Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly assigning traffic channels to a plurality of mobile stations in a wide area high-speed packet data cellular communication system. Mobile stations transmit access probes on randomly selected access channels to selected base stations to initiate traffic channel assignments. The access probe comprises a pilot preamble, a traffic channel request, and a pilot/data request channel (DRC). The pilot preamble allows the selected base station to easily detect the access probe transmission. The traffic channel request includes data that identifies the mobile station. Immediately after transmitting the traffic channel request, the mobile station begins communicating with the base station on both the forward and reverse communication links. The selected base station immediately supervises the mobile station's transmission power. The mobile station selects from a group of available power control sub-channels.

Abstract: A communication system that allows a soft handoff to be completed, even when the communications link between the active base station and the mobile station deteriorates before the mobile station has received the handoff direction message. The mobile station maintains a list of base stations that the mobile station is in communication with, referred to as an “Active Set”. In addition, the mobile station maintains another list of base stations that are proximate to the base stations in the active set. This list is referred to as the “Neighbor Set”. A memory within the mobile station includes information that would allow the mobile station to demodulate information transmitted from those base stations on the neighbor set. In accordance with the disclosed method and apparatus, the mobile station places a base station in the active set upon including the base station in a pilot strength measurement message (PSMM).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for rapidly assigning traffic channels to a plurality of mobile stations in a wide area high-speed packet data cellular communication system. Mobile stations transmit access probes on randomly selected access channels to selected base stations to initiate traffic channel assignments. The access probe comprises a pilot preamble, a traffic channel request, and a pilot/data request channel (DRC). The pilot preamble allows the selected base station to easily detect the access probe transmission. The traffic channel request includes data that identifies the mobile station. Immediately after transmitting the traffic channel request, the mobile station begins communicating with the base station on both the forward and reverse communication links. The selected base station immediately supervises the mobile station's transmission power. The mobile station selects from a group of available power control sub-channels.

Abstract: A communication system that allows a soft handoff to be completed, even when the communications link between the active base station and the mobile station deteriorates before the mobile station has received the handoff direction message. The mobile station maintains a list of base stations that the mobile station is in communication with, referred to as an “Active Set”. In addition, the mobile station maintains another list of base stations that are proximate to the base stations in the active set. This list is referred to as the “Neighbor Set”. A memory within the mobile station includes information that would allow the mobile station to demodulate information transmitted from those base stations on the neighbor set. In accordance with the disclosed method and apparatus, the mobile station places a base station in the active set upon including the base station in a pilot strength measurement message (PSMM).

Abstract: A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404-412. One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418-420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422-430, which forward packets received from a user terminal's home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

Abstract: A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404-412. One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418-420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422-430, which forward packets received from a user terminal's home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

Abstract: A mobile user terminal 402 accesses a packet data network 450 through one or more of several network access points 404-412. One or more control points 432-440 determines which network access point or points the user terminal is to access. Control may be retained in the current control point, or transferred to another control point, whenever it is convenient. There are preferably several routers, each having an associated home agent 418-420 which determines which foreign agents need to be accessed on behalf of each user terminal. There are several foreign agents 422-430, which forward packets received from a user terminal's home agent to the control point currently controlling communications with the user terminal.

Abstract: The process of the present invention enables a mobile radiotelephone to signal a request for a voice connection after transmission of a facsimile image. The user depresses a button on the radiotelephone when a voice connection is needed. The radiotelephone transmits the request as a frame of data to the base station. The base station interprets the request and, after the facsimile transmission, turns off the modems and turns on the speech coders in anticipation of the voice signal.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for operating a cellular telephone system that supports performing an inter-system soft handoff is described. A subscriber unit generates a pilot strength measurement report when the pilot channel from a base station is detected. When a base station controller receiving the pilot strength measurement report determines that the base station is part of a second cellular telephone system, a inter-system soft handoff request is generated. An admission control subsystem receives the inter-system soft handoff and either grants or denies the request base on the traffic level with the second cellular telephone system. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the traffic level is determined based on link load messages received periodically by the admission control subsystem that are generated by an interface port coupled to an interconnect between the first cellular telephone system and the second cellular telephone system.

Abstract: The wireless system includes one or more payphones from which users may initiate payphone calls. A mobile switching center connects telephone calls initiated from wireless payphones to external telephone systems such as the public switch telephone network (PSTN). To meter charges incurred during the telephone call within an external system, the external system transmits periodic metering pulses to the mobile switching center. Each pulse is representative of a predetermined amount of money associated with the telephone call. The rate at which the periodic pulses are transmitted to the mobile switching center depends upon the current billing rate and may be affected by, for example, the time of day.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an inter-system soft handoff is described. In accordance with the present invention, when a subscriber unit crosses from a first cellular system to a second cellular system, a base station controller determines if sufficient network resources are available to conduct a inter-system soft handoff. If so, the base station controller generates a set of signaling messages that cause call processing resource to be allocated and for the call to be processed at the second cellular system. The base station controller then perform data-selection and data-broadcast for the call by transmitting data to the subscriber unit by way of the second cellular system as well as via one or more base stations to which the base station controller is directly coupled.

