Abstract: A mobile device comprises a receiver unit that has at least two receivers to implement multi-antenna receive diversity. A control unit estimates, at the mobile, an amount of utilization by a traffic channel of the mobile of total transmission power capacity at a base station. The mobile applies multi-antenna receive diversity in the mobile device based on the power capacity utilization. The mobile estimates an amount of power a network is transmitting to the mobile relative to a pilot reference. Other indicators are based on quality of the traffic channel between the mobile and the network, capacity limiting resources, a number of sectors in a soft hand-off in a wireless system, etc. The indicators are used to control application of multi-antenna receive diversity in a mobile device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for switching among networks (e.g., heterogeneous) and inter-working between a source access system and a target access system, by implementing tunneling from the AT to the target access system via the source access system. An inter-system handoff control component can facilitate setting tunneling by the mobile unit to the target access and/or between the source access system and the target access system—wherein signaling/packeting associated with the target system can be transferred over the source system.

Abstract: An acknowledgement method in a wireless communication system. Initially, a reverse supplemental channel (R-SCH) frame is received at a base station. The base station then transmits an acknowledgement (ACK) signal if quality of the received R-SCH frame is indicated as being good. A negative acknowledgement (NAK) signal is transmitted only if the received data frame is indicated as being bad but has enough energy such that, if combined with energy from retransmission of the data frame, it would be sufficient to permit correct decoding of the data frame. If the best base station is known, the acknowledgement method may reverse the transmission of the acknowledgement signals for the best base station so that only NAK signal is sent. A positive acknowledgement is assumed in the absence of an acknowledgement. This is done to minimize the transmit power requirements.

Abstract: Collisions between messages simultaneously transmitted by multiple spread-spectrum transmitters are reduced by distributing the transmissions over the available resources of the receiver. Each mobile station in a CDMA system uses one or more randomization methods to distribute its transmissions. In the first randomization, the mobile station time-delays its transmissions by a number of chips of the PN code with which it spreads the transmitted signal. In a second randomization, the mobile station randomly selects the PN code. In a third randomization, the mobile station inserts a random delay between successive message transmissions or probes if it does not receive an acknowledgement after a predetermined timeout period. A predetermined number of such transmissions is called a probe sequence. In a fourth randomization, the mobile station inserts a relatively long random delay between successive probe sequences if it does not receive an acknowledgement of any probe in the sequence.

Abstract: In a communication system, a method and an accompanying apparatus determine a number of available fingers (110A-N) in a receiver (100). A controller (121) adjusts a threshold based on the determined number of the available fingers (110). The adjusted threshold may be one of, or any combination of, a pilot signal search threshold, a lock/unlock threshold, and a combine/un-combine threshold. The number of available fingers (110) may change after the threshold is adjusted.

Abstract: Techniques for minimizing call setup latency are disclosed. In one aspect, a channel assignment message is sent with a flag to direct the use of previously negotiated service parameters. This aspect eliminates the need for service negotiation messages. In another aspect, a channel assignment message is sent with an active set identifier instead of an active set and its parameters. This aspect reduces the transmission time of the channel assignment message. In yet another aspect, call setup without paging is facilitated by a mobile station (106) sending a pilot strength measurement message between active communication sessions, such that a channel assignment message can be used for mobile station terminated call setup without the need for mobile station paging and related messages.

Abstract: A method and a system for providing signaling in cellular telephone system providing broadcast services to fully integrate broadcast services with the services provided by the cellular telephone systems. The signaling method coordinate interaction between an access network and the subscriber station to allowing the subscriber station to decode the broadcast service, to receive paging messages while receiving the broadcast service, to properly transition between operation states, and other functions known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

Abstract: In order to align the timing of an overlay base station to the timing of an existing base station, a sync unit is introduced into the system. The sync unit has a first receiver configured to receive a first signal, the first signal having a first CDMA channelization. The first receiver is configured to produce an indication of a timing of the first signal. The sync unit also has a second receiver configured to receive a second signal, the second signal having a second CDMA channelization. The second receiver is configured to produce an indication of a timing of the second signal. The sync unit also has a time error detection unit configured to compare the timing of the first signal and the timing of the second signal to determine a relative timing offset thereof.

Abstract: When insufficient traffic is present in the network to maintain synchronization in this manner, other methods must be used. One approach involves making direct measurements of the timing between base stations. This is accomplished in one of two ways. The base may interrupt its transmissions on all sectors for a short interval during which it determines the time of arrival of signals from other base stations. Given knowledge of the other base station locations, time errors relative to all other base stations may be derived. Alternatively, the base may send a short signal at high power in the mobile transmit band. This time-of-arrival of this signal is measured by the surrounding base stations and the time errors between pairs of base stations are computed. In some cases, a base station may be isolated sufficiently from all other base stations in the network such that direct base-to-base measurement is not viable.

