Abstract: A received synchronization pattern (300″) is compared against first and second known synchronization patterns. If the received pattern is substantially similar to the first known pattern, the payload is processed as voice; and if the received pattern is substantially similar to the second known pattern, the payload is processed as non-voice. Alternatively, a target synchronization pattern dependent on an operating mode is selected. The received pattern is compared against the target pattern. If the received pattern is substantially similar to the target pattern, the payload is processed; otherwise, the burst is discarded. In yet another alternative, the received pattern is compared against first and second known synchronization patterns having a common length. If the received pattern is substantially similar to the first known pattern, a first operating mode is selected, and if the received pattern is substantially similar to the second known pattern, a second operating mode is selected.

Abstract: In a wireless communication system with an air interface comprising a plurality of bursts, a plurality of bursts is defined. Each burst comprises a field (300) embedded within the burst. The field is one of a synchronization field (300′) and a signaling field (300″). When the field is a synchronization field, a position of at least one subsequent burst comprising the signaling field is defined, and a position of at least one subsequent burst comprising the synchronization field is defined.

Abstract: A scalable slot format defining positions of synchronization symbols, pilot symbols and data symbols for various numbers of sub-channels and various lengths of time in a multi-carrier communication system. An initial pattern (500) and one or more follow-on patterns (600, 700) are defined identifying positions of data symbols, synchronization symbols and pilot symbols for a first number of sub-channels corresponding to a first bandwidth. An extended pattern is constructed from the one or more follow-on patterns. The extension pattern is appended to the initial pattern to form a base pattern (810, 910, 1010). The base pattern (810, 910, 1010) is replicated zero or more times to form an expanded pattern (812, 910, 1015) identifying positions of data symbols, synchronization symbols and pilot symbols for an expanded number of sub-channels corresponding to a second bandwidth.

Abstract: A radio frequency communications system (100) includes wireless terminals (102) and base sites (104). The wireless terminals communicate with the base sites over a radio frequency channel (106). The base sites are interconnected to each other and other network elements via a packet network. A method and apparatus determine for a particular delay-sensitive application on the wireless terminal, for example, an audio or video transmission, the requirements for bandwidth for transmission over the radio frequency channel (500, 502). After the requirements on the radio frequency channel are determined, the necessary channel bandwidth, if available, is reserved or allocated to guarantee performance to the application (510). The reserved bandwidth is utilized by selectively granting access to the radio frequency channel on the basis of the bandwidth allocated to the device.

Abstract: In an outbound transmission (300), an address of a first subscriber unit assigned to transmit in a first inbound slot is identified. With one bit in the outbound transmission (300), an additional inbound slot the first subscriber unit is assigned to transmit is identified.

Abstract: Binding proxies are used to reduce packet routing delays and call setup delays in a data network made up of a plurality of subnetworks. The binding proxy detects when a mobile device connects to a subnetwork and sends a binding message to various correspondent device(s) in the data network. The binding message contains a care-of-address of the mobile device that allowing the correspondent device(s) to send messages directly to the subnetwork that the mobile device is connected, thereby bypassing a home agent of the mobile device.

Abstract: A wireless multi-carrier communication system having designated control sub-channels (402) that enable a receiving device (106) to operate in a low power decoding mode. A sending device (104) may send control or payload information via the control sub-channels. The receiving device (106) operates in a low-power decoding mode to decode the control sub-channels, yielding the control or payload information. If the sending device has payload information directed to the receiving device that can not fit within the control sub-channels, it sends the information to the receiving device in one or more payload sub-channels (404). The receiving device operates in a second, generally higher power decoding mode to decode the payload sub-channels, yielding the payload information.

Abstract: A communication system (200) wherein time slots are divided into subslots by dividing the time slots at least in frequency. These subslots are used to efficiently transmit small amounts of data. For wide bandwidth signals, dividing time slots in frequency is more efficient than dividing time slots only in time because of the fixed overhead per time slot needed for propagation delays and time synchronization. The division of time slots into subslots can reduce the probability of collisions of random access transmissions by providing more random access opportunities. In an alternate embodiment, communication units (210) making random access transmissions transmit in multiple subslots of time slots to increase the probability that at least one transmission will not experience a collision.

Abstract: Fixed network equipment (100) initializes a channel aggregation strategy and establishes a default channel aggregation. A request for a service requiring additional bandwidth is received from a device. An updated channel aggregation is generated based upon the request and the channel aggregation strategy to create an updated channel aggregation. The updated channel aggregation is signaled to at least one mobile station (116) via an in-band message.

Abstract: A scalable pattern methodology defining positions of synchronization symbols, pilot symbols and data symbols for various numbers of sub-channels in a multi-carrier communication system. A base pattern (510) is defined identifying positions of data symbols, synchronization symbols and pilot symbols for a first number of sub-channels corresponding to a first bandwidth. The base pattern is replicated or scaled to form an expanded pattern (512, 514) identifying positions of data symbols, synchronization symbols and pilot symbols for an expanded number (M) of sub-channels corresponding to a second bandwidth. The pattern methodology may be implemented by a transmitter (100) having subdivided an original information signal into M bit streams and having encoded each of the M bit streams to 16QAM symbols to form M symbol streams, by inserting synchronization and pilot symbols into each of the M symbol streams at positions determined by the expanded pattern.

