Abstract: A method in a communication terminal includes receiving a signal that carries a data channel and at least a control-channel message, which has a first part that is masked with a terminal-specific code. A second part of the control-channel message that is not masked with the terminal-specific code is decoded to produce a decoded second part. The validity of decoded second part is checked. In response to deciding that the decoded second part is valid, a noise level for the data channel is estimated based on the decoded second part.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for making mobility measurements in a cellular telephone network that includes assessing the quality of the downlink signal from an active cell during multiple discontinuous operation time periods. If the quality metric exceeds a threshold, the method calls for performing a mobility measurement on the downlink signal during a first time interval. If the quality metric is less than the threshold, the method calls for performing the mobility measurement on both the downlink signal from the identified cells and a downlink signal from a previously un-identified cell during a second time interval that is greater than the first time interval.

Abstract: A method includes, in a mobile communication terminal, storing a mathematical model for computing a covariance matrix of data conveying signals that are received at the mobile communication terminal. At least a first data conveying signal is received in the mobile communication terminal, and one or more signal components required by the model are extracted from the first data conveying signal. A determination is made whether the model is suitable for computing the covariance matrix for the first data conveying signal based on a predefined rule. The covariance matrix is computed in the mobile communication terminal using at least one of the model and an empirical-based estimation of the covariance matrix. The covariance matrix is selected in response to the determination.

Abstract: A method includes, in a mobile communication terminal, detecting degradation in communication quality between the terminal and a serving base station during establishment of a call via the serving base station. During the establishment of the call via the serving base station, the terminal searches for an alternative base station that is suitable for establishing the call. Upon finding the alternative base station, a switch is made to establish the call via the alternative base station.

Abstract: A method includes holding in a memory of a receiver, for each temperature in a range of temperatures, a respective first parameter indicative of a frequency error of a crystal oscillator in the receiver at the temperature, and a respective second parameter indicative of an uncertainty of the first parameter. An operating temperature of the crystal oscillator is measured. One or more frequencies, for initial acquisition of signals from a transmitter, are selected based on the first and second parameters corresponding to the measured operating temperature. The receiver is tuned to receive the signals from the transmitter on at least one of the selected frequencies.

Abstract: A method includes, in a receiver that includes an uncompensated crystal oscillator, receiving signals from a transmitter by activating the receiver periodically at intervals corresponding to a specified wake-up time period. In response to detecting at the receiver that the specified wake-up time period is insufficient for maintaining synchronization between the receiver and the transmitter using the uncompensated crystal oscillator, an actual wake-up time period, smaller than the specified wake-up time period, is selected. The receiver is activated periodically according to the selected actual wake-up time period.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a signal in a communication terminal. A power spectral density, which the signal would have under full-load conditions of a transmitter transmitting the signal, is estimated based on the received signal. An operation is performed in the communication terminal using the estimated power spectral density.

Abstract: A method in a communication terminal includes receiving a signal that carries a data channel and at least a control-channel message, which has a first part that is masked with a terminal-specific code. A second part of the control-channel message that is not masked with the terminal-specific code is decoded to produce a decoded second part. The validity of decoded second part is checked. In response to deciding that the decoded second part is valid, a noise level for the data channel is estimated based on the decoded second part.

Abstract: A method for communication includes receiving modulated signals, which convey encoded speech. A measure of information entropy associated with the received signals is estimated. A speech encoding scheme is selected responsively to the estimated measure of the information entropy. A request to encode subsequent speech using the selected speech encoding scheme is sent to a transmitter.

Abstract: A method includes receiving a signal in a frequency band, which is assignable at least to a communication protocol in which Cyclic Prefixes (CP) are added to symbols having a predefined symbol interval. Multiple autocorrelations of the received signal are computed with a fixed time offset that depends on the symbol interval defined in the communication protocol, and the multiple autocorrelations are accumulated to produce a cumulative autocorrelation. An identification is made, based on the cumulative autocorrelation, whether the received signal is formatted in accordance with the communication protocol.

