Abstract: The invention is a system and method for synchronizing the transmission of compressed headers in data packets between a transmitter and a receiver having a preferred wireless application which is an improvement of RFC2508. In a system having a transmitter transmitting a plurality of packets each containing a header to a receiver, a method of synchronizing the transmission of compressed headers between the transmitter and receiver in accordance with the invention includes transmitting a current packet from the transmitter to the receiver containing information that the transmitter is prepared to send subsequently transmitted packets in which the headers therein are to be compressed in comparison to the header contained in the current packet; and transmitting from the receiver to the transmitter an acknowledgment packet that the receiver has received the current packet.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method (500), device (400), microprocessor (500) and microprocessor memory (400, 500, 600) for instantaneous preemption of packet-switched data from a user that has won contention for a channel and for transmitting on a time slot, by higher priority traffic type data or voice in a TDMA communication system having a central access manager and a plurality of subscriber units. Before transmitting a packet on an uplink channel, the subscriber unit first selects a time slot and contends for channel access on the time slot. Upon gaining access to the uplink channel, the subscriber unit begins transmitting segments of a data packet on the selected time slot, suspending transmission when a higher priority user gains access to the time slot and, where decoding fails, suspending transmission for the time slot. The subscriber unit continues to transmit on the selected time slot until the packet ends.

Abstract: The method and device of the present invention provide for efficient error correction in a packet radio system by 1) eliminating wasted bandwidth due to the unnecessary retransmissions that occur as a result of lost positive acknowledgments, 2) occupying less downlink bandwidth than a scheme requiring positive acknowledgments, and 3) minimizing packet delay by providing two levels of error correction at the datalink layer.