatus for decoding a received spread spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a pseudo-noise code and transmitted as an RF spread spectrum signal. A reference-sequence-storage device holds a reference-pseudo-noise signal, and a receive-sequence storage device holds a received spread spectrum signal. A chip comparator adds each chip of the received spread spectrum signal by each respective chip of the pseudo-noise signal, thereby generating a plurality of chip comparison signals. A summer adds the plurality of chip comparison signals, generating a correlation signal. The comparator compares the correlation signal to a statistically predetermined threshold level, and generates a first data-symbol signal.

Abstract: A surface-acoustic-wave correlator for decoding a spread-spectrum signal having a data signal modulated with a plurality of chip sequences and reciprocal-chip sequences. A tapped-delay-line has a plurality of taps defining a tapped-delay-line structure matched to the chip sequence. In response to a plurality of first chips and second chips embedded in the spread-spectrum signal, the tapped-delay line generates TDL-chip sequences and inverse-TDL-chip sequences. A first transducer is acoustically coupled to the tapped-delay-line. In response to the spread-spectrum signal modulated by the chip sequence, the first transducer correlates a first group of the plurality of TDL-chip sequences and inverse-TDL-chip sequences and outputs a first correlation pulse. A second transducer is acoustically coupled to the tapped-delay-line.