Abstract: An unbundling apparatus to permit competitive access providers access to telephone lines connected to a remote terminal, and the ability to control and test such lines. Such unbundling apparatus includes a switch fabric, a command module, and a testing module. The switch fabric provides all voice channel connections between all switches and the remote terminal and grooms the control channels. Control messages are switched into the command module, which performs any protocol translations necessary. All commands from switches are then multiplexed and sent back to the switch fabric, which routes them to the original command channel to the remote terminal. Control messages from the remote terminal are demultiplexed, translated (if necessary) and sent to the switch fabric for delivery to the appropriate switch. Testing of lines is also provided to all competitive service providers.

Abstract: A personal communications system is described which includes components of software and hardware operating in conjunction with a personal computer. The user interface control software operates on a personal computer, preferably within the Microsoft Windows.RTM. environment. The software control system communicates with hardware components linked to the software through the personal computer serial communications port. The hardware components include telephone communication equipment, digital signal processors, and hardware to enable voice, fax and data communication with a remote site connected through a standard telephone line. The functions of the hardware components are controlled by control software operating within the hardware component and from the software components operating within the personal computer.

Abstract: A satellite channel interface (SCI) is constituted by an analog section having a multiplexer unit and a down converter unit, and a digital section constituted by a modulator-demodulator unit. The satellite channel interface has a single printed circuit board on which all of the above units are formed. A rectangular member surrounds the analog section, and a shield cover shields an opening portion of the rectangular member. The single printed circuit board is a multi-layered board constituted by at least three conductive layers, of which the bottom two layers are grounding electrodes. The SCI does not require the terminals and cables which are otherwise necessary, can be made compact, and can be manufactured with the reduced number of processing steps.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of CDMA techniques. Data signals to be transmitted from a plurality of wireless devices are spread across a common bandwidth. The data signals are received by a base station as a composite spread signal. The base station partially despreads the composite spread signal with unique codes to extract data signals from individual wireless devices. The data rate and quality of service requirements for each wireless device are used to calculate a power factor and a control signal is sent to control the power from a particular wireless device. In addition, a probability of transmission value is calculated based on an equivalent current load value and an equivalent population value. The probability of transmission value determines whether a particular wireless device is allowed access to an uplink frequency channel.

Abstract: A data communications protocol for single path media having low data error rate requires the generation of a data packet with a start code field having a predetermined pattern, a byte count field for defining a data field having a maximum predetermined length in bytes, a data payload field having a byte count according to the value of the byte count field and a cyclic redundancy cheek field of predetermined length. The value of the byte count field may be fixed, may be changed from packet to packet or may be changed upon initialization. The described data communications protocol permits utilization with data types varying from high definition television to alarm reporting applications. Moreover, the data rate may be varied by varying an idle time signal duration up to a maximum (when the idle time signal duration is reduced to zero).

Abstract: A data communication system, such as a local area network, is provided with a capability of transmitting isochronous data. Preferably the system conveys both isochronous data and non-isochronous data by time-multiplexing the data into a recurring frame structure on a four-bit nibble basis. An efficient encoding scheme permits transmission of both isochronous and non-isochronous data over existing media, such as twisted pair, without degrading bandwidth previously achieved for non-isochronous data over the same media, such as using an ethernet system. Bandwidth available for a particular isochronous source/sink is selectable and sustainable with a predefined granularity. The arriving data is de-multiplexed at the hub into separate channels for handling the separate streams by appropriate hardware. Preferably, the present invention can be implemented in a fashion that is transparent to already-installed media access controllers.

Abstract: Within a desired service area, multiple transmitters at separately located sites simultaneously broadcast the same multi-channel, multi-program signal. Broadcast waves from the transmitters propagate throughout substantially overlapping portions of the service area. Each broadcast channel carries a multiplexed digital data stream containing packets of information for a plurality of programs, e.g. television programs. A shared antenna system, typically including multiple receiving antennae aimed at a plurality of the transmitters, supplies received signals to terminals in a plurality of living units. The shared system includes delayed signal processing circuitry to supply an optimal signal from the receiving antennae to the terminals.

