Abstract: A CDMA mobile communication system is operated asynchronously while using common forward channel PN and Walsh codes. Such operation is enabled by devices in the system that provide measurements of the instantaneous offsets between PN codes of neighboring base stations. Knowledge of instantaneous offsets may be maintained and used to identify base station signals to enable handovers to neighboring base stations. Instantaneous offsets may also be processed over time to identify states of imminent collision so that corrective action can be taken to avoid or minimize collision effects.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating power control within mobile radio systems. The power control is a function of location of the mobile station. Power levels are mapped to a geographic grid and power levels are set based upon such pre-determined power levels. Alternatively, initial power levels are set based upon the mapped power levels, but are subject to fine tuning through a much reduced feedback loop.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for selecting and signalling the identity of sub-carriers to be used for transmission of data in a radio communication system, and for using other sub-carriers. A remote unit determines which sub-carriers are acceptable for use in data transmission by comparing the signal to interference ratio of each sub-carrier with a threshold. A sequence of numbers is generated using one set of values to identify acceptable sub-carriers and another set of values to identify unacceptable sub-carriers. The sequence of numbers is transmitted to a base station. The average signal to interference ratio of sub-carriers whose signal to interference ratio was above the threshold can also be transmitted to the base station, thereby allowing the base station to determine an optimum set of transmission parameters for use only in the acceptable sub-carriers. Alternatively, the remote unit can determine the optimum set of transmission parameters itself for transmission to the base station.

Abstract: The present invention uses a portion of an orthogonal spreading code space in a CDMA spectrum for uplink signaling from a user element to a base station. By assigning the user elements one or more signaling codes, which are orthogonal to those used to spread data, to use for uplink signaling, the present invention significantly reduces interference between signaling channels, and between the data channels and the signaling channels, while supporting additional capacity. The signaling codes may be individually assigned to user elements or assigned to groups of user elements. Further, different length signaling codes may be assigned to the user elements to support different signaling rates depending on Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.

Abstract: The present invention uses a portion of an orthogonal spreading code space in a CDMA spectrum for uplink signaling from a user element to a base station. By assigning the user elements one or more signaling codes, which are orthogonal to those used to spread data, to use for uplink signaling, the present invention significantly reduces interference between signaling channels, and between the data channels and the signaling channels, while supporting additional capacity. The signaling codes may be individually assigned to user elements or assigned to groups of user elements. Further, different length signaling codes may be assigned to the user elements to support different signaling rates depending on Quality of Service (QoS) requirements.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for selecting and signaling the identity of sub-carriers to be used for transmission of data in a radio communication system, and for using other sub-carriers. A remote unit determines which sub-carriers are acceptable for use in data transmission by comparing the signal to interference ratio of each sub-carrier with a threshold. A base station transmits data over the acceptable sub-carriers at the optimum Link Mode or Link Modes. The base station may use some of the unacceptable sub-carriers for transmission of low sensitivity data at the optimum Link Mode, and may use some of the unacceptable sub-carriers for transmission of data at a lower Link Mode. The transmission power any unused unacceptable sub-carriers can be diverted to other sub-carriers.

Abstract: A method is provided for adapting modulation schemes to changing channel quality with reduced overhead signalling. A remote unit measures the channel quality of a radio channel along which a signal from a base station reached the remote unit. Based on the channel quality, the remote unit determines a desired set of transmission parameters from a list of sets of transmission parameters. The remote unit determines a difference in position within the list between the current set of transmission parameters and the desired set of transmission parameters. The remote unit transmits the difference to the base station, which selects a new set of transmission parameters using the current set of transmission parameters and the difference. The method requires little signalling between the remote unit and the base station, and is particularly beneficial in communication systems employing many sub-carriers, such as OFDM systems.

Abstract: A problem with mobile radio systems is the potentially harmful interference they may cause to other electronic equipment. Such interference can be dangerous and even life-threatening in hospitals and aircraft. The present invention provides a method to protect against improper operation of mobile radios, e.g. cellular phones, by making use of a “location technique” and knowledge of the mobile's location to determine if the mobile is inside a protected region and thus needs to constrain its operation. Two modes of operation are possible: one utilising a location technique that is part of the mobile radio system, and the second utilising a location service that is independent of the mobile radio system (such as the satellite based GPS system). The present invention includes control of operation, such as no audible ringing, or outgoing calls only, as well as possible control of transmitter power to protect against interference.

Abstract: This invention provides a communication network with a method and apparatus for interrupting the transmission of an existing stream of data to insert interrupting packets which may have a higher priority than the existing data stream. The interrupting packets are inserted in the data stream by making use of unused pointer values in common transmission schemes known as the Data Over Cable Service Interchange Specification (DOCSIS) or the Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) adaptation layer 2 (AAL2) format of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) recommendation I363.2. Advantageously, the scheduling of packets is significantly simplified and the packet jitter is better controlled which results in a significant improvement in transmission performance.

Abstract: Wireless communication is improved by simultaneously transmitting signals that are orthogonal to received signals. This technique is referred to as Orthogonal Division Duplexing or ODD. Channel characteristics may be estimated based on an analysis of the received signals. Subsequently, techniques used in the transmitting of signals may be adjusted based on the estimated channel characteristics. By using interleaved pilot sub-carriers, each end of a communications link may take measurements of channel conditions. These measurements may be used to adapt the transmission techniques used in the transmitter to the measured channel conditions. Advantageously, this adaptation can occur without the delay in reporting conditions that is characteristic of traditional adaptive communications systems.

