Abstract: A mobile station for measuring signal strength of a set of channels includes a synthesizer, a controller and a transceiver. During an idle period, the controller loads channel data of the set of channels contained into a memory block in the synthesizer. The synthesizer automatically selects the channel data for each channel stored in the memory block and generates a frequency signal corresponding to the selected channel data. The transceiver measures the signal strength data of the selected channel data and stores the signal strength data in a buffer. Once the signal strength data for the entire set of channels has been measured and stored in the buffer, the transceiver transmits the signal strength data to the controller. The set of channels may include a set of channels from a neighbor cell list or measurement order transmitted by the radio base station. The set of channels may also include a set of control channels that the mobile station measures at power-up.

Abstract: A radio telephone has an array of manually operable switches mounted on a respective support. A processing circuit processes signals received via said switches and said support supplies signals to said processing device over a single transmission line. The processing device is arranged to determine an analogue characteristic of a signal received from the support via said transmission line in order to determine which of said manually operable keys has been manually operated. An analogue-to-digital converter can be used to measure voltage values identifying key selection or a timer can be used to measure capacitor charging or discharging.

Abstract: A robust method for determining the boundaries of cells and the associated reliability of the RF coverage within these boundaries is presented. The invention accurately determines the average range from the base station to the cell edge from RF signal strength measurements with a linear regression approach. The accuracy of this estimate is quantified both as a range uncertainty (e.g. .+-.100 meters) and as a cell coverage reliability (i.e. area/edge) through 1) simulation, 2) analysis of real data, and 3) theoretical analysis. It is shown that if the estimate of the cell radius meets the desired accuracy, then the corresponding estimates of coverage reliability (both area and edge) are more than sufficiently accurate. It is recommended that radio survey analyses incorporate this test as part of the coverage validation process.

Abstract: A subscriber terminal (22) within a business/residence (32) is in communications with a telecommunications network (12) through a fiber optic connection (33) to an optical network unit (20). Telephony signals are transmitted to and from the subscriber terminal to a user through a cordless telephone handset (26). During normal operation, the cordless telephone handset (26) operates in a cordless mode, passing telephony signals to a subscriber terminal telephone antenna (24) for transmission on the fiber optic connection (33). In the event of a power outage at the business/residence (32), the cordless telephone handset (26) switches to a wireless mode in order to continue to provide telephony communications. In the wireless mode, telephony communications are provided from the cordless telephone handset (26) to the telecommunications network (12) through a wireless telephone provider (14).

Abstract: A novel and improved method and apparatus for switching the radio interface layer of a wireless telephone call from code division multiple access (CDMA) cellular to GSM time division multiple access (TDMA) cellular during the course of that telephone call or other communication is described. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a set of base stations operating in accordance with the GSM standard generate pilot beacons signals in accordance with CDMA technology. During a phone call, a subscriber unit detects CDMA pilot signals, and notifies a base station controller when CDMA pilot signals are detected and the strength at which they are received. The base station controller identifies CDMA pilot signals from CDMA pilot beacon, and initiates a CDMA to GSM handover via the generation of a set of signaling messages which instruct the subscriber unit and receiving GSM infrastructure equipment to prepare for the switching of the radio interface layer.

Abstract: A method and system for automatically updating subscriber service accounts to accommodate a numbering plan change, such as an NPA split, is provided. Subscriber service account information, such as account information pertaining to speed dialing, is automatically updated by a subscriber account update process, which runs periodically on an administrative computer system connected to an ISN via a wide area network. The subscriber account update process accesses NPA split tables to determine pending NPA splits. For each pending NPA split, the update process determines impacted ANIs that have existing service accounts. Then, for each such impacted ANI, the update process creates a new service account, which is indexed by the new ANI, to which the impacted ANI is being converted. The new service account includes account information previously stored in the existing account. The existing account is updated to refer to the new account.

Abstract: The registration notification signal sent to the home cellular system when an internationally roaming cellular mobile station registers in a foreign cellular system includes an identification of the currently serving switching node. Upon subsequent receipt of an incoming call dialed to the roaming mobile station home directory number, the home cellular system signals the serving cellular system and a temporary local directory number is assigned and returned to the home cellular system. The switching node identification is then processed to identify the proper international dialing digits for calling the country where the serving switching node is located. The returned temporary local directory number is then appended to the identified international dialing digits to form an international telephone number which is used by the home cellular system to route the received call to the currently serving cellular system for delivery to the called internationally roaming mobile station.

Abstract: A wireless handset phone, virtual image display coupled to the wireless handset phone and pointing device for pointing on the virtual image display are included. The communicator may also include a limited-function computer. The virtual image display uses optics to create the virtual image. The pointing device may include a virtual selector; that is, an array of sensors or switches to accommodate different users' hands.

Abstract: A robust method for determining the boundaries of cells and the associated reliability of the RF coverage within these boundaries is presented. The invention accurately determines the average range from the base station to the cell edge from RF signal strength measurements with a linear regression approach. The accuracy of this estimate is quantified both as a range uncertainty (e.g. .+-.100 meters) and as a cell coverage reliability (i.e. area/edge) through 1) simulation, 2) analysis of real data, and 3) theoretical analysis. It is shown that if the estimate of the cell radius meets the desired accuracy, then the corresponding estimates of coverage reliability (both area and edge) are more than sufficiently accurate. It is recommended that radio survey analyses incorporate this test as part of the coverage validation process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for communicating a user created message from a portable transceiver (122) to a caller. The user of the portable transceiver (122) creates the user created message and stores it in the memory of the portable transceiver (122). The caller calls a communication terminal (102) and provides information that determines who the called party is, where the user created message retrieved from the called party is to be delivered, and in what format it is to be delivered. The communication terminal (102) sends a query message (400) to the portable transceiver (122) to retrieve the user created message. The portable transceiver (122) in response transmits the user created message to the communication terminal (102). The communication terminal (102) then translates the user created message into a voice message, if requested by the caller, and delivers the message to the caller by way of telephony or a page.