Abstract: There are proposed a communication station apparatus which can perform a multipoint intercommunication by connecting a plurality of points via a communication line, having an inquiry unit for sending, in advance, an inquiry as to participation in the multipoint intercommunication to the stations of members relating to the multipoint intercommunication, and a registration unit for receiving inquiry results sent from the members who received the inquiry from the inquiry unit, and registering a group of personal information of the members relating to the multipoint intercommunication in correspondence with the received results, and a communication station apparatus which can perform a multipoint intercommunication by connecting a plurality of points via a communication line, having an inquiry unit for sending, in advance, an inquiry as to participation in the multipoint intercommunication to stations of members relating to the multipoint intercommunication, and a communication path setting unit for receiving inq

Abstract: An ATM cell switching apparatus which prevents degradation of user cells in the ATM switch and preserve the quality of control cells, even upon increase in the control cells. Control cell discriminator 2.sub.1 discriminates whether the cells on the input cell highways 1.sub.1 are control cells or user cells, and output control cell dropping instruction signal 3.sub.1 when the cells are discriminated as control cells. Control cell dropper 4.sub.1 distributes the user cells onto the cell highways 5.sub.1 and the control cells onto the input control cell highway 6.sub.1. Control cell processing unit 8 performs a termination of the control cells and processes necessary operation ralating to the control cells. The control cells to be output are temporarily stored in the control cell FIFO 13.sub.1, and inserted into an idle cell position in the switch output cell highway 10.sub.1 when an idle cell is appeared. If no idle cell is available, the idle cell output instruction signal 14.sub.

Abstract: A diversity scheme for allowing a transmitter/receiver, such as a mobile unit in a mobile telecommunications system, to exchange communication signals with more than one control station, such as a base station or satellite. According to an exemplary embodiment of the diversity scheme, the mobile unit scans for the control channel of a second satellite during idle time slots while communicating with a first satellite during active time slots. Once the mobile unit detects a control channel from a second satellite, the mobile unit stores synchronization information and establishes a communication link with the second satellite if shadowing or other severe fading causes signal quality over a communication link established with a first satellite to fall below a threshold level. The diversity scheme also allows the mobile unit to communicate simultaneously with two satellites, using alternate TDMA frames.

Abstract: A network interface for connecting a first network utilizing a first medium access control protocol to a plurality of relatively slower networks utilizing a second medium access control protocol. The network interface includes memory in which a table of addresses of nodes on the plurality of second networks is maintained. The network interface passes data from a data packet received from the first network to one of the plurality of second networks only if the destination address of the data packet matches one of the node addresses within the table of node addresses. The network interface passes data from a data packet received from one of the plurality of second networks to the first network only if the destination address of the data packet does not match a node address in the table of node addresses.

Abstract: In an ATM communication network system comprising plural ATM terminals 1a to if respectively having individual real memories 38a to 38f to transmit and receive ATM cells and ATM switching apparatus 2a, 2c and 2e for switching the ATM cells transmitted and received among the ATM terminals 1a to if and setting a broadcast connection 4a designating the respective ATM terminals 1a to if as the transmitting ATM terminals, the virtual memory 3 may be realized on the real memories 38a to 38f of the ATM terminals 1a to if by periodically performing the broadcast cell communications using the broadcast connection 4a designating all the ATM terminals 1a to if in the present system as the transmitting apparatuses.

Abstract: The invention relates to a switching network enabling a plurality of bothway I/O links to be interconnected. In one embodiment of the invention, the network includes at least two nodes, each node possessing not more than k incident I/O points, k.gtoreq.2, n sets of k extended I/O points, n.gtoreq.2, and extension/concentration devices enabling each of the k incident I/O points to be connected to one of the extended I/O points of each of the n sets. Each bothway I/O link is capable of being connected to one of the incident I/O points of one of the nodes, and each node is associated with a bothway switching matrix having k I/O ports. The nodes are interconnected in pairs by first and second one-way switching matrices each having k input ports and k output ports.