Abstract: A packet-based, multimedia communication system is disclosed that extends IP host functionality to wireless terminals serviced by wireless links. A service controller of the communication system manages communications services such as voice calls, video calls, web browsing, video-conferencing and/or internet communications over a wireless packet network between source and destination host devices. A multimedia content server of the communication system provides access to one or more requested multimedia communication services. A bandwidth manager of the communication system determines an availability of bandwidth for the service requests and, if bandwidth is available, reserves bandwidth sufficient to support the service requests. Wireless link manager(s) of the communication system manage wireless communication resources required to support the service requests.

Abstract: A radio frequency communications system (100) includes wireless terminals (102) and base sites (104). The wireless terminals communicate with the base sites over a radio frequency channel (106). The base sites are interconnected to each other and other network elements via a packet network. A method and apparatus determine for a particular delay-sensitive application on the wireless terminal, for example, an audio or video transmission, the requirements for bandwidth for transmission over the radio frequency channel (500, 502). After the requirements on the radio frequency channel are determined, the necessary channel bandwidth, if available, is reserved or allocated to guarantee performance to the application (510). The reserved bandwidth is utilized by selectively granting access to the radio frequency channel on the basis of the bandwidth allocated to the device.

Abstract: A slot format and acknowledgment method for use in a communication network that contains one or more wireless links. The slot format provides for the segmenting and reassembly of packets for transport over a wireless link. It also provides support for multiple types of service for the data being carried over the wireless link as well as allocating of access to the wireless link among a plurality of communication units. The acknowledgment method provides for detection of errors over the wireless link, the selective acknowledgment of error-free transmissions and the selective resending of transmissions received in error.

Abstract: A scalable slot format defining positions of synchronization symbols, pilot symbols and data symbols for various numbers of sub-channels and various lengths of time in a multi-carrier communication system. An initial pattern (500) and one or more follow-on patterns (600, 700) are defined identifying positions of data symbols, synchronization symbols and pilot symbols for a first number of sub-channels corresponding to a first bandwidth. An extended pattern is constructed from the one or more follow-on patterns. The extension pattern is appended to the initial pattern to from a base pattern (810, 910, 1010). The base pattern (810, 910, 1010) is replicated zero or more times to form an expanded pattern (812, 910, 1015) identifying positions of data symbols, synchronization symbols and pilot symbols for an expanded number of sub-channels corresponding to a second bandwidth.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for integrated processing of narrow-band communications and wide-band communications is generally accomplished when a communications controller (25) receives a request for a narrow-band communication. The request includes identity of at least one targeted communication device (32). Having received the request, the communications controller determines whether the at least one targeted communication device is participating in a wide-band communication on a wide-band channel. If so, the communications controller causes a narrow-band communication to be mixed with the wide-band communication. The mixed signal is then provided to the at least one targeted communication device on the wide-band channel.

Abstract: An APCO 25 radio communication system 200 includes a repeater 101 arranged to receive signals from an inbound repeater link 103, thereby forming received signals. The repeater 101 is arranged to forward the received signals to a subscriber 121 via an outbound radio frequency path 113. The received signals include two types of packets, namely, packets 105 with correctable errors 107, and "erasure packets"109 with detectable-but-uncorrectable errors 111. The inbound repeater link is equipped with error correcting means 110 for correcting the correctable errors 107. The inbound repeater link is also equipped with error mitigating means 130 for mitigating the detectable-but-uncorrectable errors 111. The error mitigation is performed in accordance with the improved multi-band excitation ("IMBE") process.

Abstract: In a modulator (300), a symbol weight determiner (301) determines a scaling factor (310) for at least one symbol (308). An integrator (303) and a complex symbol generator (305) operate to produce at least one complex symbol (314) based on the at least one symbol. The scaling factor (310) is used to scale the at least one complex symbol. In one embodiment, a scaler (307) comprises a gain-modifiable amplifier (609) and, in a second embodiment, the scaler comprises a gain-modifiable filter (809). When such a modulator is incorporated into an RF communication device (600, 800), the energy used to transmit any given symbol can be varied according to the relative importance of that symbol. Additionally, the overall received sensitivity of a communication, at a given signal strength, can be improved.

Abstract: Delayed symbols (204), including a current symbol (205), are compared by a comparator (206) with at least one predetermined pattern when the current symbol is equivalent to one of a set of predetermined values. Alternatively, a sign of the current symbol is compared with signs of a previous and a subsequent symbol when the current symbol is equivalent to one of the set of predetermined values. When the current symbol is equivalent to one of the set of predetermined values and when either the delayed symbols are equivalent to one of the at least one predetermined pattern or the sign of the current symbol matches the signs of the previous and subsequent symbols, a symbol corrector (208) applies a predetermined function to the current symbol to produce a received symbol (210).

Abstract: A data transmission scheme for use in a low channel bandwidth-to-modulation symbol rate ratio (BW:R.sub.S) application employing a linear modulator for producing in-phase and quadrature (I and Q) components of a data stream inputted at a predetermined symbol rate. This transmission method allows for the recovery of signals having unfavorable delay spread characteristics. That is, a specialized function is used to process the I and Q components, whose time domain transfer characteristic remains within a predetermined range of a data constellation point for a duration that exceeds 25 percent of a symbol period corresponding to the predetermined symbol rate. The processed response is then band-limited to produce a modulation signal that is usable in the low BW:R.sub.S application.

Abstract: Communication units are provided access to a communication system (100) in the following manner. A base station (202) receives, from a requesting communication unit, a request, via a shared inbound communication resource (209), for an available message path (207). When a dual-mode outbound communication resource is operating in a control mode (205), the message path (207), having a first inbound communication resource (204) and the dual-mode outbound communication resource operating in a partial control mode (206), is assigned to the requesting communication unit. Thus, the shared inbound communication resource is consistently available, providing access to the communication system.