Abstract: An improved method for facilitating handoff between an asynchronous and a synchronous base station. A method for determining a pilot channel PN offset of a pilot channel transmitted by a wireless base station. In a first embodiment, the method includes correlating a PN sequence with a received pilot signal to acquire a PN frame timing, receiving at least one search code burst aligned with the PN frame timing, the at least one search code burst signifying the pilot channel PN offset, and comparing the at least one search code burst to a set of codewords, each codeword representing a predetermined PN offset. From the search code bursts, the mobile station is able to quickly determine the PN offset of the transmitting base station, and thereby identify it. Methods for transmitting a complementary set of forward link channels are also disclosed.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing link quality feedback to a transmitter In one embodiment, the link quality of a received signal is measured and a quality message is generated during a quality message period, the quality message representative of a link quality at a first period, and one or more differential indicators are generated during the quality message period, the differential indicators representative of a change in link quality following the first period.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein address the need in the art for an extended acknowledgment/rate control channel. In one aspect, an acknowledgment command and a rate control command are combined to form a combined command. In another aspect, the combined command is generated in accordance with a constellation of points, each point corresponding to a pair consisting of a rate control command and an acknowledgment command. In yet another aspect, the points of the constellation are designed to provide the desired probability of error for the respective command pairs. In yet another aspect, a common rate control command is transmitted along with a combined or dedicated rate control command. Various other aspects are also presented. These aspects have the benefit of reduced overhead while providing acknowledgment and rate control to single remote stations and/or groups of remote stations.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for communications include calculating a value from data, transmitting the value and data over at least one time slot, receiving the transmission, recalculating the value from the received data, and determining the number of time slots of the transmission from the calculated and recalculated values. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Abstract: In the present invention, the slave base station attains synchronization with the reference base station through messages transmitted from and received by a mobile station either in the soft handoff region between the reference base station and the slave base station or within a range which allows the mobile station to communicate with the slave base station. When the mobile station is not in communication with both the reference base station and the slave base station, then the round trip delay between the mobile station and the reference base station is measured by the reference base station. The reference base station communicates the PN code used by the mobile station over the reverse link to the slave base station. The slave base station acquires the signal from the mobile station and determines when the signal from the mobile station arrives. The slave base station then makes and estimate as to the length of the delay between transmission of a signal from the mobile station to the slave base station.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maximizing the use of available capacity in a communication system. The forward link in the mobile radio system includes a plurality of traffic streams sent on at least one channel from the base station to the mobile stations. A first output power level associated with simultaneously transmitting a first set of traffic streams from the base station to the mobile stations on the forward link is initially determined. Next, the first output power level is compared to the maximum power ceiling. In response to the comparing step, at least one time frame in the forward link having available capacity for transmitting a portion of at least one further traffic stream is identified. The first set of traffic streams and the portion of the at least one further traffic stream are then transmitted simultaneously during the at least one frame on the forward link.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for reducing interference in a wireless communication system when the source of interference is a deterministic component of the system. In one embodiment, the receiver weights the transmitters according to when the source of interference is transmitted. Further, the transmitter may employ power boosting to overcome the source of interference. In one embodiment, a W-CDMA system transmits a sync channel concurrently with physical channels, wherein the sync channel is not orthogonal to the physical channels. The receiver may cancel the sync channel when receiving control or data information. Similarly, the receiver may weight the transmissions from multiple transmitters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the transmission of signals from one or more of a plurality of mobile stations to a base station on a plurality of M multiple access channels is described. A power control information packet formed from a plurality of power control bits is transmitted from the base station to the one or more mobile stations. Each of the power control bits in the power control information packet has a position that is mapped to a selected access channel and to a time offset within the selected access channel. The power control information packet is received at a first mobile station. A message is then transmitted from the first mobile station to the base station on a first access channel and at a first time offset associated with the first access channel.

Abstract: In a communication system, a method and an accompanying apparatus determine a number of available fingers (110A-N) in a receiver (100). A controller (121) adjusts a threshold based on the determined number of the available fingers (110). The adjusted threshold may be one of, or any combination of, a pilot signal search threshold, a lock/unlock threshold, and a combine/un-combine threshold. The number of available fingers (110) may change after the threshold is adjusted.

Abstract: A method and system for a handoff in a broadcast communication system is disclosed. A subscriber assisted handoff is impractical in a broadcast communication system due to e.g., a high signaling load, a difficulty to synchronize the broadcast transmission. On the other hand, the small number of broadcast channels enables the subscriber station to perform the handoff autonomously. To streamline the autonomous handoff decision process, several distinct sets of pilot identifiers and rules for transitioning among the sets are defined. To fully integrate broadcast services with the services provided by the cellular telephone systems in a subscriber environment, a methods for various handoff scenarios are analyzed.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for communications of scheduling information of reverse link transmissions are disclosed. A base station controller determines scheduling of a reverse link supplemental channel transmission for a mobile station in a communication system (100). The base station controller groups the mobile station in a group of mobile stations and assigns a forward link channel assignment channel to the group of mobile stations. A transceiver (400) incorporates information relating to the determined scheduling in the assigned forward link common assignment channel and transmits the assigned forward link common assignment channel to the mobile station for scheduling the reverse link supplemental channel transmission. The mobile station receives the assigned forward link common assignment channel.