Abstract: A wireless communications power saving method and apparatus is provided. The method includes establishing a circular buffer configured to maintain a number of most recently encountered frame delay times and waiting a frame delay time after receiving a further frame before the station enters a power save state. Frame delay time is a period equal to a largest most recently encountered frame delay period in the circular buffer. The method further determines, at a station, a dormancy time based on a number of data frames received since the station transitioned from an inactive mode to an active mode, a packet transmission rate, and a data frame time interval representing time between data frames received at the station, and causes the station to switch to a further inactive mode if a next packet is not received within the dormancy time after receipt of a previous packet.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for effectively and efficiently arbitrating concurrent usage between WLAN and Bluetooth access technologies for co-located wireless devices. A state level arbiter determines state and relevant parameters of a WLAN module and of a Bluetooth module of a wireless transceiver unit. The state level arbiter uses the state and relevant parameters to determine which access technology (WLAN or Bluetooth) or combination of the access technologies (WLAN or Bluetooth) will provide the best concurrent performance for wireless transmissions at a given time for specific Bluetooth states and WLAN states.

Abstract: A wireless communications power saving method and apparatus is provided. The method includes establishing a circular buffer configured to maintain a number of most recently encountered frame delay times and waiting a frame delay time after receiving a further frame before the station enters a power save state. Frame delay time is a period equal to a largest most recently encountered frame delay period in the circular buffer. The method further determines, at a station, a dormancy time based on a number of data frames received since the station transitioned from an inactive mode to an active mode, a packet transmission rate, and a data frame time interval representing time between data frames received at the station, and causes the station to switch to a further inactive mode if a next packet is not received within the dormancy time after receipt of a previous packet.

Abstract: A WLAN client receives a plurality of beacons that include timestamp values that indicate when the beacons were sent by an access point (AP). The WLAN client calculates a beacon drift value for each of the plurality of received beacons in response to the timestamp values and known physical layer characteristics associated with the WLAN client. The WLAN client selects one of the calculated beacon drift values that represents a minimum beacon drift, and uses this selected beacon drift value (i.e., golden reference target beacon transmission time (RTBTT) estimate) to control the wakeup timing of the WLAN client. The golden RTBTT estimate is updated if a subsequently received beacon exhibits a shorter beacon drift value. If the wakeup wait period of the WLAN client exceeds a predetermined threshold for each of a plurality of received beacons, the golden RTBTT is recalculated to account for the associated increased beacon drift.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for effectively and efficiently arbitrating concurrent usage between WLAN and Bluetooth access technologies for co-located wireless devices. A state level arbiter determines state and relevant parameters of a WLAN module and of a Bluetooth module of a wireless transceiver unit. The state level arbiter uses the state and relevant parameters to determine which access technology (WLAN or Bluetooth) or combination of the access technologies (WLAN or Bluetooth) will provide the best concurrent performance for wireless transmissions at a given time for specific Bluetooth states and WLAN states.

Abstract: A communication system for communication using wireless signals in a fast macrodiversity switching environment. The wireless signals include downlink signals to and uplink signals from mobile stations where the wireless signals have bursts in time slots. In the communication system, a plurality of transceiver stations have broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated channels (switched) for the wireless signals. A zone manager controls the fast macrodiversity switching of bursts in dedicated channels among transceiver stations. The fast macrodiversity switching causes the bursts to have time shifts that are of a magnitude to cause unwanted burst overlap. A macro-diversity timing control controls the timing of bursts, to reduce burst overlap, in dedicated channels that have been dynamically switched timing problem.

Abstract: Dynamic allocation of communication channels among communication units (CU) in a communications system. Dynamic channel allocation employs a reservation set for reserving channels and an allocation set corresponding to the reservation set for receiving allocated channels. The reservation set and the allocation set are changed dynamically as a function of network parameters to control the dynamic channel operation. Reservation set information is broadcast downlink to multiple users to reserve an allocation set of uplink radio resources for specific ones of the users. The system uses a modification of the packet data channel (PDCH) of a GPRS/EGPRS or EDGE system which employs an Uplink Status Flag (USF) on each PDCH downlink radio block. The downlink reservation set information is commonly received by all users in the group of users. Allocation delay, bandwidth efficiency and other system parameters are optimized.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without changing the radio resource, that is, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) or frequency and spreading code combination (CDMA). The traffic channel switching is under control of zone managers. Each BTS includes a zone manager where a host BTS has its zone manager designated as a host zone manager and other BTSs (assistant BTSs) have their zone managers designated as assistant zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels. Measurements of the wireless signals are made at macrodiverse locations.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) of channels that employ interleaving. The fast macrodiversity switching dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without switching the radio resource, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) in an environment where interleaving is occurring. The fast macrodiversity switching of channels and interleave processing is under control of an interleave manager which is distributed among zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels that employ interleaving. The dedicated channels are switched as frequently as a signal switch time which can be the frame rate of the up-link signals.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without changing the radio resource, that is, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) or frequency and spreading code combination (CDMA). The traffic channel switching is under control of zone managers. Each BTS includes a zone manager where a host BTS has its zone manager designated as a host zone manager and other BTSs (assistant BTSs) have their zone managers designated as assistant zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels. Measurements of the wireless signals are made at macrodiverse locations.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without changing the radio resource, that is, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) or frequency and spreading code combination (CDMA). The traffic channel switching is under control of zone managers. Each BTS includes a zone manager where a host BTS has its zone manager designated as a host zone manager and other BTSs (assistant BTSs) have their zone managers designated as assistant zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels. Measurements of the wireless signals are made at macrodiverse locations.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) of channels that employ interleaving. The fast macrodiversity switching dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without switching the radio resource, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) in an environment where interleaving is occurring. The fast macrodiversity switching of channels and interleave processing is under control of an interleave manager which is distributed among zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels that employ interleaving. The dedicated channels are switched as frequently as a signal switch time which can be the frame rate of the up-link signals.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) of channels that employ interleaving. The fast macrodiversity switching dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without switching the radio resource, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) in an environment where interleaving is occurring. The fast macrodiversity switching of channels and interleave processing is under control of an interleave manager which is distributed among zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels that employ interleaving. The dedicated channels are switched as frequently as a signal switch time which can be the frame rate of the up-link signals.

