Abstract: The invention is related to a method and equipment used by a radio communication device (2) in a cellular network to determine whether a particular area specific service is applicable. A base station (6) transmits a first character sequence (4) which is advantageously a binary number. The radio communication device (2) selects on the basis of a second character sequence (5) stored in its memory (12) certain characters of the first character sequence (4) for examination. A logic AND or OR function (15-20) is performed for these characters indicating whether said service is applicable. By adding area specific character sequences (7) to the message sent by the base station (6) and making the recognition algorithms of the radio communication device more complex it is possible to establish a versatile service system with geographical and temporal variation. Said service can be, for example, area specific pricing.

Abstract: An antenna interface unit (AIU) for providing low power loss, fault tolerant connectivity between multiple transmitters and an antenna, and between multiple receivers and the antenna. The antenna interface unit also eliminates single point failures in a transmit/receive (T/R) mechanism. The antenna interface unit includes (a) a power combiner/splitter connectable to the antenna; a receive channel connected to the power combiner/splitter; and a transmit channel connected to the power combiner/splitter. The transmit channel is a different channel from the receive channel. The receivers are connectable to the antenna via the receive channel and through the power combiner/splitter. The transmitters are connectable to the antenna via the transmit channel and through the power combiner/splitter. Different variations of the receive channel and the transmit channel are provided by using different combinations of power combiners and power splitters.

Abstract: The invention relates to use of a double-acting communication device comprising a separate first user interface (1) which is substantially a telephone user interface including sound reproducing means, and a separate second user interface (2) which is substantially a keypad and display user interface. The first and the second user interface can be used at different times and simultaneously, whereby in the simultaneous use the communication device is substantially located on a table or in the lap and not at the ear like when using the telephone user interface only. Thus, when a simultaneous use is started, the sound reproducing volume is increased so that the user can hear the voice from the speaker (3, 5) even though the device is far from the user's ear. The second user interface (2) is located inside the device, so that it is preferable to locate the switch (15) affecting the sound reproduction volume so that it is attached to the opening mechanism of the device.

Abstract: A cordless telephone is provided with a first part having a loudspeaker, a second part having a microphone, and furthermore with a hinge by means of which the second part is pivotable relative to the first part between a folded state, in which the second part lies over the first part, and an open state, in which the second part lies at least substantially in the extended direction of the first part. The first and second parts are provided with support portions adjacent the hinge by which the telephone in its folded state is supported in a vertical position on an at least substantially flat base surface in a stable manner.

Abstract: A method in a cellular telecommunications network of informing the network of a plurality of operating capabilities of a mobile terminal. The method begins with the steps of entering an access (intermediate) state at the mobile terminal and then transmitting a message from the network to the mobile terminal requesting the mobile terminal to transmit information regarding the operating capabilities of the mobile terminal. The capability request may be sent on a paging channel (PCH) or an access response channel (ARCH). This is followed by transmitting a capability report from the mobile terminal to the network, the capability report including the requested information. The capability report may include all of the capabilities of the mobile terminal, or may include a specified capability set.

Abstract: A space-based server network architecture (1) which permits on demand transfer of mission and control data between client satellites (14) in an orbit about earth and an earth station (20, 22, 24, 26) irrespective of the location of the client satellite (14) relative to the earth station (20, 22, 24, 26). The architecture includes a plurality of server satellites (10) located spaced apart in a earth orbit above the orbit of the client satellites (14). The server satellites (10) provide substantially total world-wide communications coverage to and connectivity with designated and authorized earth stations (20, 22, 24, 26) and the plurality of client satellites (14).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing inter-system hard handoff between communication systems or inter-frequency hard handoff within a CDMA communication system is disclosed. The purpose of this invention is to reduce the probability of dropped calls during inter-system hard handoff. In the event that a hard handoff attempt is unsuccessful, the mobile station will return to the original system with information which the communication system of the present invention uses to assist in the performance of future handoff attempts. Alternatively, with no handoff attempt made, the mobile station monitors the destination system then returns to the original system with information used to assist in subsequent handoff attempts. The information returned from monitoring a CDMA system consists of results of a search for one or more pilots given at offsets in a specific list provided to the mobile station by the base station or a set of offsets based upon a predetermined search algorithm.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for on-the-fly mode change in a paging system (201) is provided. A transmitter controller (301) in a base station (207) receives paging information. From the paging information, the transmitter controller (301) is capable of identifying a plurality of paging protocols associated with the paging information. Each identified paging protocol is associated with a corresponding mode. Mode information (D.sub.3, D.sub.4) corresponding to each mode is provided to an exciter (303). Based upon the mode information, the exciter (303) modulates a frequency using predetermined values of frequency deviation and frequency offset associated with the mode. The exciter (303) produces a modulated signal that transitions from one mode to another without delay.

Abstract: A distributed processing telephone system for providing "plug-and-play" capability. In particular, a key telephone system comprises a plurality of telephone sets. Each telephone set is coupled to a least one common communications channel, or telephone line, and includes at least one tunable RF modem. There is no key service unit (KSU). That is, the system is KSU-less. Resources of the telephone system are allocated using a peer-to-peer protocol. For example, as each telephone set is newly added to the system, the new telephone set adaptively determines its own allocation of resources, e.g., intercom numbers, etc. During operation, each telephone set requests the appropriate resources from its peers.

