Abstract: The disclosure is a routing method for data in a personal area network. The personal area network includes a plurality of nodes. The method includes receiving a frame at a node, determining whether the node contains a routing table entry for the frame destination, and when the node contains a routing table entry, determining a route for the frame based on a first routing protocol. The method further includes, when the node does not contain a routing table entry for the frame destination, determining whether a route should be discovered for the frame destination, and when a route should not be discovered, determining a route for the frame based on a second routing protocol.

Abstract: A low power consumption protocol for low power communication devices attached to an asynchronous network is described. In this protocol, one or more mediation devices (MDs) facilitate data processing capabilities in the network, whether in a dedicated MD or distributed MD network environment. These capabilities may be provided by the functions of packet caching, removal of replicated packets, and multiple communication types performed by the one or more MDs in accordance with a common synchronization schedule (2510) managed by the one or more MDs and communicated to other devices in the network (2530).

Abstract: Mediation devices in an asynchronous network of low power consumption communication devices are leveraged through the use of new protocols (2500) that analyze relevant QoS parameters (2520) in order to provide a better than best effort service in the network. These protocols invoke adaptive quality of service (QoS) mechanisms to capitalize on the strength and flexibility provided to the network by the presence of one or more MDs, as described above. Expanded functionality of the MD includes control information messaging and service differentiation for the purpose of improving QoS of the network.

Abstract: During operation of a secondary communication system (100), a random exponential back off for future sync bursts will be executed following the detection of an unauthenticated beacon. More particularly, a cognitive radio (104) acts on every sync burst received, until acting on one results in the reception of no beacon or an unauthenticated beacon. The cognitive radio then begins a random exponential back off procedure, in which it must receive a random number of sync bursts before it will schedule time to receive a beacon. For each unauthenticated beacon received, the back off exponent is incremented, thereby increasing the number of sync bursts that must be received before it will schedule time to receive a beacon again.

Abstract: A method (500) and system for compensation of frequency offset between a first transceiver (102) and a second transceiver (104) in wireless communication are disclosed. The compensation of the frequency offset between two or more transceivers (102, 104) is achieved using frequency synchronization bursts. These bursts contain information about the frequency offset. The frequency synchronization bursts are transmitted by the first transceiver at a range of frequencies above and below its carrier frequency (502). A second transceiver that receives at least one of these bursts (504) determines the frequency offset (504), and adjusts its frequency to match the frequency of the first transceiver (508). Thereafter, the second transceiver may enter a low power sleep mode (510) in order to reduce its power consumption. The second transceiver returns to active mode (512) just before the start of the transmission of the data packets (514).

Abstract: A communication access protocol improves the accessibility of devices operating on an asynchronous network (100), while supporting reduced power consumption. The network (100) includes a mediation device (130) for facilitating communications among network devices. Generally, each network device periodically transmits beacon signals to advertise its presence, and listens for communication signals targeted at the network device (532, 534). A device initiating communication with another operates in one of at least two operating modes in order to establish communications (536, 537, 538). In one mode, the initiating device communicates with the mediation device in order to derive timing information for the other device (537). In another mode, the initiating device listens to receive beacon signals directly from the target device in order to synchronize communications with the device (538).

Abstract: The present invention provides a multimode receiver design for mitigation of frequency offset by selective demodulation of an input modulated signal. The receiver (103) comprises a plurality of demodulators (207). Each of the plurality of demodulators (207) has the same functionality but different receiver sensitivity versus frequency-offset mitigation characteristics. Each of these demodulators incorporates a different demodulation technique. A suitable demodulator is selected to demodulate the received signal. The choice of a suitable demodulator is based on the value of the frequency offset (305, 307).

Abstract: A wireless information device (30) receives and processes a message (32) within a wireless information communication system (10). The wireless information device (30) includes an antenna system (62), a radio frequency switch (80), a controller (84) and a display (60). The antenna system has a plurality of antennas for receiving the message (32). The radio frequency switch (80) activates a first antenna (64) of the plurality of antennas as an active antenna (116) in response to an antenna control signal (98) sent from the controller (84). The antenna control signal (98) is generated by the controller (84) in response to the determination of the display orientation of the display (60).

Abstract: A transmission line (218) is formed to have a characteristic impedance which increases at a first substantially exponential rate with respect to a distance from the input (202). A plurality of resonators (206-214) are coupled to the transmission line and positioned at a plurality of locations along the transmission line. The plurality of resonators has resonant frequencies that decrease at a second substantially exponential rate with respect to the distance from the input. An output signal (810, 812) is obtained at a point in the filter that produces a filter response having a corner frequency.

Abstract: A microwave appliance (10) designed to communicate with a plurality of communication devices (11,13, & 15) within a piconet (30) includes a transmitter (24) for communicating with the plurality of communication devices within the piconet; and a processor (22). The processor is programmed to communicate (102) to a master within the piconet about operating information of the microwave appliance, delay bias (104) to a microwave source within the microwave appliance for a predetermined time upon a user request for microwave appliance operation and then return (108) to a normal operating condition.