Abstract: Dynamic allocation of communication channels among communication units (CU) in a communications system. Dynamic channel allocation employs a reservation set for reserving channels and an allocation set corresponding to the reservation set for receiving allocated channels. The reservation set and the allocation set are changed dynamically as a function of network parameters to control the dynamic channel operation. Reservation set information is broadcast downlink to multiple users to reserve an allocation set of uplink radio resources for specific ones of the users. The system uses a modification of the packet data channel (PDCH) of a GPRS/EGPRS or EDGE system which employs an Uplink Status Flag (USF) on each PDCH downlink radio block. The downlink reservation set information is commonly received by all users in the group of users. Allocation delay, bandwidth efficiency and other system parameters are optimized.

Abstract: Dynamic allocation of communication channels among communication units (CU) in a communications system. Dynamic channel allocation employs a reservation set for reserving channels and an allocation set corresponding to the reservation set for receiving allocated channels. The reservation set and the allocation set are changed dynamically as a function of network parameters to control the dynamic channel operation. Reservation set information is broadcast downlink to multiple users to reserve an allocation set of uplink radio resources for specific ones of the users. The system uses a modification of the packet data channel (PDCH) of a GPRS/EGPRS or EDGE system which employs an Uplink Status Flag (USF) on each PDCH downlink radio block. The downlink reservation set information is commonly received by all users in the group of users. Allocation delay, bandwidth efficiency and other system parameters are optimized.

Abstract: A communication system for communication using wireless signals in a fast macrodiversity switching environment. The wireless signals include downlink signals to and uplink signals from mobile stations where the wireless signals have bursts in time slots. In the communication system, a plurality of transceiver stations have broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated channels. (switched) for the wireless signals. A zone manager controls the fast macrodiversity switching of bursts in dedicated channels among transceiver stations. The fast macrodiversity switching causes the bursts to have time shifts that are of a magnitude to cause unwanted burst overlap. A macro-diversity timing control controls the timing of bursts, to reduce burst overlap, in dedicated channels that have been dynamically switched timing problem.

Abstract: A communication system for communication using wireless signals in a fast macrodiversity switching environment. The wireless signals include downlink signals to and uplink signals from mobile stations where the wireless signals have bursts in time slots. In the communication system, a plurality of transceiver stations have broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated channels (switched) for the wireless signals. A zone manager controls the fast macrodiversity switching of bursts in dedicated channels among transceiver stations. The fast macrodiversity switching causes the bursts to have time shifts that are of a magnitude to cause unwanted burst overlap. A macrodiversity timing control controls the timing of bursts, to reduce burst overlap, in dedicated channels that have been dynamically switched timing problem.

Abstract: A communication system for communication using wireless signals in a fast macrodiversity switching environment. The wireless signals include downlink signals to and uplink signals from mobile stations where the wireless signals have bursts in time slots. In the communication system, a plurality of transceiver stations have broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated channels (switched) for the wireless signals. A zone manager controls the fast macrodiversity switching of bursts in dedicated channels among transceiver stations. The fast macrodiversity switching causes the bursts to have time shifts that are of a magnitude to cause unwanted burst overlap. A macrodiversity timing control controls the timing of bursts, to reduce burst overlap, in dedicated channels that have been dynamically switched timing problem.

Abstract: Fast macrodiversity switching (FMS) dynamically switches radio links used for traffic and control channels for a mobile station among a number of base transceiver stations (BTS) without changing the radio resource, that is, using the same frequency and time slot combination (TDMA) or frequency and spreading code combination (CDMA). The traffic channel switching is under control of zone managers. Each BTS includes a zone manager where a host BTS has its zone manager designated as a host zone manager and other BTSs (assistant BTSs) have their zone managers designated as assistant zone managers. The control by the host and assistant zone managers includes switching down-link signals to and up-link signals from mobile stations among base transceiver stations which include broadcast channels (non-switched) and dedicated (switched) channels. Measurements of the wireless signals are made at macrodiverse locations.

Abstract: Dynamic allocation of communication channels among communication units (CU) in a communications system. Dynamic channel allocation employs a reservation set for reserving channels and an allocation set corresponding to the reservation set for receiving allocated channels. The reservation set and the allocation set are changed dynamically as a function of network parameters to control the dynamic channel operation. Reservation set information is broadcast downlink to multiple users to reserve an allocation set of uplink radio resources for specific ones of the users. The system uses a modification of the packet data channel (PDCH) of a GPRS/EGPRS or EDGE system which employs an Uplink Status Flag (USF) on each PDCH downlink radio block. The downlink reservation set information is commonly received by all users in the group of users. Allocation delay, bandwidth efficiency and other system parameters are optimized.