Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a pager or similar device that communicates to a home terminal. The home terminal confirms the identity of the pager and attaches a certificate to the message for ongoing transmission. Where the recipient is also a pager, an associated home terminal verifies the transmission and forwards it in a trusted manner without the certificate to the recipient.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a pager or similar device that communicates to a home terminal. The home terminal confirms the identity of the pager and attaches a certificate to the message for ongoing transmission. Where the recipient is also a pager, an associated home terminal verifies the transmission and forwards it in a trusted manner without the certificate to the recipient.

Abstract: A wireless communication system includes a pager or similar device that communicates to a home terminal. The home terminal confirms the identity of the pager and attaches a certificate to the message for ongoing transmission. Where the recipient is also a pager, an associated home terminal verifies the transmission and forwards it in a trusted manner without the certificate to the recipient.

Abstract: A method for re-establishing communication between a base station (102) that transmits on a forward channel, and a subscriber unit (108) that has temporarily lost the forward channel, uses the concept of a re-registration interval. The base station (102) transmits, to subscriber units (106, 108) in its area, a signal indicating the duration of a re-registration interval. A subscriber unit that has temporarily lost the forward channel determines whether the duration of such loss exceeds the re-registration interval. If the interval is exceeded, the subscriber unit sends a re-registration signal to the base station on a reverse channel. A selective call transceiver (400) is programmed to operate as a subscriber unit that uses the re-registration interval.

Abstract: A method is provided for background scanning in a selective call communication system (102) having a plurality of channels (110, 112, 114), wherein a selective call device (104) has designated thereto one of an odd and even frame compulsory decoding schedule. The selective call device (104) decodes system configuration information (SCI) on odd SCI frames during the odd compulsory decoding schedule, scans for even SCI frames of target channels while maintaining the odd compulsory decoding schedule, and releases or maintains the odd compulsory decoding schedule based on the system configuration information found on the target channels.

Abstract: A method is provided for background scanning in a selective call communication system (102) having a plurality of channels (110, 112,114), wherein a selective call device (104) has designated thereto one of an odd and even frame compulsory decoding schedule. The selective call device (104) decodes system configuration information (SCI) on odd SCI frames during the odd compulsory decoding schedule, scans for even SCI frames of target channels while maintaining the odd compulsory decoding schedule, and releases or maintains the odd compulsory decoding schedule based on the system configuration information found on the target channels.

Abstract: A method in a communication system (100) having at least a first and a second base stations (104, 108) for communicating with selective call devices (102) includes the steps of transmitting a first signal on a first frequency that indicates an alternate frequency and transmitting second signal on the alternate frequency indicated by the first signal. The second signal has a registration threshold for controlling registration of the selective call device (102) with the second base station (108).

Abstract: A two-way wireless selective call communication system (20) using a synchronous time division multiplex communication protocol transmits messages divided into a plurality of data units (120, 126, and 128) from a plurality of selective call transceivers (32) to a paging terminal (33) during time slots (78), the number of data units and the time slots are set by the paging terminal controller (26) based on information, including size of the message information, received in an unscheduled transmission from each of the plurality of selective call transceivers. The paging terminal transmits to a selective call transceiver a multi-bit acknowledgment message having a one-bit acknowledgment for each of the plurality of data units. A selective call transceiver re-transmits data units not recovered by the terminal based upon content of the acknowledgment message. More than one selective call transceiver transmit during a one time slot set by the terminal.

Abstract: A selective call receiving device (10) such as a pager is controlled to dynamically change a base frame assigned to the device and subsequent control frames derived therefrom. The time that the device is operative to look for its address in a received signal can thus be dynamically changed to improve the efficiencies of a mixed systems environment without substantially reducing the battery life of the selective call receiving device (10). In two embodiments of the invention a new base frame for the device is derived from an originally assigned base frame that is stored in the selective call receiving device. In another embodiment, a new base frame for the device is derived from the device's address along with frame management information that is received by the selective call receiving device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus allocates a first predetermined plurality of frame time slots (102) to a first protocol, and allocates a second predetermined plurality of frame time slots (102) to a second protocol having a base frame management capability. The base frame management capability is applied such that portable selective call receiving devices (10) utilizing the second protocol normally perform battery saving throughout the first predetermined plurality of frame time slots (102).

Abstract: In a system controller (102) a quantity of control channels is determined; a portion (344) of a code word (338) is set to identify the quantity of control channels; the code word (358) is transmitted in a predetermined portion (332) of each of a plurality of radio signals. In a multichannel radio (106) a receiver (610) is set to a first channel which includes one of the plurality of radio signals; the portion (344) of the code word (338) is decoded; one of the set of control channels is identified as a new home control channel, the home control channel is revised to the new home control channel, and the receiver (610) is set to the home control channel as revised. The one of the set of control channels is identified based on the quantity of control channels and a predetermined number in the multichannel radio (106).

Abstract: A two-way wireless selective call communication system (20) using a synchronous time division multiplex communication protocol transmits messages divided into a plurality of data units (120, 126, and 128) from a plurality of selective call transceivers (32) to a paging terminal (33) during time slots (78), the number of data units and the time slots are set by the paging terminal controller (26) based on information, including size of the message information, received in an unscheduled transmission from each of the plurality of selective call transceivers. The paging terminal transmits to a selective call transceiver a multi-bit acknowledgment message having a one-bit acknowledgment for each of the plurality of data units. A selective call transceiver re-transmits data units not recovered by the terminal based upon content of the acknowledgment message. More than one selective call transceiver transmit during a one time slot set by the terminal.