Abstract: Wireless communications systems exist, such as 3G systems, in which voice services as well as internet access is provided to mobile terminals. In such systems the number of terminals that can be supported per basestation is limited and it is not possible to provide fast or substantially “instant” uplink access to all those supported terminals. It is desired to increase the number of terminals that can be supported by a single basestation whilst allowing each of these terminals to have fast substantially “instant” uplink access, for example, for internet access. To address this, substantially continuous pilot signals are provided from all user terminals supported by a basestation, to that basestation. The continuous signals comprise repeated spreading code words with a high spreading factor such that the background noise level is not increased to unworkable levels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for reducing interference arising from signal propagation delay in multipath signal environments in wireless communication systems. The present invention provides a method of operating a mobile communications base station which receives multipath components of signals from a number of high mobility subscriber terminals, the method comprising: for each subscriber terminal signal received, determining a best signal component; determining the difference in time between reception of said best signal component and a reference time; transmitting to said terminal a transmission timing offset in order to receive said best component at substantially said reference time.

Abstract: An RF radio receiver utilizing wideband RF technology, a wideband digital IF (channelizer) tuner, a common digitizing rate, and multi-user detection (MUD) processes a superposed RF signal to allow simultaneous reception of two or more RF signals sharing overlapping frequency spectrum (RF bandwidth). The RF radio receiver is particularly effective for two or more RF signals of differing RF channel bandwidth and can also receive signals which accord to different air interface standards. The use of a common digitizing rate provides for oversampling of at least one of the RF signals for more accurate decoding and allows for a synchronized signal (i.e. at a common rate) to be used in decoding, and in particular multi-user decoding of other RF signals.

Abstract: A radio system employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexed (OFDM) includes a Base Transceiver Station (BTS) along with a number of mobile terminals located within a coverage area of the BTS. In this system, a target mobile terminal requires a focused transmission beam to receive high data rate traffic information while the remainder of the mobile terminals must receive pilot and signalling information. To achieve both objectives, a BTS is implemented with a transmission apparatus that generates a directional transmission beam for the data traffic information. In one design, this directional beam transmits the pilot and signalling information along with the data traffic information by rotating the beam within the coverage area. In another design, the BTS has a transmission apparatus that generates more than one transmission beam.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for error correction in a communication system employing Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing. When a remote unit receives an OFDM symbol, a retransmission indicator bit is examined to determine whether the symbol is an original symbol or a retransmitted symbol. If it is a retransmitted symbol and the remote unit has a corresponding symbol stored in memory, then the received symbol is soft-combined with the stored symbol. Each packet in the symbol, either the received symbol if original or the soft-combined symbol if retransmitted, is examined by the remote unit. If the remote unit determines that a particular packet is intended for the remote unit, but can not determine the contents of the payload of the packet, the remote unit sends a retransmission request to the base station for retransmission of the symbol.

Abstract: Aspects of global positioning system (GPS) technology and cellular technology are combined in order to provide an effective and efficient position location system. In a first aspect of the invention, a cellular network is utilized to collect differential GPS error correction data, which is forwarded to a mobile terminal over the cellular network. The mobile terminal receives this data, along with GPS pseudoranges using a GPS receiver, and calculates its position using this information. According to a second aspect, when the requisite number of GPS satellites are not in view of the mobile terminal, then a GPS pseudosatellite signal, broadcast from a base station of the cellular network, is received by the mobile terminal and processed as a substitute for the missing GPS satellite signal.

Abstract: Aspects of global positioning system (GPS) technology and cellular technology are combined in order to provide an effective and efficient position location system. In a first aspect of the invention, a cellular network is utilized to collect differential GPS error correction data, which is forwarded to a mobile terminal over the cellular network. The mobile terminal receives this data, along with GPS pseudoranges using a GPS receiver, and calculates its position using this information. According to a second aspect, when the requisite number of GPS satellites are not in view of the mobile terminal, then a GPS pseudosatellite signal, broadcast from a base station of the cellular network, is received by the mobile terminal and processed as a substitute for the missing GPS satellite signal.

Abstract: Aspects of global positioning system (GPS) technology and cellular technology are combined in order to provide an effective and efficient position location system. In a first aspect of the invention, a cellular network is utilized to collect differential GPS error correction data, which is forwarded to a mobile terminal over the cellular network. The mobile terminal receives this data, along with GPS pseudoranges using a GPS receiver, and calculates its position using this information. According to a second aspect, when the requisite number of GPS satellites are not in view of the mobile terminal, then a GPS pseudosatellite signal, broadcast from a base station of the cellular network, is received by the mobile terminal and processed as a substitute for the missing GPS satellite signal.

Abstract: Aspects of global positioning system (GPS) technology and cellular technology are combined in order to provide an effective and efficient position location system. In a first aspect of the invention, a cellular network is utilized to collect differential GPS error correction data, which is forwarded to a mobile terminal over the cellular network. The mobile terminal receives this data, along with GPS pseudoranges using a GPS receiver, and calculates its position using this information. According to a second aspect, when the requisite number of GPS satellites are not in view of the mobile terminal, then a GPS pseudosatellite signal, broadcast from a base station of the cellular network, is received by the mobile terminal and processed as a substitute for the missing GPS satellite signal.

Abstract: The call set-up technique of this invention is characterized by the use of channel information from both base station and subscriber terminal in determining the radio traffic channel upon which to set-up a new call. Communication between the base station and subscriber terminal is carried out on a signalling channel until the traffic channel is chosen. Calls are set-up so that they proceed on the radio channel which, of a set of channels under consideration by the subscriber terminal, contains the least amount of interference as measured at the subscriber terminal. The set of channels under consideration by the subscriber terminal is a subset of the entire set of channels allocated to the service. This subset is comprised of those channels having little interference, as measured by the base station. The call set-up technique thereby assures that calls proceed on channels containing little interference from the viewpoints of both base station and subscriber terminal.