Abstract: A decoder circuit includes a probability circuit which generates branch metrics using bit-wise probabilities representing frame-to-frame correlation relationships. The branch metrics are input to a decoder which outputs decoded data bits as a function of the bit-wise probabilities for at least predetermined bit positions.

Abstract: A system and method for calculating survivor metrics in a Viterbi equalizer of a receiver, such as a receiver operative to receive a PSK-modulated signal, for example, a .pi./4, differential, phase-shift-keying, modulated signal. The state transition metric, defined as a function of two successive states, is converted into a function defined by pairwise differences between allowable symbols of a PSK-modulated signal. When operative to receive the .pi./4 DQPSK-modulated signal, the number of calculations required to calculate state transition metrics is reduced significantly.

Abstract: A network protocol method (300), access point device (600) and peripheral devices (700, 800) provide an efficient centrally coordinated peer-to-peer wireless communications network wherein the access point device: (1) broadcasts a block assignment that specifies a wireless source peripheral device and a wireless destination peripheral device; (2) receives, from the wireless destination peripheral device, sequence information; (3) determines whether the sequence information represents one of: a negative acknowledgment and a positive acknowledgment with a sequence number; (4) forwards an acknowledgment to the wireless source peripheral based on the sequence information, and repeats steps (1)-(4) until N blocks of data, N a predetermined integer, have been transferred from the wireless source peripheral to the wireless destination peripheral.

Abstract: A method and apparatus reduce power consumption in a subscriber unit of a communication system. The subscriber unit has a processor (10) for processing non-voice messages received from the communication system. The method includes the steps of receiving a communication signal (18) at the subscriber unit, detecting a presence or an absence of non-voice messages (20) in the communication signal, and disabling the processor (24) in response to detecting the absence of non-voice messages in the communication signal. The apparatus includes a receiver (12), a message detector (14) and a controller (16) for carrying out the foregoing steps.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing a fixed access unit (16) into a time division multiple access (TDMA) system (10). The method includes the steps of receiving a first timing advance channel time slot (86) at the fixed access unit (16), sending a message advanced in time by an offset value over a second time slot (88), receiving an acknowledgment from the TDMA system (10) that the message was received, and advancing a subsequently transmitted communication based on the offset value.