Abstract: A method and a facility for communication between packet mode supporting units interconnected in the core of a communications installation by point-to-point links that are physically structured and time governed in identical manner, a packet being transmitted between two packet mode support units of the installation after the unit desiring to transmit has previously sent a request to the destination unit and the destination unit has responded with a corresponding acknowledgment. The communications facility constitutes a distributed type asynchronous switch in which each packet mode support unit includes a packet communication circuit to which the point-to-point links terminating at the unit are connected via a switching module. The communication circuit conditions each of the packets that is to be transmitted to another packet mode supporting unit of the installation in the form of a sequence of cells, and also performs inverse conditioning.

Abstract: Within a desired service area, multiple transmitters at separately located sites simultaneously broadcast the same multi-channel, multi-program signal. Broadcast waves from the transmitters propagate throughout substantially overlapping portions of the service area. Obstructions in the service area, e.g. mountains, buildings, trees, etc., may block reception from one or more of the transmitters at certain sites. However, at most receiving sites, the receiving antenna can receive a clear line-of-sight transmission from at least one of the transmitters. In the preferred implementation, the channels are 6 MHz wide channels broadcast in the super high frequency microwave portion of the spectrum. Each such channel carries a multiplexed digital data stream containing packets of information for a plurality of programs, e.g. television programs.

Abstract: A base station for a cellular radio system including switching centers and base stations connected thereto by time-division telecommunication links. The base station includes one or more transceiver units for establishing radio links, a multiplexer/demultiplexer for multiplexing transmission channels on the telecommunication links, for extracting synchronization and clock signals, and for demultiplexing data to be sent from the base station to a transmission channel of the telecommunication link. The base station further includes switches for switching respective transceiver units to respective transmission channels of the respective telecommunication links.

Abstract: Within a desired service area, multiple transmitters at separately located sites simultaneously broadcast the same multi-channel, multi-program signal. Broadcast waves from the transmitters propagate throughout substantially overlapping portions of the service area. Obstructions in the service area, e.g. mountains, buildings, trees, etc., may block reception from one or more of the transmitters at certain sites. However, at most receiving sites, the receiving antenna can receive a clear line-of-sight transmission from at least one and often two or more of the transmitters. Each broadcast channel carries a multiplexed digital data stream containing packets of information for a plurality of programs, e.g. television programs. A shared antenna system, typically including multiple receiving antennae aimed at a plurality of the transmitters, supplies received signals to terminals in a plurality of living units.

Abstract: A data processing system (10) and associated method (150) of operation selectively compand data on a slot-by-slot basis. The data processing system (10) includes a processor (12), processor bus (14), memory (16), output serial interface (18), and input serial interface (70). The output serial interface (18) includes an output data buffer (20), compression module (22), output shift register (24), and output controller (26). In operation, the output serial interface (18) receives output data (28) and selectively compresses the data on a slot-by-slot basis. The shift register (24) then places the transmit data (32) on the serial link (25). An input serial interface (128) selectively expands data received on the serial link (25) on a slot-by-slot basis to produce input data (82). The associated method (150) includes method steps for companding data on a slot-by-slot basis. An ISDN interface and digital telephone (200) employ the teachings of the present invention.

Abstract: A CDMA system in which carriers are segregated according to the self-sacrifice of a mobile station resulting in no communication quality deterioration due to shadowing The mobile station detects a base station which causes a sudden increase in the reception power of the mobile station, and generates self-sacrifice information and transmits the information to the base station communicating with the mobile station. The informed base station detects the self-sacrifice information transmitted from the mobile station and informs mobile communication control equipment. The mobile communication control equipment designates a carrier which is prohibited from future use and the concerned base station. The concerned base station discontinues use of the designated carrier.

Abstract: Data capacity mismatches between a communication node, including end node work stations, and a communication link usually require large buffer storage to prevent the loss of transmitted data frames due to transmission of an incomplete frame. Transmitted data frame continuity is maintained in the present invention by using small FIFO buffers in the node to store small portions of a data frame as data is sent and received. In addition, the data frame is maintained by stretching the transmitted frame on the link when necessary to prevent loss of the frame and compress the stretched frame when it is received from the link. The stretching and compressing is accomplished by inserting and removing non-data symbols, or command code words, in the transmitted and received string of data words. Small FIFO buffers (much less than a data frame in data capacity) operate on the fly to transmit and receive data without requiring contiguous transmission of a complete frame.