Abstract: A method includes, in a mobile communication terminal, receiving signals in a frequency band. One or more lists of entries are generated based on the received signals, each entry specifying a respective frequency channel suspected of containing a carrier of a respective Radio Access Technology (RAT). At least some of the entries are scanned in accordance with a scanning order that alternates from a first RAT to a second RAT before scanning all the entries of the first RAT. For each scanned entry, detection is made whether the respective frequency channel actually contains the carrier of the respective RAT. The detection of the carriers in the frequency band is output.

Abstract: A method includes storing in a mobile communication terminal a definition of a set of frequency bands in which the terminal is capable of communicating, including at least first and second frequency bands. One or more combinations of at least portions of the frequency bands in the set, which cannot be allocated in proximity to one another due to interference, are determined in the terminal. A search is conducted in the terminal over the set of the frequency bands. Upon detecting a presence of a candidate wireless network in a first portion of the first frequency band, which cannot be allocated in proximity to at least a second portion of the second frequency band in accordance with the specification, at least the second portion is omitted from the search.

Abstract: A method includes, in a receiver that includes an uncompensated crystal oscillator, receiving signals from a transmitter by activating the receiver periodically at intervals corresponding to a specified wake-up time period. In response to detecting at the receiver that the specified wake-up time period is insufficient for maintaining synchronization between the receiver and the transmitter using the uncompensated crystal oscillator, an actual wake-up time period, smaller than the specified wake-up time period, is selected. The receiver is activated periodically according to the selected actual wake-up time period.

Abstract: A method in a receiver includes receiving from a transmitter an instruction to check for messages from the transmitter at intervals having a specified time period. A frequency error of the receiver relative to the transmitter is estimated at the receiver, and an actual time period that does not exceed the specified time period is selected based on the estimated frequency error. The receiver is activated periodically according to the selected actual time period so as to reset the frequency error.

Abstract: A method includes, in a mobile communication terminal, detecting degradation in communication quality between the terminal and a serving base station during establishment of a call via the serving base station. During the establishment of the call via the serving base station, the terminal searches for an alternative base station that is suitable for establishing the call. Upon finding the alternative base station, a switch is made to establish the call via the alternative base station.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure describe a cellular transceiver that can include multiple diversity branch receivers that receive a transmitted signal from a base station (BS). The cellular transceiver can include 1) a windup detector that can detect a low windup condition and 2) a receiver selector that can modify a number of active diversity branch receivers when the low windup condition is detected.

Abstract: A method used in a receiver includes measuring first Received Signal Strength Indications (RSSIs) in respective first communication channels, which are located in a given frequency band and which each have a first channel bandwidth. Based on the first RSSIs, second RSSIs are computed for respective second communication channels, which are located in the given frequency band and which each have a second channel bandwidth that is larger than the first channel bandwidth. At least one of the first and second communication channels over which to receive signals at the receiver are selected using the first and second RSSIs.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method for making mobility measurements in a cellular telephone network that includes assessing the quality of the downlink signal from an active cell during multiple discontinuous operation time periods. If the quality metric exceeds a threshold, the method calls for performing a mobility measurement on the downlink signal during a first time interval. If the quality metric is less than the threshold, the method calls for performing the mobility measurement on both the downlink signal from the identified cells and a downlink signal from a previously un-identified cell during a second time interval that is greater than the first time interval.

Abstract: A method includes transmitting downlink signals to at least first and second mobile communication terminals over respective first and second traffic channels. Reception quality measures are obtained from the first and second mobile communication terminals for at least one of the traffic channels. Based on the reception quality measures, an expected downlink performance is estimated for simultaneous transmission to the first and second mobile communication terminals on a candidate shared traffic channel.

Abstract: A method used in a receiver includes measuring first Received Signal Strength Indications (RSSIs) in respective first communication channels, which are located in a given frequency band and which each have a first channel bandwidth. Based on the first RSSIs, second RSSIs are computed for respective second communication channels, which are located in the given frequency band and which each have a second channel bandwidth that is larger than the first channel bandwidth. At least one of the first and second communication channels over which to receive signals at the receiver are selected using the first and second RSSIs.