Abstract: An HLR Interface Facility (HIF) is disclosed which is disposed between the HLR and the different customer service data bases. The HIF resolves the two problems associated with the single HLR solution. It provides controlled access to the HLR, preventing secondary service providers from accessing or modifying each other's subscriber records.The HIF also offers interworking facilities, allowing to independently modify the interface into the HLR, and the new interface point between different customer service data bases and the HIF. Therefore, if a new feature is introduced in the MSC and only some of the secondary service providers wish to make use of it, only the interfaces between their customer service data bases and the HIF need modification while the other resellers need not change their own interfaces to the HIF.In addition, a means for interfacing the billing output of the MSC to the multiple billing centers is disclosed.

Abstract: In a communications network, a network user communicates through a remote unit with another user via at least one base station. The communications network includes a first mobile switching center which controls communications through a first set of base stations including a first base station. The remote unit stores a list of active base stations which has an entry corresponding to each base station with which active communication is established. The first base station has an entry on the list of active base stations. The first base station measures a round trip delay of an active communication signal between the first base station and the remote unit. A handoff of the active communication signal is initiated if the round trip delay of the active communication exceeds a threshold if the first base station is designated as a reference base station.

Abstract: The wireless local loop system employs cellular technology to provide telephone service to fixed telephones of remote stations having otherwise conventional handsets. The remote station emulates a conventional public switched telephone network by providing an artificial dial tone from the handset of the remote station, after the handset is taken off-hook. The artificial dial tone is locally generated by the remote station. The system, however, delays providing the dial tone if the system is busy, i.e. if the system is under a load condition. To this end, the system monitors load levels and transmits signals to the remote stations indicating load conditions. A remote station, prior to granting at dial tone to the user, receives the load condition signals, determines whether the system is currently under load and, if so, defers the dial tone.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of providing communications between standard unmodified terminal equipment over a telephone link that includes a digital wireless link. The digital wireless link introduces substantial time variable delay. In order to pass time sensitive messages over the link, time sensitive messages are recognized and translated into time insensitive messages for transmission over the wireless link. The time insensitive messages indicate the information contained in the time sensitive messages and in the timing of the time sensitive messages. At the receiving end, the time insensitive messages are recognized and the time sensitive messages reconstructed with the appropriate timing.

Abstract: The process of the present invention enables a wireless modem to accept from a computer commands that it does not recognize. The computer (210) sends a command to the wireless modem (260) to forward all commands to modems (270) at a base station (280). The base station modems (270) then interpret the commands and act accordingly. When the computer (210) no longer wishes the wireless modem (260) to ignore commands it does not recognize, the computer (210) sends another command to the modem (260) instructing it to either flag unknown commands as errors or to ignore them.

Abstract: A method and system for performing an intersystem handoff of communication with a mobile station between base stations of first and second cellular systems is disclosed herein. At the mobile station, a quantifiable parameter of a signal transmitted by a second base station of the second system is measured. When the measured value of the quantifiable parameter passes through a first predetermined level, the mobile station communicates a signal quality message via a first base station of the first system to a first mobile switching control station. A channel request message is then communicated from the first mobile switching control station to a second mobile switching control station within the second system. At the second base station, a quantifiable parameter of the signal received from the mobile station is also measured. The second base station establishes communication with the mobile station when the measured value of the quantifiable parameter passes through a predetermined level.

Abstract: System and method for minimizing data bottlenecks in Low Data Rate Networks (LDRNs) that communicate facsimile transmissions. An LDRN is a facsimile network having a transmission data rate less than the data rate of the FAX machines serviced by the network. The system and method can be implemented in any type of LDRN, including analog and digital wired LDRNs, as well as analog and digital wireless (e.g., cellular) LDRNs. The system and method involve processing the facsimile transmissions in order to make the data rates of the LDRN and the FAX machines compatible, thereby minimizing any potential facsimile data bottlenecks that may occur in the LDRN due to its slower data rate.

Abstract: A comprehensive method for mobile station registration in a cellular communication system wherein registrations are made due to multiple stimulus. Registration can occur as a function of distance traveled since the previous registration. Registration can occur due to entering the coverage area of a base station assigned to a zone in which the mobile station has not recently registered. A registration timer can be used to ensure a minimum time between registrations. Registrations can occur at power up and at power down. The mobile station can be ordered to register by a transmission from a base station. Registration can occur due to parameter changes with in the mobile station. Registration may also occur through necessary communication with a base station which is not expressly directed to registration.

Abstract: In a code division multiple access (CDMA) spread spectrum cellular communication system in which a mobile station user communicates with another system user via at least one base station, wherein each base station transmits a common pilot signal of a different code phase with respect to other base stations in said system, a method for directing communications between said mobile station user and said base stations. The mobile station monitors the signal strength of pilots and reports the measured signal strength to a system controller via the base station through which it is communicating. Command messages from the system controller to a new base station and the mobiles station establishes communication through the new base station in addition to the communication through the current base station.