Abstract: A low power consumption protocol for low power communication devices attached to an asynchronous network is described. In this protocol, one or more mediation devices (MDs) facilitate data processing capabilities in the network, whether in a dedicated MD or distributed MD network environment. These capabilities may be provided by the functions of packet caching, removal of replicated packets, and multiple communication types performed by the one or more MDs in accordance with a common synchronization schedule (2510) managed by the one or more MDs and communicated to other devices in the network (2530).

Abstract: Mediation devices in an asynchronous network of low power consumption communication devices are leveraged through the use of new protocols (2500) that analyze relevant QoS parameters (2520) in order to provide a better than best effort service in the network. These protocols invoke adaptive quality of service (QoS) mechanisms to capitalize on the strength and flexibility provided to the network by the presence of one or more MDs, as described above. Expanded functionality of the MD includes control information messaging and service differentiation for the purpose of improving QoS of the network.

Abstract: A communication access protocol improves the accessibility of devices operating on an asynchronous network (100), while supporting reduced power consumption. The network (100) includes a mediation device (130) for facilitating communications among network devices. Generally, each network device periodically transmits beacon signals to advertise its presence, and listens for communication signals targeted at the network device (532, 534). A device initiating communication with another operates in one of at least two operating modes in order to establish communications (536, 537, 538). In one mode, the initiating device communicates with the mediation device in order to derive timing information for the other device (537). In another mode, the initiating device listens to receive beacon signals directly from the target device in order to synchronize communications with the device (538).

Abstract: A technique and apparatus for implementing code position modulation (CPM) on in-phase and quadrature-phase components of a radio frequency (RF) carrier. The technique simplifies the modulation/demodulation process by requiring only one pseudo-noise (PN) sequence to be stored in the transceiver device. As a consequence, only a single unique PN sequence needs to be stored in the transceiver, thus resulting in a reduction of circuit complexity.

Abstract: A transmission line (218) is formed to have a characteristic impedance which increases at a first substantially exponential rate with respect to a distance from the input (202). A plurality of resonators (206-214) are coupled to the transmission line and positioned at a plurality of locations along the transmission line. The plurality of resonators has resonant frequencies that decrease at a second substantially exponential rate with respect to the distance from the input. An output signal (810, 812) is obtained at a point in the filter that produces a filter response having a corner frequency.

Abstract: A method for and selective call communications unit (CU) arranged and constructed for extended battery life includes a first receiver having low power consumption, preferably operating an a duty cycle, for receiving a call signal to provide an enable signal, in one aspect conditioned on a match of a selective call address to an address for the CU; and a messaging receiver, activated by the enable signal, for receiving a message intended for the CU. These methods can result in a battery life for the CU approaching a shelf life of the battery.

Abstract: An automatic simulcast correction method (300) for a selective call receiver (100) includes the steps of measuring a received signal (304) for a received signal strength indication measurement and then determining if a protocol indicates a simulcast signal (310). If the received signal strength indication measurement is above a predefined threshold and the protocol indicates the simulcast signal, then the selective call receiver is optimized for simulcast delay spread distortion (312). If the received signal strength indication measurement is below a predefined threshold or the protocol does not indicate the simulcast signal, then the selective call receiver is optimized for static sensitivity (314).

Abstract: A wireless information device (30) receives and processes a message (32) within a wireless information communication system (10). The wireless information device (30) includes an antenna system (62), a radio frequency switch (80), a controller (84) and a display (60). The antenna system has a plurality of antennas for receiving the message (32). The radio frequency switch (80) activates a first antenna (64) of the plurality of antennas as an active antenna (116) in response to an antenna control signal (98) sent from the controller (84). The antenna control signal (98) is generated by the controller (84) in response to the determination of the display orientation of the display (60).

Abstract: A selective call radio (300) includes receiver (200). The receiver in turn includes an antenna (202) for receiving a radio signal having a first operating frequency, an amplifier(204) coupled thereto for generating an amplified signal; and a frequency translation circuit (208). The frequency translation circuit includes a selectivity filter (212) and an integrated frequency conversion circuit (216). The selectivity is coupled to the amplified signal for generating a filtered signal. The integrated frequency conversion circuit is coupled to the filtered signal and is incorporated into at least one IC (integrated circuit). The integrated frequency conversion circuit includes an oscillator (220), a divider (224), and a mixer (218). A first input of the mixer is coupled to the filtered signal generated by the selectivity filter. The divider is coupled to the oscillator and its output is coupled to a second input of the mixer.

Abstract: A transceiver device (52 or 10) operates as a source of a data transmission in a communication system (50) capable of dynamically allocating spectrum for transmission of the data transmission between the transceiver device (52) and a second transceiver device (51). The transceiver device (10) includes a transmitter, a receiver coupled to the transmitter and a processor or controller (12) coupled to the transmitter and receiver. The transceiver device is programmed to monitor the spectrum (channels 1-13 of FIG. 3) to determine if a portion (channels 4-8 for example in time slot 8) of the spectrum is available. The transceiver determines what portion of the spectrum is desired for data transmission and then transmits (see time slots 11 and 13) the data transmission within a dynamically selected portion of the available spectrum.