Abstract: A radio access unit for establishing radio link connections with a plurality of geographically spread remote telecommunication units. The radio access unit comprises radio access modules and antenna means (46), operatively connected to provide a plurality of common radio communication channels in directionally separated transmission sectors (66-71). The radio access modules are arranged for adaptively selecting a free communication channel amongst the plurality of common radio channels in a transmission sector (66-71); i.e. Dynamic Channel Allocation (DCA). The selected channel is individual to a radio link connection in such transmission sector (66-71). The radio access unit can be used in Radio in the Local Loop (RLL) applications and cellular overlay multicell mobile communication networks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the transmit power of a high rate code division multiple access (CDMA) link is described. The channel condition to a subscriber unit is evaluated and the configuration of a high rate link in soft handoff is based on the channel condition. If a fading channel is detected the supplemental channels of the high rate link are transmitted from multiple base stations. If a non-fading channel is detected the supplemental channels of the high rate link are transmitted from a single base station. Parameters monitored to determine the channel condition include the pilot strength, pilot code offset and error rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus enables selection a communication system when a user of a mobile unit is away from a home system to which it is registered. According to one novel aspect, the visited communication system broadcasts (402) a list of standardized type services including tariff information, which is used by the mobile unit to select a system. According to another novel aspect, the mobile initiates an outgoing call of a non-standardised type service by accessing (502) a candidate system and informing it of the location of the home network and desired service identifier. The candidate system obtains (504) the service information on this service from the home network, and then provides (546) a quotation for a required service. Also, a communication system according to the present invention minimises incoming call costs to the user wherein the home system polls (606) the communication systems within range of the mobile unit to select the best system to provide service.

Abstract: A neighborhood zone covering an enclosed or surrounded environment, such as a man-made building or high-rise, is defined within a mobile telecommunications network by associating a plurality of base stations with respective cell areas. A same neighborhood list indicating all measurement channels being utilized within the neighborhood zone by said plurality of base stations is then further defined. The defined same neighborhood list is then transmitted by each of the base stations within its respective coverage area. A mobile station traveling within the neighborhood zone then scans and reports measurements from the indicated measurement channels to the serving mobile telecommunications network. The mobile telecommunications network then effectuates a handover in accordance with the received signal measurements. An idle mobile station further utilizes the measurements to effectuate a cell re-selection.

Abstract: An amplifier module for radio frequency signal circuits includes an electrically conductive housing. Two coax connectors are electrically linked to an amplifier circuit contained within the module. A separate transformer is external to the module. Both the module and the external transformer are mountable to a chassis frame. Other modules are usable in the system in addition to the amplifier module. The transformer can be wall mounted to the chassis frame, or the transformer can be internal to a module which also mounts to the chassis frame.

Abstract: A mobile communication system and a method controls subscriber paging messages in a mobile communication system. The base stations of a mobile communication system are arranged according to their traffic load into paging groups with different priorities, so that base stations with a traffic load level lower than a predetermined threshold value have a higher priority in the selection of base stations for transmitting a paging message than base stations with a traffic load level higher than the threshold value. A paging message for a mobile station is first transmitted via the lightly loaded base stations of the location area of the mobile station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for fraud control in cellular telephone systems. The invention identifies relative fraud probabilities for call records from the cellular telephone system, associates the call records with radio frequency (RF) signatures, and identifies the radio frequency signatures as being fraudulent or valid based on the relative fraud probabilities for the associated call records.

Abstract: The wireless system includes one or more payphones from which users may initiate payphone calls. A mobile switching center connects telephone calls initiated from wireless payphones to external telephone systems such as the public switch telephone network (PSTN). To meter charges incurred during the telephone call within an external system, the external system transmits periodic metering pulses to the mobile switching center. Each pulse is representative of a predetermined amount of money associated with the telephone call. The rate at which the periodic pulses are transmitted to the mobile switching center depends upon the current billing rate and may be affected by, for example, the time of day.

Abstract: A digital recorder detrunks calls for logging prior to recording same. This allows retrieving what a radio monitoring a particular talkgroup hears and combines that with the best features of a detrunk-on-playback system, namely the ability to isolate those portions of all the system communications which are desired or specifically excluded. The fluid associations between talkgroup IDs, multigroup IDs, and supergroup IDs are used by the recorder to search for the audio which the user wishes to hear. The retrieval of audio heard by a particular, individual radio is made possible through the incorporation of radio affiliation information into a searchable database. A specified individual radio ID may be tracked with respect to its talkgroup affiliations, during a specified time interval, by an appropriate search algorithm. Those affiliations can, in turn, be further used with the talkgroup/supergroup/multigroup search algorithm to retrieve the audio heard by an individual radio user.

Abstract: A cordless telephone is disclosed that displays the relative position of a communication partner's cordless telephone during conversation between cordless telephones and that includes a received field level detector that measures the received field level; a memory section that inputs and stores the position at which received field level is first detected and positions subsequently detected; a control section that determines the relative position of a communication partner's cordless telephone by performing a three-point measurement based on the results of detecting received field level three times and on the resulting detected positions, and a display section that displays the measurement result.

Abstract: A modular communication device (102), which provides for radio frequency (RF) communication in a communication system (100), comprises a first modular unit (106) and a second modular unit (108). The first modular unit (106) includes a housing (110); a user interface (113) including a display (114) and keys (116); electrical circuitry (605), including a transceiver (606) coupled to an antenna (610); a battery connection interface (308) for receiving a battery (302); and a connection interface (120). The second modular unit (108) includes a housing (128); a user interface (135) including a speaker (650), a microphone (648), and a keypad (140); a retractable antenna (134); a battery connection interface (402) for receiving a battery (142); and a connection interface (143). When the connection interfaces (143, 120) are connected, the user interface (135), the antenna (134), and the battery connection interface (402) are coupled to the electrical circuitry (602).