Abstract: In a color printer, in order to perform a high-speed print operation and ensure a refresh operation and the like of an image memory, print images which correspond to a plurality of printheads, and are bitmapped and stored in a bitmap RAM in units of colors are consecutively read out and DMA-transferred by 16 bits at a time when a read operation is designated. After this DMA operation, the refresh operation of the bitmap RAM or access to the RAM is permitted. The printer includes the same number of latch circuits as that of printheads (e.g., four). Each latch circuit stores a data transfer start address (TOPA) and a data transfer end address (ENDA) in the bitmap RAM. With this arrangement, image data can be efficiently read out. If the capacity of the bitmap RAM is small, an upper address bit in the bitmap RAM is shifted to switch discontinuous addresses to continuous addresses on the bitmap memory side.

Abstract: A wireless system is equipped for autonomous registration of a wireless telephone when it receives the "on" registration message from the cell site (which contains the telephone number and equipment identification number of the mobile unit), sends such identification of the mobile unit over a data link into a signaling network of the public switch telephone network. The signaling network forwards this data message to a service control point which controls such universal telephone number systems to register the number of the wireless unit for use the next time the universal telephone number is called. Advantageously, the equipment identification number (EIN) also received with the telephone number of the mobile unit may be used as a PIN or general identification number of the subscriber.

Abstract: In a satellite communication system, a method of unobtrusively intercepting a communication call includes establishing a first connection to originate from a first satellite subscriber (SU) and terminate at a first node at a first transcoder, establishing a second connection to originate from a second node at a second transcoder and terminate at a second SU, switching the first connection to originate from the first SU and terminate at a third node at the second transcoder, passing a first information carried by the first connection at the third node to the second connection at the second node. The first information without substantial delay or processing is transmitted by the second connection to be received by the second SU. The first information may be decoded in a decoder portion of the second transcoder to produce a first decoded information. The first decoded information, accordingly, may unobtrusively be monitored.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for dynamically maintaining a subscriber database of a cellular telecommunications system. The method and apparatus allows creation of a personalized location pointer structure, personalized subscriber database and personalized outgoing call search list for an individual mobile subscriber. The personalized pointer structure, personalized subscriber database and personalized search list are determined based on mobile subscriber movement history and behavior within the system. Each of the location pointer structure, subscriber database and search list may be reconfigured as the system operator desires to account for changes in mobile subscriber behavior.

Abstract: The present invention provides a technique which can protect security of data until a regular user who transmits print data directs to start printing on the side of a printing apparatus even in an environment where a plurality of host computers on a network use a common printing apparatus, and which can print image data which has already been produced, as it is after the user gives instructions to start printing.

Abstract: The present invention presents a mobile station of a wireless communications system such that when the mobile station is in idle mode (i.e., listening to a paging channel periodically, but otherwise taking no action), the control processor commands the mobile station to enter into sleep mode to minimize power consumption. During sleep mode, the high-frequency reference clock and thus all high-frequency clocks derived from it are turned off. Only a low-frequency clock remains operating at all times to clock the sleep logic.

Abstract: A directory of telephone numbers is entered into a cellular radiotelephone by entering the directory into a terminal, transferring the directory from the terminal to the radiotelephone via a wireless coupling, and programming the directory into a memory of the cellular radiotelephone. The radiotelephone preferably includes an acoustic output transducer, an acoustic input transducer, a transceiver, a memory, a wireless coupling for receiving a data signal including the directory of telephone numbers, and a processor for programming the directory in the memory. The terminal is preferably a system including an input device for accepting entry of the directory, a processor for converting the directory into a data signal which can be transferred to the radiotelephone and an acoustic output transducer for transferring the data signal to the radiotelephone where the directory of telephone numbers can be programmed into memory.

Abstract: A cordless telephone set having a base unit and handset units and enabling communications using a channel selected from a plurality of channels. The cordless telephone set comprises apparatus for storing a specified number of channels selected by the telephone apparatus and storing historical channel use data. Whether or not a channel is unused is determined and channels used with high frequency with the data stored in the first storage are changed to those used with low frequency according to the historical use data. Channels that are stored are progressively specified prior to a start of call and a specified channel is selected, if it is determined that the channel is an unused one.

Abstract: A communication system is disclosed as including a plurality of mobile radio telephones, a control unit for transmitting a signaling message to an intended mobile radio telephone, and at least one paging channel through which the control unit is able to transmit the signaling message at varying margin levels. The control unit initially transmits the signaling message at a specified margin level for a predetermined number of attempts and progressively continues to transmit the signaling message at margin levels greater than the specified margin level until the intended mobile radio telephone receives the signaling message.

Abstract: In a radio communication system including at least one radio base station and at least two telephones connected to a radio terminal, simultaneous multiple calls may be set up between the radio base station and the radio terminal. An adaptor connects the telephones to the radio terminal that is connected over a radio air-interface to the radio base station. For an outgoing call originating from one of the telephones, the adaptor senses when a particular telephone goes off-hook and signals this information to the radio base station via the radio terminal and a control channel of the radio air-interface. Then, a first traffic channel is set up between the radio base station and the radio terminal. The telephone that has gone off-hook is connected to the established traffic channel via an adaptor. Once a first traffic channel is established for a first call, signalling that a second call is to be set up may be transmitted across the first traffic channel without terminating the first call.