Abstract: A central controller (10) controls the operation of a code division multiple access (CDMA), spread spectrum communication system, which includes base stations (15) and portable transceivers (20) for communicating with the base stations (15). The central controller (10) stores a plurality of seeds, which are used by the portable transceivers (20) in generating pseudo-noise (PN) sequences, and, in response to requests from base stations (15), the central controller (10) distributes at least a portion of the assignable seeds to each of the requesting base stations (15). The base stations (15) that have received seeds from the central controller (10) subsequently transmit the seeds over the air to the portable transceivers (20) within their respective coverage areas. The portable transceivers (20) then utilize the seeds to generate spread spectrum signals for reception by a closest base station (15) having a coverage area in which they are located.

Abstract: A selective call receiver (106) has a frequency synthesizer (708) for scanning a plurality of frequencies to determine a control channel to receive a signal and a receiver (704) for receiving the signal representative of an available frequency associated with a geographic region. The signal includes a channel identifier (404), a frequency assignment (406) and an active channel indicator (408). A processor (712) associates the channel identifier (404) with the frequency assignment (406) in response to the active channel indicator (408) indicating an available frequency of the geographic region and a memory (720) stores channel identifiers (404) associated with frequency assignments (406) designating available frequencies (408).

Abstract: A fixed system receiver (107) operates in a synchronization mode which is one of a synchronous mode and an asynchronous mode. A system controller (102) transmits a response command which includes a preamble indicator corresponding to the synchronization mode of the fixed system receiver (107). A selective call radio (106) receives and decodes the preamble indicator and generates a response message data unit (312). The synchronous header data packet (660) is preceded by a synchronizing packet (650) when the preamble indicator indicates the asynchronous mode and is not preceded by the synchronizing packet (650) when the preamble indicator indicates the synchronous mode. The selective call radio (106) transmits the response message data unit (312). The fixed system receiver (107) acquires symbol recovery timing and synchronizes to data packet boundaries of the response message data unit (312), using the synchronizing packet (650) when included.

Abstract: A method for re-establishing communication between a base station (102) that transmits on a forward channel, and a subscriber unit (108) that has temporarily lost the forward channel, uses the concept of a re-registration interval. The base station (102) transmits, to subscriber units (106, 108) in its area, a signal indicating the duration of a re-registration interval. A subscriber unit that has temporarily lost the forward channel determines whether the duration of such loss exceeds the re-registration interval. If the interval is exceeded, the subscriber unit sends a re-registration signal to the base station on a reverse channel. A selective call transceiver (400) is programmed to operate as a subscriber unit that uses the re-registration interval.

Abstract: A communication system (100) providing minimum transmission delay for message delivery to communication transceivers (510) includes a plurality of transmission cells (102, 104) which include one or more receivers (512) and a transmitter (506) and which define geographical transmission areas. The transmitter (506) transmits an address identifying the communication transceiver (510) for which a message is intended and a color code identifying the transmitter (506) during a first scheduled transmission time interval (212). At least one receiver (512) located within the transmission cells (102, 104) receives an acknowledgment including the address and color code generated by the communication transceiver (510) during a second scheduled transmission time interval (216).

Abstract: A technique for communicating global information in a radio communication system (100) in which a radio (106) is in a receive state during a first predetermined period of each of a plurality of transmission cycles (320) includes decoding a global event indicator (344) in a system information portion (331) of the first predetermined period of a first transmission cycle (320), setting the radio (106) to the receive state during a second predetermined period of a second transmission cycle (320), receiving the second predetermined period, decoding global event information in the second predetermined period, and processing the global event information. The second transmission cycle (320) is subsequent to the first transmission cycle (320).

Abstract: A system controller (102) is used in a communication system (100) which has a set of inbound channels. The system controller (102) includes a processing system (204) for generating a first message which is transmitted to selective call devices (106). The first message includes a subset identifier which identifies an ALOHA subset of the set of inbound channels for use by a set of the selective call devices (106). A selective call device (106) includes a transmitter (708) and a processing system (710). The processing system (710) identifies the ALOHA subset of the set of inbound channels, and generates a second message and couples the second message to the transmitter (708) using an ALOHA protocol on an inbound channel which is in the ALOHA subset of the set of inbound channels when the second message is a first type. The transmitter (708) transmits the second message.

Abstract: A fixed system receiver (107), which includes a forward receiver (305), a reverse receiver (310), and a response timer (215), is for use in a radio communication system (100) having a forward radio channel and a reverse radio channel. A command is transmitted in a forward channel radio signal to a selective call transceiver. The forward receiver (305) is for receiving, demodulating, and decoding the command. The reverse receiver (310) is for receiving and demodulating the reverse channel radio signal. The response timer (215), which is coupled to the forward receiver (305) and the reverse receiver (310), is for determining a response period beginning substantially at a scheduled response time included in the command and having a duration which is substantially a designated length of the data unit included in the command, and for generating a control signal which enables the reverse receiver (310) during the response period.